Chapter One: Stolen Valor

"The name's Shrik Byra. I own the farm next door. It's quite the crop you got here. Ya' look a little young to be running this joint by yourself. Whats your story?" It was a good question, as Rhett himself didn't quite understand what happened to him or his family in the past few months. For the first 13 years of his life, Rhett Kysn lived peacefully off the lakes of Naboo, running a bait shop with his family. His father, mother, and brother all got along great and ran the shop as one happy family, but after the first sign of trouble, his father was gone a lot. The trade federation's blockade set Naboo into chaos, and as soon as the droids touched down, Rhett's father told him to get off the planet immediately.

"The name's Rhett. I've been piloting small starships since I can remember, even through blockades. I can handle myself just fine." Rhett said to the rugged looking young man.

"Piloting starships? At your age? Seems like a tough task."

"Just small flights to Widow and Tasia, just to get supplies from large freighters before they would land in our bigger space ports."

"Ah, Naboo, huh?"

"Yessir"

"Royalty?"

"Oh no, far from it. We ran a small bait shop off the lakes. The closest thing we ever got to royalty was a royal vacation house across the lake."

"Well you're a far off way from Naboo now, son. If you need any help figuring this whole farming thing out, or anything like that, come on over and I'll be happy to help."

"Will do Mr. Byra."

"Please, kid, call me Shrik." He walked away. Rhett was glad he made a friend. After all he just got settled into a farmhouse on Chandrilla, far from the planets' cities. His father seemed to have his getaway plan in tact. Once the droid army landed, he took off for the capitol. He gave Rhett a written set of coordinates. He told him that he had to go alone, but the farmhouse would already be taken care of. It was a relatively small plot of land, manageable for 13 year-old Rhett. Its crop was closely related to the Zabrak Spine, whose bioluminescence and oils made it an expensive crop. In high demand with the upper classes of the galaxy. Rhett made more than enough to get by each year.

Despite Rhett's independence, and maturity, Shrik felt an obligation to keep an eye on young Kysn. Most everyday, Shrik would wake early, so he could take a break around mid afternoon, and bring his food over to Rhetts homestead, just to check on him. Then around sunset, he would come back over, sit on the porch and watch the field turn colors from a gold reflection of the sun, to a purple glow from the Zabrak roots. Shrik loved watching the sunset, and often mentioned how lucky he felt that there was a Zabrak root farm next to his, so he could look at nature's fantastic lights even after the sun went down.

The two would watch the lights almost every night. Rhett would tell his stories of flying through Trade federations blockades undetected, Shrik would listen. He often felt as if Rhett, a child, had lived more of a life than he did as an adult. Shrik was 18 years older, and Rhett seemed to think of Shrik as a father since he had to leave his at just 13. Shrik liked the idea of having a son, but as a poor farmer he didn't have much chance to meet anyone. Shrik farmed an extremely common tea leaf, one that was not even exclusive to the Chandrilla system. Shrik often found himself in tough times. When Rhett was 15, Shrik's harvest had been contaminated with a fungus. And forced Shrik to lose any hope at turning a profit that harvest cycle. That year he took a loan from Rhett. Shrik was humiliated, but Rhett thought nothing of it. Rhett thought of it as paying him for all the times he checked in on him, showed him how to make repairs on an engine, or helped him on his farm.

Before either of them knew it, 10 years had gone by. Neither one of them loved to show their emotions, but one night, when Shrik came to watch the sunset, he found Rhett in tears.

"Whats goin on?" Shrik asked.

"Just got a transmission from Naboo," Rhett paused and looked up with a helpless half smile and tears in his eyes "My brother was KIA."

"Wait a minute, I thought we were only using clones in this war?"

"I did too, but apparently we didn't have enough ready yet. He joined a militia, and was killed when his star cruiser's reactor took a direct hit."

"Well shit, kid. You gonna be alright?"

"Nothing I can do. I thought about joining a militia. It's not fair that he was stuck back at Naboo and I ended up with an expensive farmhouse getaway."

"Joining a militia?"

"Yeah I know, it's a crazy idea. Going to war isn't going to bring him back or anything, but it might help with the guilt."

"No it's not crazy. I kind of like it. I mean what else am I going to do? Farm for the rest of my life until I die and the next poor bastard is dumb enough to buy my land? This might be my chance to make something out of myself. But you—" Shrik realized he let himself take Rhett's tragedy and make it about himself, "Well, you," he stammered, "you got a nice setup here kid, and based on what the war is doing to the demand of your Zabrak oil, you'll have enough to retire and go wherever you want by the end of this thing."

"What so I can stay at my fancy farm while you go off and die too? Nope."

Shrik sighed, "Eh, its just talk. Its all I ever do." He paused, "I promised myself I'd never ask," he considered whether he should ask his question for a moment, "but how did a small bait shop owner have the funds to secure himself a Zabrak root farm?"

Rhett sighed and wiped his tears with a small chuckle, he liked the change in subject. "Well, my father never told me much, but one things for damn sure, our bait shop was a front business."

"What was he, cartel? Organized crime? Spice runner?"

"Oh no, he was too good a man. From what I've gathered, my best guess is that he was some sort of operative for the royal guard. He left a lot, not telling us where he was going, and based on the timing of his absence with the federation's appearance — it was no coincidence. He also seemed incredibly close with the royal family and their guards when they came to the lakes."

"Have you heard from him? Where is he now?" Asked Shrik.

Rhett chuckled. "I get a few transmissions from him now and again. They all say the same thing. He hopes I'm safe, he cant say where he is, or if I can go back."

"You miss him."

"Yeah. I do. I'm gonna miss my brother too. They were both just really good guys."

"Well I tell ya what, you seem old enough now." Shrik said as he pulled out a jar of Gizer Ale from his side satchel. "To the Kysn men?"

Rhett reached for the jar, and tipped it towards Shrik "To the Kysn men." He sipped, and the two sat in relative quiet for the rest of the night. As they watch the sun set over the glowing haze from the Zabrak roots.

A few weeks had gone by. Shrik and Rhett had started to see each other a little less often, as the work right before the harvest cycle ramped up. Rhett was working in the field when he heard Shrik yelling out his name and running toward him. When the two met in the field, Shrik seemed excited, and a little frightened.

"You ever still think about joining a militia for the clone war?"

"I mean a little, but I had heard from the supply shops that militias were outlawed. They want only clones in the war. Less lives lost." Rhett said, which took some excitement out of Shrik.

"Well look, it's time."

"Time?" Rhett replied

"Yes. Time. They need us."

"They?"

"Look, I heard that there is a clone barrack not far from here, and the separatists want to cut off of the Perlemian Trade Route. They're attacking soon!"

"Ok woah, theres a lot there. First off , if — and I mean if — there is a clone barrack here and if separatists were attacking what ere we even supposed to do? Knock on the front door and say 'hey, we have no prior military experience or anything and theres a law against us helping out but give us guns and we'll help fight droids?'" Rhett scoffed.

"Look, I've already talked with some of the surrounding farms. They're ready to defend our home. Pyrthwra, Frolph, Ginx, Hosque, they're all in. And I've seen you hunting Blackbacks you've got one hell of a shot, and from what you've told me you're a damn good pilot, it's not like we're a bunch of mindless farmers jumping into war."

"Its exactly a bunch of mindless farmers jumping into war." Rhett replied. Shrik looked intently at Rhett.

"Don't make me play that card, I'll do it"

"Dont even think about it. No" Rhett said, as he looked at Shrik's face grow concerned, then broke into a smile.

"Do it for your brother." Shrik said, with full confidence that it would work.

"Fffffuck. Fine, if they allow it, which they won't, I'll be a part of your six man militia."
"Yes! You won't regret this."

Shriks enthusiasm lasted only a few hours. He connected with one of the Republic's war effort Bureaucracies just to find Rhett was right. There could be no militias. Only clones. But as to stay involved in the war effort snd to keep educated, the Bureau sent a holo-projector that gave them updates on the war effort. It was essentially propaganda, and it worked. With each broadcast Shrik and Rhett grew more and more angry toward the separatists, and wanted to join the fight more each day. Then one early morning, their time came.

The sun had barely risen, it hadn't even flushed out the glowing haze of the Zebrak outside Rhetts window when Shrik was banging at his door.

"Rhett! Rhett! It's time! Grab your rifle!"

Rhett looked out to see the five men in the militia standing outside, all with blaster rifles.

"What are you doing?" Rhett asked mockingly

"We just saw Separatist landing craft not far from here! The attack! Its happening! Let's go!"

"But — the bureau, they said —"

"Fuck the Bureau, the fights happening just over that hill, thats basically our front yard. It's not joining the war effort, its acting in self defense." Shrik said. "Now come on!"

Rhett grew a smile. He grabbed his rifle, hopped on the back of a speeder bike and raced towards the hill where they could hear all the commotion. To the slight disbelief of all six of the small militia, there was a hidden barrack buried within the hills. The barrage of separatist artillery fire had exposed its walls, and the place was crawling with clones.

The six men pulled outside a now opened hanger, through all the commotion a commanding clone officer saw them.

"Identify yourself! What are you doing here?! Get yourself to safety!" He said through his helmet.

"With all due respect sir, we're here to do the opposite of that. We're local farmers here to help in the fight to defend the republic and our homeland." Shrik said, expecting the commander to give in.

"Just get out of here and let my men do their jobs!"

"But we can help!" Shrik replied

"Nobody asked you guys for help, now evacuate the area immediately! That's an order from a Republic officer, disobeying is insubordination and will be met with the appropriate response!" The clone yelled, which quickly prompted Shrik to give a close and intense stare.

"Alright, lets be reasonable here." Rhett placed himself between the clone and his friend. "We came to help not get in the way" he said as he pulled Shrik away. The clone nodded to Rhett and ran off.

"I'm not taking no for an answer" said Shrik

"Well what are we supposed to do here, Shrik? I'm not getting arrested for almost getting myself killed." Said Hosque.

"He said get to safety, I say we do that." He turned and pointed to the top of the hill, which engulfed the hangar. "We get up there away from everything no way will we be targets. We can sit there and use our scopes to take out as many droids as we can. At least we'll be doing something" Shrik said in a plea to his militia to follow his lead. The men nodded and started up the hill.

The men were all excellent shots, and all knew where the droid attacks would come from, they knew the area like the back of their hands, and almost seemed to be doing better than the "professionals" below, as the clones began getting overrun. Soon, the separatist droids were far enough down the opposite hill, the hangar roof shielded them. They could not be hit from where the militia were shooting from. As Rhett saw the clones getting taken out, he grew angry. He thought of his brother, and how the droids forced Rhett to leave his home planet. He was not about to let himself be forced off his new home. Rhett got up and moved toward the hangar wall.

"what do you think you're doing?!" Shouted one of the men.

"I'm getting closer, I don't have a shot form up there anymore." Rhett screamed before starting into a dead sprint to the hangar. He raised his rifle, but his aim was as shaky as his breath was after running a good distance. He took a second to gather himself emotionally and physically. He closed his eyes. He felt a hand on his shoulder. He open his eyes to see Shrik, with the other men close behind. He locked eyes with Shrik, who gave him an understanding look which told Rhett he knew every reason why he was fighting. Rhett nodded.

"For the Kysn men." Shrik said with a nod.

Rhett opened his mouth to respond. Before he could make a sound an incredibly loud siren blared from the hangar.

"Scramble fighters!" The order echoed from the clones inside. The men sat, in awe, of the many separatist fighters coming over the crest of the hill on the other side of the valley t. They all raised their rifles and began fighting again.

Without knowing why, Rhett stopped firing, and watched a clone fighter begin to get into his fighter. The pilot opened the hatch, and before he could do anything else, a blaster bolt hit, and he fell from the wing of the ship.

Rhett looked at the fighter, he felt he could help. After all, he was an excellent pilot. He locked eyes with the Shrik, looked at the fighter, and then back at Shrik. Shrik shook his head.

"No way." His face grew worried "That's too much. Even for me. You steal that fighter and you're in a lot more trouble than shooting from behind the lines."

"Yeah." Rhett paused. "I might have an idea for that." He looked at the dead clone, who laid underneath the fighter, just outside of the hangar. "Its a bad idea. But its an idea."

Shrik dismissed Rhett and began aiming down his scope again, and when he lowered his rifle, he couldn't find Rhett. "You guys see Rhett?" He yelled to the other men over the sound of alarms, fighters, blasters, and the chaos of war. The men looked at each other and shook their heads. Fearing the worst, Shrik lowered his head and ran to the last piece of cover he saw Rhett behind, and found nothing. All the sudden, he felt a hand. He turned to see Rhett dressed in full clone pilot armor, helmet in hand.

"Good thing it fits, huh?" He looked at Shrik with a smile

"Don't do this. This is too far." Shrik's voice cracked with concern.

Rhett smiled. "For my brother." Shrik shook his head. As Rhett started towards the fighter.

"Not like this!" He yelled.

"Like I told you," Rhett turned back, still walking to the fighter, "I'm a damn good pilot."

Shrik realized he'd done all he can to prevent his friend from jumping in the fighter. All he could do was shoot his rifle, and hope his friend was as good of a pilot as he says he was.

Rhett closed the hatch on the cockpit, closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He opened his eyes to see the massive air battle already going on above him. He fired up the engines. "Alright," he said to himself, "if we're gonna do it, we're gonna do it." He took off. Inside the pilots helmet he could hear all the chatter and cries of dying and desperate clones. He didn't know how to turn it off, so as his fighter lifted off the ground he closed his eyes, focused on his task and tuned out the chatter. He listened to his instincts, and started toward the massive amount of chaos above.

Rhett pulled in from the outskirts of the skirmish and flanked a Separatist fighter trailing a clone. Three shots from the cannons, and the clone was free. His flight path led him in behind another which he also made quick work of. With some of the adrenaline coming off, the voices inside his helmet came back to him.

"Nice flyin' Beaks. I could use you, right now, I got a clanker on my 6, just above you." Said a pilot. Rhett pulled up and took out another. And another, and another.

"That's one hell of a pilot up there!" Rhett heard from his helmet, "Now can you drop those bombs and help us down here?" Rhett looked down to see a flurry of Separatist droids.

"Negative." Rhett heard the difference in his voice and the clones, and promptly added his best clone accent. "Uhh negative, commander. The droids are too spread out." Rhett said. He looked down again, and looked around to get his bearings. Despite the damage done to the surrounding area, he realized where he was.

"Wait a minute that's Swarlep's hill! Commander push your troops to the right flank, and hold that front wall! That hill is too steep for droids, we'll be able to bottle neck them and drop some bombs!" Rhett yelled.

"Good call Beaks, when we got them where you want them, come drop your payload and finish this thing!" The commander responded.

Rhett concentrated on taking out a few more fighters. His skills were impressive from the ground. Shrik saw him maneuver behind or to the flank of several Separatist fighters. He looked at the other men "The kids a damn good pilot." He said with a chuckle.

Rhett became so focused on his flying he forgot about the ground troops, until he heard over the comlink, "Beaks we pushed them back, you gonna drop or not? We're dying out here. This might be your best shot" The commander yelled.

"Through the trees,? That's impossible, Commander Lowe, we're gonna need a more open drop zone" another pilot responded.

"Tough luck, you're gonna have to make it work. Beaks, think you can make that shot?"

"Huh? Uh, yeah? Yeah. I'm on my way" Rhett responded. He looked down and saw that the clones hadn't pushed the droids as far back as he'd hoped. He pulled in low over the trees and dropped half his load, hoping that at least a few bombs would make it through. But before he could asses the damage while flying away, he heard the pilot again

"What was that Beaks? The droids, not the trees! They exploded so high you about blew yourself out of the sky. There's no way to get those bombs through. We should just abort and evacuate!"

"Any more bright ideas, Beaks?" The commander said sarcastically.

It was just starting to set in for Rhett. This was his plan. All the clones dying beneath him, was his fault. And they all think its their comrade in the plane. Feeling guilty, Rhett closed his eyes and concentrated again, trying desperately to come up with something.

"Beaks?" The pilot asked.

"Uhhh, yeah. I have an idea. It's a bad idea." He turned the fighter around and flew really low, beneath the canopy of the tree line, and tilted the fighter sideways to fit between the trees. "But it's an idea." Rhett released the payload. Taking out most of the Separatist droids. But being so close to the explosion sprung the fighter forward, into a tree. The fighter's wing bent around the tree and the engine groaned. Amazingly, Rhett was able to save the fighter from scrashin into the ground, by rotating it vertically and was able to steer it back above the tree canopy.

"You okay up there Beaks?" The commander asked. "That was some flying. I think we can hold them off from here." Just as he said that a Jedi cruiser appeared above the planet from out of hyper space. "We definitely can now, Skywalker and Kenobi are here with reinforcements!"

Rhett watched in relief as the shuttles came. Caught up in the fight he almost forgot he wasn't supposed to be there. Now with reinforcements he started his landing sequence with hopes he could slip away unnoticed. Whoever "Beaks" was would go MIA after a heroic flight and crash. It would be a hero's end. Everything would be fine.

"Where you going, Beaks? That ship needs to go to the cruiser for repairs. I don't think the barracks are equipped to deal with what you've done to that thing. Follow the general's ship in he'll escort you" said a clone voice on the commlink.

Rhett looked at the ground, where Shrik and the other men had gathered, then he looked up to the cruiser. He had gone this far, he thought, it might be easier to take an escape pod off the cruiser anyways, and get off unnoticed. "Who" slipped out of him, the realization that he was in over his head was sinking in, but he was far from the point of no return,

"Genreral Skywalker, the yellow ship at 4 o'clock. He'll escort you back"

"O-o" Rhett stammered "Ok."

He followed the fighter back to the cruiser. His mind racing, trying to formulate an explanation that he would have to give to the famed Anakin Skywalker as to why he did what he did. With the excitement of the battle gone he got extremely nervous.

He landed inside the cruiser, took a deep breath and opened his cockpit. He looked around. Most clones had taken their helmets off, sweaty and marked with the outline of their helmet padding. That wasn't an option for Rhett. He chose to hide behind the helmet and the fake accent.

"That was something special out there, Beaks." Rhett turned, and saw Anakin Skywalker smiling at him.

"Uhh yeah, I was just doing my job, I guess. Didn't want to leave my comrades out to dry."

Anakin smiled at him again "well I can respect a man who risks his life for his friends. I think you're gonna do just fine in the Republic air force, Beaks."

"Fine?!" Another voice called out from the cruiser's hangar. It was the Commander. The one that had turned the militia away, and who Rhett suspected was on the commlink; ran towards him and gave him a huge hug. "He's going to do more than fine! That was incredible! I thought we were doomed! Then you came out there and took out at least 12 fighters and pulled of the most outrageous maneuver I've ever seen to drop those bombs! And how did you know to pin the clankers against that ridge?!"

"I uhh, I studied the maps, I guess." Rhett stammered

"He's talented and he's smart. I'm glad you're on our side, Beaks." Anakin patted Rhett on the back and walked away.

"Brother! You're a hero! We need to celebrate! We need to.." The commander looked to his left to see a droid.

"Excuse me, Commander Lowe, but trooper GT-2785 experienced a crash, and protocol demands he be examined by a medical droid immediately." Demanded the droid

"It may be a clanker, but it's right, hey we'll finish our talk when you get out!" Lowe said

"uh, Actually I feel fine I don't think I need to be examined." Rhett said, which seemed to surprise Lowe.

"Uh Beaks, c'mon, you did good out there, but you're still a soldier. Good soldiers follow orders. Go get checked out." His smile lessened. Rhett figured it was a good idea not to resist anymore, so he agreed and followed the droid to the examination room.

Inside the examination room, Rhett's mind rushed to find a way to get out. A million thoughts were going through his head but all were interrupted by the droid. "I need you to remove your helmet so I can check your head for injuries."

"What? Huh? Uh, no. I'm good. No injuries here"

"Remove the helmet." the droid demanded, now taking the helmet off itself. Rhett panicked, and grabbed his sidearm, turned now with his helmet off facing the droid and pointed it at the droid.

"Oh man that Beaks sure is something, huh General?" Lowe said to Anakin.

"Yeah he sure is, he's a smart guy, heck of a pilot, reminds me of myself, I like that guy"

"I knew he was good, he and I were brought up through the cadet program together. Although I went the leadership route, he went the aviation route. But after a while I ended up commanding his unit! Isn't that something! I still can't believe the stuff he was doing out there, it's like he knew where the clankers would be before they even moved!" Lowe could hardly contain his excitement for his friend. Anakin chuckled.

"Yeah, he's pretty good." Anakin paused in thought. The smile ran away from his face. "He's really good. Hey where is he? I'd like to talk to him."

"He's getting checked out by the medical droid. I'd like to go check on him make sure he's ok. He was sounding a little off. I can go tell him you're looking for him?" Lowe suggested

"Yeah." Anakin said "Yeah thats a good idea."

Rhett pointed the blaster at the medical droid, words spewing from his mouth in a panic. "Listen, I know how droids are programmed. I know there are two things your programming is telling you to do. I know that the Republic's programming is telling you to turn me in. But I know that your factory programming set in a protocol that keeps you from making decisions that will destroy you. So listen to me very carefully, if you turn me in, I pull this trigger and you get destroyed, you understand? Yes?" Rhett could tell he had caused the droid's programming to fight itself because it paused for a moment.

"I…suppose… you are…correct." The droid stammered

"Good. Now, listen and answer, otherwise I will destroy you, I need off this ship, I know you have it mapped out inside your memory units. Tell me where the nearest escape pod is so I can get back to the surface otherwise I blow you to bits." Rhett's words flowed out of his mouth, knowing he didn't have much time. The droid paused again.

"Corridor 6c. Is the nearest accessible escape pods."

"Thank you, thank you so much."

Relieved, Rhett headed out of the examination room, in a rush. Concentrating in a panic looking for a way off the ship and trying to find corridor 6c. He pressed the door's control panel and as soon as the door opened, he found himself face to face with Commander Lowe. Whose smile wiped away from his face when he saw his good buddy "Beaks" —without his helmet on.

Chapter 2: Consequences

At first, Lowe didn't realize what was happening. Lowe did a quick scan of the room. He glanced over Rhett, looking for his comrade and brother.

"Sorry. Have either of you seen—" Lowe's eyes drifted to Rhett's armor. "Beaks?" Lowe didn't know what to think. He was stunned, confused. The name of his friend just fell out of his mouth because that's all he knew what to do. Rhett's mind was also racing. In an instant he weighed his options. He thought of firing his sidearm, he thought of threatening Lowe into silence, he thought of running by and trying for an escape. He pulled his sidearm and pointed it at Lowe. As soon as Rhett moved, so did Lowe. In an instant, the two men stared at each other blasters pointed at each other.

"Who are you?" demanded Lowe, "Where's Beaks? And why're you wearing his armor?"

Rhett paused. He went through a million ways he could go about explaining, but with tensions high and blasters out, he decided to try and remain calm.

"Listen." He tilted his blaster away from Lowe, showing that he didn't mean harm. "I didn't kill him. He got hit getting into his plane—"

"I don't care if you killed him or not. Why are you wearing his armor? You don't deserve to wear the same armor as Beaks." Lowe interjected in a hostile manner.

"Look, I'm sorry. I just wanted to help out and—"

Lowe tightened his grip and moved the barrel of his blaster closer to Rhett's forehead.

"You! I remember you. You're the farmer. I told you to leave." Lowe scowled.

"And we did. We dropped back behind the hangar and gave you guys supporting fire."

"Nobody asked you to do that. In fact, I ordered you to do the opposite as that. And you took that to mean steal the armor and valor of one of the republic's finest pilots and go play hero?" Lowe challenged.

"I thought on my feet and went out and saved that entire compound and your entire squad." Rhett responded

"I don't care what you did." Lowe raised his voice to a yell. "A good soldier follows orders. I guess it makes sense, though; you're no soldier. You're a disgrace. Stealing armor made for my brother so you can go be a hero."

"I wasn't trying to be a hero. I was trying to—" Rhett got cut off by Lowe once again.

"I don't care what you were trying to do. I care about what you did." Lowe said as he raised his com-link to his lips. "Bring a security squad to medical bay W-4. We have an imposter here."

"Imposter?" Anakin said aloud, as he turned around and started toward the medical bay in the corridor to see what was going on. By the time he got to the medical bay, a crowd of clones had gathered and were yelling at Rhett, who had been placed in binders, and was on the ground The security squad dragged him through the corridor. He was out of breath and beaten, as the rage of his crimes motivated the clones to become violent. "Where are you taking him?" Anakin said, raising his hand to the squad to signal them to stop.

"To the brig, sir." One security officer said.

