"aaaa" - talking through a holocomunicator or comlink. aaaa - inner thoughts and Force Visions. 'aaaa' - talking through a bond.
AN: Hi everyone! I know I haven't said this since I started writing this story, but thank you to everyone who has read this story and added it to their follow/favourites list.
Thank you princesselsaamidala22 for the review of the last chapter. I'm glad that you were impressed with how well Rosella and Luminara worked together.
Don't forget to leave me a review, even if it's just to ask a question that you may have or to tell me that you like this story.
When Anakin gets hurt during a rescue operation, Rosella must team up with another Jedi whom she has never worked with before to get him help. Along the way, she learns another important lesson that she won't ever forget.
Chapter 6: Learning to Let Go
After dropping Ahsoka off at the Temple, and then chasing after Count Dooku only to have him escape capture, Anakin and Rosella, who were on the Resolute and had been stationed in a nearby system with their other two cruisers, got a call from Jedi Knight Aayla Secura who told them that she needed help as she was currently in a fight for her life against some Separatist warships who were tearing her cruisers apart. Then the transmission cut out.
Both Jedi, plus Admiral Yularen walked out onto the bridge.
Anakin glanced to his right as he overheard one of the naval officers say that the other two cruisers were going to stay behind to guard the sector that they were stationed in. Another officer spoke up and said that they were ready to jump to hyperspace. Admiral Yularen, who was standing behind him, turned and gave the officer permission to proceed with the jump. Rosella glanced up at her father and could see that he was determined to reach the Jedi Knight before anything bad happened to her and her troops.
Then both Jedi turned and looked towards the viewports as their cruiser jumped to hyperspace.
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Aayla looked out of the viewports on her cruiser as the Separatist fleet, which was made up of three frigates, continued to fire on her taskforce. As her flagship took another hit from the lead frigate, the Twi'lek struggled to keep her balance, nearly falling over as she stumbled. Nearby, two more clones staggered as well. One of the two troopers clung to the console in front of him, while the other one grabbed onto the wall in order to keep their balance. The female Knight had a rather nasty string of curses that she wanted to let loose but didn't because she knew that now wasn't the time.
A naval officer who was in one of the two sunken pits looked up from his control panel and turned in his chair to look up. "General, our shields are gone!" He said.
Aayla turned away from the officer and focused her attention on the battle that was currently raging on outside their viewports as she took a few steps forward. "Hurry Skywalker," she said. "We're depending on you!"
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Anakin narrowed his eyes as his flagship was just about to exit hyperspace. He didn't even notice as a clone ran by him. They were coming up on the planet Quell. As the Resolute came out of hyperspace, he turned to Admiral Yularen, who was standing right next to him. "Have the gunships ready and waiting for us Admiral," he said.
"Yes General," Yularen said as he watched Anakin leave the bridge.
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The Resolute made its way into the planet's upper atmosphere. Anakin, Rosella, Captain Rex and a few other clones all made their way down to the main hangar and began to board the gunships that were waiting for them.
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Four vulture droids flew through the air as the other two Venator-class Star Destroyers that made up Aayla's task force were currently plummeting towards the planet below, devoid of all power. They were slowly falling into nose-dives that were going to make a pair of spectacular explosions once they smashed into the ground. One of them had split in half, as it couldn't handle all the damage that it had taken. The Liberty, on the other hand, was still holding on, despite all the blaster fire that it was taking from the enemy's massive Munificent-class star frigates.
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TF-1726 walked across the bridge of one of the frigates. Four other droids around him were punching commands into their consoles that were in front of them. The tactical droid was very proud of himself. Those Republic Star Destroyers that were in front of them were doomed and he knew it. "We have them now. Send in the super droids to finish them off," he said as he raised his left fist and then swept it down to his side as he gave the order.
A side hatch opened and a multitude of B2-RP super battle droids flew through the air, heading straight for Aayla's flagship.
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Now it wasn't just lasers that the Separatists were sending their way, but droids too. Super battle droids were harder to take down than regular battle droids. Aayla silently cursed in her head as she saw them begin to land on her cruiser, which was on fire from all the laser fire it was currently taking. "Bly," she said, pointing outside as she looked at a trooper who was dressed in armor that had been painted yellow in a few places. "Get out there and stop those droids."
"I'm on it," the trooper responded and ran off to find what men he had left.
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"This way," one of the droids who had landed on the burning star destroyer said, as he was standing beside a large hole. He raised his metal hand in the air and beckoned to his fellow super battle droids as they flew down from the sky.
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In one of the hangar bays aboard the Resolute, Anakin, Rosella, Rex and a few of his men had boarded a gunship.
They were ready to go and save what remained of Aayla's fleet, who had been coming out of the atmosphere of the planet when they had been ambushed by the Separatist fleet. As much as he wished that he could save everyone aboard the burning cruiser, Anakin knew that his top priority was getting Aayla out and whatever men she had with her, which would most likely be her Commander and hopefully one or more members of the 327th Star Corps.
As soon as the last clone had boarded, Anakin lifted his wrist com to his mouth and said, "We're ready Admiral."
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Anakin's flagship flew into the battle, making its way past the enemy fleet, as that wasn't the top priority right now.
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The same naval officer from before looked at his console, then turned to look at Aayla for the second time as he said, "General, Skywalker's here!"
"And not a moment too soon!" Aayla said, a small hint of relief in her voice. She almost stumbled as her flagship took another hit from the enemy fleet. "We're entering the atmosphere!"
The Knight knew that it was going to be a race to see what would destroy them first. The droids who were currently attacking their destroyer, the never-ending barrage of lasers that rained down on them from the enemy frigates or the fiery crash that was sure to be awaiting them on the planet below.
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A side hatch on the Resolute opened and three gunships flew out.
One of those ships contained Anakin, Rosella, Rex and a few of his men. The B2 battle droids continued to land on Aayla's ship. As Anakin's gunship flew towards the burning cruiser, both he and Rosella could see all the droids who were currently trying to board it. Then a few of the rocket droids turned around and spotted the gunship.
As five of them took off and headed in the direction of the smaller craft, the clone who was piloting saw them and said over the internal coms, "There are 5 rocket droids approaching!"
Two rockets were fired from the top of the lead gunship, which exploded in the atmosphere. Then the gun emplacements on either side of all three of the ships started firing at the oncoming droids.
"Those droids are boarding Aayla's ship!" Anakin yelled as they raced towards the burning cruiser, intent on rescuing whomever they could.
On top of one of the gunships, the pilot threw up his right arm as he saw cracks beginning to form in the glass that protected him from everything else that was going on around him. A rocket droid landed on top of the gunship that Anakin, his padawan and their men were in and tore off the canopy.
