If You Need Us, We'll Be There

by SarahRapunzel

During their escape from Tantiss, the Batch crash on a foreign planet in worse shape than ever before. Fortunately, a kindhearted stranger with a cryptic past gives them the safe haven they desperately need. As the Batch plan their next move, they find themselves in the middle of a budding rebellion and realize they have one last mission to complete before they can truly be free.

12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Evesa's Story (Battle of Geonosis - Part II)

*Geonosis - 22 BBY*

A few minutes after witnessing her brother's death, Evesa finally exited the maze of hallways and entered the upper seating area of the arena. Trying to catch her breath, she observed the chaotic scene in front of her. All types of battle droids were storming the arena to attack the Jedi on the ground while the Geonosian soldiers attacked the Jedi in the stands. She tried not to lose focus when she saw many Jedi lying lifeless on the ground, casualties of this supposedly straightforward rescue mission. Almost as if a magnetic force was pulling her attention to a specific area, she turned her head and caught sight of Master Vey in the stands nearby. She was currently fighting off a large group of Geonosian soldiers, but Evesa noticed they were backing her up against the railings edge.

Panic gripped Evesa's chest and she found herself running toward her master's position. Time seemed to stand still as Evesa tried her best to reach her master, feeling as if an invisible force was slowing her down on purpose. She watched Master Vey fearlessly defended herself against the Geonosian's sonic blasters over and over again. Evesa finally reached the correct section in the stands and sprinted down the long staircase, skipping two or three steps at a time in order to reach her master in time. As she drew closer to coming to Sember's aid, Master Vey took a step too far that caused her to lose her balance and she leaned back over the handrail. As she fought to keep her balance, a Geonosian shot it's sonic blaster and a majority of the blast hit her upper body, causing her to go limp and tumble over the edge.

"NO!" Evesa screamed in horror. She leapt toward the last two Geonosians and threw her lightsabers at them, impaling them with her blades. She used the Force to call back her weapons into her hands as she catapulted herself off the railing and jumped down to the arena floor where her master's body lay. Evesa used the Force to soften her landing but she still collapsed onto the ground beside Master Vey's stilled body.

"Master?! Can you hear me?!" She desperately cried out, dodging incoming blaster fire from behind. Evesa swiftly stood up and spun around, slicing through the handful of droids who foolishly decided to target her. Once the imminent threats were neutralized, Evesa bent down and flung her master's lightweight body over her shoulders. She found a hidden alcove deep within the arena walls and decided to take shelter there. Evesa carefully place Sember's body on the ground, noticing the large amounts of blood hemorrhaging from her body. Evesa knew there was no way to stop the bleeding, the Geonosian sonic blasters were designed to rupture any organic lifeforms' internal organs upon contact.

She propped Sember's upper body onto her lap, cradling her head against Evesa's chest. Evesa brushed away some stray strands of her master's blue-black hair out of her face, noticing how her usually golden skin was now pale. She could still feel a faint pulse, but she knew it would be gone any moment now. "I'm so sorry, Master Vey. I've failed. Evem is dead. I can't lose you too. Please don't leave me." She pleaded through sorrowful tears.

Sember's eyes shifted upward to meet her padawan's tearful expression. Evesa's throat tightened as she felt her master's range of emotions course through her as if they were her own. She felt Master Vey's anguish and suffering but she also felt a sense of calm and peace radiating off of her too. Evesa had never experienced this sensation before, briefly wondering if this was what Evem experienced with his Force-gift abilities. She pushed the thought out of her mind as she hopelessly stared down at her master's calm expression. Although Sember was too wounded to speak, her Force spirit spoke for her as their eyes locked.

"You did not fail, Evesa. This is the will of the Force. You must remember to trust in the Force, my padawan. Especially through times of trial." She gasped for air, fighting to stay alive for a few more seconds. "There is no place you can go that I cannot follow. Remember all that I've taught you and I promise you will become who you were destined to be. I am so proud of you, my little shadow."

With a violent shudder, Master Vey released her final breath and became one with the Force.

Evesa clutched her master's body tightly to her own, not caring that even more blood was staining her robes. She gasped for air as she sobbed, her chest tightening at the realization that practically everyone she held dear to her heart was gone. Despite all the tragedy she experienced growing up, she always found solace in that her brother and master were there for her. But within a short span of time, they were both ripped away from her. Evesa was so distraught and exhausted from the devastation, she barely noticed when the droid army abruptly stopped firing at the few Jedi left surrounded in the center of the arena. Her head snapped up when she heard a familiar voice thundering throughout the now silent arena.

"Master Windu…" Dooku stood confidently at the edge of the terrace above them, "You have fought gallantly. Worthy of recognition in the archives of the Jedi Order." Evesa remained hidden in the alcove as she watched a few more straggling Jedi get pushed into the center with the others. "Now it is finished. Surrender, and your lives will be spared."

"We will not be hostages to be bartered, Dooku!" Mace Windu valiantly responded.

"Then, I'm sorry, old friend."

Evesa was surprised to sense a hint of sincerity in Dooku, but her disbelief disappeared when the droids reactivated and aimed their weapons at the small number of surviving Jedi left. She watched in horror as her fellow colleagues raised their lightsabers, preparing to defend themselves until their dying breath. Evesa was debating whether she should stay hidden or join her companions and fight to the death. She clipped Master Vey's lightsaber to her belt alongside Evem's, reminding her that she had nothing else left to lose. Firmly grasping her own lightsabers, she stood into a crouched position and snuck closer to the entrance of the arena. Just as she was about to ignite her weapons, she heard Senator Amidala's voice exclaim in relief.

"Look!"

Everyone looked up at the rumbling sounds of Republic LAAT gunships and Republic cruisers thundering over the arena. A few LAAT gunships lowered down into the arena and began opening fire onto the droid army. As a couple more gunships landed around the surviving Jedi, Evesa caught a glimpse of several white armored troopers aboard the ships, their blasters taking out numerous amounts of droids while they courageously aided the remaining Jedi onto their ships. Despite the dread at the thought of leaving her loved ones behind, Evesa bolted out of the alcove and sprinted toward one of the ships. Unfortunately, she was far along the outskirts of the arena while the rest of the rescue was in the dead center, meaning she had to plow through countless amounts of droids before reaching the gunships.

Her body ached from the physical and emotional damage she endured, the blaster wound in her left arm beginning to throb more painful than ever. Nonetheless, she continued to fight relentlessly. She was about half way through when one of the gunships started to take off. Worried they would leave her behind, she became less focused on her surroundings and more focused on reaching the gunships. The lack of attention to her surroundings proved to be a lethal mistake when a searing pain coursed through her body. She surged forward after another blaster shot hit her in the back, piercing through her right shoulder blade. She collapsed onto the ground, struggling to get back up as a result of her injuries. The Jedi must have assumed she was dead because as she laid on the arena floor, she watched the last of the gunships take off through her blurred vision.

Just as she lowered her head to the sand, accepting her fate willed by the Force, she suddenly felt a strong arm wrap around her midsection and throw her over their shoulder. Her vision blurred in and out, getting glimpses of battle droids falling around her. She was aware she was not the one fighting and she knew she saw the Jedi leave her behind, so who had come to her rescue? She assumed she was losing consciousness when the light began to fade and the sound of blaster fire quieted down. Much to her surprise, the reason why things were getting darker and quieter was not because she was fainting, but because she was being carried out of the arena through a tunnel. Evesa began to get her bearings when she felt herself being lowered back down to the ground. She turned her head to the side and watched as a white armored trooper defensively stood in front of her, skillfully eliminating the remaining droids who followed them down the tunnel with his dual blasters. After the final droid fell, the trooper bent down to check on her.

"Miss? Miss, can you hear me?"

Evesa's involuntarily shivered at the sound of his concerned voice, "Yes…" she groaned while trying to sit up, "I can hear you."

The trooper cradled her upper body against his chest and slowly helped her into an upright seated position, "Are you alright, miss?" He noticed the blood seeping out of the right side of her back and the trickle of blood still running down her left arm, "You're hurt. I don't have any bacta on me but I have some bandages that'll help slow the bleeding."

"Oh, don't worry about me, I'm fine. It's just a couple of scratches." She tried to move but the grimace on her face contradicted her words. "Alright, maybe more than a scratch."

The trooped pulled out a small roll of bandages from his belt and helped her remove the outer layer of her robes. Under normal circumstances, an unfamiliar man helping her remove her tunic would make her blush but she was not in the state of mind to be thinking those thoughts. Her body, her heart, and her soul ached with grief. Not wanting to remove any more layers of her clothing, the trooper tightly wrapped the bandage around the outer parts of her inner tunic just enough to stop the bleeding.

"This is only temporary. You'll need proper care to disinfect and heal the wounds later."

"Are you a medic?" Evesa asked while he helped her put on her outer tunic.

"No, miss, I'm a clone captain."

"A clone captain, huh?" She cautiously eyed him as he carefully helped her to her feet, wondering what he looked like under his helmet. "You have a name, Captain?"

"CT-7567."

Evesa blinked up at him in confusion, "That's not a name, that's a number."

"All soldiers in the Grand Army of the Republic are assigned a designation number to help identify and distinguish each trooper." He answered matter-of-factly, placing his arm around her midsection to help stabilize her.