"The brig? Jettison him out of the airlock!" A clone in the crowd said.

"I say we put a blaster in between his eyes now!" Yelled another.

"Woah, woah, what is going on?" Anakin said above the noise of the angered clones.

"Beaks died before he could get off the ground sir. This punk stole Beak's armor and fighter. He's being arrested on the account of theft and stolen valor." Replied the security officer.

"He just hopped in that fighter in place of Beaks and used it saved you all. Don't you think he deserves to be cut a little slack?" Anakin suggested.

"You don't get it. Beaks was our brother, and hero boy here seems to think anybody can just put on that armor and be a republic soldier." Said a clone.

Anakin knelt down to Rhett. Who's eyes had been fixed on the floor, his breathing was deep and fast as he tried to catch his breath. "Who are you?" Anakin asked.

"My name.." Rhett stopped to breath, Anakin could tell each word that came out was labored. "My name is Rhett Kysn…" Rhett took a few more breaths. "I'm just a farmer from Chandrilla. I am no soldier."

"Well he's got one thing straight!" One clone yelled, which prompted several more comments to come from the crowd. Anakin raised his hand to settle them.

"Then why did you jump in that fighter?" Anakin asked.

"And steal Beaks' armor!" Another clone demanded.

"My farm was close by." Rhett spit on the ground. Some blood came out with it, from a cut on his lip where a clone had kicked him. "I was just defending my home. I offered to help, but was turned away because I'm not a clone. I wasn't about to sit and watch good men die." Rhett took a few more labored breaths, as the clones looked at each other. "I saw him die, and saw a chance to help. I am no clone, and I am no soldier," Rhett finally looked up to Anakin's eyes. "But I am a good man who loves the Republic."

Anakin looked up to the clones, who had quieted down. All had grown a slight understanding. "You committed a crime, but in doing so saved many lives and kept the Separatists from taking over the compound. Why don't we call it even and send you home?" Anakin suggested, looking at the clones. The clones murmured in agreement.

"If we're calling it even, sir…" Rhett interjected, and looked back at the ground. "I'd still like to stick around and help out."

"No way! You're lucky to get off this ship without criminal charges!" Lowe emerged from the crowd. "If you think you can just walk in and replace Beaks on the squad, you've got another thing coming."

"I'm not replacing anybody. Just adding an extra man." Rhett said, turning his head toward Lowe.

"Come with me, let's get you cleaned up. Then we'll go to the bridge and see what we can do." Anakin said, locking eyes with Lowe. "Trooper," Anakin eyes shifted to the security officer. "can you please remove his binders?" The security officer looked at Lowe. Lowe nodded his head, face still scowling. Rhett's binders were removed and he started towards the medical bay with Anakin.

"Commander, he's not joining our squad is he?" Asked a clone.

"He won't be doing anything in our squad anytime soon." Lowe replied.

A few hours later, Lowe was summoned to the bridge.

"You asked for me sir?" Lowe said to the backs of Anakin and Admiral Yularen. "Is this about the farmer?" The two turned to face Lowe.

"Yes, it is." replied Yularen. "We've talked to some commanding officers and to the Jedi council, and they've agreed to let his crimes go."

"And his request to join the force?" Lowe said.

"He will not leave the system." Anakin said. "But given his great piloting and combat ability, the officers want him stationed in the compound."

"What?! Sir, you must understand my men dislike him. He will not work well with us. I'm a little aggravated that we we're going to let him go without punishment, now we're hiring him?!"

"We aren't hiring him." Yularen corrected. "He's a volunteer. Technically, we don't even have to feed him."

"We cannot just let him walk. He operated one of our fighters and has seen the inside of our cruisers. We have to hold him until we confirm he's trustworthy and he won't leak classified information. And in the meantime, the commanders thought we could use him." Anakin added.

"Trustworthy? He stole, and wrecked I might add, our ship and Beak's armor," Lowe argued.

"I know it's an odd and frustrating situation. It's odd for us too. But until—" Yularen was interrupted.

"Odd? I see it how it pretty clearly! I don't understand why the commanders don't see it. The man committed a crime, he should be arrested!" Lowe argued.

"Do not interrupt your superior officer, Commander," Yularen demanded, "And this is war, Commander Lowe, you should know matters are not that black in white in the chaos of war."

"This war is to restore law and order back to the galaxy, and we are turning a blind eye to the law because it benefits us? This is the most—"

"It's an order, commander" Anakin cut Lowe off just as he started to raise his voice. "Station him in your squadron and make sure he doesn't leave. We'll question him periodically over the next few days."

"Fine." Lowe scoffed. "Is that all?"

"Yes, you are free to go." Yularen said sternly. "And feel free to fix that attitude, soldier." Yularen added just before the door closed behind Lowe.

"I'll station him alright." Lowe muttered under his breath as he walked away from the bridge.

The next day, Anakin was walking the hangar, and saw Rhett carrying a large refueling hose. "How're your wounds?" Anakin asked.

"They're alright, General. Med droid hit me with some Bacta spray. I'll be back to 100% in no time." Rhett replied.

"I meant to ask." Anakin looked around and lowered his voice. "Did you get those in the crash? Or did the clones do that to you?" Rhett was quiet. He looked at Anakin for a moment, not wanting to rat out his new squadron, that already disliked him. He turned around and put down the hose and started to untangle it. "You can tell me." Anakin continued. Rhett said nothing, and continued his work. "You know I'm a Jedi. I can feel the conflict inside you. You don't want to give up a name. Now just tell me who did it." Anankin added. Rhett smiled.

"I think his name was Beaks, sir. He beat me up real bad. You should try and find him right away." Rhett said.

"Come on, you know you didn't deserve it. You didn't do anything wrong. You just didn't want to sit out and watch good men die. Now somebody's got to take their consequence for doing this to you, who was it?" Anakin asked again.

"Sir, do you have any idea how hated I am around here? I committed a crime, and frankly I did disrespect Beaks when I took his armor, and I got nothing as punishment. Now I seem above the law, and if I rat out a trooper and get them in trouble? It's not going to help me." Rhett replied.

"I get it. I just think you're being treated unfairly by these guys. You saved all of them, and they hate you. I mean look at you they got you doing their dirty work. When do you get to hop in a cockpit again?" Anakin asked with a smile.

Rhett chuckled. "I don't think I'm doing anything in a cockpit besides maintenance and cleaning for a while. Lowe put me in sanitation and maintenance."

"Sanitation? With your piloting ability? That's a waste. Where's Lowe? When I find him…" Anakin frowned and started walking away.

"General, sir, its ok." Rhett smiled. "I'm just glad to be helping out. Someone's gotta do it" Anakin's frustrated look melted away. He smiled at Rhett before walking away again.

A few days had gone by on the cruiser, which was still in orbit around Chandrilla. Rhett had cleaned the flight deck twice, repaired the fighter he stole, and cleaned the entire squadron's armor, a few pieces twice after clones intentionally dirtied them again to give Rhett more work. Anakin seemed to be the only person on the whole ship who would cut him some slack. Anakin ran Rhett's interrogations. Rhett assured he would let no information slip, and that he really wasn't paying attention to the important details of the cruiser.

"Alright Kysn, I think that's everything I need to ask you. I think this can be our last interrogation." Anakin said.

"Well, I appreciate you being nice about this. The past few days have been a little brutal, I'll admit. It seems like you're the only guy on this ship that likes me." Rhett replied.

"Don't mention it." Anakin smiled. "Anyways, I asked you all the questions I needed to. But theres one more I want to know" He locked eyes with Rhett. "How'd you learn to fly like that?"

Rhett chuckles in relief. "I used to fly small starships back home to stock up our bait shop. It was easier to meet them up on our moons than to try and make it in to our larger ports." Rhett responded.

"You learned to fly like that on supply runs?" Anakin asked.

"Well, when the Trade Federation placed their blockade, we still needed supplies. Their surface scanners were pretty advanced. I would have to fly real low, sometimes through trees to get to their blind spots before I could leave atmosphere. Then it was even more high speed maneuvers and speed changes to stay off their space scanners until I could land on Tasia" Rhett replied.

Anakin put it all together "You're from Naboo?" Thinking of his wife, Anakin grew a big smile.

"Yessir. You've been?" Rhett asked.

"I have." Anakin caught himself smiling and tried to hide his emotion "When I was much younger." Anakin wanted to change the subject. "How'd you end up farming on Chandrilla?"

"It's where I was told to go." Rhett stared off "once the droid army attacked, my father told me it was time to get out. In the chaos of the attack, I was able to slip out and came here. My dad had someone have the farm and the house all set up for me when I got here. All I had to do was run the farm and lay low. That was a while ago. I haven't heard much else from him. I still don't know why I was the only one that had to leave, or how we got the farm, but I'm not the one to ask questions. I just take care of myself and do the best I can." Rhett said.

"Wait that blockade was 10 years ago. How old are you?" Anakin asked.

"Not too far away from 23. I flew out of Naboo at 13." Rhett responded. "But I was lucky, the farm was next to my good friend Shrik Byra. He's a good guy. Kind of looked after me when I was younger. He's the one that got me into the fight. He started the militia." Rhett's mind wandered back onto the surface of Chandrilla. He thought about how Shrik was probably worried about him. Rhett missed watching the sunset fade over the glowing Zabrak field.

"You were flying off Trade Federation scanners at 13 years old? That's unheard of." Anakin said.

"Huh?" Rhett brought his mind back to the conversation. "Oh, yeah. We had a pretty good Navicomputer, and a great astromech, that helped out a lot."

"That's still incredible." Anakin said. Rhett smiled. "And as for your friend, sometimes it's just meant to be for two people to be in the same place. Hope you get to see him soon."

"I do too, sir." Rhett said.

"Hey, we're friends. Call me Anakin." Anakin started to head for the door, "Just, probably not around the other troopers." The two laughed.

Rhett would get his wish, he was headed back to the surface. Lowe found an opportunity to get him off his squad. There was a new squadron coming to reinforce the compound on Chandrilla, now that it's location had been exposed. Rhett would be doing similar jobs on the ground, but he figured he'd be able to go back and forth to his farm, which made him happy, but Anakin, his only friend in the entire Republic military was staying on the cruiser. Rhett boarded the shuttle. Rhett looked around, expecting a full shuttle, but it was just him, Lowe and a two man flight crew. It was clear that Rhett was the focus of this special trip, which made him particularly nervous.

Chapter 3: A New Squad

"I want you to know," Lowe scowled at Rhett, "I'm putting you back on the ground so my guys don't have to deal with you anymore."

"Understood, sir." Rhett replied, stone-faced. The shuttle touched down. Lowe and Rhett got off the shuttle, and were greeted by two clones.

"The general would like to see you two, follow us." One clone said. Rhett didn't know who the general was, but was assuming that he didn't like him and was preparing himself for more unfriendliness from the ground crew. Rhett followed the escort clones through the compound into what looked like a command central deep inside the base. "He's inside," the clones stopped in front of the doors and motioned to the door. "It's good to have you back on the ground, sir." He nodded to Lowe. As the two were walking into the doors, Rhett heard the clones' murmurs. "That's Rhett Kysn. The pilot." Rhett prepared himself for more of what he got on the cruiser.

"Good morning general." Lowe said, saluting. Rhett followed suit.

"Good morning, gentlemen." The general said, as he turned around to face the two. "So this is the pilot?"

"The one that stole a ship and armor, sir." Said Lowe.

"I've chosen to put the past behind me for the sake of the war, Commander. He is on our team." He looked back at Rhett, and extended his hand. "I am general Obi-Wan Kenobi." Rhett shook his hand. "I hear that you're from Chandrilla?"

"Yes, sir. My farm is just over a few hills."

"Well, welcome home, solider. Now, for the logistics of the move. I understand, Commander, that you have him stationed in a maintenance position?" Kenobi asked.

"That's correct sir. Maintenance…and sanitation. I don't want a man like him to —" Lowe was interrupted.

"Your personal reasons do not concern me. Although I disagree with the missed opportunity to station a man with his talent in maintenance, it is your command and your final decision. Now, we lost some men on the initial Separatist assault, but the compound remained relatively undamaged. We received relief from a rookie squad from Kamino early this morning. For logistical purposes, consider them your squad. You'll run on their duty, meals, and bunk schedules. And you'll be living in the same quarters. I think they are still unloading and getting settled in, you can go join them. The two that showed you in will show you the way. Any questions?" Kenobi asked. Rhett shook his head. "Very well. Welcome back, you two."

Rhett and Lowe headed down the corridor, following the two clones. Rhett grew nervous. On the cruiser he had his own quarters to get away from the abuse the clones gave him. But now, it looked like the little bit of separation and privacy he had would not be the same on the surface.

"Inside here." The escort clone said as he stopped and motioned at the door.

"Go meet your new squadron," said the other. Rhett sighed and looked at the door, not wanting to go in.

"Have a great time." Lowe said, intensely. His tone made it clear to Rhett he fully expected that the new squad would despise him, and it brought him some sense of justice. Rhett locked eyes with Lowe, just to show he wasn't backing down yet. Right as Rhett started to open the door, the escort clone spoke again.

"And sir," The escort clone paused until Rhett looked at him "Glad to have you here." He said, in a genuine tone with a nod. Confused, Rhett was able to mutter,

"Th-Thanks."

Lowe's smug smile faded. Rhett just looked confused, and a little relived. He opened the door, he and Lowe stepped in the room with his new squadron. The door closed behind them. By now, the whole squadron's attention was on Rhett. He looked around. None of the clones looked hostile or angry. They had their off duty attire on. It was clear they were rookies. Rhett hadn't been around clones long, but he could tell these were rookies. They weren't as rough looking, they had a certain eagerness in their eyes, one that was lost in the battles of war with the other squadrons.

"You're Rhett Kysn? The one who stole a Republic fighter?" One asked. Lowe smiled.

"That's me." Rhett replied. He looked around at their faces once more, expecting to see anger. But to his surprise, he saw joy.

"Welcome to Ardees squadron, soldier!" One said before the squad all cheered and overlapped in their chatter. Rhett looked to see how Lowe reacted, and the face he expected to see on his new squadron was the one on Lowe's face. The new squadron came and slapped Rhett on the back and shook his hand, among the greetings, Lowe erupted.

"Don't you all understand?! This man stole one of your brothers armor. He felt like he could replace one of us! One of his kind! He's no soldier. He's a fake soldier." Lowe scowled.

"With all due respect, sir. We heard the stories." One clone said.

"We respect what you did, sir." Another said looking to Rhett.

"WHAT!?" Lowe screamed.

"Well," the first clone said, then paused, feeling the anger coming from Lowe. "The way we see it sir, any man that doesn't have to fight to defend his freedom, but does anyways, is a man we can get behind."

"That man stole the valor of a trooper. One of your brothers!" Lowe insisted. "A soldier that was born for, and devoted his whole life to, protecting fools like him, and he just jumped into his armor and fighter like if it's a thing anybody can do!"

The second clone came back to his defense, "That's exactly what we mean, sir. We were bred for this, to fight, so men like him wouldn't have to. He had a choice, no one forced him into the fight, and yet he still chose to join us." The clones all looked and Lowe, who didn't know what to say. He scoffed, threw his hands up, and walked out the door.

"Sorry about that," the first clone said, "We heard you were having a tough time up on the cruiser. The name's Globes." He said, as he stuck his hand out to shake Rhett's hand. "Rest assured, you'll be alright down here. Ardees squadron's got your back."

"That's good to hear." Rhett said as he smiled and took a big sigh of relied. "It sounds like you all already know who I am. I'm looking forward to get to know all of you."

"Like I said, I'm Globes," he said and turned around and began pointing out the other members of the squadron. "This is Pines, Cork, Patch, Charmer, and Purrgs."

"It's nice to meet you all." Rhett said.

"It's good to have you here, soldier. We'll let you get settled, in if you need anything. Just let us know." Globes said. The clones went back to their business, Rhett smiled and began to get settles in himself.

The next day, Rhett was carting some rubble from the initial battle across the hangar, when he was passing Lowe. Rhett nodded, "Commander, Lowe" he addressed. Nearby, Globes turned his head, curious to see how the interaction would take place. Lowe said nothing, but stuck his hand out and shoved some debris off Rhett's cart. Rhett stopped and took a deep breath. "Very well, commander." He said, exasperated. Globes went over to Rhett, knelt down, and began to help pick up the mess.

"Thanks, Globes." Rhett said, "You don't have to do this, really." Rhett said.

"I do. A squad is supposed to look out for each other, and clearly our commander isn't doing too well on that front, someone has to pick up his slack." Globes said.

"No really it's ok. I'm just glad I can be doing something to help. I've been trying to get in the war effort for a while." Rhett said. "I guess that's why I hopped in that fighter. I was tired of doing nothing, and finally saw my chance."

"That's how we all feel." Globes said.

"What do you mean?"

"We're a rookie squad, Rhett. We haven't seem action beyond simulations. We hear the stories of our brothers dying, meanwhile we shoot at simulating droids. We're all itching to get into the fight." Globes said as he put the last piece of ruble back onto the cart.

"Thanks, Globes. And you'll get your shot. And if your fighting skills are as good as your character, you'll be the best damn soldier in the Republic." Rhett said. Globes smiled back at him. Rhett began to push the cart across the deck again, Globes walked with him.

"It's almost our meal time. You're not heading to mess hall with this garbage are you?" Globes asked. Rhett laughed.

"No, I've gotta run this to the compacter then I'm headed that way. I'll meet you there." Rhett said.

"You sure?" Globes said. "I can walk with you to the compacter."

"I'll be alright. I'll see you in there." Rhett said as he steered the cart left down the hallway junction where Globes went straight. After dropping his trash off. Rhett walked into the mess hall. He looked around, there were three or four squadrons getting their meals, and Rhett had no idea which one was his. He went up and got his tray of food, occasionally turning around looking for Globes, but all the clones had their armor on, with no helmets, nothing clued him as to where his squad was.

"Did you forget we all looked alike?" A voice said from the crowd. Rhett located the voice to a table full of clones turned around and smiling at Rhett. "Take a seat." It took a moment, but Rhett figured out that the voice belonged to Pines. Rhett sat down with his squadron.

"Next time maybe you'll walk with me?" Globes joked. Rhett enjoyed his meal while getting to know his new squad. For a moment, he enjoyed being in the Republic army, until he heard Commander Lowe's all too familiar voice.

"Trooper!" He gave a stern look at Cork, then looked at Rhett, still frowning, and looked back at Cork. "You have food on your attire. That's a uniform violation. What's your ID number?"

"Oh come on now, don't punish them because—" Rhett started to say before Lowe cut him off.

"ID number." Lowe demanded sternly. Cork looked up from his food to Rhett.

"It's ok, he's right. I am eating, and happened to get a tiny amount of food on uniform." Cork said with a slight sarcasm. "An offense to the rarely enforced uniform standard, but an offense nonetheless." Cork looked up to Lowe. "ID number is GC-7352-90, sir. It won't happen again." Cork said.

"Make sure of it." Lowe said, before turning around to leave.

"Nice one, Cork." Pines said. "A uniform code violation."

"Eh, he's just an ass." Cork said.

"I'm sorry guys, he's only doing this because he hates me." Rhett said.

"Nah," Cork said, "He's doing it because he hates that we're accepting you." He smiled at Rhett. "Besides, I didn't even give him my real ID number."

Rhett laughed. "No way!" He said.

"Oh yeah. My real ID is GH-6341-44, I don't even think I could repeat whatever random number I just gave him. He's not going to book me, the amount of work that it takes for just a uniform code infraction isn't worth it. Even to him."

"Well you have my respect, soldier. That was a good one." Rhett said. Cork did a mock bow for his performance. "I thought you guys got your nicknames from your ID codes. Ho do you get Cork from GH…" Rhett trailed off, a little embarrassed he couldn't remember the numbers.

"It's ok. I wouldn't bother memorizing anybody's numbers if I didn't have to." Corks joked. "Only a few of us get our names from our IDs." Cork explained.

"I did." Said Globes. "My ID is GL-0835-21. The display screens back on Kamino made it look like the word 'Globes.'" He explained.

"The rest of us go by our IDs until something inspires our names. Then they just stick." said Cork.

"Okay, so, why Cork?" Rhett asked. The squad looked at each other before bursting into laughter.

"I'm actually responsible for the name of our whole squadron. Back on Kamino, when the Kaminoans were celebrating the solstice," Cork explained.

"Big partiers, the Kaminoans." Added Purrgs with a huge smile on his face.

"Yes." Cork agreed, "Anyways, there was a slight — miscommunication — shall we say, about weather the clones were allowed to partake in the celebration." The clones laughed. "So I got my hands on a bottle of Ardees. And we celebrated in our quarters. We would've gotten away with it too, had our supervisor not found the cork to the bottle in my bunk the next morning." Corks laughed. "So, we became infamous among the leaders as the 'Ardees' squadron and it stuck, and the boys started calling me Cork."

"That's hilarious. How were you guys not kicked out?" Rhett asked.

"That's where I come in." Said Charmer. "I was able to convince our superiors that a drunk Kaminoan must've left the bottle in our barracks, and that we assumed that it was a gift from our hosts, and thought it was cleared with our trainers. We were still punished, but I'm sure that we would not be here had I not given a speech to our instructor."

"This is awesome. Alright, I need to hear all of the stories. Patch? Where did you get yours" Rhett asked.

"We were on a hot streak with our trials and simulations. We were outperforming everyone. I was convinced that it was my lucky compression shirt I wore under my armor. One training session, I ripped it. Normally, that would mean I'd have to get a new shirt. But, it was my lucky shirt, so I patched it up." Patch explained

"It was terrible. I've never seen such an obvious stitch job in my life." Pines said, laughing.

"It wasn't good, and I had to go to a uniform education lecture after our instructor saw my patch, it's not like I could have pretended I didn't notice, it was obvious I had tried to fix it." Patch said, then looked to Pines. "And it's not as bad as Pine's" Patch said. Everyone laughed, except Pines who put his head in his hands with a smile. "We had a colonel on base for a while, colonel Pine. Pines over here got all 'buddy-buddy' with him thinking he could get us out of training early if he befriended the guy. He was a suck-up; running his errands, always agreeing with him, complementing him. We started calling him 'Pine's bitch,' but we couldn't say that around the brass, so we shortened it."

Rhett and the other clones laughed. "Purrgs? Last one." Rhett said nodding toward him.

"Mines not as good as the others. I was outside, looking at the stars on one of the few nights that it didn't rain on base. It was always cloudy, I hardly knew what stars and ships were supposed to look like, and I mistook a landing ship for a Purrgil trail." Purrgs said.

"That is not the whole story!" Pines interrupted. He turned to Rhett, "this man was so excited, he came running in 'Guys! GUYS! There's Purrgils passing by!' We all walked outside to see a ship and we just let him have it." A bell went off, and the squadron got up from their table.

"Welp, back to it." Cork said. The squad all went back to their respective duties. The clones went on patrol, loaded weapons systems, and cleaned their blasters. Rhett mopped the corridors, cleaned the mess hall after all the squadrons went through, and, by personal request, polished Commander Lowe's shuttle. Rhett didn't see his squadron until later that evening. The clones were back in the quarters, Rhett walked in and the squadron greeted him.

"How'd your first full day go?" Asked Purrgs.

"I hope you spit on Lowe's ship once you were done" joked Corks.

Rhett chuckled. It was nice for him to get back to friendly faces after a tough day. He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say anything, an alarm blared.

"Separatist bombing run! Scramble fighters!" Was heard from the corridor.

"What do we do?" Rhett asked. Globes began barking orders.

"Suit up boys! Pines, go grab weapons and ammo! We'll await orders, we might have a ground battle, and we might need to go deeper into the bunker if its just an air raid. In either case we should—" Globes stopped abruptly. He held up his finger and looked up. The squad all stopped putting their gear on and looked at Globes. It took a moment, but they figured out why he stopped. In between blasts of the alarm, the squad could hear the faint sound of exploding bombs. It grew nearer and nearer, louder and louder, until it seemed it was right on top of them. Then, there was a sudden flash of light, all Rhett registered was a bunch of movement and chaos, then, nothing. The blast of a bomb directly above the quarters caved in the room around them and knocked Rhett unconscious.

Chapter 4: The Awakening

Rhett awoke to the sound of chaos. Shuttles taking off, fighters overheard, orders being barked. His head was pounding. Evacuation orders were coming in over the PA system. Rhett looked around. What was left of his living quarters was just enough for Rhett to get his bearings. The dust and smoke made him cough. He shakily stood up, still coughing and gasping for air. As soon as he stood up, he fell back to a knee. His pounding head and trouble breathing made it difficult for him to operate. He lifted his shirt above his nose and took a few deep breaths. It took him a few moments, but he was able to lift himself up to his feet using a cot nearby for support. He had no idea how long he had been out, but it must have been long enough for the Ardees squadron to begin an evacuation. Rhett's brief scan of the room didn't find any troopers or bodies.