Aboard their gunship, Anakin noticed what was happening. "Rex, take care of that clanker," he said. The Captain turned, letting go of his strap so he could grab the doorway with one hand and his DC-17 with the other. "I'll be on board Aayla's cruiser!"
"Master, are you sure that's the wisest thing…" Rosella said, her voice laced with concern at the thought of having to watch her father implement another one of his crazy ideas just to reach the cruiser below them. She trailed off, having lost her train of thought as she held out her left hand and watched her father leap from the gunship.
Anakin landed on one of the rocket droids. Using his strength, he managed to get the droid to turn around and blast one of the other droids that were heading towards the cruiser.
The clone who was piloting the gunship that Rosella, Rex and the other vod were in, ducked as the B2 battle droid behind him started to fire at the back of his head. He opted to go for the safer route and leapt out of the cockpit. There was no need to worry as both Rex and Rosella reached out, catching and pulling the man to safety.
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Anakin had flipped his hijacked battle droid back over and rode it to Aayla's cruiser where they fell through a gaping hole. Grabbing his saber and igniting it, he sliced off the droid's arm and leapt off as it crashed to the ground in a heap of broken metal.
His boots thumped on the floor as he landed in a crouch. Then the Knight raced forward, his saber near his right ear as he slashed through one battle droid, then another. Anakin then gripped his saber in both hands as he stabbed his saber into another one before slicing upwards, cutting a fourth droid in half. He quickly glanced around. Once he sensed that the coast was clear, he took off, running down the hallway.
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Rex, Rosella, and the men who were with them grabbed onto the doorway and the overhead straps of their now pilotless gunship as it raced towards the cruiser.
"Hey, kid…" Rex called as he was hanging on to the doorway and an overhead strap at the same time.
"I know, I know! I'm hanging on!" Rosella yelled back to the Captain, as she was hanging onto the doorway and an overhead strap as well.
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Smoke could be seen drifting up from a black scorch mark on the outside of Aayla's cruiser. As their gunship headed on a crash course with the already gaping hole that had been left there, a black cloud of smoke raced past them. Once the craft crashed into the hole and the explosion died down, Rosella, Rex and what remained of their men leapt from the ship. Rosella ignited her lightsaber as soon as she landed and Rex pulled both of his DC-17 blasters from his holsters. They, along with the rest of Rex's squad began to destroy the B2 battle droids in an effort to catch up to Anakin.
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"This is taking far too long," TF-1726 said as he walked over to the left side of the bridge onboard his Munificent-class star frigate. He raised his left hand and pointed to the burning cruiser as he said, "I want that cruiser destroyed and I want it done right away." Then he clenched the hand into a fist and dropped it to his side.
"But, sir," the battle droid said, as he turned his metal head to look at his commanding officer, "There are still hundreds of droids on board." He was standing at one of the consoles that was near the tactical droid.
"I don't care," TF-1726 said as he curled his hand into a metal fist and flung it out wide in an attempt to threaten the battle droid that had dared to question his orders.
"Roger, roger," the battle droid said in response as it turned back to the console that it was standing in front of and began to tap out the command as the tactical droid came up behind it.
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Laser fire rained down on Aayla's burning cruiser.
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Anakin sliced a battle droid in half and deflected a blaster bolt before slicing another droid in half as he made his way to where Aayla was. Behind him, Rosella had darted up to a battle droid. Using her small size to her advantage, she leapt up and sliced it in half from behind. Turning to her right, she promptly sliced the battle droid that was standing there in half before crouching as another battle droid turned to face her and fired. Avoiding the blast, she darted forward and sliced the droid's legs off. Then she leapt up and sliced that same droid in half. As the final droid turned around, the teenager glanced up, ran forward and sliced the droid in half just as it began to fire its wrist blaster.
Rex and his men were right behind her.
Anakin sliced two more droids in half as Rosella defeated another one behind him. He used the force to bring one to him and shoved his saber into it before force pushing it into a bunch of B1 battle droids, knocking down the whole group and clearing the path.
Aayla turned around at the sound and then held her saber behind her, deflecting a laser blast as Anakin and the rest of his party came running up to her and Bly. "Nice of you to join us, Skywalker," she said as she deflected another laser blast. The Twi'lek sliced another battle droid in half. "How do you plan to get us out of this mess?"
"Well," Anakin said as he deflected what lasers he could and cut down the droids that were in his path, "I have a ship docking in the lower hanger as we speak."
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As the Consular-class cruiser steadily rose towards the docking port that was underneath the burning Star Destroyer, the two pilots inside ignored the small orange and yellow explosions that were going off around them.
"Activate the docking port," one of the pilots said.
"On it," his companion said.
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Inside the cruiser, Aayla, Anakin, Rosella, Rex and the other clones nearly stumbled as they ran down a corridor and turned the corner. Skidding to a stop, they saw a lone B1 battle droid standing in front of a closed blast door.
"Uh...hold it?" The battle droid asked as he saw them and raised his blaster.
Anakin smirked and ignited his saber.
Suddenly four more B1 battle droids came out to join the first one as the blast door behind the droid opened up and a small group of B2's emerged from beyond.
"Ah-ha!" The battle droid exclaimed triumphantly just as the other droids behind it opened fire on them.
The group turned and ran back down the corridor that had just come from, with Anakin, Aayla and Rosella using their lightsabers to deflect the laser blasts from hitting any of their clones.
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As Aayla, Rosella, and the clones all ran down another corridor, they stumbled as the whole ship shook from an explosion that had occurred somewhere else. Anakin was leading the rear and behind him were the beginning signs of the result of that ship shaking blast.
Rosella stopped at the button that controlled the blast door that lead to the gangway and their way off of the burning, almost destroyed cruiser. "We made it," she said as she hit the button and the door opened.
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The docking tube extended and locked in with the small Consular-class cruiser that Anakin had called for.
"Gangway locked in, sir," said one of the clones who had piloted the ship.
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An explosion tore through the corridor that the group had just been in, engulfing the few battle droids that had decided to follow them. One of the clones, who was part of the rescue team that had boarded with Anakin, saw it and tried to run away, but the fire caught up and engulfed him as well as his comrades.
The whole party ran through the docking bridge to the blast door that led to the cruiser.
Anakin stopped as he heard the sounds of an explosion coming from behind him. He turned around and saw the large red and yellow fireball as it engulfed the droids who had been behind them. "It's too late!" He yelled, calling on the force as he turned around and using it to effortlessly push Rosella and the rest of their party into the small cruiser.
