Chapter 29

Jaina crouched behind a low stone wall, her blue eyes scanning the city center ahead. Next to her, Cody and the rest of Ghost Company waited in tense silence.

The plan seemed simple enough: create a big enough diversion to draw the droids away from the plaza, giving her Master, Waxer, and Boil enough time to deactivate the anti-aircraft cannons, and free the hostages.

Simple enough—except for the two patrolling AAT tanks, the various squads of B1s and SBDs, and the AA batteries.

Jaina sighed.

"Let's set up a crossfire on those teams of SBDs at 2 o'clock, Cody," She muttered quietly, her eyes darting around the plaza, the droid formations, and the cowering civilians. "Send Blaze Squad to the southeast, and Trident to the north alley over there. I want four snipers up on the ridge for cover fire."

"Copy that, sir," Cody nodded, his helmet hiding any reaction. He quickly relayed the orders through his comm.

The Padawan watched silently as Blaze Squad crept to the southeast, keeping low behind rubble. Trident team slipped into the north alley, their white armor a stark contrast to the dusty brown stone walls. On the ridge, four snipers set up their DC-15xs.

Jaina reached over to click her wrist comlink. "We're in position, Master. Awaiting your signal." Her lips quirked. "Must you always leave the dirty work to me?"

Obi-Wan's voice crackled to life in her ear, his response as dry as her comment. "The 'dirty work' is the perfect opportunity for some character building, dear one."

She could practically hear the smirk in his voice, even through the comlink. Jaina snorted, nudging Cody in the shoulder at hearing his low chuckle. "Of course it is."

"Not to worry, little Commander," Cody said lightly, patting her shoulder in a mocking display of compassion. "You'll get there one day."

There were a few soft snickers from the nearby troopers, all of whom were always entirely too amused by their pink-clad Commander's snarky quips.

Jaina groaned playfully. "And here I thought you'd always have my back, Cody," she shot back.

"I do have your back, and you know that I have the utmost respect for you, and your brain, kiddo," Cody said with a mock solemnity. "…But that doesn't mean I won't take every opportunity to tease you at the same time. Especially after last week's sabaac—"

"—are you still on that—?!"

"—All right, all right, time to get to work," There was a brief beat of silence over the comlink, then Obi-Wan's voice came through again, a little more serious now. "We're inside. Commence your attack."

"You heard the General, boys," Jaina said, straightening up and igniting her lightsaber. "Let's go!"

With that, she vaulted over the low wall and sprinted into the open plaza, the troopers close at her heels, their DC-15s raining fire on the closest battle droids.

Blasterfire instantly lit up the dusty air with red and blue streaks.

Jaina leapt towards the plaza, her lightsaber cutting through the closest SBDs, as she continued to deflect the incoming blasts away from their troops.

"Watch your left, Commander!" Cody yelled.

The Padawan spun around, in time to see another super battle droid aiming at her. She rolled, just as its wrist rocket exploded where she had been standing moments before.

Getting back to her feet, Jaina reached out with the Force, and yanked the droid towards her, slashing it in half.

As she raised her head, she spotted a glimpse of movement above—super battle droids scrambling atop the rooftops. A warning hiss of rockets echoed before a barrage of wrist rockets came screaming down.

"Take cover!" Jaina shouted, her instincts kicking in just in time.

She dove out of the way, the missiles raining down around her and the rest of Ghost Company. The pavement and surrounding buildings shook as the rockets landed, their impact sending debris and shrapnel flying, filling the area with scorching air, sand, and smoke. "Snipers, do you have a visual?!"

From their position on the ridge, the four sniper clones shifted their aim upwards, sighting the droids skittering along the rooftops.

"Affirmative," one of them called over the comm. "We have SBDs in our sights."

"Take them out!"