"Anybody in here?" Rhett tried to shout, but his voice sounded weak. "Globes?" Rhett called out to the room, above the noise of blaster fire in the distance. "Pines? Charmer? Cork? Anyone?" Rhett's emotions were mixed. He was glad to see that his squad had gotten out, but was scared to be by himself. He turned around and started through the door that had jammed half open. In the hallway, sparks were falling from the ceiling. Whatever the compound had been hit by, it had been hit hard. The base wasn't empty, Rhett saw clones running all over, some in uniform, some in their off duty attire. Rhett struggled down the hallway, bumping into walls and leaning on doorways, rails, and anything else he could find to support his weight. As he walked he noticed a pain in his leg, it felt as if a blunt object had struck him. He finally made it to the hangar, where he figured he could board a shuttle for evacuation. As he turned the corner and looked out the open hangar door, he saw a huge mass of incoming droids cresting the hill.

Rhett knew if he was going to get out, he needed to find another way out. He turned around and started down the same hall he had just come down, not knowing where to go. He didn't know where he was going, he just knew he wanted to go deeper into the compound and find a back door. He figured a back door would place the bunker between him and the droids and would start him in the right direction back towards his farm. There, he might be able to stay hidden, or Shrik and his militia can protect him. He wandered aimlessly through the halls. He didn't know where he was, making arbitrary decisions at every hallway junction. It seemed he had been doing it for hours, he grew frustrated. Every hallway looked the same, labeled in a code he had not learned yet. It was clear that an evacuation was underway, as Rhett saw fewer and fewer squads of clones running through the halls. The ones that ran by, Rhett would try to yell at, but he never could get their attention. Rhett considered going back to the hangar and trying to slip out and around, but he figured the droids would be much closer by now. He didn't have a blaster, he had a bad leg, and what he assumed was a concussion.

Rhett heard a large explosion, he turned around to locate where the noise came from. He then heard blaster fire, followed by a distant clone shouting into what Rhett assumed was a commlink.

"Breach! Breach! Clankers on level—" His voiced was consumed by blaster fire. Assuming the worst, Rhett started to run the other way. His leg hurt more and more, until he couldn't absorb the pain anymore. He collapsed. He crawled to the wall and sat up against it. He was scared. He thought about the bait shop on Naboo, his farm just a few miles away. He thought about his family, he thought about Shrik. He thought about his new friends; Anakin, Globes and Ardees squadron and began to wonder why they left him behind. He put his hands over his face and tried to breath. He blocked out the noise and tried to relax.

"Couldn't find a fighter to steal this time?" A voice said. Rhett looked up. It was Genral Kenobi, leading a pack of clones.

"No, sir." Rhett muttered nervously. "I'm hurt."

"I see that. Come with us. We need to evacuate out of the rear exit and wait for extraction. Globes can help you." Kenobi said as he started down the hallway again. Rhett looked behind him and saw his friend.

"Oh get up." He joked, as he extended a hand down to Rhett. He pulled him up and slung one of Rhett's arms around his neck to help him walk. He looked at Rhett at eye level, "This is our first battle, not yours. You should be helping me."

Rhett smiled. The other clones walked past, but the members of Ardees squadron stopped to check on and pat Rhett on the back. The group walked the halls toward the back of the compound. They reached the door and when it was opened, Kenobi ignited his lightsaber. He and a group of clones burst outside to clear their flanks.

"Clear." One said.

"Clear." Said another.

Rhett looks on from the other side of the doorway still inside. Kenobi paused, he looked puzzled and unsettled. "I don't think we're clear just yet. I sense something." He said. Another moment of silence went by, as the squad listened for droids. The silence was interrupted by the sound of another Separatist bomber whizzing overhead.

"Bombers!" A clone shouted. "Get to cover!"

The clones scattered, Rhett and Globes tried to run deeper into the bunker, but they only made it a few steps before the explosions hit. Rhett flew against a wall, hitting his head again. And before he knew what hit him, was unconscious once again.

"Rhett." A peaceful whisper pierced the silence in Rhett's mind. "They need your Rhett." Rhett opened his eyes. His head hurting even more, he looked around for who was talking to him. He only saw Globes and Cork, both looked dead. "Your friends need you, Rhett."

"Huh?" Rhett asked to the voice. He picked up his head. When he lifted his head his eyes came into the light that was pouring into the compound. It was the same sunset Rhett had watched with Shrik hundreds of times, and with the sight, came the same feeling of peace. Even in the middle of chaos, Rhett felt at peace and in control.

"You have it now. Everything you need, is within. Use it. Feel it. Your friends need you." The voice continued.

Rhett was no longer confused. The voice, his head, and his leg no longer bothered him. Nothing distracted him. He just felt focused. He crawled to Globes and Cork.

"Guys! Wake up! We gotta go." Rhett said. He shook the two. "Come on! Get up!"

Globes and Cork each moved a little. They were clearly shaken and dazed, but after a few moments Rhett helped them to their feet.

"Check your comlink. Where are the other?" Rhett asked Globes.

Globes raised his com link to his helmet. "Globes to Ardees. What's your position."

"This is Pines. We're with the general. Couldn't find you guys. Thought you might have come to the extraction point." Echoed from the comlink.

"Is it safe to rendezvous to you?" Asked Globes.

"The cruisers are under heavy fire in orbit as well. Extraction is not looking possible currently. We may have to retreat and wait out the gun fire. The bunker's lost." Kenobi said over the comlink.

"Give me that commlink." Rhett said to Globes. Globes tossed it to Rhett.

"General, this is Kysn. My farm is not too far from here. We can retreat back and take shelter there." Rhett said, looking t Globes and Corks who nodded their heads in assurance.

"Great idea, Kysn. How far?" Kenobi asked.

"About 3 miles. Due south, sir. What is your position?" Rhett asked.

"The extraction point was on the south west corner of the compound. Let's both head towards there and meet up a mile out from the farm. Just get away from the bunker fast, the place is almost overrun with droids." Kenobi warned.

Rhett looked at Cork and Globes. "You guys good to go?" He asked.

"Good enough." Said Cork as he adjusted his helmet. Rhett had a feeling that droids were coming. He rushed Globes and Cork out of the bunker through the ruble. Outside, with little sunlight still lingering, it was hard to see the corner of the compound that the other half off the squadron was. Globes lowered his optic visor to get a visual on the group.

"I don't see them." Globes said. "Hope they're alright. The place is crawling with droids."

Rhett looked in the direction of the other group. "They'll be okay." He looked back straight in front of him. "I can…just… feel it." Rhett seemed confused at his confidence, like if he had a new power. He snapped his attention back at the issue at hand. "He need to get over this hill. The top of the bunker is still blocking the Separatists vision of us, but the last 100 meters, we're going to be exposed. We'll have to duck behind trees and rocks and hope they don't spot us." The three marched up the hill. Rhett turned around every now and then to see if they were out of the cover of the bunker yet. He kept checking until he could just see the top of the hill on the other side of the bunker one the roof of what was still standing of the hangar. He stopped, and waited for his partners to get level on the hill with him. "Ready?" He asked. The clones nodded. "On go, break for that rock." Rhett pointed to a large stone that was embedded into the ground. "Three, two, one, go!" The three sprinted up the hill and ducked behind the rock.

"No blaster fire. They must not have seen us." Cork said.

"I'm going to break for that tree next," Globes said, pointing to a thick tree ahead. "Then I'll break for that rock further up to the right. When I move to the rock. One of you follow to that tree." Globes explained. "Three, two, one!" As he said one, he got up and ran to the tree.

"Still no fire." Cork reported. "You next." He said to Rhett.

"Rhett sighed. "Alright" He said. He made eye contact with Globes who was looking at him from behind the tree.

"On three" Globes said in a shouting whisper. Rhett nodded. "One. Two—"

Rhett had a horrible feeling. He felt his chest drop, and his stomach twist. He somehow knew that the hill was being watched. "WAIT!" He yelled over Globes' counting.

"What's with you?" Cork asked. "We need to get out of here. Now."

"I—I don't" Rhett stammered, staring at the ground. "I don't know. Just a feeling. Just give me a minutw." Rhett took deep breaths. His face winced. Suddenly, the feeling was gone. "O—Okay. We're good." He said, looking back up to Globes. He gave a thumbs up to Globes. Globes counted down from three on his fingers, when he got to his fist the two moved in sync. Rhett pushed to the tree, Globes to the rock. The process was repeated until all three were behind the rock, with just a few meters of the hill to go. Rhett sat with his back against the rock, panting, and staring blankly into the distance. "I think we can all dead sprint over the hill. Once we get over the crest, we're safe." He said, still panting.

"You ready?" Cork asked.

The feeling came back to Rhett. "Not yet." He said

"What exactly are we waiting on?" Globes asked.

"In case you forgot there is a whole bunch of droids overrunning that compound that are programmed to kill us." Cork added.

"I don't know, really. A feeling." Rhett said, hanging his head.

"A feeling?" Cork criticized. "Now I'm all for trusting your gut but when the stakes are this high you gotta think this through logically. There are—"

The feeling left Rhett's chest. His head snapped forward. His pupils contracted. He felt an urgency. He knew they needed to go now, they only had a small window. "Go now!" Rhett cut off Cork mid sentence and took off, up the hill. Leaving Cork and Globes sitting confused, looking at each other. After Rhett got about halfway up the rest of hill, the started after him. Rhett dove off the crest of the hill, getting behind it for cover. When he stopped himself from rolling, he was able to watch Globes and Cork do the same. They landed around the same spot as him.

"I think we made it, boys." Globes said.

"Pretty sure we'll be able to stay out of their sight for the rest of the way. Putting that hill between us and them was a good idea. But I'd still like some more distance between us. Let's go." Cork said, then turned to Rhett. "If that's okay with you and your feelings."

Rhett chuckled. "We made it didn't we? Check with the others. Let's go" Rhett replied, as he started to walk south, towards the farm. Globes got out his comlink.

"Globes to General Kenobi. We've put the hill between us and the bunker, should be in the clear until we get there. What is your position?" Globes asked to the com link.

"We had to fight a few droids, but we should be clear. We'll meet you on that hill a mile out." Kenobi replied.

"Affirmative. See you there." Globes replied.

The group walked for a while, mostly in silence. As the adrenaline wore off from the battle, the injuries began to become more prominent in the soldiers' minds.

"My shoulder is killing me." Globes said.

"My chest is what hurts the most. Huge chunk of rubble came and fell right on top of it." Cork replied. "Kysn, how's your leg?"

Rhett was staring ahead, thinking about the voice, the feelings, the focus, and trying to gather what had happened. "Huh?" He said, and brought himself back to the conversation. "Oh, I don't know. It's not really bothering me anymore. I'm still pretty sure my head's concussed. What else could those 'feelings' have been, right?" Rhett joked.

"Ah he's got the soldier's mentality in him, doesn't he?" Globes looked at Cork.

"Oh yeah." Cork said, laughing.

"What are you talking about?" Rhett asked.

"We heard some troopers come out of their first battle, saying it gave them a new strength. Their instincts kick in, they focus up and lock in. They stop feeling pain, they feel stronger." Globes explained.

"I've always just wrote it off as an adrenaline rush." Cork added. "But I don't know, maybe it is something real."

"Yeah." Rhett trailed off. "Probably is."

The soldiers maintained some conversation until they got near the rendezvous point.

"Oh hey, there they are." Cork said, pointing up a hill to his right. "Hey!" He yelled out, waving his arm. The others waved back and beckoned for them to meet them at the top of the hill. As Rhett climbed the hill, he began to make out the familiar faces. Kenobi, Pines, Charmer, and then his stomach dropped when he saw Commander Lowe.

The three soldiers met up with the bigger group, their expressions of happiness were not met with the rest of the squadron. "What's wrong?" Asked Rhett.

"Purggs isn't with you?" Pines asked.

"No," Globes said as he looked around. "We thought…" He trailed off, as the realization hit him that they left one of their brothers behind. They all slumped down. The emotional toll mixed with their injuries and one by one, they sat down, leaned against trees, or took a knee. Rhett just stood, staring ahead, some sadness showed on his face, but for the most part was stone-faced. Lowe interjected.

"Purggs was a good soldier, but he wouldn't want the rest of us getting friend because we all sat and sulked around."

"I'm going back for him." Rhett said.

"No you're not. That's suicide." Pines said.

"That place is crawling with droids. There's no chance." Charmer added.

"I'm not letting you risk the lives of these men because you want to play hero. Again." Lowe said sternly.

"Only life I'm risking is mine." Rhett replied.

"Until they see you and follow you back here." Lowe argued.

"They aren't smart enough to let me go to follow me back, they'll just kill me on the spot" Rhett said.

"This isn't a discussion. I'm not taking risks!" Lowe's voice built up in anger to a near shout. "This isn't a game, Kysn, this is war. You got to make yourself a hero once, now I'm not letting you"

"I'm not doing this for me!" Rhett's yell interrupted. "Trust me, I'd love to go back home. To my farm, where I grew up and felt safe. But the truth is, I've had exactly five people be decent people to me since I got here. I'm not about to leave him in there to die so I can take care of myself."

General Kenobi had heard the commotion and walked over to interject. "I understand your frustration Kysn. But going back is dangerous, Purggs has served his purpose to the Republic. Besides, in all likelihood your friend has already—"

"I know the likelihood, but he's…" Rhett trailed off. "He's alive. I feel it." Rhett said. The clones murmured in disbelief and doubt. "I know it's crazy, but a feeling is enough for me to go back. Its worth it."

Lowe's frustration seemed to melt off his face. Kenobi's head twisted, curious. He felt a glimmer of the force in him. He walked closer to Rhett, took the blaster out of a troopers hand nearby, pressed the blaster longways on Rhett's chest, handing it to him. Kenobi patted him on the shoulder.

"You do whatever you have to do, Rhett." He smiled and stepped away. Rhett smiled back. And started to run back towards the compound.

Chapter 5: Becoming One of Them

Rhett doubled back to the compound. His walk turned into a jog and soon into a run as he thought about the growing danger inside the compound. By the time he was halfway back to the compound, it was dark out. Rhett was not bothered, he had lived on the planet for more than 10 years. He knew his way around. As he got closer, the feelings that consumed him during the escape flooded back inside him. He felt especially focused and stronger; his senses felt heightened. The more he thought about Purggs, the stronger these feelings grew.

Once he finally made it to the crest of that first hill, next to the compound, he lay flat at the top, scanning the area. The exit that he had made it out was not only destroyed, but also crawling with droids. He scanned the back side of the compound, looking for another way in, squinting through the darkness. Some small fires that resulted from the bombing runs were still burning and lit the area well enough for Rhett to see some shapes. He could tell there was an entrance further to the west, but it looked like there were droids all over it. Rhett sat, not sure what to do. Then, he spotted a dark hole through the tall grass on the edge of the compound. It looked relatively unguarded, but Rhett couldn't tell if it was an entrance or not. As he sat squinting, a nagging feeling came on him telling him to go to that spot.

Rhett was able to use the strategy of dashing from cover to cover to get most of the way through the hill, but once he was closer to the compound, where there were fewer rocks and trees, he had to crawl, using the taller grass as cover. Aside from stopping every now and then because he heard noises, Rhett made it to the compound wall pretty quickly. Sure enough, the dark spot was indeed a door. He was able to open it. It seemed the security protocols had been damaged, and the door slid right open when he gave it a nudge.

Inside, Rhett peered down the hallways. They seemed clear for now. He started down the hallway back towards the southeast exit, where Kenobi had led Ardees until the second blast. That's the last place Rhett remembered seeing Purggs. As he walked he could hear metal footsteps clanking. He slowed his walk. In his head he felt an alarm go off. Without thinking, he turned around and fired. It took a moment for him to process what happened, but he put a blaster shot right through the head of a battle droid that had just turned a corner behind him. Rhett assumed there was no way it could have communicated with anyone in the split second that it had established contact with him before he shot it. He thought for a moment, and something inside him told him it was true. Nonetheless, Rhett knew the sooner he got out the better.

Rhett got to a junction in the hallway. The destruction made the markings on the wall hard to determine where he was. Not that it mattered much. Rhett hardly knew his way around. Yet, with out thinking of it much, he chose to go down the hall on the right. At another crossing, he instinctively went left, despite the fact that this part of the building had lost its power and the hallway became darker and darker as he moved along. Rhett came to another crossing, it was dimly lit by an emergency light, but every hall he looked down were all pitch black. He knew which hall to go down, but the feeling he had when he was behind the rock with Globes and Cork came to him again. He waited.

Rhett sat at the corner of the hall junction until he heard the metal footsteps of at least 5 or 6 droids coming from the hall he needed to go down. He heard them approach louder and louder until they emerged from the dark hallway into the faint red emergency light in the middle of the intersection. They turned the corner. Once their backs were turned, Rhett ran as quietly as possible down the hallway. He saw light towards the end where the hall T-ed off. He looked to his left—more darkness. He looked to the right to see the door that Kenobi had led them to. But there were no droids. Rhett figured the droids he saw at that door were the ones that had just passed him by. He started towards the still open door, which poured light in from a fire outside. Rhett walked a little ways down the hall, walking around piles of debris. Something was telling him Purggs was nearby. He could feel it. It got stronger and stronger until Rhett was close to the door. Then, all of the sudden, the feeling was gone. Rhett turned around and looked in the hallway. There was a pile of debris that bottle necked the hallway. Rhett had just walked around it. It felt like that pile was speaking to him. Rhett came to it, and lifted a large chunk of debris and rolled it to the side. There was Purggs.

"Purggs?" Rhett whispered. "Purggs. Wake up. We need to move, we've lost the compound. Come on." Purggs didn't say anything. He didn't move. Rhett's eyes teared up. "Come on man, thats not funny we gotta go. Now let's go." Rhett said, a little louder. "Purggs!" Rhett yelled as he smacked the side of his helmet. He was angry now. He was angry at the droids, angry at himself and Ardees squad for leaving him behind. Still, Rhett felt Purggs was alive. He picked him up and slung him over his shoulder, and walked out of the compound. As soon as he got out of the door he spun to the side of the door frame. He felt droids were behind him. They probably heard Rhett scream. He sat Purggs against the side. His anger clouded his thinking. He thought of charging back in and killing all he could see. But Rhett caught himself. He realized how bad of an idea that was. Instead he took a deep breath, focused back up. He felt his "soldier mentality" come back. He stepped into the door frame, pointed his blaster into the dark and fired six shots, trusting his instincts on where to aim. Each shot from his blaster sent a light down the hall. Every time there was a flash of light from his blaster, there was one less droid. Rhett fired an extra shot to light the hall again. This time, it was empty, except for six downed droids in the hall.

Rhett picked Purggs back up and sprinted up the hill. He hoped the cover of night would be enough, and it was. Rhett carried Purggs over two hills. Then he heard him groan.

"Purggs?" Rhett said. "You alright buddy?" He asked.

"Huh?" Purggs groaned. "Yeah. I'm…I don't know. Set me down for a minute."

Rhett sat him up against a tree. "How you feeling?" He asked.

"I've been better." He chuckled as he took off his helmet. "Definitely a few broken ribs, and my shoulder is hurting bad. But, I think I'll make it."

"We're retreating to my farm. We should probably get going, the more space between us and them the better." Rhett said.

"Yeah, ok. Give me one minute and I think I'll be good to walk." Purggs said among deep, labored breaths.

"For sure." Rhett replied, as he sat next to his friend.

"Who all made it out?" Purggs asked.

"All of Ardees." Rhett said with a smile. "They're with Kenobi and Lowe. I'm sure they've been at my farm for a while now."

"Where did you last see them?" Purggs asked.

"Well," Rhett said as he looked around. "Right at that hill." He said, pointing ahead.

"Huh? You came back for me?" Purggs asked. "Alone?"

"Yeah" Rhett laughed. "Yeah, I did."

Purggs smiled and looked at the ground and let it sink in. He looked back up at Rhett with a grin on his face. "You stupid son of a bitch." He said through his own laughter. The two looked at each other. "Thanks, soldier." Purggs said.

"I'd do it again." Rhett replied.

"You might not be one of us. But you're for damn sure my brother." Purggs said, extending his hand out to Rhett. Rhett smiled and took his hand, stood up, and pulled Purggs to his feet. "Let's get you home." Purggs said. He slung his arm over Rhett's shoulder as Rhett helped him walk towards the farm.

Kenobi and Globes were sitting on the porch, where Shrik and Rhett would watch the sunset. Once Rhett and Purggs got close, they could see their silhouette against the purple glow of the Zabrak roots. "They're back!" Globes yelled. He started to run through the path that split the fields, the rest of Ardees squadron emerged from the house and began to run to the two. Commander Lowe walked out of the house and stood on the porch. After the greetings and the cheers ended, Rhett came to the porch. He handed Purggs to Kenobi who took him inside with a few more clones to tend to his injuries. Lowe was staring at Rhett.

"Kysn, come here for a second." Lowe said. Rhett prepared for the worst, and sat on the porch step. "What you did was stupid, reckless and borderline suicidal." He said. Rhett looked at the ground. "But, your selflessness bravery, and care for your squad mates is something that demands my respect." Rhett looked back up to Lowe. Who had a small smile on his face. He sat down next to Rhett. "Everybody views us clones as expendable. Our only purpose is to kill as many separatists as we can, until we die. Even Kenobi mentioned how Purggs had 'served his purpose.' But you viewed Purggs, and by extension, me and…" he trailed off and paused, and looked out to the glow of the Zabrak, "and Beaks…As a real life—with value. And for that, I thank you." Lowe said as he looked back to Rhett.

"Thank you, sir. These are good guys. I like to think they'd do the same for me." Rhett said.

"Well go on inside now." Lowe demanded sternly. "Tend your wounds. Kenobi will brief you on our extraction situation."

"Yes, sir." Rhett said. He stepped into his home. His home gave him a nice feeling of safety. He went into his bedroom, where Kenobi and a few medic clones were tending to Purggs.

"How's he doing?" Rhett asked.

Kenobi turned his head. "He's got three broken ribs, we think one punctured a lung. His collar bone is fractured, and he's likely got a concussion. He'll make it for sure, but he'll be out of the fight for awhile."

Purggs lifted his head to look at Rhett. "Looks like somebody's gotta take my spot while I'm out." He nodded his head toward his helmet which was sitting in the corner. Rhett picked it up and looked at it closely. "It's yours if you want it." Purggs said from the bed.

Rhett smiled. "What if it doesn't fit?" Rhett asked.

"You seem to have a good head on your shoulders." Kenobi added. He smiled at Rhett. "Oh it'll fit alright."

Purggs smiled. "Welcome to Ardees," He locked eyes with Rhett, "Brother."

"Thanks Purggs. You'll be back in this helmet in no time." Rhett replied, smiling.

"As touching as this is, we do need to go over our extraction plan." Kenobi said, "Come with me." Kenobi led Rhett into the main room, where Ardees squadron was waiting for briefing. "The situation still remains too hot for the cruisers in orbit to send down a shuttle. We're going to have to lay low for awhile. Luckily, the bioluminescence of the Zabrak confuses thermal scannings. So, we're going to be extracted here when the fighting in orbit calms."

"How do we know the Separatists will be using thermal? What if they establish visual contact?" Asked Pines.

"We're going to have to do it in the dark to ensure that if they are looking for us, they're looking for us on thermal." Kenobi replied. "As soon as we get back, General Skywalker and myself will scramble a team of fighters and counter attack their orbit cruisers. If we win, we can cut off any support coming from outer space and ensure that Chandrilla doesn't completely fall into Separatist control. As for us, if we don't get extracted by sunrise, we'll stay here until it gets dark again. Are there any questions?"

"Yes" a familiar voice said from the doorway. All heads turned to the 5 men sitting in the door way. "Can we come?" Shrik said.

Lowe whipped out his plaster and pointed it at Shrik. "Who are you?"

"Woah, woah!" Rhett shouted. He placed his hand on top of Lowe's pistol and lowered it. "They're with me. They're the militia that fought with me at the first battle."

"Oh, so the men that can't take orders?" Lowe replied sternly.

"The men that helped save your ass in the first siege, yes. Same guys." Rhett replied.

"Sorry, men but I think we're all full." Kenobi said. "We can hardly get ourselves off this planet."

"General," Rhett said, "These men know the land better than any of us. They can help in the counter attack. Just give them a chance and I think—" Lowe cut him off.