"Master!" Rosella cried out in horror, with a small amount of fear mixed in. She saw the explosion racing towards Anakin as she landed on her rear. She was just getting to her feet when she saw the blast door close in front of her face.
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Anakin turned around and ignored Rosella's panicked, worried and fearful cry as the blast door behind him closed. Holding his hands out in front of him, he forced the blast door in front of him to close just as the explosion reached it. The Knight was going to make sure that they got out of this alive, even if that meant sacrificing his own life. As Anakin focused on containing the explosion as best as he could, he could hear the door beginning to whine and buckle under the growing pressure.
Suddenly the door exploded and Anakin found himself flying backwards through the air, his clothes smoking from the fire that had just managed to touch him. He landed in a heap a few feet from the blast door that led to the cruiser, his head slamming onto the ground just as fire and debris from the explosion came crashing down all around him.
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All around the rescue ship, debris started to rain down from the large cruiser.
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Rosella groaned as her senses slowly came back to her. She slowly looked from side to side and saw that she was on the ground. She felt as if her skin was burning and as she took a small breath of air, it felt like smoke was filling her lungs. How had she ended up here? The last thing she remembered was calling out to Anakin after he had shoved her, Aayla and the rest of their men onto the cruiser.
As the teenager shook her head, clearing it from the haziness that she was feeling and sat up, she remembered what had occurred just moments before. With a quick glance towards the closed blast door, Rosella raised her arm and contacted the pilots. "Don't move the ship yet!" She said.
"Are you guys alright down there?" One of the pilots asked.
Blocking out the pain that was coming from the bond that she shared with her adopted father, Rosella got up off the floor. Then she reached out with the Force and touched her father's signature. He was still alive! His presence was weak but still there. Rosella knew she had to do something and fast. She made her way to the panel that controlled the door and slammed her fist repeatedly down on the button. The blast door opened, but since it had been partially damaged by the explosion, it didn't fully open up.
Rosella ran over and placed her hands on either side of the door as she looked out through the diamond-shaped opening. Glancing to her left, her eyes widened as she saw her Master laying on the ground. His face was covered in bruises and he definitely wasn't breathing. Igniting her lightsaber with an almost violent hiss, the blond-haired girl sliced a circular opening in the door. The metal edges had yet to cool before she darted through and grabbed her father's mech arm.
Aayla looked up as she felt pieces of the burning ship falling onto their cruiser. "Rosella, we have to leave," she said.
Rosella began to pull her Master back to safety. Even with the force adding to her strength, it was a struggle for the small girl as Anakin was much heavier than she was.
Aayla darted forward and grabbed Anakin's other arm as she said, "Hurry. Get him on the ship."
Together the Knight and Padawan dragged Anakin to the safety of the cruiser. His toes had barely cleared the opening before Bly shut the door. Rosella knelt at her father's side, his mech hand in her left hand. Aayla was kneeling on the other side, propping him up as best she could.
"I'll go tell the pilots to turn on the deflector shields," Bly said as he turned and ran down the corridor.
Aayla let Rosella rest, Anakin's hand still in hers. Then with a small nudge, she got the young girl to stand and follow her as she picked up Anakin and took him to the small medbay aboard the cruiser.
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Another explosion tore through the corridor of the cruiser, engulfing any remaining droids that were on the Liberty.
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Bly stood behind the pilots as one of them pushed a lever forward.
The ship's engines fired up, released from the docking bridge and dropped into the still raging sky battle. Then it turned around and flew away from the Liberty as the sublight engines on the right broke apart and the doomed cruiser pitched forward, beginning its descent to the ground.
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As soon as Aayla got up to the bridge after making sure both Rosella and Anakin were settled in the medical bay, she put a call through to the Resolute. As soon as the Admiral was standing in front of the viewscreen, she explained their predicament.
Now Admiral Yularen admired the Jedi. They were keepers of the peace and amazing warriors. He had nothing but respect for them and was proud to fight alongside them. Yet it was times like these that had him wondering if all Jedi were not the smallest bit insane. "You'll never be able to dock with our ship in the middle of this battle," he told Aayla.
"We have no choice Admiral!" Aayla's voice was for the most part calm and level. "General Skywalker's condition may be serious. We must get him on board the Resolute."
"Are all Jedi so reckless?" Yularen asked a small bit of dry humour in his voice.
"Just the good ones," Aayla replied, her mouth curling up into a small smile as she finished speaking.
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The small consular-class cruiser slowly turned around as it rose through the air amidst all the fighting that was currently going on. There was a small group of vulture droids coming towards them from their left as they rose to dock with Anakin's flagship. One of them fired on the smaller cruiser, hitting the front of it and damaging what looked like a small satellite dish.
Aayla, as well as Bly, looked around and kept an eye out as the two pilots maneuvered the cruiser into the loading bay of the destroyer. Suddenly, without any warning, a strafing group of vulture droids were blown up a little too close to the bridge. Everyone aboard the cruiser was jostled around and the explosion had been enough to kill both of the pilots.
The yellow and white armored trooper ran over and gently removed the dead pilot from his seat while Aayla took care of the other one. Then he saw something that wasn't good for their entire group. "The hyperdrive's been activated!" Bly said as he looked at the console in front of him.
Then the Consular-class cruiser began to attach itself to the Resolute. Aayla felt the tractor beam take hold of the ship even as she ran over to see if she could help shut down the hyperdrive.
"Shut it down!" Aayla told him.
"I can't," he replied.
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Yularen knew that things had taken a turn just by the tone of Commander Bly's voice. "General Secura, what's going on?" He asked.
"We're going into hyperspace," Aayla replied. "Detach! Detach!"
Yularen could see that the trooper had gotten up and was flicking a few switches above his head.
"They'll take us with them if we don't get clear!" A clone replied as he turned his head to look at the Admiral.
"Evasive maneuvers!" Admiral Yularen called out.
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The tractor beam's connection with the cruiser died and it fell back into the air and hung there for a moment. On the bridge, Aayla's eyes looked around for a few minutes and then she focused straight ahead as the small cruiser vanished into thin air.
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"Plot every course along their last known trajectory," Admiral Yularen said as he fought to stay upright. "We need to finish this battle and find them!"
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As the small cruiser made its way through hyperspace, Rosella, who was vaguely aware that the ship hadn't docked with the Resolute as Anakin had planned, was in the medical bay. She was standing beside her father's bed with a worried expression on her face as she glanced at him. Then she turned away and sighed, unsure of what was going to happen to them when they reached wherever their destination was. Reaching for Anakin's mechanical hand, she gave it a light squeeze, knowing that she would probably be reassigned to a new master if Anakin were to die before they could get him some proper medical attention. She didn't even care that the cruiser's 2-1B medical droid hovered just behind her.