"Well what about a nickname?" She asked curiously.

"I don't have a nickname, miss. I'm just a clone."

"You're a human being, aren't you? All organic lifeforms deserve to have a name. Numbers are for droids, Captain, not men." She argued in his defense. When he did not respond, she softened her tone, "Thank you for saving me. Everyone else presumed I was dead, but you came back for me. I appreciate it."

"Just doing my job, miss." He gave her a firm nod but Evesa could sense a small hint of honorable pride emit off him.

He helped her take a couple steps but she quickly regained her bearings and insisted she could walk on her own. After all, her legs were not injured, only her upper body.

"We're going to need a ship." She mused aloud, "Fortunately the starfighter I arrived in is about a klick from here. If we can make it to the ship, then we can reunite with the others."

"Lead the way." He stepped aside and allowed her to take point, handing Evesa her lightsabers that he snatched when he rescued her earlier.

Evesa thanked him as she glanced around at the countless amounts of droids strewn around them, several blaster holes scattered throughout their bodies. She briefly remembered a hazy memory of a trooper protecting her in this tunnel a few minutes ago, "Was this all you?" She asked while pointing to the carnage.

"Yes, miss."

"Impressive. There's gotta be at least twenty droids in here and you completely wrecked them."

"Yes, miss."

Evesa and CT-7567 silently made their way through the long tunnel that would eventually connect to a corridor which should lead them to the drainage basin, if Evesa's memory of the map was correct. She sighed at the realization that this was probably the first time she had ever second guessed her supernatural memory. She was always so confident, but after losing Evem and Master Vey, her confidence was shaken to the core.

The trooper noticed her heavy sighs, "Are you alright, miss?" He sped up to walk beside her, noticing all the blood on her robes, "Are you still bleeding? I can-"

"No. I'm fine." She unintentionally snapped, cringing at her terse tone, "I'm sorry. It's just been a horrible day."

The trooper remained silent for a few moments before speaking, "When we received word that another Jedi arrived on Kamino and gave the order for us to deploy to Geonosis, I'm almost ashamed to confess we were pretty excited. Finally leaving Kamino, traveling throughout the galaxy to begin fulfilling our purpose as soldiers. Needless to say, it didn't really occur to us until we arrived that the Jedi's need for us meant they were in grave danger. And now…" He hesitated, "I realize that our deployment means a great war throughout the galaxy has just begun."

"The Republic is crumbling and it's now more divided than ever before, but I don't even care." She shrugged as she blinked away the tears threatening to roll down her cheeks. She had just met this trooper, she did not want him to see her cry. "My entire life has been completely shattered today, why should I care anymore?"

The trooper wanted to reprimand her about the sacred honor of serving the Republic, such loyal thoughts were engineered into the clones since they were first bred, but he hesitated when he noticed her eyes misting over. "Who did you lose today?" He gently asked.

Her body stiffened up as she debated on telling this man, practically a stranger, the events of the day. Then again, he went out of his way to save her life. Surely this makes him more of a colleague or friend than a stranger. Besides, with the recent amount of losses, she was short on confidants now and she had a feeling she was going to be spending a lot of time with these clone troopers in the near future. It would not be a bad idea to start getting to know some of them.

Avoiding his gaze, she spoke softly as if saying the words too loud would make everything become much more real. "My master…and…my brother." She gulped in between her words, the lump in her throat making her voice seem more ragged than she intended.

"The blood on your robes…it belonged to them?" He grimaced at his question, knowing what the obvious answer was.

Evesa solemnly nodded, not wanting to continue the conversation. The trooper watched her wipe away a stray tear running down her cheek. He did not know how to respond to this display of emotion, he had never seen a woman before let alone talk to one or comfort one. This was the first of many battles for him, he knew he would see plenty of death in his future but he had been engineered to handle the stress of war. It was becoming clear to him that the Jedi would have to adapt to this new role as leaders in the Grand Army of the Republic.

"I'm sorry for your loss, miss. A soldier's sacrifice will never be forgotten."

"We're not supposed to be soldiers. We're meant to be peacekeepers." Evesa scoffed. She felt a bit bad for dismissing his words once she sensed the sincerity within the clone captain shift into awkwardness.

Evesa was about to apologize for her shortness again when she sensed something approaching at the end of the tunnel. She held up her hand and the trooper immediately pulled out his dual blaster pistols in response. He took his position beside her as she tightly grasped her lightsabers in anticipation. They pressed themselves against the wall, hiding in the tunnel's shadows, as the rumbling sound of marching battle droids thundered through the hall. Evesa closed her eyes, trying her best to regain composure just in case they were spotted and another battle ensued.

They held their breath as the battle droids continued marching down the corridor, hoping none of them turned their heads to glance down into the tunnel where Evesa and CT-7567 were hiding. But as luck would have it, one of the battle droids turned its head at the last second and spotted the trooper's shiny white armor.

"Intruder alert!" The droid exclaimed.

The clone captain fired his blaster, nailing the droid in the head, but it was too late. The squad of droids were aware of their presence and began firing at them. Evesa ignited her lightsabers and deflected their shots while the clone captain returned fire. In contrast to her weary soul, she had to admit there was a strange feeling of relief in having this skilled trooper fighting alongside her. Without discussing a plan of attack, they instinctively settled into their effective roles; Evesa as the defender and CT-7567 as the destroyer.

Once the number of droids began to dwindle, Evesa gave the clone captain directions to the entrance of the drainage basin that would point them in the direction of her starfighter. When there were only a handful of droids left, she ordered him to retreat to the basin. He obeyed her command and left without questioning her. Despite her exhaustion, Evesa was hyper-focused on her surroundings in a way she never felt before. A brief thought of her brother crossed her mind, but she quickly dismissed it, not wanting to get distracted. She decided to switch roles and began counterattacking instead of just defending, she wanted to end this skirmish as soon as possible. Utilizing her acrobatic skills, she elegantly spun and somersaulted around the droids, striking with precise blows that incapacitated her enemies. Once the last droid fell, she swiftly retreated to reunite with her clone companion.

Sprinting down the hall, she caught up with the clone captain while he obediently stood at attention by the drainage basin entrance she directed him to.

"Ready? It's about to get pretty swampy." She panted, trying to catch her breath from the battle and the sprinting.

The clone captain lifted his dual blasters to his shoulder level and nodded, "I've been trained for obstacles like this."

The duo stepped down into the basin, the cold murky water causing a chill to run down Evesa's spine. They remained silent as they continued to wade through the knee high water, each in their own thoughts. Another shiver ran down Evesa's spine, but this time it was not from the chilly water. It was from the realization that she was walking the same path she walked a couple hours ago with her brother. But now, her brother was gone and she was making this escape with a man she never knew existed until half an hour ago.

Evesa suddenly humorlessly laughed at this realization, startling the trooper, "What is it?"

"Oh it's nothing. Just the irony of it all." She continued explaining to him what she had been thinking about.

"Ya know, I just realized something myself." The trooper stared down at the young woman walking beside him, "I don't know your name, miss…?"

A small smile cracked her solemn expression, "Evesa Anful. But my friends call me Eve." A distraught look quickly stole the hints of a smile from her face as another realization dawned on her…Yexi. Evem and Yexi were in love, how was she going to handle the news of his death?

"What's wrong?" The clone captain inquired upon seeing her distressed state, noticing how she anxiously played with the necklace around her neck.

"My brother was kinda in a loving relationship with my best friend who stayed behind at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. I'm worried about how she'll take the news. How do I even tell her?"

"Well, from my experience, the truth is usually the best option."

"She's going to be utterly heartbroken." Evesa tiredly rubbed her face with a sigh.

"Perhaps her mentor will tell her?"

Evesa shook her head, "Nobody knows about her and my brother's relationship besides me…and now you. It's kind of a secret, so please don't tell anyone. Attachments are forbidden for a Jedi so this could get her expelled from the Order."

"I didn't know Jedi were bound to such rules." He gave her a reassuring smile, feeling silly when he realized his helmet was still on and she could not see it, "Don't worry, Evesa. Your secret's safe with me."

"You can call me 'Eve'." She mindlessly blurted.

The clone captain raised his eyebrows at the friendly invite, "I thought only your friends called you that."

"Out of everyone in that arena, you were the only one who came to my rescue. Everyone else left me for dead." Another humorless laugh escaped her lips, "You're more of a friend to me than any of those Jedi who I thought were my friends, mentors, and colleagues." The bitterness in her voice subsided when she glanced up at the trooper, "Is it too soon to call you my friend?"

The clone captain hesitated, not sure how friendly he should be getting with a Jedi. The clones were trained to subject themselves to the Jedi's leadership, referring to them as their commanding officers. Befriending a Jedi too quickly went against protocol, against his training, against his strict moral compass. But one glance into her sorrowful blue eyes reminded him of how lonely she must feel right now, losing her mentor and brother on the same day. Not to mention the unfortunate fact that the Jedi did leave her behind in the arena. Although he was trained to be a good solider, perhaps what she needed more than anything right now was a good friend.

"It would be an honor to be considered as your friend." He answered sincerely.

The small smile from earlier returned, a wave of relief washing over her, "Thanks, Captain…" She paused with a huff, "We really need to come up with a nickname for you. There's no way I'm calling you CT-7567."

