Lux had gone rogue ever since his mother, Mina Bonteri was killed by the Separatists. That's when he figured out that the Confederacy of Independent Systems was willing to kill one of their own to keep the war going and for peace to not become an option at all.
"You were a senator, right?" Saw brought up. "Surely, you've made friends, connections, whatever in Raxus. Powerful enough to help us, right?"
"I－" Lux started to say. "I'm not sure."
"They don't have to be powerful," Steela suggested. "We just need someone who can help us."
Lux had thought about it. There was only one person he knew that would be willing to help them:Ahsoka Tano. The young Jedi he met in Raxus when his mother's former mentee, Padme Amidala visited. And by young, he meant she was technically the same age as him. The one thing he had in common with her was that they were both thrust into the middle of a war at a young age. He had met her the first time on Raxus, then on Mandalore before he was forced to bring her to Carlac. The whole thing on Carlac was a whole 'nother complicated story.
He went back to his home planet of Onderon as a war refugee, not as a senator. He had kept his face covered so that no one would recognize him, as he was already branded a traitor by the Separatists. He also had no one, and he would've been done for it if it wasn't for the amount of credits his parents had left behind in his name. He had survived, at least, for a time.
That was until some patrolling droids recognized him. All because he stood up to a food stall vendor in a market in Iziz, the capital city of Onderon, because a little twi'lek boy was hungry.
That was how the rebels found him. He was seconds away from being convicted when a group of armed vigilantes came to rescue him. They had then taken him to their supposed leader, Saw Gerrera, and explained that their home planet was in chaos after the death of his mother. The patrol droids were tripled, and the new king imposed stricter rules.
Being with the rebels gave him a sense of hope. It was a cause worth fighting for. But they were severely and poorly unmatched by the planet's government. That's when he decided to fund the rebels with whatever they needed. He had fought with them and celebrated little battles.
Eventually, their hideout was found and they were forced to leave Iziz. He had to watch as he was dragged to safety while others were left behind, taken prisoners, and/or killed.
They sat around and camped for the night, careful not to light a fire to not give away their position.
Saw Gerrera told him that if he knew anyone who could help them, he should ask for it because they could not take back Onderon with what they had.
Lux was having thoughts about it. He decided to sleep on it before making a decision. But that changed when they were ambushed in the crack of dawn. Saw shook him awake and he understood why. Droids had already infiltrated their makeshift camp, blaster fire was everywhere, and people from their cause were slowly dropping like flies because they chose to stand and fight, despite Saw's orders to flee.
He made the brash decision and stopped in the middle of running for his life in the dense jungle and reached for the holo-projector device in his pocket.
"What are you doing, Bonteri?" Saw demanded.
"Asking for help." Lux blurted out.
Saw pulled him away from the line of fire and shoved him behind a tree with a large trunk. "Make it quick," He said, firing blaster shots at a few droids behind them. "I'll cover you."
. . .
Ahsoka went to the Jedi Temple Communications Center after a com-call from her master. What is it about, she didn't know but it sounded urgent.
Then again, she won't be surprised if it's something crazy and ridiculous. Being a Jedi padawan in the middle of a war had its challenges. Fighting in battle, sneaking into a fortified prison, being kidnapped and used as target practice, and pretending to be a slave to topple a slave empire to name a few.
She entered the Communications Center to find her master, Anakin Skywalker, and Master Obi-Wan Kenobi waiting for her.
"You summoned me, Masters?" Ahsoka asked.
"Ahsoka," Anakin started, giving Obi-Wan a side-eye. "This holo-message came earlier today, addressed to you." He then played it.
Ahsoka did not at all expect who it would be. A hologram of her friend, the former senator Lux Bonteri appeared. "This is a message forAhsoka Tano."He said.
Lux proceeded to tell her that he was on the planet Onderon, in the Inner Rim, and was fighting alongside the rebels in opposing the planet's Separatist rule. However, due to a lack of supplies, they were forced to get out of the capital and took refuge in the jungles.
"It's only a matter of time before the Separatists find us,"Lux concluded. "Please, we need your help."
The transmission ended and the room became dark say for the glowpanels.
Obi-wan turned to her. "Do you know this young man?" He asked.
"Yes, Master," Ahsoka confirmed. "He's a friend."
"Well," Anakin spoke up. "Obi-Wan and I haveconfirmed that that is Lux Bonteri, the son of the late Separatist senator, Mina Bonteri. The senator who pushed the peace initiative bill in the Separatist Parliament and unto the Republic Senate."
"Just curious," Obi-Wan interjected, raising an eyebrow at her. "How did you establish contact with the son of a Separatist senator?"