The mechanical breathing sounds that Anakin was making made her shiver. It sounded as if someone else should be making that noise, not him. The life-support system that the droid had hooked him up to was keeping him stable for now.
The door hissed as it slid open and Aayla entered the room. "I need you with Commander Bly, up on the bridge, right now," she said, trying to sound as gentle as she could. Making her way over to where Rosella was standing, she glanced down at Anakin before looking up to check on his vitals.
Rosella heard the Twi'lek's words. She knew she had to obey as the Knight was currently in charge of their small group since Anakin was injured. But she was scared that Anakin wasn't going to pull through as he only had a medical droid to watch over him. "Master, please, I need to stay," she said. "Commander Bly doesn't need my help. Anakin does."
Aayla glanced at the young girl beside her and spoke in a soft voice hoping to soothe the Padawan's troubled feelings. "You can help Anakin by getting this ship to safety," she said.
The door to the room slid open again.
"General, we have a problem," Bly said. Even though he tried to hide it, there was no mistaking how tense he was.
"What is it, Commander?" She asked.
Bly sighed, although it sounded more like a huff. "In our haste to escape, the navicomputer's coordinates were inputted incorrectly," he said as he walked in and made his way over to a console on the wall next to the one that was displaying Anakin's vitals. He pressed the red button and the screen vanished, only to be replaced by a terrifying image. Their ship was heading towards a black, yellow and red ball. "And…well…we're headed right for a star."
Bly ran for the door which opened as he approached it. Aayla and Rosella were right behind him.
The teenager stopped, placed her hand on the door and turned just a little to look at the 2-1B medical droid who was currently tending to her father. Then she left and let the door close behind her. 'Don't worry Dad…I'll keep you safe.'
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Rex was messing with a panel when Aayla and Rosella ran past him at top speed. He watched as they headed for the cockpit, then without a thought, got up and followed them.
Rosella turned the pilot's seat just a little as she slid into it. She wasn't sure she was ready to be flying a cruiser that was racing fast into a brightly burning star. She was dimly aware of Bly already sitting in the co-pilot's chair. She poked at various buttons, flipped a toggle, and bit her lower lip when nothing seemed to be working.
A fact that was echoed by Bly as the Commander slammed his hand down onto the control console. "It's no use. The navigation computer is completely fried," he said as he looked at Rosella.
"We're going to have to shut down everything in order to reset the coordinates," Aayla said.
Rex nodded in her direction as he had been thinking the same thing.
Rosella turned and stared at Aayla in absolute horror as the meaning behind her words sank in hard and fast. "If we do that, it will cut off Anakin's life support," she said worriedly.
"I don't like this any more than you do," Aayla said as she looked at Rosella. "But it's a risk we're going to have to take as it's our only option right now."
Rosella glanced away, knowing that the Twi'lek was right. That was their only option at the moment.
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Anakin was laying on the bunk in the medical bay, the oxygen mask still over his face, with only the beeping of the medical equipment to signify that he was still alive.
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Rex was standing in-between Bly and Rosella as they prepared to shut the ship down.
"We're switching off all primary power units," Rosella said as she looked away from something on her right.
"Cutting it awfully close…" Bly's voice was tense as he watched their progress. Glancing at the small screen in front of them, he could see that they were getting closer and closer to the star as it flickered in and out of existence.
Aayla had moved swiftly to the back of the small bridge. She pressed a button and looked at Rosella. "Ready to shut off the auxiliary power," she said.
Rosella turned her head to face the older Jedi as she said, "On three!"
Aayla nodded.
"One," Rosella called out as she turned her attention to the controls in front of her. "Two." Aayla pressed another button and grabbed hold of the switch at the back. "Three!"
As soon as Rosella said three, Aayla pulled the switch down as hard as she could and the power in the ship died. There was a bright flash as they dropped out of hyperspace, not too far from the star.
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As the lights went out and the viewscreens snapped off, the medical droid looked around. On the bed, the injured Knight gave a shuddering, shaky breath…but he was breathing.
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Rex clung to the back of both chairs and Bly gripped the console in front of him as the star came into view outside the viewports. It looked a whole lot meaner up close than it had on the viewscreens with its harsh yellow and orange glow filling the bridge.
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The ship whined in alarm as it drifted close to the star. Rex was still holding onto his handhold, while Aayla held tight to the power switch. Rosella had a tight grip on the controls in front of her and hoped that her hands didn't break free.
"We're out of hyperspace! Resume all power!" Bly said as he tried to keep his head against his seat. Then there was a metallic snap as the handle on the back of Rosella's chair broke and Rex was sent flying onto Aayla, knocking her away from the power switch.
Rosella struggled to keep the ship under control while Aayla shook her head as she and Rex floated up towards the ceiling.
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The ship started spiralling as it headed towards the star.
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"Switch the power back on," Bly shouted as he glanced towards the back. "What are you waiting for?"
Looking up, Aayla reached out through the force, wrapping it around the power switch.
Rosella's hands tightened on the throttle and her eyes narrowed as if she wanted to look away.
"Hurry!" Bly said.
The Twi'lek Jedi nudged the switch, flipping it back on and restoring all power to the ship as both she and Rex fell quickly to the ground.
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Rosella managed to steer the cruiser away from the star as she used the momentum to slingshot around the ball of gas.
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It felt as though it took ages when all it took was just mere seconds for the navi-computer to come back online. Wasting no time, Rosella threw the throttle forward, guiding the ship out of the star's gravitational pull and towards a new destination as Rex and Aayla came up behind the padawan. "Well," she said, trying to keep her voice on the positive side, "…we're not going to crash into the star, but we're definitely going to crash into that planet."
Looming before them was a planet, one that was a mix of brown and white.
The cruiser started to burn up as they entered the planet's atmosphere at a dangerously fast speed. Then one of the engines came flying off, rocking the ship and creating a small explosion. All they could do was brace for impact as an alarm started to blare in the cockpit. There was no time to prepare for a safe landing.
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In the medical bay, the medical droid looked around as it kept the oxygen mask and canister in place over Anakin's mouth. The wounded Knight mumbled something, but the droid couldn't hear it.
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Dirt, grass and rocks flew high into the sky as the ship crashed on the ground. Rex and Aayla were thrown to the right side of the ship. They quickly reached out, grabbing onto the edges of the viewports as they broke and rained shards of transparasteel all over the bridge. The cruiser flew a few meters away from the impact zone before coming to a stop.
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Without a second thought, Rex ran over and kicked out a weakened door. "Everyone out!" He ordered.