"Well, I'm open to suggestions." He shrugged.

"Hmmm…" She clasped her hands behind her back and pondered aloud, "Do you have any hobbies? Any quirks?"

"No and no."

"Favorite animal?"

"No."

"Favorite color?"

He hesitated, "I like blue."

"Captain Blue?" She wrinkled her nose, rejecting that option instantly. "Is there something you're especially proud about yourself? Skill wise? Attitude wise? Physique wise?" When he chuckled at the last suggestion, she quickly added on, "I didn't mean anything inappropriate."

"I wasn't thinking about that at all. Get your mind out of the gutter." He lightheartedly reprimanded.

Evesa instantly blushed, "Well, can you blame me? Look where we are."

"Touche." He chuckled as he glanced around the drainage basin. After a brief silence, he spoke up again, "My hair is pretty unique."

Evesa's eyebrows shot up in surprise, "Really? I wouldn't know, you haven't taken off your helmet since we met."

"You make it sound like it's been a long time. We've only known each other for half an hour." He warily responded.

"Actually we've known each other for…" She glanced at her wristlink, "thirty seven minutes exactly."

"See? Not long at all."

"And yet, we're already friends." She fought the urge to playfully nudge him in the same way she would nudge Evem when they bantered.

"We're still on an active battle site. Protocol requires all clone troopers to keep full armor on until the site is deemed safe."

Evesa pursed her lips in consideration, realizing there was going to be a lot of new rules and regulations to learn with this new military. Although she was still interested in seeing what the clone captain looked like, she decided to not push her new friend. "So what's unique about your hair since I'm not allowed to see it?"

He hesitated, "It's blond. The rest of my brothers have black hair."

"Interesting. Genetic mutation?" She pondered while staring at him, trying to imagine what he looked like under his helmet.

"I don't know, perhaps."

"Captain Blond? Captain Bleach? Captain-"

"Please stop, those are all terrible." He chuckled at her failed attempts to come up with a suitable nickname.

She continued watching him, trying to get a sense of the type of man he was, "Are you a rule follower?"

"Of course. All clone troopers were engineered to follow orders without question." He answered as if it were obvious.

"So if you're a captain, does that mean you received special training that makes you different than a typical clone trooper?"

"Yes. All commanding officers go through specialized training. I also received ARC Trooper training."

"ARC trooper?" She furrowed her brow in confusion.

"Advanced Recon Commando trooper." He explained.

"So you're extra good at what you do, huh? Not that I'm surprised. I saw how you wrecked all those droids-wait!" She gasped, startling the clone captain, "I got it. Captain Wrecks?"

"Not bad but…" He paused, running the nickname over and over in his mind until the perfect name presented itself, "How about Captain Rex?"

"Captain Rex…" She hummed in thought, a small smile slowly spreading across her lips, "I like it. I like it a lot."

They finally reached the end of the basin, squinting their eyes when the bright Geonosian sun temporarily blinded them. Once their eyes adjusted from the darkness of the drainage tunnel to the light of the open desert, Evesa pointed toward a long red-rock mesa in the distance.

"It's going to be a sprint to that ridge way over there. Once we get behind that, it's just a moderate jog to the starfighter from there but at least we'll have cover for the rest of the way." She unclipped her lightsabers from her belt, firmly grasping them as she looked to her new friend, "You ready, Rex?"

He nodded with his dual blasters drawn and poised to strike, "I've been trained for moments like this my entire life, Eve."

On Evesa's signal, the duo dashed out of the tunnel and sprinted toward the ridge just as a speeder with two escorts flew out of the Geonosian hangar in the distance. Evesa immediately sensed the man on the speeder to be Dooku and upon seeing them headed their way, she immediately flung herself over Rex and tackled him to the ground. The clone captain grunted in surprise then sputtered in protest when she climbed on top of him and covered them both with her brown cloak. Since her Jedi cloak was covered in red-rock dust, they seamlessly blended in with the surrounding terrain. Knowing Dooku would be able to sense her, Evesa channeled her special talent, aka the "shadow gift", and temporarily blinded Dooku to her Force presence. She hushed Rex as the low rumbling of the crafts flew over them, seemingly not noticing their presence. Once the coast was clear, she threw off the cloak and sat up while Rex rolled onto his back.

"What was that about?" Rex asked bewildered.

"Sorry-actually, no, I'm not." Evesa retorted, "That was Count Dooku. I just saved our skins. You're welcome and now we're even." She smirked to let him know she was teasing.

"Ah, well, thank you." He coughed awkwardly, "But, uh, you can get up now."

"Huh?" Evesa looked down and noticed she was unintentionally straddling his thigh, "Oh jeez! Sorry about that!" She quickly untangled herself from him, blushing profusely, "Okay I will apologize for that."

Rex chuckled as he stood, helping Evesa get on her feet as well. He cautiously observed her wounds, noticing how the whole ordeal with the droids and now this had reopened them and she was bleeding through the bandages and her robes. "We better get you to the command center asap."

"I'm fine." She rapidly blinked, starting to feel lightheaded from standing up too fast and from the significant loss of blood. They both turned around when they heard a low rumbling, watching as a Federation ship exploded mid-air several klicks from their current position. "You want to take me over there? Where that is happening?" She lazily asked, her eyelids beginning to feel heavy.

"You need to see a medic, stat." He watched as she wobbled a bit, "Can you walk?"

"We can't walk, we gotta run. We're still vulnerable." She took a few steps until her knees buckled, grateful Rex was quick enough to catch her. Without waiting for a response, Rex effortlessly scooped her up into his arms and began running toward the ridge before any other Separatist droids or Geonosians spotted them out in the open. Much to their relief, they made it to the mesa without another incident but their problems were far from over. Rex glanced down at Evesa, noticing she was floating in and out of consciousness, "Stay with me, Eve. Which way is your ship?"

"Hmm?" She groaned, forcing herself to wake up, "Here…" She slowly typed something into her wristlink before taking it off and handing it to Rex, "Follow the signal." She muttered before passing out in his arms, her head resting against his sturdy chest plate.

Rex's chest tightened at her loss of consciousness, prompting him to run through the hot Geonosian desert for the next klick. He grew more and more concerned with each step, ignoring the stickiness of her blood seeping into his gloves, and he wondered how much longer his friend would survive with this much blood loss. Although Rex had just met her an hour ago and he barely knew anything about her, he also felt this strange connection to her. It was the same connection that prompted him to jump off the departing gunship in the arena to go after her when no one else did. He could not understand it and he tended not to dwell on unexplainable things, but he wondered if she felt the connection too. Barely breaking into a sweat, Rex finally spotted the starfighter hidden behind a large rock formation and raced toward it. He climbed onto the ship and gently placed Evesa into the second seat before strapping himself into the pilot seat. In no time, the engines were powered up and the ship took off toward the command center.

---

Evesa drifted in and out of consciousness once she handed Rex her wristlink. She desperately fought to stay awake, not wanting to seem feeble in front of her new friend, but her body just felt so sleepy. She briefly remembered seeing blurry visions of flying through the sky. Then she saw a couple clone trooper helmets staring down at her while she lay out under the orange glow of the Geonosian sun. Next she saw Master Plo's concerned face looking down at her inside what appeared to be a starship medbay. Finally she saw the tall pillars of the Jedi Temple stand above her as she was being rushed inside with a familiar togruta running beside her.

After what felt like a hazy few minutes, Evesa slowly regained consciousness and squinted into the bright lights of the Temple Infirmary. Blurry eyes scanning her surroundings, she noticed she was not alone in the medbay. Not only was someone asleep in the chair beside her, but most of the beds in the infirmary were occupied by wounded Jedi. Evesa took a deep breath, trying to get her bearings on what had happened. The person asleep beside her woke up when Evesa groaned from the ache of her body.

"Eve?" The gentle voice breathed a sigh of relief, "Oh thank the Maker you're alright."

Evesa shifted her eyes toward the person speaking to her, "Yexi?" She coughed, her throat was raw from the lack of water.

Yexi got up and ran to get her some water, returning within seconds. "Here. Drink first." She helped her friend drink an entire glass of water before continuing the conversation, "How are you feeling?"

"Tired. Weak. Drowsy."

"That makes sense. You were asleep for several rotations." Yexi remarked while propping up the head of the bed so her friend could relax sitting up.

"What?!" Evesa coughed again, "But it only felt like a few minutes."

"You were gravely injured." Yexi sat down on the edge of the bed, kindly regarding her friend, "We almost lost you, Eve. Your injuries caused you to lose a lot of blood and if it weren't for the clone medics on Geonosis, you probably would've died."

"What-" Evesa froze. Suddenly everything came back to her; the rescue mission on Geonosis, the Separatist's droid army attacking the Jedi, the Republic's new clone army coming to the rescue, being saved by Captain Rex, and losing Master Vey and Evem.

"Oh no. Oh no, no, no." Evesa gasped clutching her mother's necklace so tightly that she almost bruised her hand, "Master Vey…Evem…" She wildly looked around before setting her sights on her friend, "Yexi. Evem's-"

"I know." Yexi sadly smiled despite the pained expression on her face. She reached forward and grasped Evesa's hand, giving it a comforting squeeze just as Evem used to, "Master Plo told me."