Ahsoka was having second thoughts on what to say next. She had already broken several rules by smuggling Senator Padme Amidala to a Separatist planet, and she did not want to reveal things now,especially to a member of the Jedi High Council.
She glanced at Anakin's direction, indirectly asking for his help. But her Master had that smug look on his face. His expression said, Go ahead, tell him what really happened. I dare you.
Of course, Anakin didn't know everything that happened that day. He did know that Padme assigned her to look after Lux, then he took her to Carlac, and that they fought the Death Watch. He did not know about the fact that Lux tased her to unconsciousness, had her pretend to be his girlfriend, and then kissed her to not blow their cover.
Ahsoka took a deep breath. "Uh, through Senator Amidala," She blurted out. "Mina Bonteri was her mentor growing up." She then explained what happened in Mandalore during the peace conference. "For Mina's sake, Senator Amidala had asked me to look after her son, Lux."
Obi-Wan stroked his beard. "And whyis that?" He wondered.
"Well," Ahsoka said. "Lux had publicly announced that Count Dooku had his mother killed and blamedit on the Republic." She explained. "And when he did, they were planning to silence him as well."
Anakin grunted. "Shewas supposed to take him to Coruscant," He said, glaring pointedly at her. "But they took a little detour."
Ahsoka sighed. "He formed an alliance with the Death Watch for their shared vengeance against Count Dooku." She recalled. "I was able to convince him otherwise, but he still took off by taking an escape pod."
"Hmm, we'll have to speak to the Council about this," Obi-Wan suggested. "If we are to send aid."
Ahsoka had to contact them back so they could have an audience with the Jedi Council. Not long after, theystood before the Jedi Council in the High Council Tower, the holo-transmission ofLux Bonteri and freedom fighter Saw Gerrera in hologram.
Lux first greeted the council before explaining their dire and distressing situation.
"Unfortunately,"Lux continued. "The only way to reclaim Onderon will be through armed struggle. But we lack sufficient hardware and supplies."He concluded.
"Onderon is under your king's rule," Obi-Wan pointed out. "And at the outbreak of the Clone War, he chose to align it with the Separatists."
"Our true king has been silenced,"Saw insisted. "The one you recognize is a traitor and a Separatist minion. We need your help to survive this."He pleaded.
"Find a way, we shall." Yoda promised.
Lux bowed. "We await your answer."Then nodded in Ahsoka's direction before the holo-transmission turned off.
Anakin then turned to the Council."Masters, there are pockets of rebels on many of these planets that just need guidance." He pointed out. "With training and resources, they could attack soft targets while the Republic continues to engage them on the battlefield."
Obi-Wan shifted on his seat. "That sounds like terrorism, Anakin."
"Well, I think of it as an insurgency," Anakin commented. "To help realign these planets with the Republic."
Mace Windu nodded. "We can divide the Separatist forces and press them on two fronts."
"A means to end, fear cannot be," Yoda said. "Stop those who spread terror, the Jedi must."
"Indeed," Obi-Wan agreed, then turned back to Anakin. "What you're suggesting would open up dangerous possibilities. And we must not train terrorists."
"Eh, rebels," Anakin corrected.
"How we conduct war is what distinguishes us from others," Obi-Wan reminded him. "Funding rebels to overthrow a legitimate government puts innocent lives at risk."
"We can minimize collateral damage by using arms that mainly affect droids," Anakin suggested.
"Well," Mace spoke up. "The least we can do is help them defend themselves. Test the tactic while we're at it."
Anakin gave a sideways smile. "This could be a great new weapon for us."
"Hmm, train and observe." Yoda agreed. "Send advisors, we will."
"I'll assemble a team." Anakin volunteered.
Obi-Wan stood from his seat. "I'm going with you," He insisted as hewalked towards Anakin and Ahsoka in the middle of the room.
"What?" Anakin raised an eyebrow. "You don't trust me?"
"Too much," Obi-Wan said, placing a hand on Anakin's shoulder. "That's what worries me."
Every council member nodded their head in agreement.
. . .
As per the Jedi Council's orders, Anakin, Ahsoka, and Obi-Wan were deployed to Onderon at dawn, along with Clone Captain Rex in a Republic Nu-Class transport.
The three Jedi were dressed and had donned their brown Jedi robes, while Rex wore something different other than his clone trooper armor.
The Republic transport never landed, it simply hovered mid-air above the jungle. It opened its doors and they jumped off to the ground, with the exception of Rex who wore a jetpack.
They placed the hoods of their robes over their heads and proceeded to navigate the jungle. Anakin remained on the ground with Rex behind him, while Ahsoka and Obi-Wan jumped up the trees and hopped from branch to branch until they were spotted.