Bly, another clone under his command and Rex all fled from the burning ship.
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The cruiser was on fire and could explode at any minute.
Rosella and Aayla entered the medical bay, heading straight for Anakin. There was nothing that they could do for the already damaged and sparking medical droid who was trapped underneath a pile of rubble.
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Rex was helping a trooper walk away from the burning cruiser while Bly looked at the damaged and burning cruiser, searching for any sign of Aayla, Rosella and Anakin.
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Aayla and Rosella ran from the burning cruiser dragging Anakin in-between them. The Force screamed out one last warning as a giant wall of flames came racing out behind them, as though it didn't want them to make it out unmarked.
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Rosella and Aayla stopped running when they had moved well away from the ship. The teenager removed her father's left arm from around her shoulder and helped Aayla lay him on the ground. Then the Twi'lek female sank to the ground, sitting almost cross-legged while Rosella fell to her hands and knees, trying to catch her breath.
"Well, we survived and Master Skywalker is still alive," Aayla said as she looked at Rosella. "He would be glad to know that you were the one who safely guided us away from that burning star."
Rosella sighed, dropped her shoulders a little and replied, "Thank you, Master Secura." Then she glanced at her father. "I'm just glad he wasn't awake to see that landing."
"I'm sure Anakin would have been proud of you," Aayla told her.
Both Jedi got up off the ground and Rosella dusted herself off as she said, "I know, but I'm pretty sure demolishing ships and almost getting my Master killed are not things to be proud of."
Both Jedi then glanced down at the unconscious Knight.
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The ship was gone. Even though it was wrecked, it was still salvageable. While it had taken most of the afternoon for the big fires to burn themselves out, there were still a few small ones in some places on the outside. The interior was at least, cool enough for two of the men who were under Bly's command to go through the wrecked cruiser and see if they could find anything that had managed to survive the initial landing. They managed to grab the one blaster that was still working and gave it to Rex to use. He thanked the troopers and kept the weapon with him. There were also some extra bits of scrap, that were of no use to either the Jedi or the men.
One of the two clones who had gone through the cruiser was now standing at the edge of their makeshift campsite while the other one was currently in the middle of his patrol. The last remaining clone had built a fire to warm the air.
While that had been going on, Rex and Bly, with some help from Aayla, had taken pieces of the destroyed ship and built a small tent for Anakin to lay under. Aayla had found a piece of debris that she was now using as a mat as she didn't want Anakin laying in the dirt.
He still hadn't woken up.
The sun was slowly beginning to sink in the sky as Rosella headed over to the makeshift tent that had been set up. She stood at the door, watching as Aayla made sure that Anakin would be alright. "Anakin's still alive, but he doesn't have much time," the Twi'lek said in a worried tone. "We have to find help tonight." Then she stood up as Bly joined her.
"Okay," Rosella said as she looked at her father and then Aayla. "You and Bly go south and see what you can find. Rex and I will stay here."
"Rosella, I know you want to stay with your Master," Aayla said softly as she looked at the padawan. "But in order to get help quickly, we are going to have to work together."
"No! I can't leave him!" Rosella exclaimed, her eyes going wide with fear. "Master, if I was the one laying in that tent, I know Anakin would never leave me behind."
Aayla softly sighed as her voice took on a somewhat harsh tone. "I know this is hard for you, but Anakin has to stay behind and we need to leave now." When she spoke again, her voice had gone soft. "There is nothing more we can do for him right now. We have to do everything that we can to find a way off of this planet." The Twi'lek softened her gaze and rested her light hands on Rosella's small shoulders. Then she let go and dropped her hands to her sides. "As a Jedi, it is your responsibility to do what is best for the group, even if you don't like it."
Rosella glanced at her father, then turned her back on the group and walked away, making sure not to go too far from the camp. She closed her eyes, centred herself in the Force and took a deep breath as she gathered up all of her emotions. Then she released that breath and let her feelings blow away like they were leaves in a light breeze. Turning to look at the setting sun, Rosella lifted a hand and shaded her eyes. She knew that they didn't have much time left.
"General Secura, take a look at this," Bly said as he walked towards Aayla and Rosella, who were walking in his direction. He held a carving in his hand that he gave to the Twi'lek. "We are not the only ones on this planet. There has to be some kind of something here."
On the carving, there was an image of a beast terrorizing some being underneath a giant tree.
From the grasses around them came sharp snarls and low growls. Snapping to attention, Rex, Bly and two of Bly's men turned on their helmet lights, only standing down when nothing appeared.
Bly was in the process of turning off his headlights as he asked, "If you don't mind me asking, General Secura, what exactly is our plan right now?"
Two of the men followed suit. Aayla had just finished helping Rosella slide a pack onto her back.
"The plan is to go find whoever or whatever calls this place home," Aayla told him as Rex and the last clone passed behind her, their lights still on.
"Where are we supposed to start looking?" Bly asked, a little confused. "We don't know what is out there or where these beings are."
Rosella took the carving as Aayla passed it to her and said, "Going by this carving, I'm going to assume that the creatures we're looking for have been making their homes near giant trees."
"That is a very good observation, Padawan," Aayla remarked.
Rosella smiled only a little at the praise, slipping the carving into her pack before going over to the tent where her father was laying. She stopped in front of it and knelt down. "Stay strong Master," she told him, just as Rex came up behind her, the blaster in his hand and his helmet at his side. "Rex is going to stay here and watch over you until we return."
"Rosella, it's time to go." Aayla gently told the padawan.
Rosella's eyes drifted to the ground and she seemed to be worried about leaving her father behind.
"Don't worry Commander," Rosella glanced up at Rex as he spoke. "I'll take good care of him." He lifted his blaster in the air.
Rosella nodded and got up off the ground. She turned around and started to walk over to where Bly and his men were standing but stopped as she heard Aayla speak to Rex.
"Captain Rex, keep your tracker beacon on," the Twi'lek told him as she walked away. "One of us will be back by daybreak with whomever or whatever lives on this planet."
"Yes, General Secura," Rex replied. Then he looked at Rosella, who was still standing by his side. "Commander." She looked up at him. "Good luck. I have a feeling you're going to need it."
Rosella softly smiled and nodded.
"Alright," Aayla's voice echoed through the air. "Let's move out!"
Both Jedi, along with Bly and his men started walking and then broke into a brisk jog as they headed towards the tall grass.
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Aayla, Rosella, Bly and the 3 troopers who had survived the crash were walking along a path that had been beaten into the dirt and through grass that was as tall as them.