Evesa blinked curiously at her, eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "How did he know? Did I tell him when I was going in and out of consciousness?"

"He said the clone captain who rescued you told him what happened after he got you to the medics."

"Rex." Evesa breathed his name, remembering his heroism fondly. She shook her head and took both of her friend's hands into her own, "Yexi, I am so sorry for Evem. He risked his life to protect me and I tried everything I could to save him but-"

"Eve, don't apologize." She firmly shook her head, "I should be the one giving my condolences. You lost your brother and master. I'm so sorry for your losses."

Upon hearing someone else say her new tragic reality, tears instantly welled up in Evesa's eyes. Her breaths grew ragged and her bottom lip quivered, "I was so scared, Yexi…I-I didn't know what to do…It's all my fault…I could've done more." She sobbed, her words coming out in tight hiccups.

Yexi scooted closer to her and wrapped her in a warm embrace, squeezing her gently to not irritate her injuries. Although Yexi's heart was shattered at the loss of her beloved, she also felt an overwhelming amount of empathy for her friend who lost so much more. The two friends stayed in that embrace for a while longer, both crying at the losses they shared.

Once they both calmed down a bit, Yexi pulled back slightly so she could look into Evesa's eyes, "Nothing was your fault, Eve. You did exactly what you were supposed to do. Master Plo told me how proud he and the rest of the Council are of you."

"Proud? How? Why?" Evesa sniffled.

"You and Evem completed your task. Without you two, the clone reinforcements would've never reached the arena in time and the casualties would be even worse." Yexi handed her a handkerchief, "There is even talk of granting you the rank of Jedi Knight."

"I don't want a new title. I just want my brother and master back." Evesa whimpered into the handkerchief as the tears began to flow again.

Yexi brought her into another warm embrace, "I know, Eve. I want them back too." She rested her chin atop Evesa's head, "But remember what we've been taught. When a Jedi passes away, they become one with the Force. They're never truly gone."

"The Force flows through everyone and every living thing." Evesa murmured. A sudden chill ran down her spine when she heard her brother's voice whisper, "I'll always be with you." Followed by Master Vey's soft voice, "There is no place you can go that I cannot follow." Hearing their voices reminded her about the supernatural occurrences she felt mid-battle on Geonosis. How she suddenly was acutely tuned into other people's emotions, not to mention the Force-judgement she unknowingly released during her escape. Those strange incidents seemed to start happening once Evem became one with the Force which only added more questions.

Yexi felt her friend shiver in her arms, "Are you feeling poorly? Should I go get the Healer?"

"I'm fine." Evesa slowly pulled away from the hug, wiping away the last of her tears. "It's just…" She hesitated, "After Evem passed, I suddenly became hyperfocused on not just my surroundings but also my emotions as well as other people's emotions. I don't know if it was just a coincidence caused by a heightened sense from adrenaline or if it's something more?"

"Perhaps talking to a Jedi Master would be best? Master Plo might have a better understanding since he was Evem's master." Yexi scooted back a bit so she could fully face her friend, "But for now, let's test your theory. Since you're no longer experiencing any adrenaline, can you sense my feelings?"

Evesa stared intensely at Yexi for a brief moment. As their eyes locked, Evesa began feeling a strong sense of grief and despair radiating off of her friend. Hidden underneath all that pain were subtle hints of anxiety and fear. Evesa shared this with her friend and Yexi immediately lowered her gaze. Breaking the eye contact caused Evesa to lose the sensations she was feeling from Yexi, but she knew she had definitely felt something she was not supposed to have felt.

"Yexi? Is there something else I should know?" She cautiously asked.

The togruta dismissively waved her hand, "I'm just worried how someone like me will be able to adapt to this changing galaxy. I'm not a fighter, nor a leader like you, Eve. I'm not cut out for war."

"What are you talking about? The Battle of Geonosis was a one-time thing for us Jedi, right? Surely the Republic has better suited military leaders than us."

Yexi slowly shook her head, "The Jedi are being positioned as generals in the Grand Army of the Republic. We're supposed to be leading clone battalions and legions into battle."

"But we're peacekeepers, not soldiers." Evesa disputed, shocked to hear such contradicting words. Jedi General? That is the biggest oxymoron she ever heard.

"Those days are over, Eve. Times have changed." Yexi stood up to call over a Healer to look over her friend.

While the Healer examined her wounds and vitals, Evesa pondered Yexi's words about the changing times. Her friend's words brought back distant memories to Evesa as she remembered the last conversation she had with her father many years ago;

"I want everything to stay the same."

"I know, sweetie. But sometimes change is a good thing. It may not seem that way but change forces us to grow, to become the best version of ourselves."

"I don't like change."

"Most people don't. But how you approach it is what will define what you make of it. A lot of people don't adapt and the change will end up hurting them. You have to embrace it, Evie."

Content with the test results, the Healer discharged Evesa from the infirmary with orders to rest for another rotation and one trip to the bacta tanks to help heal her blaster wounds. Once the privacy screen was drawn, Evesa slowly got dressed into a fresh set of clean robes with a heavy heart. Although her soul was still grieving deeply, she knew she had to start accepting this new reality. The galaxy was now at war and she had to embrace whatever the future had in store for her. Now dressed in robes without bloodstains, Evesa walked through the Temple Infirmary with Yexi, making their way to the exit. When they reached the door, Evesa glanced back into the medbay, noticing the numerous amounts of wounded Jedi laying on the medical beds.

"You said the casualties could've been worse. How bad were they?" Evesa inquired as they walked into the corridor.

"About two hundred Jedi went to Geonosis and…" Yexi hesitated, "only thirty survived. Most bodies were unable to be recovered."

Evesa grimaced at the news, "Will there be a memorial service at least?"

"Yes, later tonight. We are to gather in the Memorial Room in a couple hours."

Evesa glanced down at her wrist, groaning when she realized her wristlink was missing. "Blast. I forgot I gave Rex my wristlink on Geonosis. Who knows if I'll ever get it back."

"Rex?" Yexi curiously probed.

"The clone captain who rescued me. His name is Rex."

"Well, I hope I get to meet him someday." Yexi linked her arm with Evesa's, "I want to thank him for saving my best friend's life."

Evesa fondly smiled at her friend, silently thanking the Maker Yexi was ordered to stay on Coruscant. She already felt alone while struggling to cope with the loss of her master and brother, so she could not even begin to imagine how much worse it would be if her best friend was killed too.

As the duo silently continued walking through the corridors, they could feel an overwhelming essence of emptiness and sorrow hang in the air of the Jedi Temple. So many Jedi who normally walked these hallowed halls would never be seen again. Evesa's breath hitched when she imagined seeing her brother turn the corner to greet them like he had done several times over the years. Of course her mind was playing tricks on her, she knew Evem was dead and it was not possible to see him again. These were the rare moments when Evesa cursed her Force-gifted photographic memory. Not only did she have supernatural memory, but she could visualize the memories in real time as if she were reliving them. This was a skill she developed a couple years after she started training with the Force at the Temple as a youngling. Over the years she learned she can control these realistic flashbacks quite easily but during times of intense emotion, her resolve tended to slip.

Evesa squeezed her eyes shut, trying to get her mind under control. She opened her eyes and glanced out of the tall windows, staring into the dusky skies as the daylight gave way to the inevitable darkness of night. Yexi noticed her thousand-yard stare, "What's wrong?"

"Just my cursed memory haunting me." Evesa lowered her voice to a barely audible whisper, "I'm terrified what I'm going to see if I sleep tonight."

"Well, my door is always open if you want to sleepover." Yexi offered. Evesa thanked her for the hospitality but she also got a sense that Yexi was hoping for a friendly presence to stay with her tonight too. Evesa knew it was not uncommon for Evem and Yexi to spend the night in each other's rooms together so she sensed the togruta's dread at the thought of sleeping alone.

The two padawans quieted down when they turned a corner to find Master Plo heading their way. "Padawan Anful." His usually steady voice carried hints of sadness, "Seeing you alive and on the mend brings me a great sense of relief. You had us scared."

Evesa bowed her head in respect, "I'm sorry for the loss of your padawan, Master Plo."

"I'm sorry for the loss of your brother and master." He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, "How are you doing?"

"I'm not sure. My soul mourns but my mind refuses to acknowledge what happened."

"That's understandable. These are the types of trials when spending time meditating on the Force can really help you find the peace you're searching for. But if you ever wish to talk, I'm here for you."

"Thank you, Master Plo."

"Will you be at the memorial later?" He inquired, reminding Evesa of when Evem asked him if he was going to the Initiate Trials. She could not believe that conversation only took place a short time ago. It seemed like a lifetime ago now.

Both padawans silently nodded at his question, prompting him to reach into his cloak and pull out two familiar lightsaber hilts.

"I took these when the clone captain brought you to the command center on Geonosis for medical assistance." He returned Evesa's lightsabers to her and continued talking while she clipped them onto her belt.