"Copy that." With unwavering precision, the sniper troopers took aim. The distinctive sound of their DC-15xs echoed out as one by one, the droids on the rooftops were picked off. "Commander, the AATs are—"

"I see them!" Jaina cut in, her eyes widening as she spotted the twin AATs on the northern side of the plaza beginning to lumber into action.

Their main cannons swiveled ominously towards the Republic troops, the grinding of gears audible even over the chaos of battle. "Cody, Wooley, on me! We need to draw them away from the city center, let's take the east tank!"

"Trident Squad, more suppressing fire!" Cody shouted into his helmet comm, continuing to fire in short, controlled bursts, each shot finding its mark with deadly accuracy. "Right behind you, Commander!"

As the Padawan closed the distance to the first AAT, the air around her erupted with heat, and with blaster fire—red bolts from the battle droids crisscrossing with the blue retorts from the troopers.

Jaina leapt into the air and landed atop the tank, yanking the top hatch open with the Force and drawing the attention of the droid pilot.

The B1 inside let out an alarmed beep, turning its head to face her. Its photoreceptors narrowed, and it raised its hands. "Warning, unauthorized access—"

Cody and Wooley climbed onto the tank, quickly dispatching the droids manning it.

"We're in," Wooley said, settling into the turret seat while Cody took control of the vehicle.

Jaina landed lithely beside the commandeered tank, her lightsaber still humming as she deflected the incoming barrage. "Come on then." She smirked. "Let's give those clankers a taste of their own medicine."

Cody swiveled the main cannon towards the second AAT, which was now bearing down on them.

"Fire in the hole!" he shouted, just before a massive energy blast erupted from their captured tank. The shot hit the enemy AAT square in the side, sending it careening into a nearby building, scrambling to regain its aim and momentum.

Jaina's eyes widened, then narrowed, as the enemy AAT began to turn once more. "Wait—" she exclaimed, continuing to deflect another volley of blaster bolts as her eyes darted around—from the smoking enemy AAT that would soon blast them to bits, to the civilians cowering in fear at the central plaza, and the pile of highly explosive tank shells close enough to them that the blast radius would most certainly— "Cody, STOP!"

Cody immediately eased off the trigger, his hand hovering over the controls. "What's wrong?" he demanded, the urgency in her voice making him tense. He followed her gaze to the vulnerable civilians and the volatile munitions, realizing the danger they were all in. "…oh. Not good."

Meanwhile, Wooley kept his eyes trained on the enemy tank, ready to respond if it made any aggressive moves. "Commander, what's our next move?" he called out, his voice tense but steady. "The head clanker's still active, it'll be within range any second and we'll be toast!"

Jaina's mind raced, analyzing the situation as her eyes darted around, trying to find something—anything—in the environment that could possibly turn the tide.

They needed to neutralize the threat without endangering the civilians, or risking an explosion that could level half the plaza.

In the distance, she spotted her Master cutting through the binders of some of the Twi'lek captives, while Waxer and Boil began to plant charges on the AA guns.

"We need to disable that tank without causing a chain reaction," Jaina thought out loud, her voice firm despite the chaos around them. "But we also need to make sure that we keep the droids attention on us, and not them…Cody, can you maneuver us to the eastern exit? We'll use it as bait to lure the enemy away from the civilians and those shells, and…" She paused, an idea forming in her mind as she raised her gaze higher, above the nearby buildings and ridges.

Cody listened to her plan; his eyes narrowed in concentration. "I can maneuver us there," he confirmed, his voice laced with a mix of determination and concern. "But we're putting ourselves front and center with no cover."

"Trust me," Jaina muttered, leaping off the tank and deflecting the incoming fire. "And load the main gun!"

Cody hesitated, but didn't question her plan. He had learned that Kenobi's Padawan often had hidden aces up her sleeve, much like her Master. "You're the boss," he nodded. "Wooley, get ready on that main gun."

Wooley, perched in the turret seat, gave a curt nod, his focus intense as he prepared to fire at command. "Ready when you are, Commander."