The Twi'lek glanced at Rosella and immediately knew what was on her mind. "I can sense how worried you are for Anakin," she said. "The two of you have formed a very deep bond with one another."
"I know I'm not supposed to get too attached, but I can't help it," Rosella said. Then a curious, but still confused expression appeared on her face. "I still get a little confused sometimes. I mean, it's not against the code anymore to form attachments, right?"
Aayla sensed the underlying confusion behind the question and understood where the teenager was coming from. When she had been Rosella's age, attachment had still been forbidden. She knew that there were still some Jedi in the Temple who had frowned when the rule had been changed. Now attachments were allowed, but duty still came first. "That's correct, young one. The connection that you share with Anakin can be a strength, but also a weakness if you allow it to come before your duty as a Jedi," she said. "Before the rules were changed, I went through the same process with my own master."
Rosella turned her head to stare solemnly at the blue-skinned Twi'lek. "Really?"
Aayla nodded as she turned to look at the padawan. "I was very close to him, like you are with Anakin," she said. "Yet we both realized that for the greater good, we had to let each other go and that our duty had to come first. Do not risk a thousand lives just to save one."
Rosella remembered hearing that old Jedi saying when she had been younger and nodded as she finally understood what it meant. "I understand what you're saying Master, but I'm still going to do everything that I can to get him the help that he needs," she said.
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The sun had set and all was quiet. The only sounds that could be heard were the snap and crackle of sticks being eaten by the fire. Rex reached to his left and picked up the blaster that one of Bly's troopers had given him. He started to inspect the weapon to make sure that it still worked since he hadn't had time to check it over after the crash as he had been helping Bly set up the tent that General Secura had laid Anakin under.
Yet Rex couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched.
He glanced up as he thought he heard something in the grass. When he didn't see anything, he looked back at his blaster and finished his inspection. He had just held it up to check it over when he heard a low growl coming from the grass on his right. Looking in that direction, he turned on his headlights and glanced around. When he still didn't see anything, he got to his knee and continued to look around.
Except for a breeze, nothing was moving among the tall grass. Reaching up, Rex switched off his headlights. Turning around, he glanced at General Skywalker, who still hadn't woken up. Only his chest moved up and down, signifying that he was still alive.
Rex got up off the ground and began to march towards the grasses. Something was out there and it was his duty to keep Anakin safe until the others returned.
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The path that Aayla's group had taken led them to a small area that was dotted with a few trees. As they headed towards one of them, Rosella couldn't help but notice that it was tall. Both of the Jedi, plus Bly, walked around a pod that was half-buried in the dirt and headed up to the trunk, looking around to see if they could find anyone. Then Bly turned around and touched the trunk after which he turned towards the path that they had just travelled down. "I don't see anyone around here," he said.
Then the sounds of something breaking and beginning to fall reached both Rosella and Aayla's ears. They looked up and the padawan gasped as a gigantic pod was heading towards Commander Bly.
"Look out!" Aayla yelled and darted forward, pushing Bly to the ground.
Rosella rolled in the same direction as Aayla and Commander Bly, dodging another pod as it crashed into the ground where she had been standing. The two men moved out of the way as another pod crashed not too far from where they had been standing.
Aayla, Bly and Rosella got up and managed to make it to the safety of the tree as one last pod came crashing down to the ground.
Rosella stared at them in shock as she said, "No wonder this place is deserted. It's a death trap. You would have to be crazy, not to mention insane to live here and have to deal with those on a daily basis!"
Aayla's attention had been stolen by worn tracks in the grass. "I think those pods might be the clue that we need," she said as she pointed to a path in the grass behind them. Bly turned on his helmet lights to help illuminate the path. "It looks like someone who has figured out a use for the pods has dragged them away somewhere. All we have to do is follow those tracks. Let's go!"
The small group began to run down the path.
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Rex was walking back to the tent where General Skywalker was laying.
Over in the tall grass, a tall bird-like creature was watching them.
Inside the tent, Anakin was beginning to wake up. He slowly moved his head from side to side and let out a small groan as his eyes fluttered open. Then he slowly lifted his head. He could see that it was dark outside and that was when he sensed the creature. The Knight's eyes widened and he used what strength he had to get to his feet and stumble outside, where he startled Rex who had been walking around the left side of the makeshift tent. Grabbing his side, the injured Jedi fell to the ground.
"General?" Rex asked as he ran over to where Anakin was laying facedown in the dirt. The 501st captain placed his blaster on the ground and knelt in front of him. "Sir, can you hear me? Are you alright?"
Anakin managed to lift his head a little. "Be-Behind you…" he said.
Rex heard the noise and turned around. "What the…?!" He cried out, not getting a chance to finish his sentence as the creature attacked, its sharp beak clamping down on Rex's arm. The beast swung its head, jerking the trapped Captain around before tossing him back onto the ground like a new toy. He scrambled to escape but was too slow as the avian quadraped pounced on top of him.
Rex placed his legs against the beast's body to keep it from getting any closer and used his left hand as a barrier to keep the creature from using its beak in a frantic attempt to tear out the clone's throat. He knew he had to frighten the creature off and reached for one of his DC-17 blaster pistols. As though it knew what he was planning, the creature lifted its right paw and planted it right on top of Rex's arm. The trooper looked up at the beast as it struggled to tear its beak away from his left hand. Rex glanced at his right hand as he began to wriggle it underneath the giant animal's paw.
He glared at the beast through his t-visor and was able to lift his blaster a little. Then he fired a single shot which flew past the giant paw and caused the creature to squeal in fright. It lifted its front paws and reared back as it stepped back, freeing Rex from its grip. Then the beast bounded away. Rex rolled over, getting to his hands and knees as he fired his DC-17 until he couldn't see it anymore.
Both men slumped to the ground. Rex lowered his DC-17 and hung his head, knowing that beast would be back.
Anakin felt his eyes close as he slipped back into unconsciousness.
They needed help.
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Aayla and the others were running down the path that they had been following. That's when they heard it. The screams coming from the grass.
All five of them came to an immediate stop in a clearing, with both Jedi on high alert, scanning the grass around them and looking for any signs of trouble. The creatures were getting close, their footsteps getting louder as if they were running.
Then one of the clones yelled, "Watch your left!"
Both Rosella and Aayla ignited their lightsabers.
Two of the creatures charged out of the tall grass. Everyone backed up as the first one ran right into the middle of their group, causing one of the troopers to scream as he was caught off guard and flung into the air. Another one tripped as he was backing away and fell to the ground. Then the creature turned its attention to the two clones on its left and went after them.