"We don't want soldiers that can't follow orders." Lowe said.

"Sir," Charmer said from the back of the room. "You know where we stand. Any man who chooses to run fight instead of away from it, is a man we want. Personally, I'd love to have 'em."

"Thats a nice gesture, Charmer, but the fact remains that both the General and I agree it's not a great idea to have amateurs that could—" Lowe was interrupted by Rhett who had a smug look on his face.

"Uh sir," Rhett butted in, "They may be amateurs, but they've heard our battle plan." Rhett smiled and looked at Shrik and the militia, and back to Lowe and Kenobi. "They have Republic intel now. If it's anything like when I got detained, you must take them in."

Lowe sighed and looked at Kenobi. "He's right. We'll take them in, but they aren't seeing combat. We'll question them, and clear them for departure the first chance we have." Lowe said, and walked face to face with Shrik. "But you can't leave now." He said, gritting his teeth and poking Shrik with the end of his blaster. Lowe slipped by the men and went back onto the porch. The clones dispersed. Rhett walked up to Shrik and gave him a big bear hug.

"How are you, man?" Rhett asked.

"A little bored without you, but alright. I'm just glad you made it out." Shrik replied. He looked at Rhett's bruises and scars. "You look like shit."

Rhett laughed and playfully punched Shrik in the chest. "Ah, but I feel great." Shrik laughed.

"I heard all the commotion, thought it was somebody that'd heard you were out with the Republic and came to ransack. A lotta people have heard what you did. You're a legend around here. So much for coming to Chandrilla to lay low, am I right?" Shrik laughed.

"I do what I can." Rhett said. He peered over Shrik's shoulder to see Lowe sitting on the porch steps, hanging his head. "Hey I'll talk to you in a sec, just give me a minute." He said, patting Shrik on the shoulder. He slipped by him and out the door and stood behind Lowe. "Commander?" He said.

"Kysn?" Lowe replied. Rhett sat down next to him.

"You all good?" Rhett asked. "I mean you made it out with a lot of your men."

"It's not who I lost today." Lowe replied reminiscently. He sighed and looked out over the glow of the Zabrak. Rhett did the same. A quiet few moments passed by where the two men said nothing. Then Rhett cleared his throat.

"So…uh…Globes and the guys were telling me how clones got their names. Why'd you call him Beaks?" Rhett asked softly.

Lowe laughed. "He was the smartest one in our cadet class. We just got through our basic training, and we were taking our examinations to place us into our specialized programs. I went into leadership training. He went in to aviation. He got the highest score on his entry exam. He missed one question." Lowe laughed.

"Must've been a smart guy." Rhett said.

"He was. Which is what made the question he missed so funny. He was nervous during the exam. So when he got a question that asked 'what is the part of the ship called that increases a the aerodynamics during in-atmopshere flight?' The nerves got the best to him. The wise-guy couldn't remember the word nose-cone. He was close to his time limit, so he wrote "The Beak looking thing on the front!" Lowe said through his reminiscent laughter. Rhett laughed along. "Yeah. He was a smart guy, great pilot. Bit of a loose cannon, but that's probably what made him so good. He woulda liked you."

"Thanks, Commander that means a lot." Rhett said.

"Nobody could replace Beaks, but if somebody had to jump into his cockpit. I guess there are worse guys to do it." Lowe said, looking to Rhett. He smiled. Lowe wiped a tear off his face. "I'm sorry, I don't usually get like this."

"No, its okay. I cried like a baby the day I learned my brother died." Rhett said.

"Just—seeing those men again, I guess," Lowe said, motioning to the militia inside, "Brought me back to that day. You guys were the only thing out of place that day. Everything else seemed like a normal battle. Except for the random civilians showing up wanting to fight. I guess that's why I blamed you all for his death, too. Unfairly, I'll admit."

"The way you feel about Beaks," Rhett said. "Is the same way I feel about Shrik." Rhett and Lowe turned to look at Shrik through the open door sitting down inside, talking to some clones. "He kinda helped raise me. My parents shipped me out here at 13 to stay out of the trouble that was brewing on Naboo. Shrik helped me out a lot. He'd check in on me, bring me food, make sure I was taking care of myself. He taught me how to shoot, we went Blackback hunting a lot. And he just gave me someone to talk to." Rhett said. Lowe looked at Rhett.

"Funny how just having someone to talk to makes you feel better." Lowe said, with a half smile.

"Oh yeah." Rhett chuckled. "We sat right here almost every evening." Rhett said, knocking on the porch he was sitting on. "We'd watch the sunset over the Zabrak, and just talk."

"Sounds like a nice life." Lowe said.

"Oh it was." Rhett admitted.

"And you guys want to give it up to fight a war?" Lowe said.

"Oh no. We want to fight the war to make sure we don't have to give it up." Rhett said. The two looked at each other.

"Sounds like you two are good, level headed men." Lowe said.

"I'd say we are." Rhett replied. Lowe placed his hand on Rhett's shoulder.

"I'll have to see what I can do about adding a few more men to Ardees squadron." Lowe said. Rhett smiled. "As for tonight. Get some rest, you've had a long day."

"Thanks Commander." Rhett said as he stood up. "They won't let you down."

Chapter 6:

A few hours went by. Rhett talked with Shrik and the other men of the militia, and introduced them to Ardees squadron and Commander Lowe, who after spending some time alone on the porch had remarkably perked up, and opened up to the militia. The men compared their stories of the battle, talked about their times before the war, and would check in on Purggs every now and then. Everyone was in the main room, when Kenobi bursted in from the porch.

"The cruiser's got a window of time. Right now. We're being extracted in 5 minutes." Kenobi announced. All the men scurried around, gathering their belongings. Rhett and Globes walked into the bedroom where Purggs was laying down.

"Five minutes, trooper. Let's get you out of here." Globes said. Purggs groaned as he sat up. Rhett and Globes helped pull Purggs up, and handed him to the medic clone, who supported his weight as he got his feet under him. Rhett started to leave the room.

"Rhett." Purggs said. Rhett turned around to look at Purggs. "You forgetting something?" He said, nodding to the corner of the room. Rhett looked in the direction of his nod. Purggs' helmet was still sitting in the corner.

"Of course not." Rhett said, picking up the helmet. He carried it back into the main room, where Shrik and the militia were packing up their weapons.

"Sorry, men." Lowe said. "You're technically detainees of the Republic right now. You can't be armed." He explained. The men looked at Rhett to defend them, but Rhett, knowing Lowe was already planning on enlisting them, decided it was best if they complied. He nodded to them.

"You can just leave them here. I'll lock up after we leave." Rhett explained to the men. The men reluctantly set their weapons in the corner and headed for the door. After everyone had gone outside onto the porch, Rhett was the last in the house. He took one last look around to make sure everything was in order. Before he closed the door, he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"You know, Rhett," Rhett turned to see the hand belonged to Kenobi, "With the compound out of our control, I can't tell you when you'll be back home." Kenobi said, looking around the house. Rhett smiled and turned his head to the inside of the building.

"It's okay, I'll be back real soon." Rhett said. He looked back at Kenobi after closing and locking the door. "I can feel it." Kenobi smiled back at him.

Kenobi turned his head to the sky to where he heard the noise of the shuttle coming in. "Alright everybody, into the Zabrak fields, we need to disguise ourself in their scanners." Kenobi ordered. Rhett slid Purggs' helmet, which was still in his hands, over his head and started off the porch. The men all jogged to where the medic had carried Purggs and set him down. Once the shuttle landed, and Purggs was loaded in, the rest of the men piled in around him. Rhett looked out the window as the shuttle gained altitude. He saw the glow of his fields shrink until he could no longer see it.

The shuttle landed inside the cruiser's hangar. Purggs was unloaded and rushed to the medical bay. Rhett and the others filed out of the shuttle, to see Anakin waiting for them. "Master," he said to Obi-Wan, "Our fighters are ready and await your signal. When you're ready we can launch our counter attack."

"Excellent," Obi-Wan said. "I'm glad to see you're worried about my well-being before your next chance to hop in a fighter and blow things up." He said sarcastically. Rhett walked up behind Kenobi.

"Hop in a fighter and blow stuff up?" Rhett said, taking off the helmet, "Sounds like my kind of mission. Can I come?" Rhett asked.

"Although your exceptional flying skills are why we wanted you in the Republic, Kysn, you did just suffer a head injury. Let's get you into the medical bay." Kenobi said.

Rhett gave a disappointed smile. "Yes sir." He said. He turned his eyes to Anakin. "Anakin." He addressed, with a nod.

"Rhett." Anakin replied. "Good to see you made it out of there." He said with a smile on his face. "looks like you have more than just beginners luck." He joked, giving Rhett a light, playful punch in the chest.

"Anakin, let's not punch our own wounded." Obi-Wan said. "Rhett, go ahead and make your way over to the medical bay." He said.

"Yes, sir." Rhett said with a slight laugh. He started to walk away. Kenobi turned to Anakin and pulled him in close. He began whispering to Anakin, inaudible to Rhett, peering off to the side of his head watching Rhett walk away.

Rhett arrived in the sick bay, and began going through basic protocols with the medical droid, until a medic trooper walked in. "I can take it from here, 4B." He said, addressing the droid. Rhett looked confused.

"I thought the droid was going to do my protocols." Rhett said.

"Nope." The clone said abruptly. "It'll be me." He said, picking up some equipment. "My name's Blue, I promise you're in good hands." He said.

"Well, alright, Blue. To be honest, I kind of thought this was a formality. I feel fine." Rhett said.

"That's pretty common for a head injury. You might not feel it now, but tomorrow you'll probably have a pretty good sized headache. As for your leg…" he said, pressing down in various spots on Rhett's thigh. Rhett jerked his leg sideways when he hit a certain spot that was especially sore. "Yup. Doesn't seem to be anything more than a basic bruise." Blue took his hand off Rhett's leg and turned to a table nearby with lots of equipment on it. "It might be a little tender for a few days, but seems like you'll be just fine to me." Blue continued, prepping a needle.

"Great." Rhett said, with a slight confusion. "So…am I done?" He asked.

"Almost," Blue replied. "Just gotta get a quick blood sample."

"For a head injury and a bruise on the leg?" Rhett asked.

"Not too sure of it myself," Blue admitted. "Orders came from the General himself."

"Kenobi?" Rhett asked.

"Yes, sir. Might be precautionary." Blue said as he stuck the needle into Rhett's forearm. "So you're the guy that jumped into the fighter during the first siege?" Blue asked. Rhett's stomach dropped. He had forgotten how the clones on the cruiser treated him until Blue brought it up.

"That's me." Rhett said with a nervous chuckle. "I guess I'm pretty infamous around here, aren't I?" Rhett asked.

"Oh no." Blue said, as he pulled the needle and vile out of Rhett's arm. "You were really only hated by that one squad. Most everyone else likes you." Blue patted Rhett on the back. He turned around and placed the vile of blood in a case. "And they should. You saved quite a few men that day."

Rhett felt relieved. "So, where's the squad?"

"Oh they were transferred." Blue replied, looking back to him. "General Skywalker had them moved to another cruiser. That's why Lowe went on the ground with you." Rhett smiled knowing Anakin was looking out for him. "Anyways, you're all set here. When's the last time you slept? You look exhausted."

"I was knocked out for a while if that counts." Rhett said. Blue laughed. "But other than that, probably not for a full day."

"Well go get some rest, there should be a trooper outside that will escort you to your quarters." Blue said.

"Thanks, trooper." Rhett said as he picked up his helmet and went out the door. He looked at the trooper outside.

"Right this way sir." The clone said. Rhett followed him down the hall way. Nearby in the hangar, Rhett could hear the fighters taking off. He grew a little worried knowing his friends were going out to fight. He wanted to be in a cockpit, where he knew he wouldn't feel so helpless. Anxious thoughts flooded Rhett's mind, until the voice of the trooper pierced through them. "Right here, sir." Rhett snapped back into it. He looked at the trooper. He pressed the control panel, and the door opened.

"Thanks." Rhett said, he started to take a step when the clone grabbed his hand.

"S-Sir?" He muttered.

"Yes, trooper?" Rhett responded.

"I had a couple of good friends out there." He said. "The day you stole the fighter."

"Yeah?" Rhett replied.

"Yeah." He said. "Thanks for bailing them out."

"No problem, trooper. Have a good night." Rhett said as he walked into his quarters, and closed the door. He sat down on his bed. The anxious thoughts began to come back into his head. He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. With each exhale, he felt more at peace. Something told him that his friends would be just fine. His anxiety turned into peace. He laid on his back, staring at the ceiling, and slowly drifted to sleep.

Rhett woke up sensing no conflict. He knew whatever fight had transpired, was done with. He left his quarters and headed for the hangar. When he got to the hangar, there was a controlled chaos. Engineers and mechanics were wandering all over the place. Several ships had been damaged in the fight. Rhett scanned the room. Through everything going on on the flight deck he was able to spot Anakin working on his Eta-2 Actis-class interceptor. He walked up behind him.

"Did we win?" Rhett asked. Anakin turned to see Rhett, and gave him a smile

"You bet." Anakin said. "They hit hyperspace and got outta here. Almost took down their whole cruiser."

"How many did we lose?" Rhett asked. Anakin quieted his voice and looked down.

"A couple" He said, with a sigh.

"Yes." A voice said. The two turned their heads to see Obi-Wan with his hands on his hips. "And we likely could have kept them had Anakin not been so aggressive in attacking their surface cannons." He said, stepping towards them.

"I took out more guns in that one strafe than the rest of the fleet did in the whole attack. In the long run, I probably saved lives." Anakin replied.

"True or not, you still disobeyed my orders. I told you to hold formation and—" Obi-Wan was cut off.

"And what? Shy away from the fight like cowards?" Anakin asked.

"Anakin. Do not confuse patience with fear. Just because we held back on the attack, initially, does not mean we were scared to go in." Obi-Wan said with an irritated tone. The argument had made Rhett uncomfortable. Obi-Wan and Anakin must have noticed because they looked at Rhett, and back at each other. Obi-Wan gave raised his eyebrows and nodded his head toward Anakin, waiting a response.

"Yes, Master." Anakin said, lowering his head.

"Rhett, I apologize for my padawan's inability to admit his wrongdoing." Obi-Wan said.

"Oh it's fine, really." Rhett said. He turned to look at Anakin, who looked embarrassed. He pat Anakin on the center of his chest "We all gotta learn somehow." Anakin looked up and smiled in response.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but Anakin," Obi-Wan said darting his eyes between Rhett and Anakin, "I'd like to continue our conversation from last night."

Anakin snapped his head to attention, "Oh yes, Master." He said. "Rhett," he said with a nod "Excuse us?" He asked.

"Oh yeah for sure, I wanted to check on Purggs anyways." Rhett said. Anakin and Rhett smiled at each other and parted ways.

Obi-Wan put an arm around Anankin's shoulder and pulled him close. "Did you feel it?" He asked.

"Sorry, master. I wasn't really thinking about it, I wasn't searching for it." Anakin said.

"I'm sure he has the force." Obi-Wan said. "I felt it after we lost the compound. He felt Purggs was alive inside the compound when he went back for him. He said he could 'feel it.' As soon as I heard that I reached out in the force and felt it inside him." Obi-Wan said.

"I haven't really talked to him all that much since the siege. I haven't felt it yet." Anakin said.

"Sometimes you gotta know what to look for to find it." Obi-Wan said.

"Next time we talk I'll reach out. Do you think we should ask him about it, yet?" Anakin asked.

"It might be a good learning experience for you to look for someone's strength in the force. But, I don't think we should talk to him until we're sure. I had Blue take a blood sample from him. I'll analyze it and get his midi-chlorian count, just to confirm. Then we can ask him." Obi-Wan said. "For now, just go talk to him. Search yourself, and reach out to him in the force. Trust your feelings."

"Yes, Master." Anakin said, as he started to walk away. Obi-Wan grabbed his arm.

"After you do that, meet me on the bridge. We also have war-related matters to discuss outside our Jedi responsibilities, Yularen wants to launch the counter attack before reinforcements are able to arrive. We want to launch a recon mission soon to see what we're dealing with." Obi-Wan added.

"Yes, Master." Anakin said with a small annoyance in his voice.

Rhett walked into the medical bay, and into Purgg's room. The bed was empty. He looked around, and saw the medical droid whirring by. "Excuse me." He said. The droid turned to face him. "What happened to Purggs?" He asked.

"Trooper GH-8216-74 was placed into a bacta tank for treatment." The droid explained in a robotic voice. "The treatment room is just through those doors and to the left," the droid said, gesturing.

"Thanks." Rhett said. He followed the droid's directions to find a room full of Bacta tanks. He wandered around a corner when he spotted another droid "Which one is Purggs in?" The droid pointed to a tank. Rhett walked up to it, and through the cloudy mixture could barely see the outline of his squad-mate. Figuring he had not much else to do, Rhett sat on a bench nearby to wait for Purggs to come out of the tank. He watched him float around for a few minutes until he heard the door open.

"Rhett?" A clone's voice shouted. "You in here?"

"Over here." Rhett replied. Rhett heard footsteps as he watched the corner waiting for whoever it was to emerge. "Commander Lowe," Rhett said with a nod.

"Rhett," Lowe said in response. "Mind if I join you?" He said, pointing at the bench next to Rhett was sitting on. Rhett scooted over to make room. "How's he doing?" Lowe asked nodding towards the tank.

"Not sure, I just came in here to give him someone to talk to when he gets out." Rhett said.

"You really like these guys, huh?" Lowe said.

"I ran back into an enemy controlled compound for him, and you're just now figuring that out?" Rhett said with a smirk. Lowe laughed.

"Well, I got some unfortunate news." Lowe said. "I ran it by Admiral Yularen and it doesn't look like your friends will be able to fight."

Rhett nodded slowly, "Why not?" He asked. "I mean he let me."

"First off, you already proved you could hold your own when you stole our fighter. These men haven't done anything but sneak into your house and hear our strategies." Lowe explained.

"But they helped fight during the first round of attacks?" Rhett said.

"Standing well behind the front lines and taking pot shots at droids is hardly proving themselves." Lowe said. "Having Obi-Wan and Anakin vouching for your piloting skills certainly made a difference. Besides, the whole idea behind having a clone army is to protect those men." He said, turning his head to Purggs inside the Bacta tank. "From that." Lowe said. Rhett sighed, stared at the tank, and nodded his head. Lowe continued, "I'm sure they're good men. This just isn't their fight." Lowe said reassuringly. Rhett sank his head, disappointed. "Tell you what, I'll stay here with Purggs until you get back. Go ahead and get something to eat, General Skywalker is waiting for you in the Mess Hall. He asked me to get you."

"Yes, sir." Rhett said. He patted Lowe on the knee and started out the door. Rhett's head hung all the way to Mess Hall, thinking about his militia. When he got there, he spotted Anakin and took a seat across the table from him. "Heard you were looking for me?" Rhett said.

"I was." Anakin said. "Just wanted to hear more about that compound siege. Sounds like you were quite the hero out there."

"I don't know about that. I just didn't want to lose one of the few friends I have in here." Rhett said.

"You like your squad?" Anakin said.

"Oh yeah. They were nothing but welcoming. Funny guys, and they didn't treat me different. In their eyes we're all soldiers. Not clones and humans." Rhett said. Anakin was listening intently, trying to feel the force within Rhett.

"Why'd you go back in? I mean all signs pointed to Purggs being KIA." Anakin asked.

Rhett sighed. "I don't know. Just a gut feeling that he was still alive, I guess." Rhett said.

"Gut feeling?"

"Yeah, it sounds weird, but I had trusted my gut all through the escape, and it didn't steer me wrong. So I figured it wouldn't let me down that time." Rhett paused. Anakin began to feel Rhett's strength in the force. Rhett looked at Anakin's stare. "Yeah…so…Why are you staring at me so hard? You're not falling in love with me, are you?" Rhett joked. Anakin's face of intense concentration broke into a smile.

"No. It's… just…" he paused "It all sounds like it went well, but I sense sadness in you." Anakin said. Rhett took a deep breath.

"Well, I just left my home and I'm not sure if I'll ever be back." Rhett said.

"You feel attached to your home?" Anakin asked.

"Definitely. I've got a lot of good memories there of me and Shrik. I left Naboo when I was 13. I don't remember a whole lot from there. That homestead on Chandrilla's kind of the only place I've ever known."

"I'm not sure I'll be much help on this." Anakin said with a sigh. "I hated my home."

"Why's that?" Rhett asked. Anakin sighed again.

"Well, I grew up on Tattooine, a planet covered in sand and scummy crime lords. It was just me and my mother. We were slaves."

"Damn. I'm sorry. How'd you get out?" Rhett said.

"Obi-Wan and his master came to my master's shop looking for parts. They sensed the force in me and convinced my master to gamble my custody against their ship in a pod race, that I won. They freed me to train me in the ways of the force, but I had to abandon my mother." Anakin said, with a sadness in his voice. His eyes had sunk, but he snapped them back to Rhett with a deep breath. "It certainly wasn't a nice farmhouse on Chandrilla, but I guess we both ended up sitting on this cruiser, didn't we?"

Rhett chuckled. "I bet we aren't all that different."

"Oh, yeah?" Anakin laughed.

"Sure. Think about it. You were a slave, who had to abandon your mom. I had to abandon my parents to become a farmer to take care of myself. I guess I still had my freedom, but the work was hard and overwhelming for a 13 year old, there were times I wished I was anywhere else. And there were plenty of times I missed my parents." Rhett said.

"I guess you're not wrong. How're things going now?" Anakin asked.

"They could be better. I'm in a war, my brother just died, which is mostly why I'm in the war. And my best friends have been detained by Republic, not allowed to fight with me."

"So you want them in the fight?" Anakin asked.

"Of course, who wouldn't want their best friends by their side when they're in a war? It's comforting." He paused and sunk his head. "but I just got some bad news from Lowe. Remember when I told you about Shrik?" Anakin nodded, with his eyebrows lowered, intently listening again. "Well, Lowe and I were hoping we could get that militia enlisted. I thought they might be able to join Ardees with me, but it doesn't sound like Yularen is going for it."

"Well, why not?" Anakin asked.

"I guess it's fair. They're pretty untested, and the whole idea behind the clone army was to keep them out of the fight." Rhett said.

"Help is help." Anakin said. "You trust them?"

"Oh yeah." Rhett said with confidence. "They're all hard working farmers. They're in shape, respectful; they'll follow orders and they've all got a good shot."

"Good enough for me." Anakin said. "Let me see if Obi-Wan and I can talk some sense into Yularen." Anakin said.

"I don't want to get you in trouble." Rhett said.

"Don't worry, Kysn." Anakin said, reaching across the table slapping Rhett on the shoulder. "We'll be alright. Get yourself something to eat, now. Looks like you could use it." Anakin said while standing up. The two part ways.

Anakin walked through the door knowing Rhett was strong in the force. He had felt his force sensitivity and power, but also a strange connection to him. It was almost as if the two had been friends for years, Anakin knew that it was something special about Rhett's force ability, but liked the comforting feeling of companionship anyways. Anakin tracked down Obi-Wan on the bridge.

"Master," He said. Obi-Wan turned to Anakin, who leaned in and whispered. "You're right, he's wielding the force for sure." Anakin said.

"So you felt it?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Definitely. He's using the force and I'm not sure he knows it. He credits 'gut feelings' and things like that, but I felt it. It's the force." Anakin said.

"Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves here, we should still wait to see his midi-chlorian count before we do anything. He's already pretty old. Unless his count is extraordinarily high, the council likely won't want anything to do with him." Obi-Wan said.

"There's more." Anakin said.

"More?" Obi-Wan asked.

"When I was searching, I felt a deep connection to him. Like the one we share, but I've known him for only a few days. I know it's connected to the force, I just don't know how." Anakin said.

"Curious." Obi-Wan said, stroking his beard. "He may be more powerful than we suspect." Obi-Wan added.

"Do we want to test him?" Anakin asked.

"How do you mean?" Asked Obi-Wan.

"Let him head the recon mission with me." Anakin said.

"Oh, I'm not sure that's a good idea."

"Come on, I'll still be there to make sure nothing goes wrong. It's recon. There shouldn't even be a firefight." Anakin said.

"But if there is then—" Obi-Wan started to say, but was cut off when Anakin put his hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder.

"Then…" Anakin interrupted, "It would be helpful to have someone who is force sensitive and knows the lay of the land well." Anakin said.

"I suppose you've had worse ideas." Obi-Wan said.

"One more thing." Anakin said. "I want him to have his men."

"Ardees squadron?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Yes." Anakin said, with a pause. "And his men."