With a sudden surge of acceleration, the commandeered AAT roared to life, its engines growling as Cody steered it towards the eastern exit of the plaza. "Here we go!" he called out, gripping the controls firmly as they made their approach.

The droid-controlled AAT began to hover once more, its main cannon swiveling to aim directly at their hijacked tank, an eerie whir echoing in the air.

"Let's hope this works, kiddo," Cody said, gritted teeth visible under his helmet visor. "Because we're out here like womp rats in a Bantha's den."

"Just keep it steady, Cody." Jaina continued to move, deflecting blaster bolts with a methodical Soresu ease, her lightsaber a glowing arc of blue light.

She kept her focus on the enemy tank, her eyes darting every now and then above the ridges, as her mind worked through the mental calculations. "Wooley, on my mark," she said, leaping once more above their tank and gesturing towards a large stone monolith. "30 north by 50 northeast, 35 meter elevation. Wait for my signal."

Wooley, manning the main gun, adjusted his aim according to her specifications, a flicker of concentration crossing his features. He squinted through the periscope, adjusting the sight as he zeroed in on the target. "Target acquired," he responded, his finger hovering just above the trigger.

Jaina's eyes darted back and forth between the advancing AAT, it's blasts drawing closer and closer towards them, and the civilian Twi'lek's in the plaza, now freed and hurrying towards the unguarded exits. She glanced towards her Master, Waxer, and Boil, who had finally destroyed the first set of AA guns and were now advancing towards the next two.

Cody tightened his grip on the controls of the tank, his eyes fixed on the incoming AAT as he guided their own toward the eastern exit. "We're cutting this close, Commander," he gritted out, a note of concern in his voice. "They're closing in."

Wooley remained on high alert, his hand hovering over the main gun's trigger, poised to respond to her signal.

"Wait…" Jaina muttered, ducking as another explosion landed just above them. "It needs to be directly under the—"

She leapt lithely, her body twisting in the air as she backflipped to avoid the shards of metal and chunks of rock. Landing smoothly on her feet, she glanced up as the enemy AAT hovered forward, its massive form now finally directly beneath the overhanging stone and—"FIRE!"

The commandeered AAT's main cannon roared to life as Wooley squeezed the trigger, unleashing a devastating blast. The shot streaked through the air, striking the stone formation with lethal accuracy.

With a deafening crack, the massive rock began to fracture. Fissures webbed across its surface, growing larger and more numerous by the second, mere moments before the entire structure gave way.

Chunks of rock rained down on the enemy tank below, denting the armor as it desperately attempted to maneuver. A large boulder smashed into the main turret, crushing it and sending sparks flying in every direction.

With a loud crunch, the cockpit caved in, silencing the frantic beeps and whirs of the droid pilots inside.

As the dust settled, filling the air with a gritty haze that clung to the back of their throats, Cody brought their commandeered AAT to a halt a safe distance away from the demolished enemy tank.

Wooley let out a triumphant cheer as their plan unfolded successfully. "Hit!" he exclaimed, his voice echoing in his helmet comm. "Take that, seppie scum!"

Jaina allowed herself a small smirk of satisfaction, gazing at the once-formidable AAT, now in ruins beneath tons of rock. The remaining droid stragglers were easily gunned down by the excitable, adrenaline-fueled members of Ghost Company, cheering on the destruction of the enemy tank.

"Well done, my little Padawan," Obi-Wan's voice crackled over the comlink, both pride and amusement evident in his tone. "That was some quick thinking."

Jaina's smirk widened. "I did a little…modification to your earlier tactic with trapping the gutkurrs so, I do have you to thank for the idea, technically," she responded dryly.

"Modification, hm?" Obi-Wan replied, his amusement clear in his voice. "Is that what we're going to call dropping half a mountain on our enemies?"

Jaina rolled her eyes skyward, even though she knew he couldn't see her. "Creative engineering," she retorted, her tone laced with dry humor. "Besides, mountainous collateral damage still seems realms away from what Master Anakin has achieved."

