Present Day (2 Weeks Later)
Location: Ord Mantell
Aurora's POV
"Look at her…I've never seen her so…determined." Cid explained watching me down shots of alcohol.
"You'd be surprised how determined she is to get drunk…though it has never happened." Alex murmured.
"You know I can hear both of you!" I snapped at them as I turned my head to look at them.
"Blondie, if you don't stop taking shots, you are going to go into liver failure." Cid began. "When I say, don't drink me dry, I mean it!"
I rolled my eyes at Cid before I took another shot. I wanted to get drunk, even though I physically couldn't…I never could.
Cid sighed in frustration. "Why don't you do something to stop her, instead of looking at her like an imbecile, Pretty Boy?"
Alex, who was leaning against the countertop shrugged. "Even if I tried to stop her, she'd either yell at me, or she'd try to kill me…I don't want to die."
"Maybe, you're not that stupid after all." Cid replied with snark.
I turned my head to look at both, as I was tired of the comments they were making. "Both of you, please stop. I'm fine, I'm not going to need a liver transplant…and I'm not an alcoholic, not matter how much either of you drive me to drink."
"Maybe this is your sign to start paying me for all the alcohol you're taking from me." Cid began.
"Maybe this is your sign to shut up, and stop pestering me about it, since I am your main source of income." I smirked before turning to Alex. "And you…don't even get me started on your problems."
"My problems? What the hell kind of problems do I have?" He asked in annoyance.
I raised my eyebrows. "Your dad."
His annoyance faded as he nodded. "Fair."
"If you both are done pestering me, I have to get going…I have to meet Skywalker in route to Onderon." I explained getting up from my seat.
"Good ridden." Cid said giving me a sarcastic wave which made me roll my eyes.
"Wait." Alex called as he ran after me as I walked out of the bar. "Why are you going to Onderon?"
"The Rebels there are out of resources to combat Separatist forces…they called the Jedi Council asking for Republic aid for their cause. Obi-Wan, Anakin, Ahsoka, Rex, and I are heading there to train them…they are doing alright on their own, but they don't have enough battle training to understand how to truly fight Dooku's forces." I explained as I headed for my starfighter.
"Maybe I should come with you." He replied.
I stopped in my tracks and turned towards him. "Why?"
"For moral support." He replied too quickly.
"Don't you have a shipment to deliver to Coruscant?" I asked in confusion.
He shrugged. "It can wait."
I crossed my arms and bit back a smirk. "You want to see the action…don't you?"
He stood there silent and avoided eye contact with me. I knew I was right…he did miss this life. We stood in silence for a few moments, as I was waiting for his response, but based upon his overall reaction, it wasn't going to come.
"Fine!" I practically shouted. "You can come with me."
He smiled and walked past me. "Admit it, you missed working with me."
I rolled my eyes. "It definitely was quieter when you weren't around."
Eventually with him piloting his ship, and I piloting mine, we each set the coordinates to rendezvous with Anakin's fleet. Sure enough, as we both came out of Hyperspace, we each piloted our respected ships into the landing bay on the Resolute. Within moments, and without much conversation between any of us, we were ushered onto a shuttle, that would be piloted down to Onderon's surface.
Once we were hovering over a wooded area, so that the Separatist's couldn't see us, the back hatch opened, and the six of us jumped out. We all cautiously made our way through the wooded area as we didn't know what to expect.
"Sir, we've spotted them." A quiet voice said making me stop abruptly.
No one else heard it, except me of course, which made me even more hesitant, until I heard Anakin say:
"It's alright we're friends."
I peered around the tree to see a young girl, around Ahsoka's age, maybe slightly older, riding a Dalgo, who was surprised to see us.
"I'm Commander Tano." Ahsoka began. "We're here to help you take back your planet."
"I'm Steela." The girl replied. "I'll guide you to our secret base."
We followed her deeper into the jungle, dodging trees here and there occasionally, until we came up on the base. All the rebels were either standing around or talking but stopped abruptly when we all appeared.
"A bit rough around the edges, don't you think?" Obi-Wan asked.
"They're like babies…they probably never killed a person in their life." I replied with a nod.
"That's why I brought Rex." Anakin smirked.
"They're not exactly called shinnies Sir, but I can work with them." Rex replied.
"I wouldn't know where to start." Alex thought aloud.