"I also took these. For safe keeping. But I wanted to give them back so you could present them during the memorial service." He pulled out two more lightsabers and handed them to Evesa, who hesitated upon receiving them. Her hands shook slightly when she grasped Evem and Master Vey's lightsaber hilts in both hands. She closely observed them, noticing how they were polished and wiped clean from any traces of blood. Another wave of despair began to wash over Evesa as she realized how real this nightmare was becoming. Just when she thought she had no more tears to shed, more would suddenly start blurring her vision as it was doing now. Her breath shuddered when she tightly clutched the lightsabers to her chest as if this was the only way she could feel the presence of her fallen loved ones.

A small pang of guilt stung her when she noticed Yexi staring at Evem's lightsaber. She knew her friend desperately longed to hold Evem's lightsaber as a way to say goodbye but showing such displays of affection toward his weapon would raise suspicions about their forbidden romance. Suddenly Yexi's words from earlier popped into her mind, "Perhaps talking to a Jedi Master would be best? Master Plo might have a better understanding since he was Evem's master."

"Master Plo, there are some things I wanted to ask you about my brother. Can we take a walk?" Evesa asked, wiping away the last of her tears.

The Jedi Master obliged and Evesa subtly handed off Evem's lightsaber to Yexi before following him down the hall. Evesa could feel the overwhelming amount of gratitude coming off of her best friend at this kind gesture. Yexi fell behind a bit as Plo Koon and Evesa began walking through the long, empty Temple corridors. After a few minutes of solitude, Yexi caught up with the duo while Evesa shared everything with him regarding the strange sensations she felt once Evem passed, the supernatural heightened awareness of other's emotions, and she even confessed about the Force-judgement she unknowingly released upon the destroyer droids. She explained how Yexi and her tested her adrenaline theory in the medbay, only to find Evesa could still sense people's emotions. Master Plo remained quiet for a majority of the story, only interrupting when he had a question to ask.

Once Evesa finished explaining everything, Master Plo did something unexpected. Without explaining to her what he was doing, he pulled out his data pad and checked Evesa's most recent medical test results which were only taken an hour ago.

"Just as I thought." He mused aloud while staring at the screen, "Your midi-chlorian count has increased. You're roughly around thirteen thousand now."

"What?" Evesa furrowed her brow in confusion, "How is that possible?"

"Well, I have a couple of theories. My first is that midi-chlorians are found in the blood so it's possible that either you received Evem's donated blood for the transfusion in the medbay or perhaps some of Evem or even Master Vey's blood got into your open wounds on Geonosis. My second theory is it seems the bond between you and Evem was so strongly intertwined within the Force that when he became one with the Force, his Force-gift was passed onto you. This would explain why you can sense other's emotions now. And perhaps at the moment of Evem's passing is when the Force convergence occurred, thus explaining why you suddenly felt an overwhelming surge of Force energy which caused the Force-judgment to be released."

"What does all of that mean for me?"

"It means you've become a more powerful Jedi than who you were before Geonosis. You're going to need more training to harness these new skills but I'm sure a gifted individual such as yourself will make quick work of this." Master Plo glanced at his wristlink for the time, "But for now, we should head to the Memorial Room. We've got a lot of Jedi to honor tonight."

The trio solemnly made their way to the Temple Memorial Room, contemplating the recent traumatic events-well, recent for Evesa. For everyone else, it had been several days since Geonosis but for her, it just happened a couple hours ago. The Temple Memorial Room was a magnificent chamber that honored all of the fallen Jedi in the Order's history. Each Jedi was honored with an engraved plaque on the wall with their name and date/place of death. Above the plaque was a small space where a hologram was placed containing holographic photos and recordings of the deceased. Under the plaque was another shelf where the fallen Jedi's lightsaber was displayed, if it was recovered.

Since there were so many Jedi who lost their lives on Geonosis, the memorial was more of an exhibition of the fallen rather than a service or funeral. Every Jedi in attendance solemnly walked through the Memorial Room at their own pace, honoring those they knew well and grew close to. Evesa and Yexi walked through the exhibit with Master Plo by their side, surprised he did not want to walk through it alone. Perhaps he was reeling from the loss of his padawan just as much as Evesa and Yexi. Or perhaps he sensed their heartbroken souls and wanted to provide them with the consoling they very much needed.

When Evesa approached Evem's plaque, her solemn eyes misted over at his hologram. She watched as his photo changed to a recording of him when he was twelve during his Initiate Trials. He maturely answered the Council's questions and then skillfully displayed his lightsaber abilities against the training droids with such a calm expression on his face, no wonder why he was chosen to be a padawan at such a young age. As the recording continued, Evesa squeezed his lightsaber in her hands one last time before placing it on the memorial display.

"Evie? My time has come. I'm going to be just fine. I am not afraid. I'll always be with you. I love you…so much."

"I love you too." Evesa whispered in response to her memories.

"Now go. You must live to fight another day."

Evesa nodded as she stepped back from her brother's plaque, wiping away the stray tears that rolled down her cheeks. She stepped away when Yexi approached his memorial tablet, feeling the soul crushing pain radiating off her best friend.

As her friend mourned, Evesa made her way over to Master Vey's place. Just like Evem, holographic photos and recordings of Master Vey were being displayed. Evesa fondly observed the rare sight of her master during her younger years as a padawan learner. Watching the woman she looked up to laugh with her own master reminded her of all the laughs they shared over the years. Moments like those would no longer exist, she only had the memories left to cherish. Evesa looked down at her hand and gently ran her fingers along her master's lightsaber.

"As soon as I saw your recording, I knew you were special. Not just because of your Force-gift, but by the way you held your head up despite all the adversity you've seen. Someone so young displaying such a mature composure, it was mind-blowing. You're a fighter, a survivor, a role model. I've been impressed by you long before you became my apprentice and I foresee you'll continue to impress me long after."

"Thank you, Master. I don't know what I'd do without you." Evesa whispered to herself as she placed Master Vey's lightsaber on the memorial display. She stepped back once more to allow others to honor her fallen master, wiping away the rest of her tears.

After saying her goodbyes to her loved ones, Evesa continued to wander around the Memorial Room, paying her respects to all who lost their lives on Geonosis. Once she finished her solemn stroll, she returned to the area she first started. Her gaze lingered on Evem and Master Vey's memorial plaques while she stood as still as a statue in the middle of the room, paying no attention to those who walked around her. At one point she heard a familiar voice and shifted her eyes toward the door to find Obi-Wan Kenobi, Mace Windu, and Plo Koon quietly talking in hushed tones. They must have felt her gaze upon them because they immediately turned to match her sorrowful gaze. Thanks to her newfound Force-gift, Evesa could sense their mourning but she also felt a twinge of concern, almost as if they were worried about her. She quickly lowered her gaze and refocused her attention to the memorial tablets in front of her.

A little while later, Yexi and Master Plo cautiously approached her. The Jedi Master placed a compassionate hand on her shoulder while the togruta gently took her hand. She briefly heard them mention it was almost midnight and without realizing, Evesa found herself exiting the Memorial Room and walking through the empty corridor with them beside her. Once in the dormitory wing, she felt she was still in a haze when Master Plo recommended she get some rest; he felt it was inappropriate to wish her a goodnight given the circumstances. When she began to snap out of her trance, she noticed she was now in her room with Yexi sitting beside her on her bed.

"Are you going to be alright on your own tonight?" Yexi asked, calmly rubbing her friend's back in a comforting manner.

Evesa stared at her friend's face, noticing how red and puffy her eyes were. "Are you?" She countered, "I know how much Evem meant to you."

Yexi lowered her eyes with a sigh, "I'm not sure. I wouldn't mind having a friendly presence by my side though."

"Me too." Evesa nodded in agreement.

The two friends did not bother to get ready for bed, they were too exhausted from expending a lot of emotion at the memorial. They silently climbed into the small bed side-by-side, only touching when Yexi reached for Evesa's hand and gave it a comforting squeeze. The sensation reminded Evesa of her brother and a single tear rolled down her cheek at the cherished memory. Somehow the two of them eventually fell into a light sleep, not wanting to fall too deeply in fear of what their imaginations would dream up.

A few hours later, Evesa fluttered her eyes open and sighed as she continued to stare at the same spot on the ceiling she had been staring at for most of the night. Yexi must have also been awake because as soon as she heard Evesa's sigh, she turned to see her friend's eyes wide open.

"Did you get any sleep?" Yexi whispered.

Evesa shook her head, "Barely. You?"

"Some. But not much."

Evesa sat up and stared out of the window, noticing the sky was still dark, "What time is it? Is it still the middle of the night?"

Yexi rolled over to check the chronos, "Quite the opposite. It's a little after five in the morning." She turned toward her friend and sadly smiled, "You want to go to the gardens to watch the sunrise?"

"You know me so well." Evesa climbed out of bed and made her way out the room, pausing when she noticed Yexi was not following. Yexi was reluctant to follow since she knew how special watching the sunrise was to Evesa and Evem, she did not want to impose on such a cherished tradition.

"Would you like some company?" Yexi cautiously asked, recognizing the questionable expression on her friend's face.

Evesa cracked a grateful smile, "I would really appreciate it. I'd rather not be alone right now."

Yexi quickly climbed out of bed and caught up to her, wrapping a comforting arm around Evesa's shoulders, "I'm always here for you, Eve."