The Jedi Master's sigh could be heard over the comlink. "Please don't use Anakin as a benchmark for measuring collateral damage."

Jaina giggled. "I shall do my best," she teased, waving over to the small form of her Master several kilometers away, surrounded by the civilians and the wreckage of the Separatist AA guns. "All good on your end, Master?"

Obi-Wan, surrounded by a small group of grateful civilians and troopers alike, waved back at Jaina with a weary smile. "Yes, my little one, we've managed to neutralize all the anti-aircraft guns, your diversion worked splendidly." He glanced up at the clear sky above them, a flicker of relief in his tired eyes. "The skies are clear for our gunships to come through. Do you mind handling the mop up operations? I'll contact Master Windu."

She nodded and surveyed the plaza, which was now clearing of panicked refugees and broken droids alike. "Consider it done, Master. We'll set up a perimeter and take care of things here."

As the clones moved to secure the area, Jaina's thoughts turned to the next phase of their mission. The battle for Nabat was won, but the war on Ryloth was far from over.

Nabat Central Secondary School gymnasium. 2100H.

Hours later, as night fell over the war-torn city of Nabat, Jaina weaved through the makeshift medical hub, where clone troopers and civilian Twileks alike were being treated by overworked, understaffed clone medics.

The young Padawan's eyes darted from patient to patient, taking in the severity of injuries and the grim determination on the faces of the medical staff. The air was thick with the smell of both antiseptics, and bacta, and the low groans of the wounded echoed loudly around the large open area.

Jaina carefully stepped over discarded bandages and empty med-packs , her small form navigating the crowded space and swallowing through the lump that always entered her throat once the heavy silence after a large battle settled in.

These were the consequences of war. Troopers, men she had fought alongside and come to respect, lay on makeshift cots with blaster burns and shrapnel wounds. Twi'lek civilians, caught in the crossfire of a conflict not of their making, nursed injuries both physical and emotional.

At the end of the day, she knew that all she could do, was offer assistance where she could. And words of comfort where she couldn't.

Spotting Numa, huddled against someone who looked to be her father, her eyes brightened. "Numa!" Jaina called gently as she approached the young Twi'lek girl and her father. "I'm so happy to see that you've found your family," she said quietly in Twi'leki. "You didn't get hurt, I hope?"

"I'm okay! Papa found me." Numa chirped in response, her lekku twitching with happiness as she hugged her father's arm. She pulled out the now-empty figda packet from her dress pocket. "Thank you for the candy earlier. It was really good!"

Her father wrapped an arm around her, his expression a mixture of relief and gratitude. "We cannot thank you and your Master enough for saving us, young Jedi. We owe you a great debt," he said to Jaina in Basic, his voice holding a note of deep appreciation. "I am Berun."

"You know, we wouldn't have been able to, without Numa's help in the tunnels," Jaina said lightly, dismissing his gratitude with a soft smile and a weary shake of her head. "I only wish we could have arrived here sooner."

She glanced around at the bustling medical hub, feeling a pang of sympathy for all those who bore the marks of this brutal warfare. "Your people have a difficult road ahead."

Berun nodded solemnly, a look of weary resignation crossing his features. "Yes, we do." He sighed, glancing around at the hub filled with the sights and sounds of pain. "The impact of this occupation will no doubt be felt for a long time. They can destroy our homes, but we are a resilient people. We will rebuild and heal, in time."

He gently smoothed a hand over Numa's dusty lekku, his gaze soft with protective concern. "And with the Republic here, we now have hope again."

Jaina smiled softly. "And we will be happy to continue providing it," she said quietly. "Along with aid. You, and the people of Ryloth, are not alone in this." Her gaze swept across the bustling medical hub. "If you'll excuse me, I'd like to go around and see if I can provide any assistance."

She reached over to tap the tip of Numa's nose. "See you around, little one."