Just then, a man, around my age, who was riding a Ruping, landed in front of us. He got off the Ruping, smiled at Steela, and then walked toward us.
"General Skywalker." He began.
"At your service." Anakin smiled before gesturing to us. "This is General Kenobi, Commander Tano, Commander Kryze, Commander Vizsla, and Captain Rex."
"We're looking forward to taking our fight to those scrapping droids." The man replied.
"Yes." Obi-Wan nodded. "All in good time."
"Saw." The man replied. "Saw Gerrera."
"He fashions himself as our leader, though no one elected him." Steela explained giving Saw a slight shove.
"Well for now, we're in charge." Anakin explained. "And there is much to learn."
Sure enough, within a matter of moments, the six of us, and the rest of the rebels gathered around their poorly constructed holotable to begin the briefing.
"The Separatists have strength in numbers." Anakin began. "We're going to show you how to target and destroy them."
"Now to be clear, we are not here to fight your war." Obi-Wan began. "But rather to show you how to conduct it in the most efficient and successful way possible."
The rebels nodded in agreement, at least they understood what we were talking about.
"Captain Rex." Anakin said gesturing Rex to come forward.
"I'll show you how the 501st take down clankers." Rex explained. "First I'm going to need help carrying supplies from our entry point, a half click west."
"Shouldn't be a problem." Saw replied.
"Excellent." Rex confirmed with a nod.
Some of the rebels nodded and began to follow Rex toward our entry point, including Ahsoka.
I turned to Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Alex.
"We certainly have our work cut out for us." I explained as I crossed my arms.
"I agree." Obi-Wan replied. "They seem…"
"Clueless." Alex replied.
"I was going to use a nicer word, but yes, that works." Obi-Wan said in agreement.
"Face it." I began. "They're either going to learn from us or ignore us completely."
Anakin nodded. "That brings me to what I was going to ask you."
"Oh god." I began.
"No, it's not bad…but I was wondering, if you could teach them, hand-to-hand combat?" He asked.
I crossed my arms. "What do I get out of it?"
"A hug and a smile." Anakin replied with sarcasm, and I shoved him, making him shove me back.
"Enough. Both of you." Obi-Wan replied practically getting in the middle of the both of us. "Alexsandr can work with weapons…if you'd like, you're not obligated to."
Alex shook his head. "Based on what I've seen so far, they need all of the help and opinions they can get."
"Then it's settled. Ro can handle hand-to-hand combat, and Alex can work with Rex on weapons." Anakin confirmed with a nod.
Eventually, we all migrated to an open area to begin training. Surprisingly they got their hands on a droid tank, which is where we'd begin our training.
"The pilot in the front hatch controls the tank, the shells, and the short-range blasters. The commander in the top hatch controls the turret and the canon." Ahsoka explained. "You have to take out both chambers, otherwise the tank will remain operational."
She then nodded to Rex who assaulted the tank by himself, disabling it with ease.
"Everyone divide up into teams of two, and we'll practice an assault on both hatches." Anakin instructed, and the rebels did as they were told.
The first group up was Saw and Lux Bonteri, who I was slightly surprised to see here, but then I remembered that his mother represented Onderon in the Senate. Saw took the bottom hatch, and Lux 'attempted' to take the top hatch, but failed miserably, and fell off the top canon and onto Saw, making them both fall off the tank.
I sighed as I put my right palm to my forehead.
"That's the guy, who wanted to join Death Watch?" Alex asked me in disbelief.
"Yep." I said with a nod in disgust.
"I'm shocked." Alex said in shock and dismay at Lux's poor battle skills.
"That makes two of us." I murmured.
"Sorry about that." Lux said to Saw, offering him his hand.
Saw slapped it away. "You're a terrible soldier Bonteri."
"I'm not sure if they're more interested in fighting the droids or each other." Obi-Wan remarked.
"Well with all due respect, they suck." I nodded in agreement.
"They'll learn, we just need time to train them." Anakin replied.
"Keep your eyes on the quick learners, in this fight time is not on our side." Obi-Wan replied.
We kept watching them 'attempt' to disable the tank, and it was pathetic. I couldn't believe my eyes, I felt disgusted that they thought they could handle this…when it was awful. Pitiful, to say the least. I crossed my arms in annoyance and glared to Obi-Wan, who was the one who suggested that I'd come and help teach them.
"This is what I'm working with…I feel like they are a bunch of infants, with not a care in the world." I explained.