A woman riding a Dalgo blocked Anakin's path. "Stay where you are." She said.
Behind them, another person riding a Dalgo appeared from behind the trees.
"Identify yourselves." The woman demanded.
Anakin removed the hood from his head. "It's alright," He assured. "We're friends."
The woman gasped."Jedi?"
Right on cue, Obi-Wan dropped down from a tree branch to the ground and removed his hood revealing his face.
Ahsoka dropped to an elevated branch and removed her hood. "I'm Commander Tano," She introduced herself. "We're here to help you take back your planet."
"My name is Steela," The woman introduced herself. "I'll guide you to our secret base."
It was already daylight when they reached the secret base deep in the walked ahead, leading the way. Ahsoka walked behind Steela with Obi-Wan and Anakin walking on either side of her, while Rex walked behind her.
They arrived at what looked like the ruins of a temple, where a small group of people had gathered.
"Hmm," Obi-Wan spoke up, turning to them. "A bit rough around the edges, wouldn't you say?"
"Well," Anakin said. "That's why I brought Rex."
"They're not exactly what I would call shinies, sir," Rex commented. "But I could work with them."
A Ruping flew over them with a man on its back before landing in front of them. He stood like he was the leader of the group. It was the same man on the hologram with Lux.
"General Skywalker," The man acknowledged.
Anakin nodded. "At your service," He gestured to his companions as he each introduced them to the rebels. "This is General Kenobi, Commander Tano, and Captain Rex."
"We're looking forward to taking the fight to those scrapin' droids." The man said.
"Yes," Obi-Wan agreed. "All in good time."
"Saw," The man introduced himself. "Saw Gerrera."
"He fashions himself as our leader," Steela pointed out. "Though no one elected him." She playfully punched him on his arm.
"Well, for now," Anakin declared. "We're in charge. And there is much to learn."
Saw and Steela then led them deeper into the base in the temple's ruins.
"I would assume the young senator is with you, yes?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Ah, yes, General," Saw replied. "We tend to keep our eyes on him most times because he tends to unintentionally cause trouble."
Ahsoka chuckled. "On that, I agree." At that comment, she could see Steela giving her an annoyed side glance, which Ahsoka didn't understand.
Saw shook his head in disbelief. "The kid's more of a politician than a fighter if you ask me."
"Hey, he got us help," Steela defended. "He's the one who contacted them."
"And that's why we're all here." Anakin pointed out.
Lux Bonteri stood by a holo-projector table. His eyes widened when he saw them approach. He quickly fixed himself up and stood up straight in his typical politician stance.
"Masters," He bowed in greeting. "Ahsoka, it's great to see you."
"I believe you called." Ahsoka pointed out.
Lux nodded. "Thank you for answering our plea."
They had gathered everyone for a briefing. Saw and Steela told them about their situation, with Lux jumping in for a few details.
"The false king had already sent droids to spy on us," Saw recalled. "They chased us out of Iziz and we were forced to take refuge it's only a matter of time before they find us again. Especially since he's with us."He gestured to Lux.
Lux glared at him. "What does it have to do with me?"
"You're a senator," Saw reminded him.
"Former senator," Lux corrected. "I don't have that title anymore."
"With all due respect, Senator," Obi-Wan spoke up. "Planetarygovernance requires, at least, in this universe, two people. Typically, it's the planet's monarch or elected leader－the king, and its representativein the galactic 's you."
"That's right," Anakin agreed. "You may have abandoned that title, but your people still see you as that, regardless. And because of that, the current king sees you as a threat. If he wants to control this star system, he needs to take out both leaders. And he already has the king."
"Oh, great," Lux said sarcastically. "I'm another target. Honestly, what else is new?"
"Not to worry, Senator," Obi-Wan assured. "We've arranged for your protection as well."
"But I don't need protection," Lux insisted.
"Oh, you most certainly will," Obi-Wan reassured. "I assure you."
"That's why I've assigned Ahsoka as your personal Jedi bodyguard," Anakin informed.
Ahsoka, who was standing beside Anakin,nearly choked. "Wh－what?"
"That way," Obi-Wan added."We don't have to worry about you not trusting that you're already good friends."
Lux turned to Ahsoka and gave her a sideways smile like he liked the idea of her being his Jedi bodyguard. Again.
Ahsoka simply heaved a sigh and forced out a smile.
"Going back to the droids," Anakin interjected. "The Separatists have strength in numbers, We're gonna show you how to target and destroy them."
"Now, to be clear," Obi-Wan cut in. "We are not here to fight your war, but rather, to show you how to conduct it in the efficient and successful way possible."
There were murmurs and nods of agreement.