The two friends silently walked to the Temple gardens and took a seat on a bench underneath a large tree. They both closed their eyes and deeply breathed, allowing the crippling amount of grief to slowly lighten enough to allow them to start meditating. As they both lost themselves in their meditation, a cool breeze danced through the branches of the tree above them. The sound of rustling leaves and the sensation of the refreshing breeze tickling their skin was quite soothing to their broken souls. After an hour of meditation, they both simultaneously awoke from their trance and gazed at the beginning of a magnificent sunrise. Watching the daunting darkness of night become overpowered by the sun's dynamic warmth and brightness brought them a sense of calm and dare they say-hope. Because no matter how dark the night gets, the daylight will return more triumphant than ever.

They heard the shuffling of footsteps come up behind them and although Yexi turned to see who was approaching, Evesa already knew.

"Master Kenobi." Evesa breathed.

"I knew I'd find you here." His voice was quiet as he approached the two padawans, nodding his salutations to Yexi.

"I didn't realize you were looking for me." She quipped, remembering this all too familiar conversation from ten years ago.

Obi-Wan stood beside Evesa but he glanced over her to address the togruta sitting next to her, "Would it be alright if I spoke with Evesa privately?"

"Umm…" As much as Yexi wanted to obey the Jedi Knight's request, she had promised Evesa she would stay by her side.

Evesa sensed her friend's conflict and defiance against Kenobi's request, "It's alright Yexi. I'll be fine." She noticed the hesitation on her face, "Are you going to be okay?"

"Yes. I think I'll go look for Master Ti. She said she had something she wished to discuss with me when I was ready." Yexi gave Evesa a quick hug, "Come find me if you need anything." Evesa nodded and thanked her for everything. Yexi bowed her head at Obi-Wan and then excused herself before hurrying off to go find her master.

Obi-Wan nodded to the now vacated spot on the bench, "May I join you?"

"Of course." Evesa responded, not pulling her gaze away from the distant horizon.

A brief silence filled the space between them as they both breathed in the refreshingly cool morning air. Finally Kenobi spoke up in a soft voice, "I am truly sorry about your loss, Eve."

"Thank you." A familiar sensation of warmth spread throughout her body at the sound of him using her informal name. It had been a long time since he called her that. It was rare when Evesa and Obi-Wan had this kind of one-on-one time. The most notable time was ten years ago when Obi-Wan just returned from Naboo after Qui-Gon's funeral. Ever since then, Obi-Wan's time was consumed by training Anakin so it was difficult for Evesa to ever get a chance to sit down and talk with her friend without Anakin showing up unannounced.

Obi-Wan warmly regarded her, "I heard you were quite successful with your mission. Without you, the clone reinforcements would've never reached the arena in time and the casualties would've been even worse."

"So I've been told." She retorted, remembering how Yexi said the same thing after she woke up in the medbay.

Obi-Wan could sense a twinge of bitterness in her tone, "I believe I owe you an apology."

That caught Evesa's attention, so much so that she turned to look at him for the first time since he showed up. "Really? How so?" She inquired with raised eyebrows.

"Well, this whole operation was a rescue on my behalf. If I hadn't been captured-"

"I see where this is going but I must stop you there, Obi-Wan." Her gaze hardened as she continued to stare at him, "This wasn't your fault. If we're to throw blame at anyone, it'd be Dooku and his Separatist allies and their droid army."

A sense of relief washed over Obi-Wan, he carried a lot of guilt over what took place on Geonosis. He felt the only thing he could do was apologize to those who were deeply impacted by the countless amount of lives lost on that day. After another moment of silence, he spoke up again, "I'm sure you've heard about the war by now."

"I have." Evesa responded flatly, "Although I fail to see how the Jedi becoming military leaders in the Grand Army of the Republic is a wholesome idea."

"Care to elaborate?" He prodded.

"We were trained to be protectors of the peace, defenders of the defenseless. Only wielding a lightsaber in self-defense, never to attack. We were taught to strive for peaceful solutions and respect the sanctity of life." She huffed, "This is war, Obi-Wan, and battles are fought with soldiers, which we are not. I am concerned the Jedi will lose their way."

"I agree. We're not soldiers." He sighed, stroking his beard in deep thought, "However, is it not our duty as Jedi to stand up against the tyranny of the Separatists as protectors of this Republic?"

"I suppose." Evesa's resolve began to waiver as she began fiddling with her necklace, "It's just…on Geonosis I told Evem that despite the war, the Order will continue to train the next generation of Jedi. Except they must learn how to fight, how to lead, and how to survive. But after seeing the havoc on Geonosis, I realize I was wrong. I didn't mean it as we should become Jedi Generals in the Grand Army of the Republic. I meant it as we should be civil servants leading humanitarian missions to war-ridden worlds. That's what we were trained to do. Then we let the clone troopers do the fighting because that's what they were trained to do."

"I understand you concerns, Eve, really I do. But you said it yourself, we're trained to be protectors of the peace and defenders of the defenseless. And if leading clone troopers into battle is the only way to do that, then I would consider that my duty." He paused as he considered her words, silently agreeing that he was also concerned about the Jedi losing their way, "We must not allow the darkness to pull us in. Instead we must shine our light on it and expose it for what it really is. We are Jedi, we were meant to be bright lights in this dark galaxy at war."

"I agree." Another voice chimed in.

Evesa and Obi-Wan turned around to see Anakin standing nearby with his arms crossed. Evesa's eye was immediately drawn to the black glove on his right hand that seemed to extend up to his forearm.

"Anakin." Obi-Wan scolded, "I thought I told you to meet me in the Council Chamber in a couple hours."

"You did. But I decided I wanted to spend some time in the gardens before. I didn't know you'd be here." He sauntered over to them, a playful smirk on his face, "You're not the only one allowed up here." He nodded toward the empty spot on the other side of Evesa, "Mind if I join you?"

As much as she wanted to say no and selfishly hog Obi-Wan's attention for herself, she was intrigued when she sensed a torrent of conflicting emotions radiating off of him. With a small smile, she nodded and scooted closer to Obi-Wan to make room for him on the bench. When he sat down next to her, she was surprised to feel a gentle hand touch her shoulder.

"I'm so sorry to hear about Evem and Master Vey. You must be really going through it right now." Anakin consoled, "I also heard you got pretty beat up yourself."

Obi-Wan groaned, "Anakin-"

"It's alright." For the first time since the death of her brother, Evesa softly laughed, "I know I can always count on Anakin to help me not take myself so seriously."

"That's why I'm here." He proudly crossed his arms with his typical smirk. Obi-Wan just rolled his eyes with a sigh.

"So…" Evesa pointedly looked at Anakin's gloved hand, "What happened to you?"

His eyebrows shot up in surprise, "You haven't heard?"

"I've been unconscious for almost a week. I'm barely getting caught up on the war effort."

"Alright, alright, I get it." He chuckled before divulging his side of the story, starting with him leaving for Naboo on protection detail for Senator Amidala. As he continued his tale, Evesa sensed an overwhelming amount of affection toward the senator whenever he mentioned her name. She did not comment on it though, especially when she noticed how much he was avoiding any personal details about his time with Padme. She gave her sincerest condolences when he mentioned the death of his mother, she understood the pain of losing a loved one more than most Jedi. When Anakin revealed how Dooku cut off the lower half of his right arm, Evesa felt another wave of righteous anger wash over her in the same way it did when she spotted Dooku on the terrace in the Petranaki Arena. She still could not understand how such a respectable Jedi Master could simply turn against the people he deemed as his family. She wondered what she would say or do to Dooku if she ever got the chance to face him.

Once Anakin finished his tale, Evesa decided it was only fair for her to share her side of the story. Much to everyone's surprise, she kept her composure when she described the final moments with her brother and master. The only part she left out was the Force-lightning and the newfound Force-ability she inherited from Evem. Since she was not completely sure what had happened herself, she decided it was best to not divulge that part of the story. When she touched upon Captain Rex rescuing her, she noticed Obi-Wan had begun stroking his beard as he usually did when he was contemplating something. Anakin, on the other hand, was quite impressed with the clone captain's skill and bravery.

Eventually Evesa's story concluded and the trio silently enjoyed the tranquility of the garden for a few minutes, each contemplating what they heard and felt. Another few minutes passed until Obi-Wan noticed the sun was much higher than when he first arrived. With a quick glance at his wristlink, he slowly stood up and stretched out his back, "Well, I quite enjoyed this little gathering. It's been awhile since we were able to just sit and chat." Although he addressed both Anakin and Evesa, his stare lingered on her the longest.

"Aren't you supposed to be at a meeting with the Council, Master?" Anakin teasingly reminded.

"Yes, yes. I've still got time. If there's anyone who should be worried about being late to a meeting, it's you." Obi-Wan retorted with a smirk. "Speaking of meetings…" He turned to Evesa, "The Council wants to speak with you as well. Please come to the Council Chamber with Anakin when it's time."

Evesa nodded in confirmation. With a pleased expression on his face, Obi-Wan bid them farewell and went back inside the Temple. Once his master was gone, Anakin playfully nudged Evesa, "You hungry? I'm sure you haven't eaten much since you woke up."

Evesa cringed he when accidentally bumped the blaster wound on her left arm, "I haven't really been hungry but since talking things out with you and Obi-Wan, I think my appetite is slowly returning."