"The militia? That's one of those worse ideas." Obi-Wan responded.

"More men that know the lay of the land, and Rhett would be in command of people that he knows and that respect him. We know how the clones have mixed feelings about him outside his squadron. Things may be unpredictable unless we use them. Don't forget it'd be a great way to see how he leads—if he's cut out for the order." Anakin pleaded. Obi-Wan took a deep breath, paused, and turned his head to Yularen.

"Admiral," Obi-Wan said. Yularen looked at him and Obi-Wan made a beckoning motion.

"Generals?" He addressed.

"General Skywalker…" Obi-Wan paused, "And myself, think that Rhett Kysn should point the recon mission, under Anakin's supervision." Yularen looked confused. "We believe that he also has force abilities and would like to put him on this lower-stakes mission to see what he can do." Obi-Wan finished.

"This mission is not low stakes. Low danger, maybe." Yularen said with a sigh. He was thinking it over and staring at the ground. "I suppose if he goes on a mission, it should be this one." He said looking up to the two Jedi.

"We want to give him Ardees." Anakin said.

"Very well." Yularen said.

"…and his militia." Anakin said. Yualrin scoffed and shook his head.

"Admiral Yularen, I had the same reaction as you, but Anakin and I talked it over and I'm not sure that it's a terrible idea." Obi-Wan sai"You think it's a good idea?" Yularen asked. The two Jedi nodded their heads. "Well, although I disagree with you; you are the higher ranking officer. It is your call. But when the senate is asking why we lost six civilians in a battle, it will be you answering to them." Yularen said sternly.

Anakin smiled. Obi-Wan turned to see his smiling face, and returned his expression. "Go ahead and give him the good news." Obi-Wan said.

Chapter 7: A Militia's First Battle.

Rhett was in his quarters. He kept off his leg when he could. The injury was nothing serious, but if he didn't have anything to do he kept off it. He was in the middle of wrapping a compression bandage around it when there was a knock at the door. "Come in." Rhett said. The door opened. Anakin stood in the open door with a smirk on his face.

"You're needed in the Bridge." Anakin said.

"What about?" Rhett asked.

"Just go." Anakin said. "I think you'll like this one."

"Okay?" Rhett said with a confusion.

"Come on now," Anakin said. "I'll walk with you." Rhett finished wrapping up the bruise on his leg, and followed Anakin out of the door and into the hall.

"What are you so giddy about?" Rhett asked, as they walked.

"Oh, you'll find out soon enough. I'm just excited." Anakin said. He sensed the nervous feeling in Rhett's stomach. "Hey." Rhett looked at Anakin, "Don't worry. It's good."

"Alright, I guess I'll trust you." Rhett said.

When the two reached the door to the bridge, Anakin hovered his hand over the door's control panel. "I've pulled a few strings. We've got a surprise for you." As soon as Anakin finished his sentence, he opened the door. Rhett saw a large gathering around a Holotable. For a moment he glanced over it, but his eyes darted back when he realized who was standing around it. One at a time Rhett identified Yularen talking to Lowe and Ardees, (with the exception of Purggs), Obi-Wan, and his chest filled with joy when he recognized Shrik, out of custody. By his side was Pyrthwra, Frolph, Ginx, Hosque. The militia was formed and being prepped for battle. Rhett looked at Anakin.

"Are they being released or briefed?" Rhett asked, looking at Anakin.

"Well, Yularen is giving them the mission overview, but they're waiting on their leader to brief them." Anakin said, putting the side of his fist against Rhetts shoulder.

"Me?" Rhett asked.

"Yeah. We figured we'd need someone who knew the lay of the land as well as you do to get this job done." Anakin explained. Rhett looked at him, stunned. "I'll be right there with you on lead. But this mission is yours as much as it is mine" Anakin said.

"I cannot believe it." Rhett said with a smile. Anakin gave him a nudge towards his squad.

"Go on." Anakin said. Rhett walked up the the Holotable and made eye contact with Yularen.

"Reporting for duty, sir." Rhett said.

"Rhett. I'm sure by now you've heard about your promotion?" Yularen said.

"All I know is I'm going on the ground with these guys." Rhett said, looking at his friends.

"Well, in order for you to properly lead them, you'll need some proper authority." Obi-Wan said. "Congratulations, Corporal Kysn." Obi-Wan stuck his hand out for a hand shake, which Rhett took.

"Thank you, sir. I won't let you down." Rhett said.

"Well, I would hope not." Yularen said. "It's a pretty simple mission. There shouldn't be any firing." Yularen looked back at Anakin. "That goes for you too, General Skywalker. This is recon only. We can only assume the Separatists have not had time to make any major renovations to the compound, but we would like to know what kind of security they've put in place in the compound so we'll know what we're up against in our counter attack. Look for weak spots in their security, find out if are there any important Separatist personnel around, or just droids." Yularen explained.

"Our scanners report no anti-aircraft weapons have been placed around the compound. We can get into the atmosphere and keep a low altitude until about two miles outside its walls. Then you'll have to walk it, staying out of visual scanners." Obi-Wan explained.

"What about their life-form scanners?" Commander Lowe asked.

"We don't care if they know we're there. As long as you can see them, and they can't shoot you, we're winning." Obi-Wan said.

"Then we should approach it from the west side." Shrik said. Yularen, Lowe, and Obi-Wan looked at him with a stern look, telling him to keep his mouth shut with their faces. "Sorry." Shrik said with an embarrassed look.

"No, he's right." Rhett said. "The west edge over there will give us the high ground, and it's in the tall Balmgrass. Visual contact would be difficult from the compound. And if we need to fall back, there's some taller grain fields behind it that are well thick enough for us to hide from even thermal scanners." Rhett explained. After hearing this, Obi-Wan looked at Shrik and gave him a half smile, which made him feel much better.

"Very well, seems like we've got our plan." Yularen said. "Commander Lowe, show these men to the armory and have them load up small arms. They will only need them for emergencies." Yularen said sternly. "Are there any questions?" He asked. No one answered. "Alright men, your shuttle leaves two hours before sunrise on the compound. Be ready." The men all hollered with excitement.

Before long, Anakin, Ardees, Lowe, Rhett, and the militia were on board a shuttle and headed for the surface. As the shuttle's flight got bumpier as it entered the atmosphere, Rhett felt his militia getting more nervous and frightened. He looked at Shrik, who wore a blank stare. Rhett gave him a thumbs up, and Shrik returned a half smile. He turned his head further to the other men. "Y'all good?" He asked them. A few murmured their confidence, but before they were done the pilot's voice echoed in the cabin.

"30 seconds!" He shouted. Rhett looked down to his hands, which were gripping to Purggs' helmet. The pilot put the shuttle low to the ground. The doors opened, Rhett slipped the helmet on and the men jumped out into the darkness. "Good luck, men!" The pilot yelled, before pointing the ship back up towards the night sky and headed back to the cruiser. Rhett looked around to get his bearings. He looked up at one of the rolling hills that they would have to climb to get to the compound.

'Let's head up there." Rhett said, pointing. "We can get our bearings and get a better idea of what's between us and the compound using the high ground." He said. Anakin looked at him and gave him an assuring nod, to tell him his first order was a good one. Once they summited the hill, they were able to see a good distance. "Charmer," Rhett said. Charmer turned to his attention. "Give me a range to that ridge," Rhett said pointing.

Charmer raised his optic rangefinder "1.6 miles, Corporal." Charmer said, lowering his hand from his helmet.

"Then that's the ridge we got to get to see the compound." Rhett said. He looked across the vast greenery between them and the ridge. On the right side there were several hills, and to the left, in the valley were the grain fields. "Let's rotate around to the left. We can stay hidden in the grain fields, and we won't need to climb so many hills." Rhett said to his team. They followed his order. In the fields Anakin caught up with Rhett, amongst some light conversation the men were having Anakin shared his confidence with Rhett.

"You're doing great. You're a natural." Anakin said.

"It's been pretty easy decisions so far." Rhett said.

"No decision is an easy one." Anakin said. "Especially in war." He added. Once the team got to the edge of the grain field, at the base of the hill, Rhett held up his troops.
"Globes, give it a scan. Make sure nothing's ahead of us." Rhett ordered. Globes stuck his scoped blaster out of the wall of grain slowly, and scanned the ridge. He held up a thumbs up, followed by a flick of the palm from an upward to a forward position, signaling to move forward. By now the chatter had stopped, all the men were silent and focused, moving through the first glimmers of morning light. The men emerged from the high grain into the knee high grass and climbed the hill. Once they got to the top, Anakin motioned with his hand to lay down. All the men lay down in a line and slowly crawled until they could see the compound, still several hundred feet away.

"Everybody, you know what we're looking for. Spend a few minutes, find what you can, and gather some images, keep your heads below the grass." Anakin told the men. Although tensions were high, everybody was pretty relaxed. Rhett saw men handing each other binoculars and cameras, moving lots and shifting the grass.

"Smaller movements, men. Remember no visual contact." Rhett reminded. He walked while crouched over to Anakin, who was behind a tree up on the top of the hill. "What do you see?" He asked.

"Not a whole lot. Seems to be only droids here. No luxury freighters, which tells me no one high up in power is here. What about you?" Anakin asked, handing binoculars to Rhett. Rhett pulled the binoculars to his eyes and scanned the walls of the compound.

"I see a blind spot in their turrets. One of the windows caved in durning the bombing runs where their third one should be placed. I see four sets of two unit patrols, shouldn't be anything too difficult." Rhett said.

"You're really good at this" Anakin said in amazement. He could feel that the force was leading Rhett and what he noticed. "When you're ready, we can have the men regroup back at the grain fields and we can share intel." Anakin said.

"Lets rally 'em" Rhett said, giving the binoculars back to Anakin, and walking back down the hill. "Everybody, back to the grain fields." Anakin said in a low voice, but loud enough for everyone to hear. The men gathered back at the edge of the grain fields.

"Alright, what did everyone see?" Anakin asked the group.

"Not much for security beyond what we already knew." Cork said. "A few extra watch towers and cameras, that's about it."

"Their supplies are already pretty low." Patch added. "The ammo crates next to their turrets are not up to Republic standards, at least. They have about half as much as they need."

"There's a section of fence still un-repaired from the bombing runs." Globes said.

"They've put up a few wind turbines to supplement the main generators." Lowe added. Shrik and the militia shared a look and laughed.

"What's that about?" Anakin asked.

"Wind turbines? At this time of year?" Phrolf joked. "We don't hardly get a breeze."

"He's right." Ginx added. "Those turbines could hardly power a speeder. Did the main reactor get damaged in the assault?" He asked.

"The power was out when I went in and grabbed Purggs." Rhett said.

"Then I'm sure those turbines are for emergency power, to give the backup generators just enough power to get by on what fuel they have." Ginx said.

"So, take out the turbines, and they lose their power?" Lowe asked.

"Maybe." Ginx said. "The generators still may be strong enough to give them power. But if their reactor isn't up and we take out the backup generators, I guarantee those turbines aren't giving them enough." Lowe gave him a look of doubt. "I was an electrical engineer in Hana City before I retired to the countryside. I know this stuff." Ginx defended himself. Lowe looked at Rhett, who returned his look with a nod of confidence in his friend.

"Very well," Anakin said. "I'll pass the info along to Obi-Wan, and see about our extraction. Good stuff today, men." Anakin said. He stepped away to start his transmission to the cruiser. Shrik walked up to Rhett and gave him a slap on the shoulder.

"Still not quite as exciting as your first battle, huh, Corporal?" He joked.

"About as important, though." Rhett said, not wanting to take from the feel of significance Shrik had gained form being on mission.

"Are you kidding? With how many lives you saved?" Shrik said.

"Well I remember losing the compound shortly after," Rhett said, "Hopefully not long after this one, we take it back." Rhett said, smiling at Shrik.

"Damn right, we will." Shrik said. Just then, Commander Lowe walked up behind Shrik and patted him on the back, looking at Rhett.

"I gotta admit, Corporal. I was skeptical about having them come along. But I gotta say, they've been a real asset to Ardees squadron." Low said, squeezing his hand on Shrik's shoulder.

"I told you I trust them." Rhett said.

"They're starting to earn mine." Lowe said.

"Gather up, men." Anakin said. The men all slowly gathered around Anakin. "I just got a report from Admiral Yularen. We've got a problem." The men all looked at each other, worried. "They've just received a transmission from inside the compound. From a Republic droid. The droid has apparently not been destroyed by the bombings like we thought it was, nor has it been found by the Separatists. The droid has sensitive Republic intel stored on it. It is very important we get that droid out of the compound ASAP." Anakin explained. Shrik nudged Rhett with his elbow with an excited look on his face. "So it looks like this recon mission turned into a recovery mission. Corporal Kysn, what's our move?" Anakin said with a trusting look.

"Um…" Rhett said looking around at the men. He didn't feel ready. So many thoughts flooded his brain. Suddenly he realized he was responsible for his men's lives. Rhett knew failure would bring huge consequences to the Republic. Rhett wondered why Anakin was placing this burden on him, after all, he was only supposed to be leading a recon mission. His mind raced faster and faster, more and more panicked, until it focused in on one voice.

"Think we can go in through that hole in the fence?" Globes asked, in an incredibly calming voice to Rhett.

"Uh…yeah. Sure we can." Rhett stammered. "And then…" He trailed off, his mind still racing. The men could see right though his nervousness. He felt a hand on his shoulder.

"We trust you, Corporal, you'll make the right decision." Shrik said. A few voices raised in agreement. Rhett's mind cleared some, but his thoughts and anxiety still raced beyond his control.

"Use that soldier's mentality!" Globes said in encouragement.

"Use those gut feelings." Anakin said, calmly. Rhett closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. He took comfort in the people around him- his friends. He had their trust. He knew Shrik loved him like a son; Ardees, like a brother. He knew Anakin was a good leader. He would correct any glaring issues in any plan Rhett came up with. Rhett focused up, his mind cleared.

"Yeah. We'll go through the hole in the fence. We can lay low in the tall grass just inside the fence along the side until we get in the blindspot of those turrets." Rhett said. He looked at Anakin, who gave him a reassuring nod. "Then half of us can go in, and take out their generators, leaving them in the dark. While the other half causes a distraction, and draws their fire outside, depleting their turret ammo. By the time the group that went in comes out with the droid, they won't have much left to shoot at us with. Then we just retreat back up and over the hill and into the grain fields?" Rhett raised his voice at the end of his explanation and looked at Anakin. As if asking for permission. Anakin walked closer to Rhett and placed his hand on his shoulder.

"Sounds like a great plan, Corporal." He said with a smile.

"Okay. Good." Rhett said. "Let's go then." Rhett turned to walk, alone. The other men looked at each other, some laughed.

"Uh, corporal?" Commander Lowe said. Rhett turned around and looked at Lowe. "It's a good plan. But don't you think cutting the power would be more useful if did it at night?"

"Oh." Rhett said. "Yeah…Of course." The men laughed. Rhett walked back to the group and took a seat.

"Sit tight a few hours. Rest up. We've got a big mission ahead of us, boys!" Anakin said.

Chapter 8: Droid Rescue

The men all sat on the edge of the grain fields. Some slept, ate what they had, and had conversation. Rhett spent some time sleeping, and when he was awake he didn't say much else. He was still nervous, and a little disappointed in himself for panicking so quickly. He knew he still had his team's support, but he thought that it was not a good look for him. Globes and Pines found a small rock and were tossing it back and forth. Globes threw the rock when it suddenly stopped mid flight and hovered in the air. Anakin walked under the rock, which suddenly dropped into his hand.

"Sorry to break up the game, but we've got work to do. Gather around." Anakin said as he turned on a holopad. It was a blue print of the compound, still stored in Republic memory files. The men gathered to where they could see the plans. Anakin pointed to the map. "Here's our entry point." He moved his finger to a point further inside the compound. "And here's where our droid is. The problem is, based on scans sent by the droid, the entrances into the bunk room it's trapped in are blocked off by debris. I'll go in with my lightsaber. We're going to have to cut through." Anakin explained. The clones groaned.

"What's wrong? I like that plan." Rhett said.

"Have you ever seen a lightsaber cut through a wall? It's incredibly slow, and incredibly loud. No way are we going to be able to pull that off. You won't get halfway through by the time clankers are all over your position." Globes said.

"For starters, Globes, we aren't going through the wall." Anakin said with a smirk. Globes wore a look of confusion. The hologram of the compound shifted its display to the lower levels of the compound. "See here?" Anakin said, pointing to an emphasized shape in the hologram. "That's their generators. We can disable those, and if Ginx is right, that will leave them in the dark, and with no alarm systems. We'll have plenty of time to move down the hall, and cut through the ceiling, into the bunk room with the droid in it, pull it through the hole, and get out of there." Anakin explained. The men nodded and murmured in agreement. "Now, we'll take a four man team into the compound. Myself, Rhett, Globes and Ginx will go in. Commander Lowe, you'll point the seven man squad outside the compound. While we head inside, find a good position for an offensive. Once we get in and cut the power, start firing and deplete their turret ammo. Hopefully they'll be out of ammo by the time we come out with the droid."

"What's our escape plan?" Patch asked. "Book it over the hill?" Anakin turned his head to Rhett and nodded to exchange the lead to him.

"Pretty much. If we have any heat on our tail, we're gonna high tail it into the grain field. It'll be tough for any scanners to find us through it." Rhett said, still with an unsure look in his eyes.

"Any other questions?" Anakin asked. The men all looked around at each other, silent. "alright then," Anakin said, finding the sun. "It'll be dark here in another hour or two. Then we head out." The men dispersed again. Anakin walked over to Rhett. "What's going on?" He asked.

"I don't know. It just hit me all at once that if these guys die it's my fault. I love these guys. I don't want anything happening to them. I just wanna be sure the plan is perfect." Rhett said.

"First off, it's not your fault. Something you'll learn as a leader, is if your men trust you, and you do the best you can, everything else is out of your control. It's hard to think of everything in a plan. And there's definitely something out of place every time. But your men trust that you've put them in the best position to succeed and you trust your men to carry out that plan to the best of their ability." Anakin said. "And if they can't, then that's just war. These guys know what they're here for."

"Thanks." Rhett said with a half smile.

"You gonna be alright?" Anakin asked. Rhett nodded. "Alright. Good. I'm gonna need you in there, make sure you're ready."

A few hours went by. The sun was setting over the hills. Rhett was sat up against a tree, watching it fade. Shrik walked up to Rhett and sat next to him. He turned his head to the sunset.

"It's been too long since we've done this." Shrik said. Rhett silently nodded his head. "It's been just a couple of days, but, our world's been thrown into so much shit, its felt like months."

"Yeah." Rhett agreed. "But, not too long from now, we'll have that base back, and hopefully the Separatists will be gone for good. Me and you can go back to farming, and we can do this and drink that good ole Gizer Ale again." Rhett and Shrik smiled, reminiscent of the times they had before the invasion. Anakin walked over to Rhett.

"It's almost dark. You ready, Corporal?" Anakin asked.

"Take a seat, relax a minute." Rhett said. Anakin reluctantly sat down. "You never know when it could be your last one." Rhett said, nodding to the sunset.

"It won't be." Anakin said. "We'll do just fine." Anakin peered around Rhett to Shrik. "So this is your old buddy Shrik?"

"Oh yeah, I guess you too have barely met. Shrik Byra, meet Anakin Skywalker." Rhett said.

"Good to be serving under you, General." Shrik said, shaking Anakin's hand.

"If what Rhett tells me is true, it's good to have you on the squad." Anakin said. He looked at the joy on Shrik and Rhett's faces while they watch the sun sink below the hills. "You guys look too happy to be prepping for a battle."

"Oh we're ready don't you worry. We're just taking a second to look back right now, instead of forward." Shrik said.

"Is this what you farmers do for entertainment?" Anakin joked.

"Well, you spend all day in the hot sun cursing at it because it's making you sweat and ache; it beats you down." Rhett explained. "It's just nice to watch the bastard die every day." Anakin chuckled. "It almost feels like we're sticking it the finger. Like 'you spent all day trying to kill me, and I lasted. Now I'm going to sit here and drink while I watch you go down.'" Rhett continued.

"Sounds a lot like the feeling I get after a mission. Now come on," Anakin said standing up. He offered a hand down to Rhett to help him upon. "Let's go win." Rhett took Anakin's hand, and Anakin pulled him up. Rhett turned and pulled Shrik up as well. "Gather up, men!" Anakin shouted. The men huddled up. "Alright, its just about go time. We all know our assignments. Let's push up to the top of the hill. From there, we go dark. Keep off the com link until their power's out. Ready, men?" Anakin asked.

"Hell yeah!" A few clones said.

"Let's do it!" Another said.

"Alright. Let's go." Anakin said. The men started up the hill, and grew silent as they got closer to the top. When they crested the hill, Anakin held up his fist. The men stopped. He gestured his hand down low to signal for the men to lay prone. The men followed the order. Rhett, Anakin, Globes, Ginx, and Rhett all grouped up. Rhett and Anakin were laying close. The men lay until the last bit of light disappeared.

Rhett slid Purrg's helmet on. "Alright, Walker," Rhett whispered, patting Anakin on the shoulder. "Sun's gone, let's go." Anakin looked at Rhett with a confused look.

"Walker?" Anakin asked. Rhett shrugged.

"I don't know man, I'm nervous. It felt cool." Rhett whispered. A smile grew on Anakin's face. Anakin felt peace within Rhett. The tension he felt before was broken by the humor.

"Alright, let's go." Anakin whispered to Rhett. He turned to the rest of the men, and waved his hand forward. The men stood into a crouch position and walked down the hill through the taller grass. They pushed down the hill and took cover behind the half wall that was attached to the fence. The men kept low below the half wall until they got to the hole in the fence. Anakin, who was in the front, held up his fist again. He waited until the patrol units turned a corner outside the compound so their backs were turned. Anakin gave commander Lowe a look. Lowe gave him a thumbs up. Anakin beckoned to the four man team to get up. Anakin took off towards the entrance of the compound. The three men followed. They made their way through the landing pads and open air. Still using hand signals when to stop and go, they ran to a tower, a storage container, and a stack of barrels, before finally making their final dart to the entrance. They stopped next the entrance of the compound, back against the wall.

"Anybody see the others?" Rhett whispered.

"No, that means they've found cover and they're doing their job. Now let's do ours." Anakin replied. He pressed the door's control panel and the door slid open. The men burst through and into the hall, pointing blasters. The hallway was empty.

"That's nice." Rhett joked.

"They're here, keep your heads down." Anakin said.

"Stairs are just up ahead and to the left. Hug the left wall. The generator's not far from the bottom of the staircase." Globes said. The men walked down the hall, sticking to the left wall. When they got to the staircase, Rhett turned the corner sharply, pointing his blaster. Again, no droids. The men climbed down the stairs, into the lower levels. They snuck through the halls, following Globe's directions. They found themselves in the generator room without much resistance. Rhett slid his helmet off.

"That was easy." He said.

"Yeah, but after we cut the power and they all know we're here, it won't be." Globes replied.

"Alright, here it is." Ginx said, pointing to the generator. Anakin ignited his lightsaber and raised it up ready to strike. "Woah, woah, woah." Ginx said, restraining Anakin's hand. "What are you doing?" He asked.

"Wiping out their power?" Anakin replied.

"That thing's full of fuel. You throw that thing into it in the wrong spot and you blow us all to high hell." Ginx explained.

"Okay, where do I cut it then?" Anakin asked.

"I don't know, give me a second." Ginx said, looking around the generator. Ginx's face looked confused.

"Well?" Anakin asked.

"I-I-" Ginx stuttered. "I'm not sure. I've never seen this kind before." Ginx said still inspecting the generator. Anakin looked frustrated. Anakin looked at Rhett, his face clearly angry. Rhett twisted his head, and gave a small nod. He motioned with his hand to calm down. "Here." Ginx said, pointing to a large wire running from the generators and into the wall. "It won't break the generator, but it'll cut off the power to the rest of the building." Anakin walked over to the wires.

"Let's hope those wind turbines aren't giving any more power than you think." Anakin said as he put his lightsaber through the wires. Immediately, the whole place went dark, besides a few red emergency lights. "Looks like, you were right, Ginx." Anakin said, patting him on the back. Anakin raised his com link. "Commander Lowe, are you in position?" He asked.

"Yes, sir. But there's nothing up on those turrets, we've got nothing to shoot at." Lowe said.

"Interesting. I guess keep laying low. Let's see if we can't get out of here without a huge fight." Anakin replied, before pocketing his com link.

"Come on, a few rooms down and we'll be right below the droid." Globes said, beckoning into the hallway.