"Captain Rex," Anakin called.
Rex stepped forward and addressed the rebels. "I'll show you how the 501st destroy clankers." He promised. "But first, I need volunteers to carry supplies from our entry point a half-click west."
"Shouldn't be a problem," Saw agreed. "I'll have some of my men help you."
Rex nodded. "Excellent." He said before trotting ahead.
About ten people followed Rex's direction. And while waiting for them to return, everyone eased up and Obi-Wan and Anakin discussed what tactics they were going to demonstrate.
Ahsoka approached Lux as he started walking towards the ruins' entrance. "Well, I suppose it's good to see you're still in one piece."
Lux chuckled as Ahsoka walked alongside him. "It's great to see you too, Ahsoka."
"It looks like I'm gonna be stuck with you again," She pointed out. "I don't know how I feel about this."
"Relax," Lux assured. "We're gonna be fine."
"No, you're gonna be fine," Ahsoka corrected. "And I'm gonna end up either scratched, wounded,or killed saving you everytime you do something stupid."
Lux stopped in his tracks. He opened his mouth to say something but no words came out.
Ahsoka raised an eye marking at him. "Hmm, I thought so."
"I'm making no promises," Lux said. "But I'm not gonna get you killed."
Ahsoka raised her hands in surrender. "Anyway, I didn't realize you have such strong ties to Onderon, until now."
"Onderon is my home planet," Lux explained as they continued walking. "My mother represented it in the Senate. And I did…for a time. I'm not as good as her. But I try."
"Your voice is strong," Steela spoke up. She was suddenly beside Lux. "Like hers was."
"Have you considered joining the Republic Senate?" Ahsoka asked.
"Even if we do take back Onderon," Lux brought up. "It won't change how I feel. I'm not fighting for the Republic, I'm fighting for my people."
"Well, all that matters now is that we need each others' help," Ahsoka suggested. "Just like we did on Carlac."
"Carlac?" Steela repeated. "What happened on Carlac?" She asked curiously.
"It's…a long story," Ahsoka said.
"Ahsoka is the reason I'm here with you guys," Lux explained. "And not with Death Watch."
"Really?" Steela said skeptically and she seemed really surprised.
"No, no," Ahsoka started to say. "What he means is－"
"She saved me from a huge mistake," Lux stated, before walking ahead.
Ahsoka didn't know what surprised her more. Lux praising her or Steela being suspicious of her.
"Lux obviously thinks highly of you." Steela noticed.
Ahsoka shrugged. "Uh, I guess so."
Then Steela got up in her face. "Let's hope that respect is well-founded."
Okay, Ahsoka thought. She didn't know what Steela's angle was, but Ahsoka could tell that Steela did not like her.
. . .
Amidst the intermission, Anakin happened to glance at Ahsoka's direction. She was talking to the young senator, Lux Bonteri. They seemed like two friends simply catching up, but Anakin could sense something else from their interaction.
"I don't like this," Anakin declared.
Obi-Wan made a face at him. "Anakin, might I remind you that this was your idea in the first place."
"Yes," Anakin said. "But I don't like assigning Ahsoka as that senator's bodyguard. There's something about him."
"Well, I can sense that the young senator's a good kid," Obi-Wan assured. "He just needs guidance and support."
"And he's getting that from the rebels?"
"He's getting support from the rebels," Obi-Wan corrected. "And hopefully from the people too. We both know a senator's most powerful weapon: their voice. I believe he has that. After all, he did manage to convince the Jedi Council to send aid."
Anakin tilted his head in disagreement. "Technically, the Council was skeptical, but we persisted."
"Well, that's why we're here now, aren't we?"
"Looking at them, it's just so…familiar." Anakin recalled.
"Oh, is it?" Obi-Wan remarked. "You were once tasked to protect a senator when you were a padawan." He recalled. "Though it was quite tedious being chained to a pole, it all worked out in the end. And besides, I wouldn't worry about Ahsoka. She follows instructions far better than you ever did."
Anakin rolled his eyes at Obi-Wan.
"Try to relax, Anakin," Obi-Wan said, patting his shoulder. "She's going to be fine."
. . .
The rebels were asked to assemble before the Jedi when Rex and a few volunteers returned with the equipment they needed for training. They first trained with an AAT or Armored Assault Tank, with Anakin and Obi-Wan allowing Ahsoka to do the briefing.
"The pilot in the front hatch controls the tank," Ahsoka informed. "The shelves and the short-range blasters. The commander in the top hatch controls the turret and the main cannon. You have to take out both chambers. Otherwise, the tank will remain operational." She then gestured to Rex for a demonstration.