"Great, let's get some breakfast!" He joyfully clapped her on the back, immediately withdrawing when he saw her grimace, "I'm sorry. I hit you on your wound, didn't I?"

"Yes, but…" She carefully stood up with a tight smile, "It's just a reminder of what I experienced on Geonosis. The good and the bad."

For a rare moment, Anakin dropped his nonchalant behavior and intently stared at her, "Listen, Eve. You never realize how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have."

Evesa nodded understandingly, slightly stunned at his profound words. Seeing her surprised expression made him laugh and after Evesa sent a message to Yexi to meet them for breakfast, the two friends ventured toward the dining hall.

---

A month had already passed since that early-morning sunrise gathering which helped guide Evesa on a much needed path of healing. Although she still grieved the loss of her loved ones, especially when she was alone with her thoughts at night, her newfound responsibilities kept her distractedly busy during the day. The Council meeting she and Anakin attended the day after the memorial turned out to be an assembly of recognition for the trials they overcame during the Battle of Geonosis. The meeting ended with them receiving the rank of Jedi Knight, and coincidentally the rank of Jedi General, which launched them into a torrent of studies revolving around war strategies and military operations for the next month. Because of the passing of the Jedi Military Integration Act in the Senate, all eligible Jedi Masters and Jedi Knights were official put in command of the Grand Army of the Republic. From sunrise to sunset, all newly appointed Jedi Generals went through rigorous training to ensure they were prepared to lead their troops into battle as soon as possible.

After displaying their impressive newfound military skillset to the Council, Anakin and Evesa were instructed to travel to the nearby Grand Army of the Republic Headquarters to meet their first officers. Being escorted by General Kenobi and General Koon, Anakin and Evesa could not help but take notice of their new uniforms that were comprised of Jedi robes equipped with clone armor. Anakin and Evesa new they would be receiving their new uniforms later today since they were fitted a couple rotations ago but for now, they wore their typical Jedi attire with the exception of the padawan braid.

Feeling a bit nervous about what to expect, Evesa anxiously twirled the ends of her now short dark red hair between her fingers with one hand while the other fiddled with her necklace. Instead of getting her padawan braid cut, like Anakin, she decided to cut the rest of her long wavy hair to match the length of her braid which ended up falling just below her collarbone. As the transport rhythmically rocked back and forth, Evesa's mind drifted to her friend. Since Yexi was ordered to stay on Coruscant during the Battle of Geonosis, she was unable to complete her Jedi Trials in the field like Anakin and Evesa had so she was still considered a padawan or what they now called a Jedi Commander. Shortly after Evesa received the rank of Jedi Knight, Yexi had news of her own. Master Shaak Ti had been assigned to be the representative of the Jedi and Republic on Kamino so that she may oversee the cloning initiative. Her relocation to Kamino meant Yexi was also now stationed on the aquatic planet in the Wild Space region of the galaxy. Although her friend was still alive, Evesa felt she was losing another loved one. Thankfully Anakin had stepped in and the two became close friends which helped her fight off the twinges of loneliness she felt every now and then.

Evesa snapped out of her thoughts as the shuttle rumbled to a halt when it reached the landing platform. The four Jedi climbed out of the transport and made their way toward one of the many hangars that occupied the headquarters. As they approached the opening, two clone troopers stood at attention out front; one wearing orange markings on his armor and the other wearing gray markings.

"Anakin. Evesa. I'd like you to meet Commander Cody." As Obi-Wan introduced the orange trooper to them, the clone saluted in response.

"CC-2224 reporting for duty, General Kenobi."

An involuntary twinge of recognition fluttered in Evesa's chest when she heard the familiar clone voice. She had not heard that voice since her interaction with Captain Rex on Geonosis over a month ago. Evesa worried that hearing the similar voice would trigger the traumatic memories from that day but interestingly enough, she felt a sense of warmth and safety instead.

"At ease, Commander." Obi-Wan nodded at him before turning back to Anakin and Evesa, "Cody is my first officer for the 212th."

"And here we have Commander Wolffe, my first officer for the 104th." Plo Koon introduced the gray trooper who also saluted in response.

"CC-3636 reporting for duty, General Koon."

"At ease, Commander." Plo Koon responded before leading the group of Jedi inside the hangar with the clone commanders bringing up the rear.

As they walked, Evesa made mental notes of the clone commanders' names and designation numbers. However, she could not help but still wonder what these troopers looked like. Everywhere she looked, they were all wearing their helmets, including the two clone officers waiting for them in the distance; one wearing blue markings on his armor and the other wearing teal markings.

Just before they approached the unknown clone officers, Commander Cody interjected, "General Kenobi, I'm receiving a transmission from Senator Organa. He says its about the Siege on Christophsis and it's urgent."

Obi-Wan sighed, "Very well. I guess the introductions will be temporarily postponed." As the duo began to head inside the building to listen to the transmission in a quieter place, Obi-Wan called Anakin over to join them. Evesa watched the trio disappear with intrigue, not realizing Plo Koon and Commander Wolffe were staring at her.

She shifted her eyes and blushed when she caught their gazes, "So, uh, Master Windu briefed Anakin and I this morning about working alongside an experienced Jedi General for the first couple of battles." She glanced back toward the direction the trio just left in, "I assume Anakin will be working alongside Master Kenobi. But…" Her eyes met Master Plo's, both of them sensing the discomfort of addressing Evesa's deceased master.

"I presented the idea of having you be mentored by me but the Council thinks our connection to Evem has the potential to create attachment. They thought it would be best if a more neutral Master mentored you."

"I understand." Evesa complied, even though she wholeheartedly disagreed with that reasoning. "So who will I be working with-"

"Pardon the interruption." Commander Wolffe stepped forward with a hand against the earpiece in his helmet, "We just got an update about the Malevolence. A briefing is to be held in the command center as soon as possible."

Master Plo nodded in acknowledgment before turning back to the young Jedi Knight, "Sorry, Evesa, but I must go. This is of the utmost importance."

"I understand." She nodded her farewell to Master Plo and his commander as they hurried inside the military headquarters.

She awkwardly stood in the middle of the hangar, curiously observing the countless number of clone troopers marching around with a sense of purpose. She found it interesting how the Republic had only been at war for a month but in that short time, the clone troopers had taken it upon themselves to customize their armor to reflect their battalion designation as well as their own personalities. It made sense to her why an army of identical soldiers would be so quick to distinguish themselves from their brothers, they craved individualism. Evesa also could not help but notice how Commander Cody and Commander Wolffe introduced themselves by their designation numbers but their Jedi Generals introduced them by their nicknames.

Evesa recalled a conversation with Master Yoda where he explained how although the clones share the same face, they were all very different within the Force. For the sake of respecting the clones' individual personalities, perhaps it was for the best the Jedi were in command of the Grand Army of the Republic. Standard military leaders may not discern the clones in the same way the Jedi perceive them. The Jedi encouraged their clone troopers to embrace their individualism because they were seen as more than just science experiments or soldiers, they were also men.

Evesa's body stiffened when she felt a pair of eyes staring at her back. She slowly turned around nonchalantly in order to not startle whoever was observing her. Eventually her gaze fell upon the two clone officers they were supposed to be introduced to. The clone trooper with the blue markings tilted his head at her and she unknowingly did the same. Although she could not see his face under his helmet, she sensed recognition radiating off of him. A small smile played across her lips when she casually sauntered toward him and, much to her surprise, he began walking toward her too. The two eventually met halfway and Evesa gazed up at the familiar trooper, "Captain Rex, I was hoping I'd run into you." She smiled up at him.

"How did you know it was me?"

"You may share the same face as your brothers, but within the Force, you're all quite different from each other." She proudly quoted Master Yoda's wise words.

"But…you've never seen my face." He warily responded.

"It's not my fault someone refused to remove their helmet because we were 'still on an active battle site'." She quoted his words with air quotes.

"Sorry, General, but protocol is protocol." He chuckled at her antics.

Evesa immediately picked up on him mentioning her new title, "I see you've heard about my new rank then?"

"That's why I'm here. I was told I'd meet my new commanding Jedi General today." He stood up a bit straighter as if wanting to make a good impression.

She tilted her head at him, "So since I outrank you, that means I can order you to remove your helmet, right?"

He chuckled once more, "I suppose so."

She expectantly raised her eyebrows at him, giving the silent command. With a smirk, he grasped his helmet and lifted it off his head, revealing to her the amused smirk on his face. Evesa slightly parted her lips in surprise, she did not know what to expect but she never thought the clones would be so handsome. His sun-kissed tan skin and chiseled facial features were etched into a charming smirk. A knowing smile played across her lips when she took note of his closely shaved blond hair, his one unique trait he told her about on Geonosis.

Rex felt uneasy about the way she was analyzing his face so he awkwardly cleared his throat, "Congratulations on the promotion by the way, General."

"Thank you." She automatically responded before pausing to gather her thoughts. A more sincere expression took over when she met his caramel brown eyes, "And while I'm expressing my gratitude, I wanted to thank you for saving my life back on Geonosis. Without you, I wouldn't be standing here."

"You're welcome, General Anful." He gave her a single nod of affirmation.

She tilted her head up at him, "You can call me 'Eve'. We're still friends, right?"