As Jaina turned to leave, she felt a tug on her sleeve. Looking down, she saw Numa's big eyes staring up at her. "You don't have to go," she whined quietly. "Stay and talk, please."

Berun chuckled softly, shaking his head fondly at his daughter. "I'm sure Padawan Arden has more important things to do, Numa."

Jaina chuckled, giving Numa an affectionate pat on the head. "When things calm down a bit, I'll come back and we'll have a proper chat, I promise." She winked. "Maybe even some more candy."

Numa's face lit up at the promise, her lekku twitching with excitement. "Okay," she squeaked. "See you around!"

Jaina beamed and tapped her nose affectionately once more, then turned her gaze to Berun, nodding respectfully. "Take care of yourselves. Both of you."

Berun nodded in return, his eyes holding a note of weary gratitude. "We will. Thank you, Padawan Arden. For everything."

Numa waved, her eyes shining brightly. "Bye, nerra!"

Jaina waved back with a warm smile. "Until then, Numa." With that, she left the father and daughter to recover, resuming her walk amongst the cots of the injured and weak refugees.

The Padawan paused next to a small cot, where a Twilek mother and son sat, both covered in small—what looked to be, superficial—cuts and bruises…But it couldn't hurt to be sure.

Jaina smiled kindly towards them, taking out a roll of gauze and a bacta spray bottle from her belt pocket. "May I?" She asked in Twi'leki.

The Twi'lek mother—who was cradling her son in her arms—looked exhausted and unbelievably overwhelmed by the situation around her. Suddenly, her eyes widened as she realized that this young Jedi before her was not only offering her help…

…but the teenager also spoke her language.

"It will only hurt a moment, I promise," Jaina continued quietly, still in Twi'leki, now speaking towards the little boy. "Then you'll feel strong enough to take on the biggest Sep droid in the entire galaxy."

The young boy, who looked no more than eight or nine, gazed up at the Padawan, his brown eyes wide with surprise as they locked onto Jaina's blue ones. "Are you a Jedi?" The boy asked.

"I am," Jaina confirmed in Twi'leki, smiling at the boy, as she began dabbing at her wounds, "My name is Jaina."

The young Twi'lek watched her with fascination, his eyes wide with curiosity. "Wow, a real Jedi! Can you move things with your mind? Can you see the future? Can I see your lightsa—"

His mother shook herself out of her stunned silence, her gaze softening faintly. "Behave yourself, Kaden," she chided gently, ruffling the boy's lekku. "You're being rude to this Jedi Padawan who's trying to help us."

Jaina chuckled warmly. "It's quite alright," she said amicably."Don't worry."

She turned her attention back to Kaden, with a small smile, as she continued to clean the small cuts on his arm with antiseptic pads. "I am a Jedi Padawan," she said. "Which is—what my Master likes to call, at least—a 'little Jedi'."

Kaden's fascination grew as he listened to Jaina's explanation. He scrunched his nose. "A 'little Jedi'?" he repeated, sounding puzzled. "'Master'?"

Jaina blinked for a moment in confusion as she continued to tend to the little boy's cuts. She hadn't realized the concept of the Master-Padawan bond would be so…foreign to anyone unfamiliar with the intricacies of how the Order worked.

Then again, she had never really expected to talk about it, much less with anyone unfamiliar with the intricacies of how the Order worked.

But if the conversation would help steer the boy's attention while she tended to his cuts, then it was worth a shot.

"Oh, hmm, my Master is my teacher," she explained, her eyes twinkling in amusement. "Sort of like my guide, and my father, too, all rolled into one."

"I'm so sorry, but this might sting," she murmured, spraying bacta on to the wounds.

Kaden flinched and clenched his teeth, a pained yet determined expression crossing his face.

His mother gave him a reassuring pat on his short lekku, gently caressing his head. Even though her own face was exhausted and drained, she looked up at the young Jedi with hope and gratitude.

Jaina, as always, took notice of these things. She felt these things. Deeply.