Rex nodded and leaped into action. He first opened the front hatch and threw in an EMP Grenade or commonly known as a droid popper, before going up to the top hatch doing the same. He then jumped out of the way before the droid poppers disabled the tank's circuits. Thus, causing the tank to malfunction.
Anakin stepped forward. "Alright, everyone, divide into teams of two and we'll practice an assault on both hatches."
Lux confidently stood by Saw Gerrera on the first row.
"I'll take the top," Lux volunteered.
Saw sneered, then playfully punched Lux on his shoulder. "Let's see what you're made of, Bonteri."
"Wait," Ahsoka stopped Lux. "Are you sure about this?" She asked. "Because the last time…" Her voice trailed off.
"Ahsoka, if I'm going to be of help," Lux answered. "I'm going to have to learn to fight the right way."
Ahsoka raised her hands in surrender. "Okay," She took a few steps forward and gestured to Rex. "Rex."
Rex then threw two droid poppers for Saw and Lux, who both caught it.
Saw wasted no time and ran to the AAT, while Lux scrambled to follow him. Lux managed to climb the main cannon, but slipped and fell on top of Saw, making them both tumble off the AAT and onto the dirt.
Ahsoka tried to get to Lux, but Rex grabbed her shoulder. "They will never learn if you attend to their every need, Commander."
Luckily, Lux immediately stood and offered to help Saw up. "Sorry about that," He apologized.
Saw swatted Lux's hand away and stood. "You're a terrible soldier, Bonteri."
Amidst the training, Obi-Wan turned to Anakin. "I'm not sure if they're more interested in fighting the droids or each other."
"They'll learn," Anakin persisted. "We just need time to train them properly."
"Keep your eyes on the quick learners," Obi-Wan suggested. "In this fight, time is not on our side."
Rex continued handing the rebels droid poppers as they trained in pairs, while Saw encouraged them.
Ahsoka was about to check on Lux but Steela got to him first. She had him seated on one of the protruding roots of a nearby tree.
"I'm fine," Lux insisted.
"No, you're not," Steela argued as he felt his forehead.
Saw approached them with a disapproving look on his face. "Are you sure you're up for this, Bonteri?"
Steela sighed like it was a normal occurrence. "Saw, cut him some slack."
"It was an accident," Lux reasoned.
Saw ignored Steela and jabbed a finger at Lux. "You would've had us both killed!"
Lux glared at him, then stood. "Hey－"
"Sit down, boy," Saw pushed Lux back. "This isn't the Senate. You've got no talent for this."
"It's going to take more than muscle to defeat the Separatists," Lux asserted.
Saw snorted, then crossed his hands and shook his head. "Politics has failed us," He said. "We have no choice."
"We always have a choice," Lux insisted.
Saw narrowed his eyes at Lux. "Then make yours."
Ahsoka sensed that there was going to be a squabble between them soon, so she started walking towards them, hoping to stop it before it started. But again, Steela was there to stop it before she could.
Steela managed to push both Lux and Saw away from each other. "Look, if we're going to succeed, you'll need to be exceptional with both words and actions." She assured. "There will be time for both."
"She's right," Ahsoka spoke up, startling all three of them. "To take back your home planet, you will need to work together."
. . .
The second part of their training was to disable Droidekas with their shield activated, but they had to carefully throw it at low velocity so it would get past the shield. Three deactivated Droidekas were placed before the crowd.
"Destroyers are quick," Anakin addressed. "Pack with twin blasters, and come with their own shield generators. Nothing sort of a cannon will pierce it. But they do have two weaknesses and you will need to work together to exploit them."
Anakin nodded in Rex's direction, and Rex activated one Droideka to life. It stood with blasters ready and its shield generator on.
"The shield deflects high-velocity attacks," Anakin continued.
Rex demonstrated by shooting at the Droideka, with the blaster bolts successfully deflected by its shield and it turned to face him.
"What the shields don't stop are slow or stationary objects," Anakin informed. "They're designed to absorb them so nothing hinders their movement."
Ahsoka grabbed a droid popper and slowly threw it towards the Droideka. Sure enough, the droid popper went past the shield before disabling the droid's circuits, deactivating it.
"Destroyers are blind from behind," Ahsoka noted. "A distraction combined with a rear assault will give you a kill. The trick is to get the right speed on the droid popper."
Rex then activated all three Driodekas with their shield on. "These droids are unarmed, so just concentrate on getting it past the shield." He then threw a droid popper on the first volunteer, which happened to be Saw Gerrera.
Saw caught it with his hand, then turned to Lux. "Watch and learn, boy." He threw the droid popper at the nearest Droideka, but he wasn't able to do it slowly so it bounced off the shield.