Aayla saw the second creature as it came charging at their group, but before she could warn Rosella about it, the animal had already ducked its head and flung them into the air, causing them to lose their grips on their lightsabers. Both blades automatically deactivated as they flew out of their hands and landed on the ground just out of their reach. Bly was tossed aside.
Rosella landed on her hands and knees while Aayla fell to the ground. They both paused as the trooper who had been flung into the air fell right next to them with a grunt. He was unable to do anything except struggle a little as a third beast grabbed him by his neck and lifted him in the air.
Both Aayla and Rosella turned their backs on the horrific sight and summoned their sabers back to their hands.
Bly managed to roll over with his blaster in his hand. He fired off a round as fast as he could which got one of the beasts in the head, killing the creature instantly. One of the other two creatures flung back the limp, too still body of one of Bly's men into his face and joined its comrade as they ran away. Aayla and Rosella gave chase but didn't get far before the creatures disappeared into the grass. Both Jedi deactivated their lightsabers. Bly pushed the body of the clone who had been flung into his face off of him.
Aayla and Rosella came walking over as Bly shook the body, trying to wake his comrade. It didn't work. They were gone.
"Cameron's dead," Bly said. "Lucky and Flash as well."
Both Jedi bent down and checked the troopers to see if Bly was correct. Rosella studied the clone who had perished underneath the massive creature, while Aayla took a look at the one who was near Bly and Cameron.
After determining that he was indeed correct, Aayla closed her eyes for a second as her shoulders slumped. Then she looked at the others. "We have to keep moving," she said.
Rosella stood up. She and Bly took off behind Aayla as she took off running down the track, never once looking back. The mourning would come later. It always did.
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Back at the campsite, the fire was still going. Rex had gotten Anakin back underneath the shelter and was sitting outside in the dirt. He looked over to his right as he heard something move.
Getting up, he flipped on his lights. After looking around for a little bit and not seeing anything, he flipped them off and checked on Anakin who hadn't moved. Turning back around, he gripped his blaster in his hand as he looked around for signs of trouble. Even though his arm hurt and he was tired, both of those things could wait.
Anakin needed him.
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Pink streaked the sky as the sun rose on a new day.
Rosella had spent the remainder of the night before running with Aayla and Bly, hoping that this day would be better than yesterday. That everything would be fixed and that her father would be okay. The pack dangled from her left hand as they topped the last rise.
Aayla stopped first, followed by Rosella and last but not least Bly. They saw an entire village made up of those same seed pods they had to dodge the night before.
"Pod central. Finally. We made it," Rosella said, her voice ringing with excitement.
All three of them slid down the slope.
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The Lurmen were not used to visitors. They were a peaceful colony and abhorred violence of all kinds. As Aayla, Rosella and Bly slowly made their way into the small village, they watched as the creatures nervously looked at them and stayed away as far as they could.
"Hello?" Rosella called as she held up her right hand.
Two of the Lurmen moved aside, revealing an elderly being who was the same species as the other creatures with a white beard. He was wearing a yellow jacket and had one hand behind his back as he came towards them. Rosella and Aayla watched as the other Lurmen bowed to him and then glanced at each other.
"Who are you and why are you here?" The older creature asked.
"We are Jedi and peacekeepers from the Galactic Republic. Our ship crashed a few miles away and one of us is badly injured," Aayla responded. "We are in desperate need of your assistance."
"Violence only brings about more violence," the elder Lurmen said as he pointed his hand at the ground. "You Jedi are certainly not peacekeepers."
Aayla glanced down at her lightsaber that was hanging from her hip.
"But we're fighting for freedom!" Rosella said as she took a few steps towards the Lurmen.
"Does freedom and peace mean bringing fear and death wherever you go?" The elder asked. Rosella and Aayla glanced at each other again, unsure of what to say as the being in front of them continued speaking. "We came to this planet to find solace from your wretched war. All we want is to live in peace." Then he started to pace back and forth. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave as you will eventually destroy what little peace is left in the galaxy. If you stay, I fear that we all will be destroyed."
Rosella had crossed her arms over her chest but uncrossed them as Aayla walked forward. "Regardless of what you think of us and the part that we have played in the war, we are still in need of your help," she said.
The response from the Lurmen elder was strong, almost final. "I'm sorry, I really am, but I must do what is best for my people," he said. "We won't be able to help you." He turned around and started to walk away from the group.
"Please," Rosella said, letting her fear and worry for her father leak into her voice as she spoke. "Can you at least give us some medical supplies if you have any to spare? My friend will die if he doesn't get help soon."
The elder stopped in his tracks and hung his head. Sighing a little, he lifted his head and nodded, gesturing to one of the younger Lurmen who had the same coloured fur but was wearing a grey shirt with a yellow tunic over top and a brown coloured cap on his head to come forward. The younger Lurmen did so, walking in the odd side-ways gait that marked them. "I can't just stand by and ignore a cry for help," he said. Then he held his hand out towards the Lurmen that he had called forward. "That is why I will send my son Wag Too to aid your friend. He is a healer. But only one of you may go with him. The other will stay here as insurance. I'm sure you agree that we don't want to see a surprise attack come upon our village or the kidnapping of our healer as he is the only one that we have."
"Bly and I will stay here," Aayla responded as she motioned to the clone who stepped forward. Then she turned to Rosella and held out her right arm. "Padawan, go and help your Master."
"No," the elder's voice was sharp as he pointed to Bly. It was clear that he didn't trust the Jedi or the Republic. "I cannot allow the clone and his blaster to stay in the village. Send him with the young one."
"I can handle this by myself," Rosella said as she looked at Aayla, "I won't be needing any help."
"Rosella," Aayla said as she scolded the young padawan.
"I'll be fine Master," Rosella assured her.
"Please, take Bly with you," Aayla told her. "Those creatures are still out there, so I want you to be mindful of your surroundings."
"Yes Master," Rosella said as she nodded before turning around and walking away. "Don't worry! We won't be long!" She broke into a run.
After running a few feet, Wag Too leapt into the air. Turning himself into a little ball, he rolled fast along the ground with Bly following them.
The elder watched them leave and then lowered his eyes to the ground.
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Pretty soon, Rosella, Bly and Wag Too ran through the clearing that they had been in the night before and made their way through the small grove of trees.
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A few of the Lurmen were standing outside of the elder's home. Two of them were talking to each other and the others were walking around, trying to get a glimpse of the Jedi who was currently inside.
Aayla sat cross-legged on the ground, looking at the home that the older Lurmen had made for himself when her attention was drawn to the elder as he turned around with a cup in his hand.
"Here. Drink this. It will restore your energy," the elder said as he walked forward and offered Aayla the cup of tea.