"There we go," she murmured brightly, carefully securing the gauze around Kaden's arm. "You're very brave, you know. I know many troopers who would have screamed."

Kaden's eyes widened at the compliment, a mix of pride and shyness coloring his cheeks.

His mother chuckled softly, her eyes softening further as she watched her son preen under the Jedi's compliments. She knew—at that moment—that her little boy would probably remember this for the rest of his life.

"Thank you," she said in heavily accented Basic, glancing gratefully at the Padawan. "You know, I had heard the stories about Jedi. About their strength, their power…how they are the warriors that continue to lead the Republic through the war. I did not expect them to be so…gentle."

She sighed softly, resting her son's head across her chest. "It has not been easy on him…or anyone in this city, for that matter."

Jaina's expression softened in understanding. "It's never easy, in war," she said quietly. "But it takes courage to persist, no matter what." She gestured towards her bleeding calf. "May I treat you as well? I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name."

The Twi'lek mother glanced down at her injured leg with a weary sigh, as if she'd almost forgotten she was injured herself. "Oh, right. I'm Vesa," she murmured, giving Jaina a weary smile. "And yes, please. I'd appreciate it. I must have bumped into some shrapnel in our escape."

Jaina nodded with another kind smile, taking out another roll of gauze and some more of the bacta spray. "It's nice to meet you, Vesa," she replied warmly. "I'll take care of that for you. You'll feel better in no time."

Vesa managed a small smile of gratitude, wincing as she shifted slightly to make it easier for Jaina to tend to her injury. "Thank you," she said quietly, glancing at the Padawan. "You're…young, aren't you? To be a Jedi in a war like this."

Jaina shrugged lightly. She was used to hearing this often, at this point—the question of her age. "I'm fourteen," she admitted, continuing to clean Vesa's wound. "But we are living at a time when the Jedi are needed most, I suppose. Regardless of age."

Vesa blinked, her eyes widening a little at Jaina's reply. "Fourteen…" she echoed softly, taken aback. "So young," she muttered, more to herself than anything. Realizing that what she'd said might come off as offensive, she quickly added, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—"

Jaina gave Vesa a smile of understanding, sensing her concern. "I understand. It may seem alarming to outsiders," she acknowledged with a soft sigh. "But…we do what we must. We serve the Republic, and the Jedi Order, in the way we're best equipped to."

She secured the last piece of the gauze, applying enough pressure. "There you go. That should prevent infection."

Vesa gave a relieved sigh, the pain from her injury easing a little. "Thank you. I can't tell you how much your help means to me, to us." She looked over at her son, who was holding onto her hand again, quieter now but still watching the Padawan with wide eyes.

"It was my pleasure," she replied. "Make sure to keep that leg elevated until one of the medics can see to it." She lowered her head in farewell, and resumed the walk amongst the cots of the medical hub.

For the next half an hour, Jaina continued her rounds, applying bacta patches to several burn wounds, and offering words of comfort and reassurance where she could. The gymnasium was a hive of activity, filled with the sounds of quiet conversations, occasional cries of pain, and the constant hum of medical droids.

As she finished changing the bandages on a teenage girl's lekku, Jaina felt a familiar presence in the Force.

She slowed her footsteps and turned, her eyes scanning the crowded area. Near the entrance, her Master stood—his usual calm demeanor a stark contrast to the frantic energy of the medics and refugees around him.

"Master," she greeted, smiling fondly as she approached. "I was under the impression the debrief was still at 2300."

Her eyes widened. "Wait—Did I—did I mix up the schedule?"

Obi-Wan shook his head, offering her a gentle smile. "No, no, I wanted to see how you were doing. I was surprised when Cody told me that you might be here," he explained. "I figured you would be resting. You've had an extremely long day, my little one."

Jaina blinked. "Oh…l overheard some of the troopers saying that the medical hub was overflowing…I thought I could help with the more basic injuries."