Lux snorted. "Quite brilliant." He turned to Ahsoka. "I'd like to try."
Ahsoka tossed Lux a droid popper. Then without missing a beat, Lux slowly threw it at one of the Droidekas and successfully made it past the shield.
"Hmm, nice touch." Ahsoka complimented.
Lux nodded in appreciation. "Thanks."
Steela playfully punched Lux on his shoulder. "Not bad." She said, waiting for her turn.
Ahsoka then tossed a droid popper at her. Steela then threw at the Droideka, but like Saw's attempt, it bounced off the shield, making her visibly frustrated.
"Be mindful of your frustration," Obi-Wan said. "It'll only hold you back."
"Let's get back to work," Rex ordered. "Everyone pair up, we'll practice in groups."
Steela took a deep breath and turned to Lux. "Hey, can you show me how you did it?" She asked.
Lux shrugged. "Uh, sure." He said, reluctantly. "Use your shoulder," He gently patted Steela's shoulder. "Let your arm swing, and keep your eyes on the target."
But as Lux was trying to pull away from Steela, she grabbed his arm. "No, wait, I need you to teach me."
Something about their interaction bothered Ahsoka, and she couldn't place why. She was brought back to reality when Saw approached her.
"Hey, Commander," Saw addressed. "How about helping me practice?"
Ahsoka nodded in agreement. "Of course."
It turned out that Saw was even more impatient than Steela.
Saw groaned. "I can't get the distance or the speed right."
"Don't give up," Ahsoka insisted. "Learning this can save your life and those around you." She handed him another droid popper. "Go again." She then held his Saw's shoulders. "Don't tense up, just relax."
Saw took a deep breath and just went for it. This time, the droid popper actually went past the Droideka's shield. His comrades cheered when it did.
"You got it." Ahsoka smiled.
Saw nodded gratefully. "You're a great teacher, Commander." He said. "Thank you."
From where Ahsoka was standing, she could see Lux still instructing Steela on how to throw the droid popper properly but she never seemed to get it right yet.
"Ugh!" Steela wailed in frustration. "Just forget it. I'll never learn this." She then walked out and grabbed what looked like a sniper rifle.
Lux looked so confused as he turned to Ahsoka and shrugged.
Ahsoka huffed and raised her hand, as if to say, Don't worry, I'll talk to her.She found Steela sitting by a small boulder, tinkering with her sniper rifle.
She approached Steela. "Hey, are you okay?" Ahsoka asked, concerned.
"You made it look so easy," Steela stated.
"It wasn't always that way," Ahsoka countered.
Steela nodded. "Right, the Force." She noted. "That your secret?"
Ahsoka shook her head as she moved to sit beside her. "No, perseverance." She corrected. "Look, you'll get the hang of it. And I wouldn't let it get you down."
"I'm not feeling down," Steela corrected, adjusting her sniper rifle. "I just know what I'm good at."
"You're a sniper," Ahsoka realized, then suddenly had an idea. "Alright, come with me." She said, pulling Steela's arm.
"What?" Steela frowned. "Why?"
"You'll see." She promised.
Ahsoka presented Steela's ability to Master. And it prompted Anakin to inform Obi-Wan, who immediately wanted to see her skills.
They had the rebels place heads of battle droids on one of the temple ruins' fallen walls. And each head had been painted with a red X on their faces.
Steela demonstrated as they insisted and she hit every target head-on.
"Impressive," Anakin praised. "Most impressive. But fixed targets are one thing." He turned to Ahsoka. "Ahsoka?"
Ahsoka held her hand and used the Force to move a battle droid's head in the air, mimicking movement, which Steela managed to hit every time.
Ahsoka smiled at her. "Nice job."
It earned cheers from fellow rebels.
"Hmm," Obi-Wan spoke up. "You've clearly mastered your ability to focus. Keep up the good work."
Ahsoka was thrilled. Mostly, because women aren't usually taken seriously on the battlefield, especially if they have a natural talent.
The clones treat her well enough and with respect. But dealing with locals or natives from whichever planet their mission is on, is sometimes a struggle. They'd look at Anakin and see a respected Jedi Knight, and even without his lightsaber hanging on his belt, he still had this aura of authority. And then they'd look at her, and see a young girl. Most people would just scoff at her until they see the lightsabers on her belt, or when she's standing next to Anakin.
Ahsoka then saw Lux approach Steela and patted her shoulder. There was something about their interaction. It's none of her business, really. But there was this weird feeling Ahsoka got whenever Lux and Steela were close to each other. It was like she did not trust Steela around Lux for some reason.
"Snips," Anakin called.
"Huh?" Ahsoka jumped. "What?"