The men ran into the dark hallway. The snuck around the corner and into a small storage closet that was under the droids suspected location. The men stopped below. Anakin peered up at the ceiling. "Like we said. This is gonna be loud and will take a minute. Be on point." Anakin said pointing to the door, Rhett and Globes each sat just inside the door, they peered around the corner, pointing their blasters down the hallway. "Ready?" Anakin asked. The two gave a thumbs up. Anakin lit up the dark room when he ignited his lightsaber. The light quickly disappeared when he thrusted his lightsaber into the ceiling. The saber cracked and fizzled. The sound echoed through the hall. Soon, a small group of droids were coming down the halls. Globes and Rhett opened fire. Due to the lack of cover in the hall, Globes and Rhett made quick work of their enemies.

"You guys alright over there?" Anakin asked, still cutting through.

"For now. But there's gotta be more coming." Globes said. Anakin strained to cut through faster. After a few more small groups of droids, the clang of the circular piece of the ceiling hitting the ground pierced through the blaster fire. Anakin jumped through the hole and into the dark room above. He saw the droid in the corner, and guided it back to the hole.

"Help me lower this thing!" Anakin shouted down. Globes and Rhett looked down the hall, seeing only broken droids in the halls. They turned to help Anakin for a moment. Anakin lowered the heavy droid through the hole, handing it to the three men down below. Suddenly, sensing danger, Rhett turned and fired his blaster at the doorway, by the time Anakin looked to see what he was firing at, a droid hit the ground, with a blaster hole right between its eyes. Anakin raised his eyebrows, there was no doubt in him now. The men finally got the droid lowered, Anakin hopped back down. The metallic clang of battle droid footsteps was heard from the hall. Anakin ignited his lightsaber again.

"Stay close, and stay sharp." He said, stepping out into the hallway. He immediately was fired upon, methodically blocking blaster bolts with his saber left and right. Rhett stepped into the hallway, and behind the protection of Anakin's saber. Rhett leaned out and in the dim light of the emergency lights, and the light coming from Anakin's saber, took aim and fired several shots in succession, each hitting and disabling a droid. The men made quick work of the several droids that were in the hall. "Keep moving." Anakin said. The men picked up their pace to a run. They got to the stairs. Two battle droids were waiting. Anakin quickly sliced through the chest of one, and cut the legs off another as he ran by. The legless droid was still functional, until Rhett placed two shots in it as he ran by. Anakin held his troops at the door way. He got out his com link again. "Commander Lowe, we're at the exit point is there much going on outside?" Anakin asked.

"It's weird sir, I don't see anything." Lowe replied.

"What's your position?" Anakin asked.

"We moved back up the hill a ways for a better vantage point." Lowe replied.

"Got it, we'll meet you up there shortly." Anakin said. He led his four man, and one droid team, back across the landing pads. They ran to the half wall again, and took cover.

"No way it was that easy." Rhett said.

"It was a good plan." Anakin responded. The group waited a few minutes to see if there was any more danger, after a while they started up the hill towards Lowe's position. Anakin decided to confront Rhett about his force ability. "So where did you learn to shoot like that?" He asked Rhett while walking up the hill.

"Well, Shrik, Ginx and a few other farmers would go Blackback hunting. But I guess I first learned on Naboo when my dad taught me. We used to shoot at Opees and Sandos if they started causing problems on the Lakes." Rhett replied.

"The lakes of Naboo, huh?" Anakin asked with a smile.

"You've been?" Rhett asked.

"Yeah." Anakin said reminiscently. "I have." Anakin began thinking about the times he was with Padme by the lakes of Naboo. It had been a while since he saw her. He began daydreaming. His mind wandered to the lakes of Naboo with his wife. He pictured their life together, living at the lakes, peacefully after the war. He smiled and closed his eyes. Peaceful and happy thoughts filled Anakin's mind.

"Get down!" The sound of Rhett's screamed pierced through Anakin's thoughts. For a moment, Anakin was confused. Before he had time to process what was happening, Rhett put his shoulder into Anakin's sternum and tackled him to the ground. Right as the two hit the ground, the sound of a rocket coming from one of the watch towers exploded just where Anakin was standing. Rhett crawled, dragging Anakin with him, behind a large boulder. Suddenly, the peaceful thoughts that filled Anakin's mind were gone, and Anakin found himself back in a war zone. Commander Lowe's group open fired. The turret from the tower began firing. Anakin's group was pinned behind trees and rocks.

"Lowe! Get these bastards off us!" Rhett yelled up to Lowe, who was now not far from the group.

"We're trying! You mind giving us a little help?" Lowe replied. Rhett peered just above the boulder. Almost immediately, a blaster bolt hit the top of the rock. Rhett scrambled back down into cover breathing heavily in a panic.

"Not sure what we can do down here." Rhett yelled up. He turned to Anakin, who was just beside him. "What do we do?"

"We're pinned. Lowe and his men have to take that turret out before we can move." Anakin said. Rhett looked at Lowe's position, he followed their line of sight to the tower, and realized they had nearly no shot at the droid manning the gun.

"It doesn't look like that's happening soon." Rhett said. Near the compound, through the blaster fire, he heard the sound of speeders starting up. More droids were coming. "Looks like it's starting to be now or never, here." Rhett said. He turned to the other men, who were behind a tree nearby with the droid. "You boys ready to book it?" Rhett yelled.

"Once we get that thing off us, yeah." Replied Globes.

"You've got the droid?" Rhett asked.

"Right here, sir." Globes yelled back.

"Alright. Be ready." Rhett said. He closed his eyes, and took deep breaths. He trusted his feelings, he trusted that he would know exactly where to aim.

"What exactly is your plan?" Anakin asked. Rhett didn't answer. He was focusing his mind. Suddenly, he popped up, and fired one blast. The bolt flew over the fence and squeezed in between the roof of the tower and above the turrets shield and struck the droid perfectly in the head, it dropped to the ground.

"NOW!" Rhett yelled. He turned and ran up the hill, they got nearer to Lowe's position, who was waiting for them. "Run! Run! Now! Speeders incoming!" Rhett screamed. They all got up and began running up and over the hill. The sound of speeders came closer and closer. The men got to the bottom of the hill, still several yards away from the grain fields.

"Into the fields!" Someone shouted in the chaos. That's when the speeder ramped over the crest of the hill, and began firing. Blaster bolts were singeing the grass at the heels of the Republic soldiers as they dove into the grain, hidden. They ran a little ways into the thick crop, until the droids got off their speeders at the edge of the field and fired shots into the grain.

"Hit the deck!" Yelled Rhett. The men laid down, as blaster bolts flew over head for several seconds, then it stopped. Rhett heard the droids call for backup. He slowly and quietly crept deeper into the grain fields. The others followed. The sound of more and more speeders whizzing around the fields became prominent. When Rhett felt they were deep enough into the field, he had the men gather around. "If they have rockets like that, it's not safe for any ship to extract us anywhere near here. Any ideas on how to get us out of here?" He asked the group.

"Why can't we go back to where they dropped us off?" Patch asked.

"This whole sector is crawling with droids. If we come out of this grain, they'll see us and fry us for sure." Lowe said.

"Fight our way out?" Cork asked.

"No way, even if we clear ourselves a path, the ship will still be too exposed to make it." Anakin replied. He turned to the militia. "Home-towners, you know the land. Where can we go?"

"There should be a trail through the trees that connects this field with another on the other side of that ridge." Hosque said, pointing above the grains and to a nearby hill.

"He's right, that's where Mynta's fields are. He's a friend" Pyrthwa said. "And if we exit that field on the north side, that's where his barn is. We can hide in there and await extraction." He explained.

"Is it far enough to get a ship in and out?" Anakin asked.

"If it's a quick one." Pyrthwa said.

"Then we better not have any droids following us. So stay close and stay quiet. Hosque, Pyrthwa, take point, navigate us to the trail." Rhett said. The two men looked up at the stars, orienting themselves. "Ardees," Rhett continued his orders, turning to the clones "Bring up the rear, stay sharp." The two farmers took lead, wandering through the grain field. The men knew they were getting close to the edge of the field as the sound of speeders circling the field began to get louder. Pyrthwa and Hosque stopped at the edge of the field, and pulled back some grain that was blacking their view.

"There it is." Hosque said.

"Alright." Anakin said. "Let's go." He began to rise from his squat, when Rhett grabbed his shoulder and pulled him down.

"Wait!" Rhett said in a loud whisper. The men fell silent, and heard a speeder approaching, it grew louder and louder, until it whizzed by, not seeing the men.

"That was close." Rhett said. He paused for a moment. "Alright go!" He said. The men burst from the grain fields, and into the woods. There was a speeder path cutting through the woods with thick grass emerging on either side of the path below the canopy of the trees. The men could still hear the speeders buzzing around the grain fields where the droids were still searching for the men. As they got deeper into the woods, their run slowed to a walk, as the men grew tired. Things were calming down, and Anakin came up to Rhett.

"About what happened back there…" Anakin said. "Thanks for saving my life."

"Don't mention it." Rhett replied. "You would have done the same."

"See what I don't quite get though, is how you were able to—" Anakin was cut off. Rhett stopped his walk and snapped his head back, looking at the entrance of the trail. He had that sick feeling in his stomach again. "Everything alright?" Anakin asked. As soon as he asked, he sensed it too.

"Into the grass!" Rhett yelled. "Now!" He dove into the thick grass on the right side of the trail. Some of the men went left. Just as they got into cover, the lights of two speeders entering the trail illuminated the woods. As Rhett lied in the grass, Anakin looked at him, amazed at his ability to sense danger. Rhett didn't move. The speeders stopped right in front of them. Rhett slowed his breathing. On battle droid hopped off the speeder bike and shined a search light down the path.
"They couldn't have gone this far." One droid said to the other. The searchlight passed over the blades of grass where the men were hiding. "Let's go. You're wasting time." The droid said. The other got back on the speeder bike and the two went back the way they came. The Republic squad slowly emerged from the grass, looking at the speeders disappearing.

"That was too close. Let's keep going. Get out of here." Rhett said, starting down the trail again. "Hosque. How far?" Rhett asked.

"Not much at all. Once we get to the grain fields we should be safe." He replied.

"Walker, do you wanna transmit the coordinates up to Obi-Wan and request immediate evac?" Rhett asked. Anakin looked at him in amazement. He still couldn't believe Rhett was able to sense the rocket and speeders coming before he was. He felt the force flowing through him strongly. He seemed like a whole new leader and a whole new man from the beginning of the night.

"Yes, Corporal." Anakin said. The men pushed further into the woods, into the grain fields, and finally, after several hours in their escape, made it to the barn. Some of the men collapsed in exhaustion once they were finally to safety. Their mission, which was only supposed to be a few hours, turned into almost a full day. The men were all inside the barn when Anakin walked in from outside. He was just talking to Obi-Wan over his com link. "Evac is 10 minutes out, boys. Good stuff today." He said the the group. He walked over to Rhett, who was seated up against the wall of the barn. Anakin sat next to him. "You were great out there." He said.

"Was a little shaky there in the beginning, but once I got my feet wet, I did alright, didn't I?" Rhett said.

"Better than alright." Anakin said. "I was gonna ask you…" Anakin trailed off, Rhett raised his eyebrows. "How did you do all that?"

"Oh these droids; they only have the topography and major roads mapped, they don't know where trails, buildings, and crops are. I know the lay of the land a hell of a lot better than they do." Rhett explained.

"No, but like, how did you know when those speeders were coming? Or when that rocket was about to hit me?" Anakin asked.

"I don't know. Like I said, I've been trusting my gut, and it hasn't let me down yet. Globes told me it was a thing called the 'soldiers mentality,' like something just clicks with natural born soldiers. They evolve a sixth sense, an instinct. I guess I have it." Rhett said. Anakin smiled.

"Yeah. I guess you do have it." Anakin said. Soon, the extraction ship was overhead. The men were able to load up the droid, and themselves and get out of the atmosphere with no issue. When they landed back on the cruiser's hangar, Obi-Wan was waiting for them.

"Great job gentleman." He said. "Sorry your stay was extended so long, but that droid you saved was invaluable to the Republic. Thank you both." He said. He turned to Rhett. "And Corporal, congratulations on your first successful mission."

"Thank you, general." Rhett replied.

"I look forward to hearing how you did. But that can wait, and you've had a long day. Go ahead and get some rest. You've earned it." Obi-Wan said.

"Thanks again, General. I definitely could use it." Rhett said.

"Well go along now." Obi-Wan replied. Rhett chuckled and walked away.

"He was very impressive, Master." Anakin said, after Rhett was out of earshot.

"Oh, I'm sure he was." Obi-Wan replied.

"Master, he may be more powerful than we first thought. I didn't see him miss a single blaster shot, and he was able to sense danger before I could on multiple occasions. He credited what the clones called a s'oldier's mentality,' some kind of instinct soldiers form in battle, but what he's describing is the force." Anakin explained.

"Oh I know it is. His midi-chlorian count came back. It was quite high. How was he as a leader?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Shaky at first, but when he zoned in and listened to the force he was as good of one as you could ask for." Anakin said.

"Interesting. You should take him to the council, see what they think."

"Don't you think he's a bit old for the council's liking, Master?" Anakin asked.

"Well, yes, he is older than we'd like, but it seems he may have tapped into his force abilities already. I remember my master wanting to take in and train a boy who was strong in- and already using- the force" Obi-Wan said, looking at Anakin.

"Master, with all due respect, I was nine when that happened. He's almost 23." Anakin said.

"Yes, and when we took you in there was no war going on. We have Jedi dying left and right we could use all the help we can get. It won't hurt taking him to Coruscant. I can hold down things here. You take him and tell the council what all we've discussed." Obi-Wan said.

"Yes, Master." Anakin replied, as he started to walk away.

"Oh, and Anakin," Obi-Wan said. Anakin turned back around, "Good job out there. I'm proud of you." He smiled at Anakin, who returned the look.

In his quarters, Rhett splashed some water in his face. He was dirty and sweaty from running through the fields, but he was too tired to bathe. He sat down on his bed, exhaled and laid down. He closed his eyes for a few seconds when there was a knock at the door. Rhett groaned. "Can it wait 'til tomorrow?" He asked.

"I just thought you'd want to know…" Anakin said through the door. "Tomorrow we're going to Coruscant. I'm taking you to the Jedi council."

"What?" Rhett said. "Why?"

"Open the door." Anakin asked. Rhett got up and opened the door. "You have the force." Anakin told him.

"What?" Rhett muttered.

"That soldier's instinct you were telling me about? It's not some sixth sense. It's the force. And it's strong inside you. When did you start feeling those gut feelings?"

"After the first explosion during the siege. Something clicked, I knew where things were, when I was in danger. I guess it makes sense, but I never thought it was the force." Rhett replied.

"Well, what do you feel?" Anakin asked. "Close your eyes." Rhett followed his command. He sat back down on his bed and took a few deep breaths.

"I feel energy. Power. A bond with my surroundings." Rhett said, rubbing his thumb across his fingers like if he was feeling something tangible in his hands.

"Yes. That's the force." Anakin said, Rhett opened his eyes.

"I never felt it like that before." Rhett said, amazed.

"Something Obi-Wan taught me—sometimes you gotta know what to look for to find it." Anakin replied. "That's why we gotta bring you to the council, and see if you're ready to be trained to control it." Anakin sat on the bed next to Rhett, and put his arm around his shoulder. "Rhett, you're gonna be a Jedi."

Chapter 9: For Chandrilla

One month later.

"Concentrate, feel it." Anakin said. Rhett was sitting on his bed in his quarters back on the cruiser. Rhett had his eyes closed, his hand outstretched. A small mug sitting over the sink in his room began to move. "There you go. You've got it." The mug rose above the counter, and began floating across the room towards Rhett, and into his hand. "Good!" Anakin said. "You're getting it. I think tomorrow we can put this saber in your hands."

"I think so. I feel good. I'm getting the hang of this force thing." Rhett said.

"You're a pretty quick learner." Anakin said.

"Yeah?" Rhett asked.

"For sure. It can take people a lot longer to start moving objects." Anakin said. "Think you can do two?" He said, placing the mug back on the counter next to another. Rhett closed his eyes, and stretched out his hand. He slowed his breathing and relaxed his shoulders. "It's the same thing, but you're going to have to concentrate yourself on two different objects. It's going to be tougher." Rhett scrunched his eyebrows. His breath became labored. One mug raised. "Good. Now the other." Rhett twisted his head. His hand shook. He winced his face. Anakin stopped him. "Easy. Easy, set it down." The mug clanged on the counter.

"What am I doing wrong? I thought I was getting there." Rhett asked.

"It shouldn't be a labored task. When you first started, you were relaxed. The mug raised. Then you started trying too hard. You lose your concentration when you get labored like that. It sounds weird, but you can't force the force. You have to let it flow through you." Anakin explained.

"Flow?" Rhett asked.

"Yes. You aren't summoning the force. It's already around you and those objects. Feel the connection in the force and use it." Anakin explained. Rhett took a deep breath and started to try again. "Stay relaxed." Rhett controlled his breathing. He zoned in and stretched his arm out. The mugs began to shake on the counter. "Yes, keep going." Anakin encouraged. Both mugs raised shakily and slowly. They hovered in the air. "Yes. Yes! There you go." Rhett opened his eyes. The mugs still in the air.

"I think I got it." He said.

"I'd say. Can you handle more?" He asked. Rhett nodded slowly in response. "Bring 'em out." Anakin said. Rhett closed his eyes again in concentration. The mugs began moving across the room very slowly. They sat hovering in the middle of the room. Rhett was completely locked in, so when the door opened, he didn't notice at first. Obi-Wan sat in the now opened door. Anakin's head snapped to him and his eyes widened.
"What is this?" Obi-Wan asked. Moving his eyes around, looking at the mugs. Anakin put his hand on Rhett's arm. Rhett snapped back into it, and let the mugs go. They hit the ground with a clank.

"It's…uhhh." Anakin stuttered.

"Anakin? Is this your work?" Obi-Wan asked. Anakin wore a guilty look. "May I speak with you, Padawan?" Anakin looked at Rhett, who was nervously rubbing the back of his neck. Anakin followed Obi-Wan out into the hallway. The door shut behind him. "What do you think you're doing?" He asked.

"Um, teaching?" Anakin asked.

"Teaching? Do you mean training? Like, the thing that the council told us not to do?" Obi-Wan added.

"Master, the council is wrong on this one. Even you admitted he should be trained."

"It doesn't matter our opinion on the matter, what the council says goes. It is their jobs to judge matters such as this." Obi-Wan explained.

"Their only reason not to train him was age. If Qui-Gon listened to the council on that I wouldn't be here." Anakin argued.

"Qui-Gon was smart and powerful enough to be on the council. The only reason he wasn't was for that reason. He defied the council too often." Obi-Wan explained.

"Maybe he was smart enough to know when they were wrong." Anakin said. "They were wrong in my case, weren't they?"

"So far, yes." Obi-Wan conceded.

"So who's to say they aren't wrong about him?" Anakin said, pointing back towards the room Rhett was in. "He is powerful, and learning so quick. I don't understand why we can't teach him while we're just sitting around. What is it hurting?"

"Anakin, in case you haven't forgotten, you are still a padawan yourself. You aren't ready to teach him yet, besides, you have your own training to do still." Obi-Wan argued.

"I can teach him what I've learned."

"And what if you do? What is the council going to say if all the sudden they catch wind of a Jedi that they haven't trained. It can get you kicked out of the order!"

"You think I'm going to train him to be a full Jedi by working with him a couple hours a week in the middle of a war? I thought if I could get him in tune with his senses, it would make him a useful tool in battle." Anakin plead.

"Hmm" Obi-Wan stroked his beard. "I suppose that isn't the worst idea." A smile slowly grew on Anakin's face. "But, I'd like to sit in on your training sessions, and if I'm unable I want to hear everything you two do. We must be careful about this." Obi-Wan said.

"Thank you master." Anakin said.

"Anyways, I came to get you both. We're launching our counter attack on the compound on Chandrilla. Admiral Yularen would like us on the bridge to go over the plan." Obi-Wan said.

"Yes, master. I'll go get Rhett." Anakin said. He opened the door and found Rhett sitting on his bed still.

Rhett sighed. "Alright Walker, how much trouble did we get in?" Rhett asked. Anakin chuckled.

"Not too much. Obi-Wan wants to sit in on our training now, but it sounds like we can still do it."

"Well, thats good." Rhett said.

"I guess, it's just frustrating that he doesn't trust me." Anakin said, clenching his fist.

"I get that, but like you told me, we are breaking a lot of rules doing this. It sounds to me by letting us keep going, he trusts you." Rhett replied. The frown wore off Anakin.

"I guess. They want us on the bridge. We're launching our counter attack. Come on." Rhett and Anakin walked through the ship and into the bridge. Yularen, Lowe, and Obi-Wan were waiting.

"Corporal, this is the day you've been waiting for. We're going to take your home back." Lowe said. Rhett smiled.

"Let's not get too eager, Commander. We still need to figure out how we should go about this." Yularen said. "General Kenobi, what do you have for us?"

"Our scanners show that the compound has restored power in their generators. We believe their reactors are still down, and with their supplies cut off, it is unlikely they are able to repair them. We believe they are pretty well out of supplies, and vulnerable. We want a complete take over of the compound. So there is going to be some heavy fighting on the ground. We must figure out how to take it back with the least amount of casualties." Obi-Wan explained.

"Well, their biggest guns are in their fighters and in the towers. We take those out, all we've got are droids to worry about." Anakin said.

"We can cut through them easy." Lowe said.

"Yes, now, how do we take out their guns?" Yularen asked.

"Corporal, how'd you like to get in a cockpit again?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Sounds perfect to me?" Rhett replied.

"Great. Corporal, you can lead the air assault. If we catch them by surprise, we can take out their towers before they get their fighters in the air." Yularen said.

"If we make a slow vertical approach over the Zabrak field, their scanners get confused. They won't pick us up until we're not over them anymore by the time that happens, we'll be way too close for them to scramble." Rhett added.

"We can have our shuttles follow them, once they take care of the towers, we'll drop our troops." Lowe said.

"Obi-Wan and I can head the ground assault." Anakin said.

"Sounds like a solid plan." Obi-Wan said.

"Gentlemen, round up your squads. We'll launch our attack in a few hours." Yularen said.

It was nearly time for the assault. There was chaos about the flight deck as several teams were prepping the Z-95 fighters for the assault. Rhett was finishing up his pre launch checklist when he saw the ground teams start to come onto the deck. He noticed Shrik and the militia. He approached them.

"Look what they're letting us do." Shrik said proudly.

"Who's letting you old bastards run into a war?" Rhett asked jokingly.

"Commander Lowe." Shrik said. "He cleared it with the higher ups. I guess he's taking a liking to us now."

"Well they're lucky to have you down there." Rhett said.

"Not as lucky as they are to have you up there." Shrik said. The two men laughed and shared a hug. Rhett caught a few men from Ardees out of the corner of his eye.

"Take care of yourself, old man. I'll see you after." Rhett said, as he walked away from Shrik and towards the clones in Ardees. "You boys ready?" He asked the clones.

"Oh yeah. We're getting Purrgs back too." Globes said. Rhett's face lit up.

"Where is he?" Rhett asked excitedly.

"He's back in the bunks. Still getting prepped." Globes responded.

"Sorry boys, I'll be right back." Rhett said, running towards his fighter. He picked up the helmet sitting in the cockpit; the one that Purrgs gave him during the evacuation. He went to the bunk room and found Purrgs still suiting up. He didn't notice him standing in the doorway at first.

"Hey Trooper," Rhett said. Purrgs looked up at him. "Uniform violation. You're missing this." Rhett tossed the helmet to Purrgs. He looked down and saw some scratches and dirt were still on it from the siege.

"I see you didn't bother to clean it." Purrgs joked. Rhett chuckled.

"Well if I did I knew you were just gonna get it dirty again." He replied. "How's your injuries?"

"I'm breathing fine again. I've been fine for a while. Stupid formalities and protocols are what kept me off duty so long." Purrgs explained.

"Well I'm glad you're back. We almost lost you out there once so be careful this time around, alright?" Rhett said.

"Yes, Corporal. And this time, don't crash the damn fighter after you save the day." Purrgs joked again.

Before long, Rhett was in the cockpit of his fighter. He threw on his headset, and heard the okay to take off. He looked over to the shuttle carrying Ardees and the militia and gave a thumbs up. The men responded back with waves, salutes and smiles.

"This is Blue Leader, callsign Zabrak, checking in, awaiting count off." Rhett said into his comm system.