He sighed. "Perhaps they'll change your mind once you start working with them."
Just as I was about to reply, one of them landed at my feet.
I turned to Obi-Wan. "I highly doubt it."
After they tried to take down the tank, it was then my turn to teach them how to try and defend themselves in case they encountered actual 'human' soldiers.
I walked in front of them with my arms crossed. I had pulled my hair back, and I was wearing a black tight sleeveless razor back shirt, that showed the tattoo on my right shoulder. My hair was pulled back so it was off my neck and out of my face, and my weapons were removed, so I could give them a small chance to beat me…though I'd highly doubt it.
"Hand-to-hand combat is just as important as combat with weapons. I value hand-to-hand combat more than combat with weapons…it can make or break a fight…it can make or break a battle. You become a skilled fighter and learn how to adapt to any situation. Suppose you are stranded on an unfamiliar planet, without your weapons, without any form of contact with your allies, and people are trying to attack you…you have really no resources…except your skills in hand-to-hand combat." I explained.
"What?" Saw asked in amusement and disbelief. "Like that would happen."
The rebels laughed in amusement as I took a step forward.
"Uh oh." Alex, Ahsoka, and Anakin all replied when I took a step forward.
I gave Saw a slight smile. "You seem rather sure of yourself? Are you skilled in hand-to-hand combat?"
"The best out of the whole camp, Princess." He boasted, trying to flex his ego to me. "I'd love to show you privately some time."
I eyed him up and down, knowing I was about to crush this guy in a matter of moments. I know he was hitting on me, and I really wasn't in the mood to be hit on…right now, I wanted to crush this guy's spirit and dreams.
"I'll be the judge of that." I practically whispered before gesturing him to come forward.
As he walked closer to me, he smiled at me.
"Listen, Princess, thanks for coming…it's an honor to get instruction from such a beautiful…" Saw began but couldn't finish his sentence before I kicked him to the ground.
He groaned in pain, and I stood over him and smirked.
"Best out of the whole camp huh?" I asked in amusement. I gestured to Saw. "Can anyone tell me what he did wrong?"
"Oh, I know!" Alex practically shouted behind me. I turned around to see the man practically jumping up and down.
"Go ahead." I said with a smile.
"He hit on teacher and got his ass kicked?" Alex smirked trying to hold back his laughter.
I rolled my eyes before turning back to the group. "Anyone else?"
Lux raised his hand. "He let his guard down."
I nodded as I placed my hands on my hips. "Exactly. In hand-to-hand combat, letting your guard down is the number one thing you don't want to do…when I was younger, I use to let my guard down all the time…it cost me heavily…a lot of scars."
I lifted the bottom portion of my shirt to show them the scar I had on the right side of my abdomen. Their eyes widened.
"Take this as a reminder. Not to let your guard down, and as for the scenario, where you are stranded on a planet with people hunting you…that story is real. Commander Tano and I were stranded on an unfamiliar planet, and I let my guard down…it cost me a couple of weeks in the infirmary. Now, who's next?" I asked and all their hands shot up. I smiled. "Let's begin."
A few hours later, I smiled as I walked away from my group of trainees who were all groaning in pain, as Anakin, and everyone else was going to teach the rebels on how to take down destroyers.
"You could've gone easier on them." Alex explained as he walked with me.
I smirked. "You know that was my warmup."
He amusingly rolled his eyes. "I know…but considering they are struggling to take down destroyers…I'd say you worked them a little too hard…except for Gerrera, you gave him what he deserved. I imagine you want to do that to Saxon?"
I tilted my head from side to side. "Except with Gerrera, he was still breathing, Saxon won't be able to breathe, when I'm done with him."
Alex nodded in approval, which made me look at him in surprise. He usually wasn't for murdering people…even though he likes the thrill of it all.
"Why are you asking me if I want to kill Saxon? And why are you approving of what I did to Gerrera?" I ask in confusion.
He shrugged. "They just deserved it…they shouldn't talk to you like that."
"Like what?" I asked.
"Like an object, instead of a person." He explained as he took a step towards me. "They treat you like a prize or trophy…instead of treating you like a human being."
I was about to reply, but Ahsoka interrupted us.
"Ro, Alex." She began. "We're about to get started."
I smiled at Alex before I started to follow Ahsoka toward where the destroyers were placed, trying to decipher Alex's words and emotions towards me.