Anakin frowned at her. "Are you…losing focus?"
"No, Master." She replied, unsure.
Anakin nodded. "Good." He looked like he wanted to say something more, but was interrupted by Rex addressing the Rebels.
"A headshot is the only way decisive way to disable a droid," Rex informed. "They don't need arms, legs, or even bodies to pass intel to central command." He turned back to Steela. "Alright, shoot at will." He said, gesturing to the droid heads.
Steela readied her sniper rifle and aimed. But what she saw next, surprised her. "Wait, a minute," She said. "What is that?"
The rest of them glanced in the direction Steela was pointing and saw what she meant.
"Droids!" Saw exclaimed.
An army of droids was approaching their way, slowly marching in the jungle with blasters ready.
A Super Battle Droid aimed its wrist blaster right where most of them were standing and fired.
"Take cover!" Rex screamed.
Everyone scrambled and took cover. Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka then drew their lightsabers and deflected blaster fire, while the others who hid from the droids' line of fire started shooting back.
Obi-Wan and Anakin took cover behind some nearby temple ruins, still deflecting blaster fire.
"It appears that training is over," Obi-Wan said as the droids continued advancing.
"I'll take the left flank," Anakin suggested. "And you take the right."
"No, Anakin," Obi-Wan disagreed. "We can only protect them. We cannot fight this war for them." He reminded him, then turned to Steela, who was standing nearby and shooting back at the droids. "There are too many," He said. "But Anakin, Ahsoka, and I can hold them off while you get your people out of here."
Steela knitted her eyebrows as she glanced back at the droids. "With all due respect, General," She said. "You didn't teach us to run." She then pressed a button on her wrist comlink. "Saw, use your disruptors to take out the droids."
From the other side of the ruins, Saw responded. "I'm on it." He grabbed a disruptor and activated it. "On my mark, now!" He ordered as he and others threw disruptors at the approaching droids.
A second later, it exploded, destroying most of the droid army's front flank.
"Not bad," Anakin acclaimed.
"That was only the first wave," Obi-Wan said. "There will be more coming."
That's when they saw the AAT firing before them, causing rubble and dust everywhere.
"We'll handle this," Obi-Wan insisted.
"No," Steela disagreed. "I will." She aimed her blaster at something across from them on the other side of the ruins. "Duck!"
Obi-Wan and Anakin reluctantly obliged.
Turns out, Steela was aiming at the fences they kept the animals they have: Dalgos, Falumpasets, Fambaas, Tee-muses, and the like. She unlocked the gates by firing at the locks and the animals came running in panic towards the droid army, trampling them.
Amongst the animal stampede, Saw, who was hiding close by Lux and Ahsoka, grabbed a droid popper, one of the ones he used for practice earlier.
"Hey, Bonteri," Saw handed him a droid popper. " Ready to try again?"
Lux nodded and took the droid popper as both he and Saw ran towards the AAT.
Ahsoka, who was so focused on deflecting blaster fire, did not notice them charging.
Until she heard her Master's voice. "Ahsoka!" Anakin yelled amidst the blaster shots. "The senator!"
Ahsoka glanced beside her and Lux was nowhere to be seen. Until she looked ahead and saw Lux running towards the AAT with a droid popper in hand.
Kriff!Ahsoka mentally cursed. The task a bodyguard has to do is to not keep the person they're supposed to protect out of their sight.
"Hey!" Ahsoka yelled in frustration. "What are you doing?!"
"What you taught us," Lux answered.
Ahsoka groaned, before running after him.
Saw went for the front hatch, while Lux went for the top hatch. Saw easily opened the front hatch, threw the droid popper in, closed it, and then ran for cover. When Lux threw his droid popper at the top hatch, the droid inside caught it.
"Surrender, Rebel,"The droid said. "Uh, you will answer to your crimes against the Separatist Alliance."
Lux, probably fazed that the droid addressed him, failed to close the top hatch so Ahsoka had to step in. She waved her hand and used the Force to close it before pulling Lux off the AAT as it was about to explode.
Ahsoka managed to pull him behind some of the temple wall ruins and shielded him before the AAT exploded.
"I don't know about you," Lux said with a smug expression. "But that felt great."
Ahsoka made a face at him. "Yeah, something is definitely wrong with you."
Lux frowned. "Hey, you're one to talk." He said. "You're the one who's always fighting those droids."
"It's different," She insisted as he helped him up. "You're a politician. Also, the next time you're about to do something stupid, please let me know ahead so I can either put a stop to it or make it work."
Lux snorted. "I'm not promising anything." He said. "It takes the fun out of it."
Ahsoka rolled her eyes at him.