"I hear you Zabrak. Blue one here." A pilot said.

"Roger that Blue two." Said another.

"Blue three checking in."

"Blue four over and out."

"Alright, alright gentlemen. Great day for a flight. Let's go knock out some droids." Rhett said. He took off from the flight deck, out of the force field, and off the cruiser, leading a pack of fighters and shuttles. They approached the atmosphere. "Alright boys, once we get in range of their scanners stay vertically over those Zabrak fields stay right on me." The ships sunk very slowly down towards the surface. Rhett looked down and was able to see his farmhouse and barn. It was a nice reminder as to why he was in the war. "Alright, on my lead, Blue Squad, rotate into a nose dive and flatten out just over the ground, we want to gain some speed towards the compound. Give them as little time to pick us up as possible." Rhett called out. The fighters followed order, as they all tipped over, pointing straight at the ground, until they were just above the ground. They flattened out and began barreling towards the compound.

"My sensors tell me they've picked us up!" A pilot said in the commlink.

"Doesn't matter. We'll have those towers taken out before they can get ships up!" Rhett responded. With a whole lot of speed, Rhett passed one hill, and another, and after the third the compound was in sight. As soon as it was, a Separatist rocket was right in front of Rhett's nose. He rolled his fighter, and let it pass by his side. He took a hard left, and aimed the nose of his fighter down to aim at a tower. He fired his cannons. The tower blew. His speed took him right past the compound and he began to loop back around.

"Good stuff, Zabrak." A pilot said. "I'll get the northwest one." Rhett looked out his window to see the northwest tower exploding. By the time he finished turning back around, two more towers were taken out by the Republic fighters.

"Nice job, boys. One to go. I've got it." Rhett said as he began his approach. The main structure of the compound sat between him and the tower. He took aim of the tower, but the force was telling him something. He felt drawn to a small satellite dish mounted on an antenna on the roof of the building. He focused back on the tower, and fired his cannons. The tower was destroyed. "Turret towers are gone. Big guns have been taken out. Send the ground troops. Fighters, form up on me. Their fighters will be launched out of that hangar any second." Rhett shouted into his headset. He flew away from the compound. He kept turning his head to look at the dish. "Admiral?" Rhett said into the headset.

"Yes, Corporal?" Yularen said from the bridge of the cruiser.

"I know we're trying to take the compound back. But…like, can I break it a little?" Rhett asked.

"What could you possibly mean?" Yularen asked, a little angry.

"There's antenna on top of the compound. It's housing a few satellites. I think it's their interior communications. If I knock that out, we can put them in the dark. And take this thing easy."

"Negative, Corporal. We have no intel that is a comm tower. It may be useful in gathering some information from the Separatists. Leave it up." Yularen replied.

"Why would they put something like that up on a compound they hardly have control of? We've had them cut off for weeks." Rhett argued.

"Corporal, what makes you think it is a communication tower, anyways?" Yularen asked. There were a few moments of silence over the radio.

"Um. A gut feeling?" Rhett stuttered out. On board a shuttle, Obi-Wan and Anakin locked eyes after hearing Rhett's transmission. On the cruiser, Yularen was furious.

"We cannot gamble that. You do not have permission to blow anything except for what was already—" His transmission was stepped on.

"Uh, yes. This is General Kenobi. Corporal, you are cleared to take out the tower." He said. Just then, Rhett and the fighter group turned back towards the compound, where some Separatist fighters were emerging from the hangar.

"Well you may get your wish, Admiral. We've got more to worry about, currently. Blue squad stay tight! Shields full front!" Rhett said, flicking switches on the control panel. The group of fighters began firing sheets of blasts toward each other. Rhett took out one that was directly in front of him, and flew through the fireball that replaced the ship. He swung back around, by the time the compound was back in front of him, the group had pretty well broken up. The chaos overwhelmed Rhett for a moment, but then he remembered what Anakin tough him. Suddenly, he was able to take in all his surroundings. He knew which of his squad were in trouble and which were on the offensive. Rhett knew his flight path immediately. In one run, he blew three ships off the tails of his squad.

"Holy shit, Blue Leader! Nice flying." A pilot yelled.

"This is Red Leader, dropping ground troops now." The shuttle pilot said.

"I just got their last fighter, more are scrambling, drop those ground troops now!" Another said. Rhett saw his chance. He maneuvered his ship around quickly, and hovered next to the antenna, he wanted to drop it before the ground troops got close. After a few cannon blasts, the antenna tipped over, crashing on the ground in a cloud of sparks. Rhett's focus on the antenna was quickly diverted when he heard a pilot yell on the radio.

"Blue Leader! Incoming!"

Rhett turned his head to see a Separatist fighter barreling towards him, without thinking. Rhett cut power to his engines. His ship dropped flat out of the air, and slipped under the cannon blasts and the fighter that whirred right over head. Rhett switched his stabilizers on mid fall to keep the ship upright, and then quickly gave power back to his engines. The ship slowed its fall to a hover right above the ground. Rhett looked up from his controls out his window to see he was looking straight into the hangar. "Oh" Rhett said to his own delight. He began firing his cannons, rotating slowly, unloading blast after blast into the ships that were inside the hangar. Through the cheers coming through the radio, Rhett destroyed every fighter inside the hangar before angling his ship back overhead. "This is Blue leader. Turrets and fighters have been taken out. Blue squads headed back to the cruiser. Ground troops, good luck. And may the force be with you. Get this thing back for Chandrilla." Rhett said. He led the fighters back to the cruiser without a single casualty.

When he got out of the cockpit, back on board the cruiser, he was mobbed in celebration by his fellow pilots, and of the maintenance crew that had heard what happened. After some celebration, Rhett went to the bridge to monitor the ground battle. He had made it out, but was still worried for his friends. When he entered the bridge, Yularen was watching a live feed from a holo table. He turned around to Rhett.

"Well, Corporal, I believe congratulations are in order. That was quite an impressive move down there." Yularen said.

"Thanks, but how's the ground team doing?" Rhett replied.

"Oh, quite well. Generals Skywalker and Kenobi have noted that the droids seem unorganized. It appears your little stunt out there worked. Perhaps it was a communication tower you took out." Yularen conceded.

"Thanks." Rhett said softly. "How does it look?" Rhett said, approaching the holo table.

"Oh they've reached the interior of the compound. We won't be able to see much from here." Yularen said. Rhett rubbed his chin. "No need to be nervous, Corporal. The Jedi are quite impressive generals. Your friends are in good hands." Yularen reassured.

Rhett sill stared at the holo table. He nervously paced around it for a whole hour. Until a break in the radio silence relived his anxiety.

"Red group to bridge." Obi-Wan said over the radio.

"Yes, general?" Yularen answered.

"Compound is back under Republic control." He said. The men inside the bridge cheered. Rhett took a sigh of relief. "We're running a few more scans to pick up the stragglers, but we should be ready to send in the reconstruction team again by nightfall." Obi-Wan explained. Rhett smiled at Yularen, who returned the look.

"Roger that. Job well done, General." Yularen responded over the radio. Rhett looked out the window on the bridge down to the planet and took a deep breath. He felt that his friends were down there. When the ground team finally came back a few hours later. Rhett was in the hangar waiting for them. The first person he found was Shrik.

"Shrik!" He yelled, and gave a hug. "How was it down there?"

"Man, what a rush!" Shrik yelled with excitement. "We really stuck it to them! That's what they get for messing with Chandrilla baby, yeah!"

"Hell yeah! Now you can go back to the farm!" Rhett said.

"What do you mean?" Shrik asked. Just as he asked the question, Rhett was surrounded by the cheering clones in Ardees squad.

"We'll talk later?" Rhett shouted through the commotion. Shrik laughed and gave him an 'ok' sign with his fingers.

"He's gone and done it again!" Globes exclaimed.

"Glad we got to watch that one this time. Wow!" Patch said.

"They weren't kidding when they said you were a hell of a pilot!" Charmer added.

"Thanks, boys, but you're the ones that did the dirty work." Rhett replied.

"Aw that? That was easier than the simulations, you couldn't have set us up better!" Globes said. Rhett felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Anakin smiling.

"I'd forgotten how good you really were." Anakin said. "That was some good stuff out there."

"A lot of that was done with your advice, Walker. I should thank you." Rhett replied.

"No need, that was one of the easiest clean up operations I've ever been on. That's all the reward I need." Anakin added. Obi-Wan walked up behind Anakin.

"Yes, well done, Corporal." He added. He leaned in to whisper to Rhett. "I can't wait to see what you can do with some more training." Obi-Wan said, as he pulled back and gave Rhett a smile and a wink.

Chapter 10: A New Master

A blue glow danced around the walls inside Rhett's quarters deep within the under-construction Chandilla compound. Rhett waved Anakin's lightsaber around methodically, blocking stun rounds from a Jedi training remote. It had been several weeks since the Chandrilla compound was back under Republic control. Obi-Wan and Anakin's current assignment remained to supervise and defend the compound, but with no attacks, they had plenty of time to train Rhett. He was still very new, but his ability to learn and skills as a Jedi impressed Anakin and Obi-Wan. Anakin had done most of the teaching, Obi-Wan thought giving Anakin teaching experience could help put into perspective what it was like in Obi-Wan's shoes. To some extent, it worked. Anakin, being so powerful, had sometimes struggled to understand why Rhett could not understand some concepts of the force. But for the most part, Rhett was a very respectful and patient learner; two things that Anakin often lacked.

"Look inside me. What do I feel?" Anakin asked. He sat face to face with Rhett. Rhett's eyes were closed.

"You're at peace. There's a calmness surrounding you. You're happy." Rhett said slowly.

"Good." Anakin said. "What are my intentions?" Anakin asked.

"They're good. You're doing what you think is right. What is best for everyone. Training me. You think it's the right decision. But how you're doing it, you're conflicted. You wish the council agreed." Rhett said, eyes still closed. Anakin widened his eyes and looked at Obi-Wan. The two were blown away. Obi-Wan gave a nod to Anakin. Rhett continued, eyes still closed. "You're impressed. I take it I'm doing well. You—" Rhett stopped and opened his eyes. In a quick motion he force pulled Anakin's lightsaber nearby and ignited it. Just then, Anakin pulled out a blaster and fired a stunning round right at Rhett's chest. The blade ignited just in time to block the round.

"Very well done." Obi-Wan said.

"I felt it. It was like I was in your head. I knew you were going to shoot. The rest; knowing where your saber was, pulling it, igniting it, that was all instinct." Rhett said in his own amazement.

"That's kind of how it goes. You're moving along well." Anakin said.

"I think thats enough for today. Rhett, go ahead and get something to eat in the Mess Hall." Obi-Wan said.

"Oh, I'll go with you." Anakin said.

"Actually, Anakin, I'd like to have a quick word." Obi-Wan corrected. Rhett looked at Anakin with a slight concern. Anakin gave hime a reassuring smile.

"Go ahead. I'll catch up." Anakin said to Rhett, who patted Anakin on the back as he passed by on his way out the door. As soon as the door slid shut behind him Obi-Wan started.

"I understand training his precognitive abilities to improve his reflexes, but we may want to reconsider getting him in tune with telepathic abilities. I've rarely seen anyone be able to sense anything more than emotions, he was seeing specific thoughts. It could be a dangerous move for him and for us. Not to mention it could expose our training." Obi-Wan pointed out.

"That kind of power should not be wasted." Anakin argued.

"That kind of power may be the kind that should not be accessed." Obi-Wan corrected. "Just because you may have the ability to do something, does not always permit the use."

"You aren't curious about this at all?" Anakin asked.

"Yes, Anakin, extremely. But someone with power of this magnitude should be checked by more than just us. I do not think we should take his training any further." Obi-Wan said,

"But, Master?" Anakin asked.

"Anakin, I approved of this to sharpen him as a pilot and soldier. Not as a mind reader. I think we've done a good job at what we set out to do." Obi-Wan said. Anakin wore a blank and helpless look. "This is my final decision. You may go now." Obi-Wan finished.

"Yes, Master." Anakin said in disappointment. Anakin slowly walked out of the room and joined Rhett in the Mess Hall. The whole walk he felt frustrated and angry with Obi-Wan, he thought the decision was unfair. He wanted to be apart of the decision and not told what to do. He locked eyes with Rhett, who had a concentrated look on his face. Anakin walked up to Rhett's table and sat across from him. Rhett's concentrated look melted into an excited grin. Anakin was confused at first, then he sensed it. He suddenly raised his palm, and used the force to stop a chunk of Rhett's food from landing on his head.

"Oh come on!" Rhett said laughing.

"Were you holding that up there the whole time?" Anakin asked, smiling, as he used the force to set it back on the table.

"I set it by the door, and moved it up over your head as you walked. I tried to get it to fall on you but I guess you—" Rhett trailed off.

"Saw that coming? Yeah." Anakin said with a smile. "So I guess you are enjoying your training?" Anakin asked.

"Oh yeah. It's been great. And I get to learn how to do stuff like that." Rhett said.

"Well, you should know, Obi-Wan wants to end your training. The Jedi council is not approving of it and I think it's finally getting to him." Anakin explained.

"Oh." Rhett said.

"He said we'd train you to improve you as a soldier. And we've done that. So we're done." Anakin explained slowly.

"I get that." Rhett said.

"I just wish…" Anakin said, irritated, "I wish I was a part of the decision. And not just him telling me what to do."

"I mean, we did start this behind his back. And he did let us do it, just to a certain, and to be honest, completely fair extent." Rhett said.

"It's not fair. I took you on, I should be the one that decides when we're done." Anakin complained angrily. His tone was starting to escalate.

"Hey man, it is what it is. Take it easy. There are bigger problems out there." Rhett said, Anakin continued.

"How are you not more bothered by this?! This is your training- and your teacher -turning his back on you! You should be more upset than I am!" Anakin groaned, visibly upset this time.

"Here's how I see it, Walker. I think Obi-Wan was nice enough just to let us train in the first place. I mean he knew the council was against it to begin with, but let us go this far. Any other Jedi in the galaxy wouldn't have let us get this far." Rhett explained. Anakin stared down toward Rhett's food, still angry. Rhett pushed his tray towards Anakin. "Here. Eat this, you'll feel better." Rhett got up to leave. "Relax, Walker. Try and cool off and come get me when you're ready to go wire up that south wall." Rhett felt some of Anakin's frustration fade as he walked away.

A full day had gone by. Rhett was working on running wires through wall when he sensed Anakin behind him. "Not so easy to be mad on a full stomach is it, Walker?" Rhett said, without turning his head around. Anakin let out a nervous chuckle.

"Yeah, hey, about yesterday…" He trailed off. Rhett turned around and locked eyes.

"Look dude, if you need someone to vent to about whatever you're frustrated about, you can come to me, just don't be a dick about it." Rhett explained. Anakin looked at him guiltily. Rhett knew he should change the subject. "Hand me that arc welder." Rhett said, pointing to a tool nearby. Neither one of them wanted to talk about it, so they just worked on mounting and running wires for sometime. Each one could feel the other searching each others feelings. It was a rather awkward unspoken thing. Feeling the awkwardness, Anakin broke the silence.

"So, uh, I just spoke with Admiral Yularen. Our assignment is changing." Anakin said.

"Oh yeah, where are we going?" Rhett asked.

"Well, um." Anakin stuttered. "We aren't going anywhere. You're staying here." Anakin said somberly.

"Oh." Rhett said. He paused. "Well, I guess that means we won't be hanging out anymore then, huh?"

"Looks that way." Anakin said. The awkwardness was back. Both had so much to say to each other but chose to hold it in. Rhett was one to bury emotions. Anakin's allegiance to the Jedi Order taught him to suppress them. The two just worked in silence. After a long pause, Rhett spoke.

"So uhh. When is that going to be?" Rhett asked.

"Not sure, yet. Soon." Anakin said.

"Ah, Anakin, I thought I'd find you here." Obi-Wan said as he turned the corner in the hallway into view of the two. He seemed curiously happy.

"Master Obi-Wan." Anakin adressed.

"Oh good, Rhett, you're here as well. Just the pair I was looking for." Obi-Wan said. "I just received some interesting news from the front lines on Christophsis. An older padawan died in the line of duty."

"That's horrible." Rhett said.

"While a loss of a Jedi's life is always difficult to hear, this actually helps you, Rhett." Obi-Wan explained.

"How do you mean?" Rhett asked.

"Well, his master is quite old, and close to retirement form the battlefield, and the council feels placing a young Padawan with him does not make sense. They asked for my recommendation and I told them you had been exploring your force abilities and have found yourself quite strong in the force." Obi-Wan said.

"You did what?" Anakin said, angrily. "I trusted you not to tell!"

"Relax, young Padawan. I told them that you were giving small training sessions to Rhett since the beginning. They also agreed it may be good for you. And apparently they still do. I wanted you to think your end goal was small, as to not overwhelm you. I told them about your successes in teaching Rhett the ways of the force. Rhett, you'll be coming with us. The council agreed that having someone far enough along in their training would be a good fit with an older master. And with the war, they want as much help as they can get at this point." Anakin and Rhett looked at each other and smiled. "Oh! And more good news for you, Corporal. Most of their clone squadron was a casualty in the battle, so it was up to my recommendation who to fill, and if you're going to be there, I figured you'd like Ardees with you."

"Thank you, General!" Rhett said excitedly.

"I thought you'd be glad. However, it is up to you and your men whether the militia comes with you." Obi-Wan explained. The smile ran away from Rhetts face.

"This is great, Rhett! You're going to be a Jedi! Like for real this time!" Anakin said.

"Ah shit." Rhett said.

"What's wrong? You don't want to be in the order?" Anakin asked.

"No, thats great. It's just, I got to have a tough conversation with Shrik and the guys I totally forgot about." Rhett said.

Rhett found Shrik in his quarters, and when he sat down on his bed to talk with him, Shrik knew something was off.

"What's with you, kid?" Shrik asked. Rhett sighed.

"Well, I actually just got some good news." Rhett responded.

"So why do you look so down?" Shrik asked.

"Well, they're taking me to Christophsis, to become a padawan under a new master, Ardees is coming with me." Rhett trailed off.

"So we're coming with you too then?" Shrik asked.

"Well, it's up to me whether or not you come." Rhett said.

"Perfect! No higher ups will be in the way then." Shrik joked.

"No, it's just…that I don't think I want you to." Rhett said softly.

"What?" Shrik said with some anger. "Why not?"

"The fighting there…" Rhett stammered "It's not like it was here. It's way more…" Rhett looked for his words. "It's just more. And I don't want you guys dying out there."

"Rhett, kid, we know the consequences of war. We were fully prepared for those on each mission." Shrik argued.

"You were prepared to die to protect your home. Ok? We got that back. This isn't your fight anymore." Rhett said.

"Oh, but it's your fight?" Shrik snapped.

"If I'm going to be a Jedi it is." Rhett explained.

"And is that really what you want? To wear the robes and walk around all mystic like? Or do you just like being able to move shit with your mind and the fancy sword?" Shrik argued.

"I don't know. I'm going to find out." Rhett said.

"Either way, it's still our fight." Shrik said.

"We got them off Chandrilla. You can go back to your farm." Rhett said.

"For now. You know how this goes? Until the Separatists are gone forever, Chandrilla can be recaptured any day. If the Republic loses this war, then we get taken over again. As far as I'm concerned, as long as this goes, it's still my fight." Shrik replied. Rhett sighed.

"I just don't want you to die out there."

"I'm prepared to face that." Shrik said.

"And what if I'm not?" Rhett raised his voice. Shrik looked confused. "Look, I grew up with my family for 13 years. Then, one day, I had to leave. That was it. For 10 years. You're the only family I feel like I have. And if you go, then I won't know what to do." Shrik put his hand on Rhett's shoulder.

"Kid, if you leave me behind here, isn't that the same thing? Besides, you're the toughest son of a bitch I know. If I go, you'll do just fine." Shrik said. Rhett stared at the floor for several seconds.

"Alright. I'll let you know when I leave." Rhett said as he got up and headed to the door. Right before he got out the room, Shrik stopped him.

"Hey kid." Rhett turned around "You and me together? We can handle anything those bastards throw at us." The two smiled.

Later that day, Rhett was in his quarters, practicing some of his force abilities, when he heard a knock. "Come in!" He said. Anakin burst through the door.

"There's been a change of plans. We're going to the Christophsis now, to help liberate the planet there. You'll be coming with us. You'll meet your new master there, and once we get done there, you'll head back to Coruscant with him. We're leaving tonight, so start packing your things." Anakin explained.

"Yes, sir." Rhett responded.

"What's wrong?" Anakin asked, feeling some discontent inside Rhett.

"I just don't get why you aren't continuing my training." Rhett said.

"I know," Anakin said, "I don't get it either. I always said I didn't want a Padawan. And in a weird way, I still don't, but there's something about the way you and I were. I've enjoyed teaching you, Rhett, and wouldn't want to teach anyone but you. But, the Jedi lifestyle is confusing sometimes, and this is what was decided was best." Anakin said.

"Thanks, Walker. See you on the shuttle?" Rhett responded with a half smile.

"See you there." Anakin said. He started to walk out the door and Rhett started to pack his things. Anakin stopped in the door. "Did you decide if your militia is coming?" Rhett paused for a moment, took a deep sigh, and continued packing things into a bag slowly. Without a word, he nodded his head and turned towards Anakin. Anakin smiled. "Well alright then. Good luck, Corporal."

The Jedis and clone squads landed on Chrsitophsis a few miles from the front lines. An older looking Iktotchi along with a few clones approached them.

"Is this the one?" The Iktotchi asked, pointing his large finger toward Rhett.

"Yes, he is. Master Faroch, meet Rhett Kysn." Obi-Wan said. Faroch eyed Rhett up and down.

"Very well." He said. "I knew he was old. I guess I wasn't sure what to expect." He trailed off. His voice was tired and monotone. Rhett wasn't sure how to take the comment. "Here's the deal. The Padawan and I are to go back to Coruscant to begin his training. I'm leaving my squad under your command. They'll be your guys for as long as you can keep them alive. The 501st is the relief team that was sent in, and Skywalker, you'll be with them and Captain Rex. Master Kenobi, you'll be teamed up with commander Cody. Ardees will be here under your command until the young one and I leave Coruscant. Any questions?" There was a silence. "Good."

Faroch moped over to Rhett, eyeing him. He extended his hand. Rhett took it and shook slowly. Rhett's hand was tiny in the Iktotchi's humongous hand. Faroch shook his hand without really stopping his slow walk. "Hope you learn quick. Who knows how long I got left." He passed Rhett, heading toward the shuttle. "Say your goodbyes. I'll be waiting for you on the ship." As he walked away, the men looked at each other almost in shock.

"Don't worry about him. He's been in a tough mood since we lost his Padawan." Rex said. "It's good to meet you, generals. We look forward to serving under you."

Anakin gave a polite nod, then turned to Rhett, grabbed his shoulder and pulled him in close. "Look, no one said this was gonna be easy. You're a tough guy, and a skilled user in the force. Trust your instincts, listen to what he says, and I'll see you real soon." Rhett nodded his head.

"Thanks Walker, see you soon." Rhett responded. He turned to Obi-Wan. "Thanks, Master Kenobi. For everything." Obi-Wan returned a smile. The men were still quiet, still looking at Rhett. He walked over to Ardees. "Boys. Y'all hang around for me, alright?" The clones returned empty stares, they could hear the fighting going on a few miles away and knew the danger ahead. Rhett turned to Shrik and the militia. "You too, alright. I better see you all again." He walked toward Shrik, and gave him a light punch in the chest. He clinched his jaw and spoke through his teeth. "Especially you, alright. Don't do anything stupid." Rhett said.

Shrik fought back his tears with a half chuckle. "Like jumping in a fighter?" Rhett also laughed, which broke the tension a little.

"Yes. Exactly like something like that. I better see you again." Rhett said.

"You will, kid. You will." Shrik said. Rhett and Shrik shared a hug. Rhett pulled back patting Shrik's shoulder. Rhett looked around to all of them.

"Same goes for all of you. Go kick some ass, and get back safe. Win one for the Republic." Rhett walked past the soldiers back toward the shuttle. He got to the start of the foot ramp when he heard Anakin shout.

"Hey Rhett!" Rhett turned around, "May the force be with you." Anakin said with a smile.

Rhett flashed a smile and gave a laxed two-finger salute to hide the sadness. He turned around and head up the ramp. The shuttle took off. Rhett found Faroch inside, and sat next to him.

"First lesson." Faroch said. "Don't get attached to people. It's in the Jedi code, that, 'There is no emotion, there is peace.' "

"I know that." Rhett said, firmly.

"Then why do I sense sadness in you?" Faroch asked.