Aayla took the cup from him. "Thank you," she said. "I'm sure that you are aware that the Jedi didn't start this war nor did we wish to participate in it. We only want to end it and bring peace back to the galaxy." She took a sip from her cup and brought it back down to her lap.
Tee Watt Kaa sighed as he drew near to the door of his home. He turned around as he asked, "Does it matter who started this war and who wants to end it? None of you are free of the guilt. After all, it only takes two to fight."
"Isn't liberty and freedom worth fighting for?" Aayla asked.
"But is it worth all the bloodshed?" Tee Watt Ka asked. "Fighting for something doesn't mean that you have to destroy every living thing in your path just to get it. Only when you lay down your weapons and pursue a course or even a life of nonviolence can you make this claim to me that the Jedi are peacekeepers."
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Rosella, Wag Too and Bly raced down the path that led back to the clearing where they had crash-landed. They needed to hurry as they didn't know if Anakin was awake or not.
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Rex stood guard outside Anakin's shelter.
Two more of the bird-like creatures were waiting in the grass for the perfect opportunity to strike. Then Anakin groaned as he pushed past his pain and sat up.
Rex turned at the noise and gently forced the injured Knight back down. "General, you need to rest and save your energy," he told him.
"Rex, I can't rest. They're back," Anakin told him as he placed a hand on his Captain's arm and moved it away. He then placed a hand on the back of Rex's pauldron and allowed the man to help him up. "I can hear them heading this way. You need me if we are going to have a chance at surviving this."
Suddenly one of the creatures burst out of the grass and let out a roar that sounded more like a shriek. Anakin shoved himself off of Rex and pulled his lightsaber from his belt. A second creature appeared and they both ran down the small hill, stopping just a few feet away. Both of the animals let out shrill roars and clawed at the ground.
Anakin ignited his lightsaber and Rex raised his blaster.
The beasts charged, but Rex was faster. He fired his blaster, watching as the laser struck one of the birds in its head, causing it to drop to the ground. The other bird kept moving, causing Anakin to dive out of the way. Rex tried to do the same thing, but the bird crashed into him as it ran through the shelter, causing the trooper to fly through the air and land on the ground.
As Rosella, Bly and Wag Too came running up the path, they saw Anakin land on the ground as his lightsaber deactivated and flew out of his grip. He laid still and didn't move.
The teen and Bly halted where they were, not knowing what to do, but Wag Too leapt forward, curling into a ball as he raced towards the creature. Grabbing a rope that hung from his belt, he uncurled and ran around it, lashing the rope around the legs as the bird tried to snap up the little furball.
It was only when Wag Too tripped, did Rosella spring into action. Grabbing her lightsaber from her belt, she ran forward and ignited it, ready to end the life of the creature who threatened her father and friends.
Wag Too threw up a hand in a panic and said, "No, don't hurt it!"
Rex woke up from where the bird had flung him and shook his head.
Wag Too flipped away from the creature, pulling at the rope.
"Fine. I won't hurt it," Rosella said as she deactivated her lightsaber and returned it to her belt. She ran over, grabbed the rope, stood in front of Wag Too and began to pull. Rex frowned, not liking the thought of the two small beings trying to topple the massive beast. He stood up, walked over and grabbed the end of the rope with his good arm, helping both Rosella and Wag Too.
Together the three tugged and tugged until the massive bird fell to the ground. Wag Too grabbed the rest of the rope and dashed over to the creature, wrapping it around its legs and tugging hard. It wouldn't be going anywhere for a while.
"Nice work, little guy," Rosella said and then she smiled. Then both she and Rex looked to their right as they saw Anakin trying to get up.
Bly, who had gone to pick up Anakin's lightsaber, came back over and helped the injured Knight lay on his back.
"Master!" Rosella said as she ran over to him, with Rex right behind her. Bly backed out of the way as the teenager fell to her knees next to Anakin, relieved that he was awake. She desperately wanted to hug him but refrained from doing so as she didn't know how injured he truly was.
Anakin smiled as he turned his head and saw her. "It's good to see you my padawan," he said and then chuckled a little.
Rosella leaned back and gestured to Wag Too, who had come to stand next to her. "This is Wag Too," she said. "He's a healer. He's going to help you get better."
"Don't you worry. I can fix you right up," Wag Too said.
Anakin nodded.
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They made it back to the village.
Rosella, who had made sure to place her father's lightsaber back onto his belt as Bly had given it to her before they had left the crash site, was carrying the front half of his stretcher, while Bly carried the other half.
Rex was limping a little as he walked beside then, holding his injured arm.
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Both Tee Watt Kaa and Aayla were speaking to each other when they heard the sounds of footsteps making their way towards them.
They both looked up and saw Rosella, Bly, Rex and Wag Too making their way into the village. Anakin was on a makeshift stretcher and Rex was trailing behind, holding his injured arm.
Aayla made her way over to them as Bly and Rosella put the stretcher down on the ground. The rest of the village gathered to stare at the new visitor.
Anakin opened his eyes. "Um…Rosella?" He asked.
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"The oil from the pods will help with the healing process," Wag Too said as he reached up and took a handful of a glowing green substance and smeared it all over a piece of cloth, which he then placed over Anakin's face. He then repeated the same thing and placed another cloth over the Knight's chest. "Don't worry. You'll be well in no time." The Lurmen healer made some sort of downward motion with his left hand.
Tee Watt Kaa wasn't sure what to think as came up to the doorway and looked at both his son and the injured Knight. He looked towards the ground and then left. It was clear to him that the young girl and the man were close with one another. It was only after the older Jedi had come and taken her away, had she left the Knight in his son's hands.
She had called him her father as well as her Master.
Maybe the Jedi had changed.
Tee Watt Kaa shook his head. His thoughts could not be allowed to drift in their direction. No matter how the Jedi treated each other, they still used violence and violence was wrong. It was their way and always would be their way.
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It was evening now and both Rosella and Aayla were sitting on a small hill that overlooked the village.
"You were right all along, Master Secura," Rosella said.
"About what?" The Twi'lek asked as she looked at the padawan.
Rosella picked up a stone and looked at it as she replied, "If I had stayed with Anakin instead of coming with you, we probably wouldn't have found this village in time to save him." Then she sighed, got up and walked to the edge of the hill. "At least this whole nightmare is over now."
Aayla got up and walked towards Rosella. "We still have to find a way off this planet," she said.
Rosella looked at the ground and then back up at the Jedi Knight. "Well, I'm sure Admiral Yularen and the Republic fleet are looking for us. It shouldn't take them too long to come to our aid," she responded.
Translations
vod - brother, sister, comrade