Obi-Wan had, of course, expected no less from his Padawan. "Jaina," he said patiently, offering a gentle smile. "You are a kind and considerate Jedi. Two qualities which are crucial in these times."

"But. I do not want you running yourself ragged, my darling. You've barely eaten or slept these past few days. You need rest before the debrief."

Jaina sighed, rolling her eyes playfully. She recognized the fatherly tone, the term of endearment…which, when used together, often left little room for argument.

"That's not fair, using those tactics…" she groaned.

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow in amusement, tilting his head to the side. "Those 'tactics' are called experience. And when used by a Master on his little Padawan?" He smirked. "It's not even a battle. It's simply a surrender."

"Surrender?" Jaina scoffed, rolling her eyes as she followed him out the medical hub and looped her arm through his. "You've gotten far too cocky, General Kenobi."

Obi-Wan chuckled softly, glancing down at her. "Cocky?" he echoed, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "No, dear one. I prefer the term confident." He gave her arm a light, affectionate squeeze. "Cocky is something Anakin would say."

She scoffed again, bumping her shoulder against his side. "Semantics."

As they walked, the Jedi Master couldn't help the soft laugh that escaped him. "Not semantics, little one. Tactics." he teased lightly, enjoying their banter as usual. "You know I always have a lesson for you."

"General!" Cody's voice called out from down the streets, his hurried footsteps carrying him from the makeshift Command Center. "We just received the last of the pending post op reports, and…well…"

Obi-Wan frowned, immediately attuned to the urgency in the Commander's step. "What is it, Cody?" he inquired, the lighthearted tone he'd had a moment ago fading.

Cody's expression was a mix of concern and professionalism, his helmet tucked underneath his arm. He came to stop in front of both Obi-Wan and Jaina, holding out a datapad. "Sir, General Skywalker's numbers from the naval assault prior to our landing…" he began. "They're…not good."

The crease between Jaina's brows deepened. "But Ahsoka was leading the starfighter corps," she muttered, tiptoeing over her Master's shoulder as he accepted the datapad.

Her eyes widened. "That can't be right."

Obi-Wan's gaze hardened as he quickly scanned the data on the screen.

"Sixty-one percent casualty rate?" Jaina gaped. "That's almost double their usual—have these numbers been verified with Rex? What if there was a miscalculation or something—"

The Jedi Master held up a hand, silencing his Padawan's barrage of questions with a simple gesture. He was just as concerned, if not more, but he had to approach this with a level head.

"I understand your concern, Jaina," he said calmly, though his tone held a hint of sternness. "But we cannot act on unverified information."

Cody shook his head grimly, clasping his hands behind his back. "These numbers were already cross-referenced with Rex's battle reports, sir. They lost two out of the three Venators in their battle group. Likewise, two entire squadrons were lost, and Admiral Yularen sustained a few minor injuries."

Jaina heart pounded. "Have they landed, Cody? Are they here?"

"They landed about twenty minutes ago, kid," Cody nodded, casting a sympathetic glance at Jaina. "General Skywalker is currently at the Command Center preparing for the 2300H debrief. I believe Commander Tano is at the barracks."

Jaina sighed softly. "Master, may I?"

Obi-Wan looked down at his little one, understanding the unspoken request in her tone. "Of course, dearest," he responded gently, offering a reassuring smile. "Go to her, but do not be tardy for the debrief, and remember—"

He raised a finger in warning, his tone carrying a subtle undertone of seriousness. He knew how much Ahsoka meant to Jaina, just as Anakin meant to him. "Be mindful of your own emotions, but most especially your words. We do not yet know what emotional state they're in."

Jaina nodded solemnly. She understood the gravity of the situation, and his words weighed heavily on her heart.

"I understand, Master." she replied softly. With a gentle squeeze of her Master's arm in gratitude, she walked away, her footsteps quickening to a light jog as she moved towards the barracks to find Ahsoka.