Steela ran to them and helped Saw up before turning to Lux. "We, uh, need to clean you up."
Saw smiled at Lux. "That's more like it, Bonteri." He said. "Now you look more like a soldier than a politician."
"Well, maybe a good politician needs to get dirty now and then," Steela remarked.
Lux looked confused but nodded. "Uh, thanks."
Yep,Ahsoka thought. She definitely did not trust Steela around Lux. But until that point, she still wasn't sure why.
They gathered after the battle.
"Take confidence from this victory," Obi-Wan spoke up. "But rest assured, there will be more droids coming now that they know your position." He warned.
"That doesn't matter," Anakin interjected. "You're ready now. We are going to take the fight to the droids. Which means you don't have to hide in the jungle any longer."
"The droids were a bit dim," Saw realized. "More so than I imagined."
"They make up for it in numbers," Ahsoka imparted. "They're designed to overwhelm."
"Yes," Anakin said. "But they're not designed to deal with our approach."
Lux nodded. "We hit them where they least expect it, and before they realize what happened…"
"We fade in with the rest of the population," Steela interjected.
"Exactly." Anakin agreed.
"Now," Ahsoka spoke up. "We just need a plan to get into the city."
Lux turned to her with a smirk on his face. "I have an idea."
. . .
Lux's idea of getting into the city of Iziz, was to disguise themselves as hunters and foragers coming to sell. The disguise part was easy enough, as they were in the jungle. Their weapons and equipment had to pass off as merchandise covered in large animal cloth pulled by Dalgos and Falumpasets to conceal it from the droids.
They had to split into groups, entering the city from different gates. Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Ahsoka were with Lux, Saw, Steela, and a few others, while Rex went with another group.
All three Jedi wore their brown robes with their hoods pulled up over their heads. They went in the same group, but stayed separate, of course, to not draw suspicion. Ahsoka was on the first cart with Lux. They put him out front because he's their best negotiator, but then again, he's a senator. People and droids alike are bound to recognize him, so he had to wear a robe with the hood up as well. And Ahsoka had to sit beside him, in case anything happened.
Anakin was on another cart behind Lux and Ahsoka, while Obi-Wan was riding on the back of a Falumpaset.
As expected, droids stopped them by the ray-shielded gates.
"Halt," The droid at the gates said. "What were you doing outside the city gates?" It asked.
"Hunting," Lux answered. "We've been trekking for days."
"Did you register before your excursion?"The droid asked as another droid went to inspect their cart.
"No, but most of our time is spent in the bush," Lux insisted. "Collecting our traps. We've come to the city to sell." He then pulled out a satchel and showed it to the droid. "You can't get Thrip larva like this in Iziz. It's only on the bigger trees on the other side of Onderon."
Several others started to intervene, pretending to be impatient that the droids were taking so long.
"Hey, listen," Steela, who was right behind Lux and Ahsoka, spoke up. "We need to deliver all of these in time for supper."
"Hmm,"The droid turned to the inspecting droid. "Are you scanning anything?"
"It's hard to tell with so much organic matter." The other droid responded.
"Come on!" Another one of their companions from Anakin's cart complained. "Our merchants are waiting inside. Can you hurry it up?"
"Let them through."The droid who inspected ordered.
The other droid nodded. "Roger, Roger."
The gate's ray-shield was then turned off and they were allowed to pass through.
As they entered the gates, Ahsoka turned to Lux. "I have to say, I'm impressed." She said. "It's a good plan."
"Well, like Saw said," Lux shrugged. "Those droids are dumber than we thought."
They stopped as they were further from the gates.
"That wasn't a bad start," Anakin said, impressed. "But now, the hard work begins."
"You must find recruits and choose your targets wisely," Obi-Wan advised.
Steela nodded. "Because they'd be looking for us."
"Then we should split up," Lux suggested.
"Right," Saw agreed. "And then regroup after nightfall. I'll alert our brothers." He said before jumping off the cart and disappearing into the crowd.
Lux hopped off the cart and approached Anakin.
"Don't worry, Senator," Anakin assured. "We'll make sure you'll get the supplies you need."
"Rex and I will take care of that," Ahsoka pointed out. "In the meantime, don't draw much attention to yourself."
Lux snorted, then nodded. "I won't," He promised. "Good luck."
"You too." Both Ahsoka and Steela said at the same time.
They then went on their separate ways, while Anakin and Obi-Wan remained.
Anakin turned to Obi-Wan. "How do you think they'll do?" He asked.
"Hmm, I have a feeling we'll be pleasantly surprised," Obi-Wan said.
"So you admit our new strategy will work?"
"I am hopeful, Anakin," Obi-Wan concurred. "Hopeful."