"Of course we are, but…" He hesitated, "Sorry, General. Protocol is protocol."

"Wow, you really are a stickler for rules, aren't you?" She shook her head with a playful smirk, "You better hope Anakin isn't your commanding officer because he's the type of Jedi who doesn't exactly abide by the rules. Protocol is more of a suggestion to him."

"Noted." He casually shifted his weight onto his other leg. "I'm glad I finally ran into you though because…" He reached into one of the many pouches along his belt and pulled out something small, "I wanted to return this to you." He presented her wristlink to her, "Sorry I held onto it for so long. I didn't realize I still had it until after you were transported back to Coruscant." Evesa thanked him with a smile on her face and gratefully accepted the wristlink, immediately putting it on while Rex continued talking.

"How are you doing by the way? After I dropped you off with the medics, I was redirected to the battlefield and when I returned, you were gone. I heard you lost a lot of blood and the medics were unsure if you were going to make it back to Coruscant in time."

"I'm doing alright." She rolled her shoulders back as if testing the wounds that she knew were long healed except for the scars left behind. "Thank you for asking." She smiled up at him once more, "How have you been, Rex?"

"As good as one can be during a war, I suppose." He slightly cringed at his nonchalant response, making her laugh softly. "I, uh, noticed you cut your hair." He nodded toward the ends of her much shorter hair, "It looks nice."

Evesa let out a more heartfelt giggle, "Thank you." She swiftly ran a hand through her hair, letting the layers fall back into place, "No more padawan braid, so I figured I'd update my look." She released a soft melancholic sigh, "This conversation brings back memories of Geonosis."

His eyes widened in guilt, "Oh-I didn't mean to bring back bad memories-"

"You didn't. That's not what I meant." She fidgeted with her necklace again, but just before Rex could ask her about it, she continued talking, "When you rescued me on Geonosis, I was in a bad place both physically and emotionally. I've already thanked you for saving my life but I also wanted you to know how much you helped with my mental state back there."

"What do you mean?" He curiously tilted his head.

"After losing two loved ones, I felt so lost and helpless. But your company was a wonderful distraction from the pain I was reeling from and it helped stabilize my thoughts. Having your steady resolve by my side kept me from letting my emotions get the better of me. So thank you."

A small sincere smile tugged at the corners of his lips, "To be honest, Eve, I never once thought you were compromised in any way back on Geonosis. For someone who isn't trained to see death on a daily basis, you handled yourself quite admirably."

Evesa stared up at him with a heartfelt smile on her face, "Did you just call me, 'Eve'?"

"No, General." He firmly shook his head with a small smirk. Suddenly his comlink beeped to life and he excused himself to answer. While he stepped away, the other clone officer who was waiting to be introduced to the new generals was surprisingly a lot closer than before. Almost as if he slowly crept closer toward Rex and Evesa to listen in on their conversation.

Evesa regarded the clone coolly, "Were you eavesdropping, trooper?"

"No, General."

Evesa withheld a smirk when she heard the similarities in his response. The clone officer slowly stepped closer to her now that she opened a conversation with him, "You and Rex seem close. Met on Genonosis, right?"

"That's right. He saved me in more ways than one on that day." She crossed her arms, "You admit you were eavesdropping, then?"

"Not eavesdropping." He took his helmet off to reveal another handsome clone face, this time with black hair in a short flat top cut. His caramel color eyes twinkled when he haughtily smirked, "Just listening."

"How do you figure the difference?" She raised a challenging eyebrow.

"Technically eavesdropping means listening in secret, but given that I was clearly standing nearby in the wide open…" He swept his free arm out as if presenting the cavernous hangar, "I'd say you two were just talking and I happened to be close enough to overhear."

Evesa scoffed, "That's an absurd argument and you know it. If you weren't invited to join the conversation, you shouldn't have been listening. Regardless if you were standing nearby or not, which is also untrue because you were originally standing over there." She pointed to a spot several feet away, "If you would've stayed there then you wouldn't have been close enough to overhear our conversation."

He humorlessly chuckled, "I'm allowed to roam around the GAR Headquarters. My barracks are here so this is my home. I don't tell you were you can and cannot go in the Jedi Temple."

"I thought your home was Kamino." She retorted, ignoring the second part of his response.

"That's the closest place I have to a home planet. That doesn't necessarily mean I live there anymore." He explained sarcastically, "You should understand that. Don't most Jedi come from the farthest reaches of the galaxy but they relocate to Coruscant and call the Temple their home?"

"Jokes on you, I'm from Coruscant." Evesa crossed her arms with a smirk when she saw the dumbfounded look on his face.

"Really?"

"Mhm. Born and raised."

"Well…" He awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment, "I guess in your case, your home planet is still your home."

"…Yeah…" The smirk on her face disappeared when she remembered how there was always something in the dark corners of her heart that felt Coruscant was not her home. That was one of the reasons she took on the Jedi Shadow training a couple years ago, she did not wish to spend the rest of her life living in the Jedi Temple. She desired to live elsewhere among the citizens of the galaxy where she could do good for them without showcasing she was a Jedi. But that train of thought was derailed after the events of Geonosis and she buried those dreams along with the memories of her deceased loved ones. Realizing the clone officer was curiously staring at her, probably wondering why she fell quiet all of a sudden, Evesa shook her and gave him a tight lipped smile, "What's your designation trooper?"

"CC-2008."

"You got a name, Commander?"

"Sorry to interrupt-"Rex suddenly popped out of nowhere, nearly startling the duo, "but I just received news from General Kenobi and General Skywalker." He focused his attention directly to Evesa, "They're deploying the 212th and the 501st to Christophsis immediately."

"What does that mean for us?" She inquired with furrowed brows.

"Well…" Rex shyly diverted his gaze briefly before looking at her again, "I'm the commanding clone officer of the 501st which means I'll be shipping out shortly."

"Oh! So you're Anakin-I mean, General Skywalker's first officer?" She awkwardly rambled.

"Affirmative." He firmly nodded but his caramel eyes softened when he stared into her vibrant blue ones, "It was nice seeing you again, General Anful. Perhaps our paths will cross again."

"I look forward to it." She nodded with a sincere smile, "Good luck and may the Force be with you, Captain."

Rex thanked her before turning on his heels and hurried into the GAR Headquarters to meet up with his new Jedi General. Evesa did not realize she had been staring at Rex walk away until she heard the clone commander next to her clear his throat.

"So…" She unintentionally sighed as she turned to him, "I guess that means you're my first officer?"

He lifted an amused eyebrow, "Try not to sound so disappointed."

"I'm not disappointed!" She blushed in embarrassment, guiltily smiling up at him, "I'm sure you're an excellent Clone Commander."

"Gee thanks, General." He humorlessly chuckled, noticing General Skywalker and Captain Rex exiting the building in deep conversation, "I'm no match for the golden boy."

Evesa followed his gaze, "Is that a jab toward Rex's blond hair?"

Much to her surprise, the Commander let out a wholehearted laugh. She could not help the flutter in her chest when she noticed how beautiful his eyes twinkled when he laughed, along with how his charming smile broadened just enough to reveal a pair of dimples.

"I hadn't thought of it like that, but I like it." He continued laughing, extending his hand out to her, "The name's Mayday by the way."

"Nice to meet you, Commander Mayday." She grasped his hand and shook it, ignoring the spark she felt when they touched. He must have felt it too because the faintest amount of blush crept onto his cheeks when neither of them broke the handshake. "Is it customary for an officer to be shaking hands with his commanding general? I thought I got a salute or something?" She teased.

Mayday quickly pulled his hand away, "Yes, General. Sorry, General." He stood at attention and saluted her, "CC-2008 of the 810th, at your service."

"At ease, Commander." She smirked, "Honestly, I prefer Commander Mayday as opposed to your designation number. It feels more personal, don't you think?"

"Yes, General Anful." He nodded with an amused smile.

"The name's Evesa Anful, but my friends call me 'Eve'."

He raised his eyebrows in surprise at the friendly gesture, "Are you saying we're friends?"

"Not yet. We just met." She sincerely smiled up at his handsome face, "But I hope to be good friends one day."

He returned her wholehearted smile, "I'd like that."

"So since we've now officially met. Do you know which general we'll be working with for the time being?" She inquired, placing her hands on her hips.

"Yes, my men and I have been working alongside General Krell's division for the last month. I'm sure now that you're here we can operate independently from him sooner than later?"

Evesa sensed an overwhelming sensation of bitterness toward Master Krell emitting off of Mayday followed by a glimmer of hope when he asked her about separating from Krell's division. She found it peculiar and quite intriguing, "General Krell has an impressive success rate. Is there a reason you want the 810th to be removed from his command?"

He let out another humorless chuckled, "Let's just say there's a reason why I go by the name 'Mayday'."

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A/N: I feel like I say this every chapter but now THIS is officially the longest chapter in the story lol. As I was writing, I kept thinking I should make this into a Part II and Part III but I really wanted to return to the present day Bad Batch timeline so I just kept this as is. I promise next chapter will return back to the Bad Batch, thank you for sticking out the backstory chapters with me. I'm sure you're starting to see where these connections are going to come into play haha. Thank you for reading and have a wonderful rest of the week! :)