"I like them." Rhett replied.

"Then you cannot be at peace, you cannot be fully focused." Faroch explained "And, you fear to lose them. Do you have any idea what fear can lead you to?" He asked sternly, leaning closer to Rhett in his chair. Rhett just sat and looked at him with a blank stare. "The dark side." Faroch leaned back. "You have a lot to learn."

"Were you not attached to your Padawan?" Rhett asked.

"I was. And look at me. The council is sending in two of the most powerful Jedi to replace me, I messed up the planet's security so bad." Faroch stood up and walked to the doorway. He paused before exiting, and turned back to say, "Now you see how dangerous attachment can be. Don't forget it." Faroch went to the bunks on board to rest.

Rhett didn't see Faroch until they were already in Coruscant's system. When they began their descent, Rhett walked onto the bridge, and looked out the front. Coruscant was bigger and busier than anything Rhett had ever imagined. Aside from his brief time on Christophsis, Chandrilla and Naboo were the only planets he's ever been to, and he rarely ever went into the cities. In the moments descending into the city, Rhett felt small. Overwhelmed by all the movement and chaos of the city.

"Gazing down into a world of chaos, makes it hard to realize, every one of those dots is a shuttle or speeder. Each is carrying a life as real and complex as our own. All of us connected in the force. If you ever need a reminder of how powerful the force is. Just look down at all the life." Faroch said, stepping in to the bridge, seemingly in a better mood. "See that tall one there? With the Spires?" He asked Rhett, pointing to the Jedi Temple. Faroch turned his head at Rhett, who still looked nervous. "That's the Temple. The center of all Jedi operations. That tall spire there? That's the High Council Chambers. Where we are going." Faroch looked at Rhett, who remained stone faced. Faroch took a second to look into Rhett's mind. "No need to be nervous. You are a rarity, and an anomaly in how the Jedi train their next generations. They just want to meet you. It's not a job interview or anything." Rhett looked at Faroch and gave a forced smile in return.

The two entered the High Council Chambers. Faroch walked to the center of the room and gave a bow. Rhett noticed his movement and followed. He began to speak. "Members of the council, this is Rhett Kysn, of Chandrilla. Corporal in the clone Army of the Galactic Republic, and, as you know, recently appointed as my new apprentice." Faroch said.

"This is the one that stole the fighter in the first siege on the Republic base on Chandrilla?" Ki-Adi-Mundi asked.

Rhett began to stammer. "Y-Yes, sir —I—well, I…"

"Absolved of that crime, was he. Hm?" Yoda chimed in. "Dwell on the past, we must not."

Rhett felt a sense of relief, but he could tell that all eight members of the council were in his head, almost reading his thoughts like a book. It made him feel uncomfortable. Anakin had taught Rhett about the council, and who was who, and had heard some stories about them, but nothing had prepared him for this.

"I am more interested in the training done by young Skywalker." Rhett focused in on the voice, which came from Mace Windu. Before Rhett could collect himself and give an answer, Yoda interjected once again.

"Yes. A good master, was he? Teach you well, did he?" Yoda asked.

"Yes. Yes sir, he was. I picked up on what he was telling me pretty fast, so I guess so." Rhett responded.

"Taught you new abilities, did he. But teach you the inner workings, he did not." Yoda said.

"We never intended for me to be here. Just to fine tune my abilities as an asset - a soldier - for the Republic." Rhett defended his old master.

"Patient, was he?" Yoda asked again.

"Never seemed frustrated to me." Rhett said.

"Did he trust you when it mattered? During the battles?" Windu asked.

"Uh, we only really ran two missions together. One was a recon mission. He actually let me point that one. When it turned into a recovery mission, he took more control, but still let me make the decisions." Rhett replied. The council gave varying looks of disapproval to each other. Rhett wondered why he was being asked so many questions about Anakin.

"And the other mission?" Plo-Koon asked.

"Um, well that one was a little different. He was in the ground assault unit, and I was in the air for that one." Rhett replied. The council still had unsure looks on them.

"And he trained you voluntarily?" Windu asked sternly.

"Yes, sir." Rhett responded. A moment or two of silence followed. Rhett eyed around the room. He no longer felt the council members in his head. Once the silence went on for a moment, Windu broke it.

"Members of the council, are there any more questions for the apprentice before we decide whether to send Padawan Tano to Skywalker?" He looked around the room. No one said anything. "Very well." Windu leaned back in his chair. "As for you, Padawan Kysn. I can feel your strength in the force, but you remain unproven. You will complete a few tests over the next few days to decide where in your training Master Faroch will continue from."

"Yes, sir." Rhett responded. Windu gave a stern look to Faroch, who pulled Rhett in close and spoke sternly and softly in his ear.
"This isn't the army anymore. These are Jedi masters. Address them as such."

Rhett's face grew red with embarrassment. In that moment, he realized the days of he and Anakin having fun and goofing off inside his quarters on the Jedi cruiser were well behind him. This was going to be much more formal than anything he had ever gone through, which added to his discomfort. He looked back up from the floor to Windu. "My apologies." He paused. "Yes, master." Rhett corrected. Windu's stern look faded from his face.

"Any thoughts, have you? Questions, perhaps?" Yoda asked.

"No questions, master. Just want to thank you for bringing me in. I understand this is not how things usually go." Rhett said.

"War brings trying times. We must adapt to the situation at hand, or face dire consequences." Adi-Mundi replied. Rhett didn't have a response. Another period of silence went by before Windu broke the silence, again.

"Thank you Master Faroch. Thank you, Padawan Kysn. You are dismissed."

Rhett turned to leave, until he noticed Faroch's bow and had to correct himself again. The two walked out of the room. "How do you feel, apprentice?" Faroch asked.

"Fine, I guess." Rhett responded.

"You are not fine. I felt the imbalance in you that whole time. Your mind was going a Parsec per second in there." Faroch said.

"It was a lot to handle at once, I admit. A little intimidating, I suppose. But I'm fine. I promise." Rhett insisted.

"Well, you better be." Faroch replied. "Your tests begin tomorrow."

Chapter 11: The Mind Reader

Rhett dragged his feet out of his new quarters within the Jedi temple on Coruscant. He had gone through three days of long tests, which pushed his limits in his ability to use the force. His strong shoulders slumped, his face was shadowed by stubble and bags under his eyes. He looked out the window in the hallway just outside his quarters. He watched the speeders fly by for a moment, before he heard his master's voice.

"You look tired my young apprentice." Forach remarked. Rhett turned to face the Iktotchi.

"I am, Master. I never knew using the force would be so exhausting." Rhett replied.

"That's because you're doing it wrong." Faroch snapped.

"Wrong?" Rhett asked.

"We've all felt your potential. And your tests show that you are very powerful, but you strain yourself to feel the presence of the force." Faroch explained. "Your tests are done. I'm on my way to discuss your results with the council now. As for now, meditate on it. Find the force, feel its presence."

"Meditate?" Rhett asked, with a slight disdain behind his voice.

"Did Skywalker never teach you to meditate?" Faroch asked.

"Um, I guess not." Rhett replied slowly.

"Go to your quarters. Sit down, close your eyes. Relax your body, and concentrate on the living force around you. Really feel it, familiarize yourself with it. That way when the moment comes, you won't need to concentrate so hard to find it." Faroch explained.

"Yes, Master. Thank you." Rhett replied. Faroch patted Rhett on the shoulder as he walked past. Rhett took a moment at the window. He sighed, turned around and went back into his quarters. Rhett was less than excited to meditate to say the least. As his master told him, he sat down on his bed and closed his eyes. He leaned back against the wall. After a moment, he took a deep breath. His mind was blank. He opened his eyes, bothered by the light overhead. He took a few steps to the wall, and turned them off. He sat back down in the darkness.

Okay…this time it'll work. Rhett thought. The living force. Feel it. Find it. Where is it? All they tell me is that it is 'around me.' What the hell is that even supposed to mean? This shit's too deep. Anakin used to just tell me how to move things. I hope he's alright, and protecting the guys. Shrik and Globes, in the middle of the fighting, and here I am. Sitting in the dark. Meditating. I should be back on the farm. My fields gotta be overgrown by now. What am I doing? I shouldn't be here. Hell, I shouldn't even be on Chandrilla. I should be back home. On Nabboo, with dad in the shop, overlooking the lakes. Still, I'd take drinking on the porch with Shrik over this. My mind's wandering. Concentrate. Faroch said to relax. Okay. I can do that.

Rhett repositioned himself on the bed to get more comfortable. He took a deep breath. He sat in the darkness for what seemed like a few minutes. His mind remained blank. He reached out with his mind and felt flickers of the force occasionally, but that is all his efforts ever amounted to. He opened his eyes and took a deep breath. "Shit." He said aloud. He looked around the dark room. He looked at one of his shirts hanging in the corner of the room. He extended his arm, and without much concentration, pulled the shirt so that it tugged on its hangar, sticking straight out, parallel to the ground. "Of course I can do that just fine" He sighed. After turning the light back on, he grabbed a spherical container of Zabrak oil from his bag. He rubbed some over his cracked knuckles and callused hands, and laid on his back on his bed. He rubbed the container in his hands, and began throwing it straight up and letting it fall into his hands right above his head. Occasionally he'd pause it in the air with the force. After a few throws, he heard a knock at the door. He opened the door to answer it.

"Master Faroch?" He addressed.

"Padawan Kysn?" Faroch asked with a concerned confusion.

"I thought you went to talk to the council?" Rhett asked.

"I did." Faroch responded. There was a pause, and Rhett still wore a confused look on his face. "Nearly an hour ago. They had many questions." Rhett's confusion grew. It had felt like 10 minutes. Faroch smiled. "You have much to learn about the force, young one. Walk with me." Rhett started out the room. Faroch placed his hand on Rhett's chest and didn't allow him to walk any further. "You've been here long enough now, Rhett. You need to wear your robes." Rhett slowly turned around. He took a prolonged blink, slightly annoyed. He hated the robes. They were thick and heavy, and a little warm for Rhett's liking. He reluctantly put them on and went back into the hallway with his master. The two started down the hall without much of a destination.

"What did the council have to say, Master?" Rhett asked.

"Well, they too, are surprised with your power. Skywalker must have been one great teacher. You picked up on your abilities quite quick."

"I guess so." Rhett responded, just to break the silence.

"Your reflexes and pre-cognition are slightly behind where they should be. But that's using a measuring stick that assumes you came in as a youngling. In other words, your progress is off the charts. Where did you come from?" Faroch asked.

"Chandrilla. I thought you knew that." Rhett responded.

"Born there?" Faroch asked.

"Well, no. I was born on Naboo and lived there with my parents for 13 years, but I had to leave." Rhett explained.

"Why's that?"

"Well, I'm not too sure. They said it was for my own protection. It happened right around the time the trade federation invaded with their droid army, but it never made sense to me." Rhett said.

"And why not?" Faroch asked, more curious.

"Well, we lived way out from the cities. By the lakes. The fighting wasn't anywhere near us."

"And your parents, who are they?" Faroch asked, still trying to figure out where Rhett's raw power stemed from.

"Their names are Ralfinki and Kayanha Kysn. We ran a small bait shop. It wasn't much, but enough to get by." Rhett said.

"And your parents, where are they from?" Faroch continued to ask.

"They always lived on Naboo. My mom was in the city, but moved out with my dad after they got married." Rhett explained, wondering why Faroch was asking so many questions. "Master, what is this all about."

"Oh it's nothing." Faroch changed the subject. "Back to the council. They, like me, were alarmed by your attachment to your friends." Faroch explained. "I told you, these things are dangerous."

"Friends are dangerous?" Rhett asked.

"Not necessarily having friends. But the fear of losing them."

"With all due respect, master, but thinking about my friends were the times I felt most in touch with the force." Rhett said, rather innocently. Faroch stopped walking and turned to look at Rhett.

"You think because you ran in on a suicide mission and somehow made it out you know more about the force than a Jedi master? The knowledge of the force I studied has been passed down for thousands of generations. You make it through a dark compound and fly one mission and think you know more than me? Your master?' Faroch accused.

"No, Master. Just trying to understand it all. I mean, I didn't even know it was the force at the time." Rhett plead.

"Then that's enough with the talk. I am teaching you. It is not a discussion." Faroch said sternly.

"Sorry, Master. Just thought the insight in my experience would be helpful." Rhett said, innocently.

"What did I say? Not a discussion." Faroch replied angrily. "Come here." Faroch took Rhett by the shoulder and pulled him in to a dark meditation chamber. "Take a seat." Rhett sat down on one of the round cushions in the middle of the room. Faroch took a moment to flick a control panel to close the blinds that stretched across the windows. Once the room had gone dark, Faroch sat facing Rhett. "Look into my mind."

"Look into it?" Rhett asked.

"Feel my emotions. Look deeper inside and read my thoughts." Faroch said. Rhett responded with a sigh. He closed his eyes. He slowed his breath to where it was nearly still. He thought back to what Anakin taught him. He remembered being inside the quarters on Chandrilla, and how he could clearly sense every intention and thought Anakin had. But this time it was different. Rhett sensed a barrier between Faroch and himself. Like if Faroch's horny skull was a wall in the force that Rhett couldn't get past.

"I feel it. I'm looking, but—" Rhett paused. "I don't know…I—I feel something. It's in the way. I can't get passed it." Rhett tried longer. He consciously tried not to strain himself as Faroch taught him. Rhett reached out again, trying to dig further, trying to get passed the barrier. He sensed the force in it, and after a few moments, he sensed it was coming from Faroch himself. Rhett opened his eyes. He saw Faroch with a concentrated look on his face, with his eyes close. "It's you." Rhett said in amazement. Faroch opened his eyes with a grin.

"And you…" Faroch responded. "Having doubts about being a Jedi? Feeling overwhelmed, are you? I sense a feeling of homesickness. Your friends, your home, it all runs through your mind. And you feel a little intimidated by me?" Farich gave a chuckle. "Maybe it's better that way."

"I didn't even know blocking someone out like that was possible." Rhett said.

"Boy, you know little about the force. A prime teaching moment. Do you have any idea why you were paired with me?" Faroch asked.

"Master Obi-Wan told me it was because your Padawan died." Rhett said with a slight questioning tone.

"We're in war. Padawans die every day." Faroch corrected. "You could have been paired with anyone, but Obi-Wan reported your immense telepathic ability. Your ability to read minds and sense people's intentions, was almost uncharted." Faroch explained. Rhett tilted his head down and lowered an eyebrow, intently listening to every word. "Are you familiar with my species? The Iktochi?" Faroch asked. Rhett humbly shook his head. "I thought not. Iktochi, especially force sensitive Iktochi, have incredible telepathic abilities. You have been told your ability to pick up the workings of the force are immense over and over. I can sense your doubts in my abilities to teach you. You want Skywalker back. I thought taking you to school might show you, there is a reason I have been placed with you. I can teach you a lot. You just need to listen to me. Trust me, and I can teach you to make the most out of your gifts. Do you trust me?" Faroch plead.

"Yes, Master." Rhett replied.

"Good." Faroch responded. "Now, how did your meditation go?"

"Well, I did what you told me. I didn't feel much. My mind was too busy, it raced beyond my control. I tried, I really did. I'd say it didn't work, but the weird thing is, I felt like five minutes went by, but after you told me you were gone for an hour, I—" Rhett stammered, "well, I'm not sure what to make of that."

"Curious." Faroch exclaimed. "Try it again, when you get the chance. And really focus in on yourself and the living force around you not anywhere or anyone else."

"Yes, Master. Thank you." Rhett replied.

"That's all I have for you for now, you may go back to your quarters. I will meet you tomorrow for the start of your training. Take a day to get some rest." Faroch said, as he stood up and offered his hand down to pull Rhett up from his seat. After he pulled Rhett up the two exited the room, and began their separate ways down the corridor. "And Rhett," Faroch turned around to say. Rhett turned around. "Thank you for placing your trust in me. I will not let you down." Faroch said. Rhett broke eye contact and looked at the floor and smiled. He paused a moment and gave a polite nod, and continued back toward his quarters.

A few days had gone by. Rhett continued to practice his meditation skills to no avail. His lack of results and plain boredom in it had frustrated him. Meditating actually made him feel less connected in the force. But he placed his trust in his master and Faroch felt it was an important skill, so he kept trying. He sat in the same room Faroch had read him like a book. He looked around for a while, and finally relaxed and closed his eyes.

Alright, Rhett thought, another one of these. Reach out. Find the force. I feel it, but I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do with it. Faroch said to focus on myself. Okay? What about myself? Rhett focused in for a minute, and when nothing came, the frustration came in. This is dumb. Faroch is a smart guy, but I'm not sure the force is the same for him and me. We are different species, maybe that matters. Man, I want Anakin back. It was so easy when we were back home. I'd rather do my training there. Everything is so formal here. I just want to be back in my shitty farmhouse, where I didn't have to bow to everyone and call them 'Master.' Or go back to Naboo. The baitshop was shittier than the farm, but at least I had family. They're both better than here. I guess when Anakin gets back it will be better. Wait… Rhett's head snapped back forward. His eyes tracked around the room. Anakin? He thought.

A moment later the com link inside Rhett's robes chimed. Rhett picked it up. "Corporal Kysn?" A clone's voice said through the com link.

"This is Kysn, go ahead." He responded.

"There's someone here to see you. Come on up to the landing pad."

"Thanks. Will do." Rhett said with excitement in his voice. He sensed Anakin's presence and his walk was quick and deliberate. He made his way to the landing pad, where Anakin was overseeing the unloading of a few Republic gunships. As soon as Rhett neared, Anakin sensed him, and turned to face him.

"Rhett!" He hollered out. Rhett wore a big smile.

"Walker," Rhett replied. "How'd we do?" He asked, as he shook Anakin's hand, greeting his friend for the first time in what felt like weeks.

"About how they normally go." Anakin said with a smile. He looked Rhett up and down. "You look great in those. I guess I should start calling you Padawan, shouldn't, I?" Rhett joked.

"Eh, between you and me, I could do without the formalities. You can just call me Rhett, the same as always." Rhett said. "And as for the robes, if they let me put my barn clothes back on I would." He joked. He and Anakin shared a chuckle. " Hey, how'd my boys do? They alright?" Rhett asked.

"They're all fine. They're stationed on a cruiser. It didn't sound like anyone was going to see much action until you took back command. They didn't really even see that much action on Christophsis, either. We were gone on a rescue mission longer than we were there, and you know me, I did most of the work." Anakin joked.

"Right." A voice said sarcastically from nearby one of the warships. "You sure you want to take all the credit, Master?" Anakin looked over to the owner of the voice, who approached them. Rhett's head jolted back and he raised his eyebrows as he looked to Anakin.

"Master? You replaced me that fast?" Rhett said.

"Rhett, meet my new Padawan, Ahsoka." Anakin introduced his two friends.

"Hello, Master Rhett. It's good to meet you." Ahsoka replied.

"Oh, no. Not a master. I'm willing to bet you're a lot more trained than I am, actually." Rhett joked.

"Oh, sorry. You two seem like you've known each other for a long time, I guess I just assumed…" Ahsoka trailed off.

"It's okay, Snips." Anakin said. Rhett smiled, holding in some laughter and looked at Anakin once again. Anakin peered at him through the side of his eyes, and continued to talk to his Padawan. "Rhett is a special case. Sure feels like we've known each other for a long time. You can go get some rest, Ahsoka. You deserve it." Anakin said.

"Thanks, Skyguy. Nice to meet you Rhett." Ahsoka said as she walked away. Rhett still wore a big smile, the corners of his mouth tucked in, suppressing laughter.

"Y'all got pet names for each other?" Rhett said through a giggle.

"Oh, would you mind your business? You call me Walker." Anakin protested.

"Which, was started by accident, and by the way, way better of a nickname." Rhett argued still smiling. The pair started to walk together, through the temple.

"So how's your training?" Anakin asked.

"Not great, gotta be honest." Rhett responded.

"Really? Why's that?" Anakin asked.

"Well, like I said, the formalities. You know me, I'm a farmer. The robes, the titles everyone has, like I miss just being able to call someone sir or ma'am." Rhett complained.

"It'll just take some getting used to, that's all." Anakin replied.

"I guess you're right. But there's more." Rhett explained.

"Like what?"

"Well, for starters, the council and my master. Like I respect them and all that, but I've been taking care of myself, on my own, since I was 13. It's a very sudden shock to essentially have no control over my life anymore." Rhett continued.

"Well, I agree with you, sometimes the council isn't perfect; but, again, I feel like it'll take some getting used to." Anakin replied.

"Like if they accepted me into the order, and at the same time gave you a Padawan, why couldn't they just let me keep training under you?" Rhett complained.

"What? Are you not getting along with Master Faroch?" Anakin asked.

"Again, I respect the guy. He's real smart, and strong in the force, but sometimes he just rubs me the wrong way. He keeps attacking me for having friends, family, even a home. He keeps telling me attachments can distract a Jedi, or worse lead them to the dark side." Rhett said. Anakin stopped his walk suddenly and grabbed Rhett by the shoulder. He looked around the halls.

"Did he tell you what happened on the battle field?" Anakin asked intently, in a whispering tone. Rhett shook his head, slightly concerned. "The clones told me they were totally overrun. When his Padawan died, they said he went berserk. He was screaming, he was angry, and he gave into his emotions. He cut through droids like the clones had never seen. He probably scared himself, going so close to the dark side."

"Wow." Rhett replied, not really knowing how to react. They continued their walk. "Well, he tells me to meditate on a lot, but that never seems to work for me." Rhett explained.

"Sometimes it doesn't for everyone." Anakin said.

"Apparently we both have a good telepathic ability. At least, that's what he told me we were paired together for. I'm not sure I believe it, but if we are similar, shouldn't I be able to do some of the things he does?" Rhett asked.

"Remember, Faroch has been in the order for decades. You've been in for a few days. You pick up things quick, but this stuff isn't that easy. Even Master Yoda is still perfecting his techniques and learning new things about the force everyday." Anakin stopped walking and looked Rhett win the eyes. "Even if you never pick it up, Rhett, it doesn't make you a bed Jedi." Anakin said as he patted Rhett on the back and broke off to head down a different hallway.

"Thanks, Walker." Rhett said with a friendly smile. Anakin turned his head and gave Rhett a wave as he walked. "Or is it Skyguy, now?" Rhett joked as Anakin continued away. Anakin smiled and shook his head.

Chapter 12: Getting Back to Action

Rhett clutched his hands around his master's green saber. Part of his focus remained on the box in the corner of the training room, which he had to keep in the air for the entirety of the test. The rest of his focus kept the dangers of the room away from him. Several training droids shot stunning rounds at him, which Rhett were able to quickly deflect. Suddenly a piston hidden in the wall plunged outwards, sending another box that was lying in front of the piston flying towards Rhett. He stretched his hand out, using the force to stall its momentum. He sensed a blast was going to come from one of the droids. Rhett moved the box between himself and the droid, blocking the stun charge. He pushed his hand forward, and the box flew toward the droid, colliding with, and disabling it. With one droid down, Rhett was able to swiftly advance toward the other two, and cut them down.

"Remarkable." Master Mundi said on the other side of a window, that looked down into the training room. "His ability to learn is certainly something to give praise." He said. He placed a hand on Faroch's back. "But I think some of the credit goes to you, Master Faroch." He said as he started patting Faroch on the back. Faroch smiled and leaned in to an intercom.

"Very well done, my apprentice. You may put the box down. I'll come let you out." Faroch said, his voice echoing inside the training room. Rhett's focused face relaxed, as the box behind him slowly lowered. He walked to the door he entered in and waiting for his master to open it. After a moment, it opened.

"I think it went pretty well, eh, Master?" Rhett asked with a smile as he walked through the doorway.

"I would agree." Faroch reluctantly said. "Master Mundi was watching as well, he too was blown away by the speed at which you have learned to use your abilities." Faroch explained.

"Master Mundi was watching? Does that mean I'm going back into action?" Rhett asked excitedly.

"Not quite, young one. You still have much to learn." Faroch corrected.

"Like what?" Rhett asked. "I've passed every test you've given me. My abilities are well in-tune enough for battle. At this point I'm pretty sure Shrik has seen more action than I!" Rhett complained.

"Now, Rhett, you told me you'd trust my teaching and my judgement. You are not ready. You still have yet to master your meditations." Faroch explained. Rhett sighed and looked around, annoyed. "When you are ready, you will go back, but for your safety, and mine, we will just have to wait until that day arrives." Faroch looked down at his lightsaber, still in Rhett's hands. "I'll take that back, my Padawan." Rhett rolled his eyes and slapped the saber into Faroch's hand. "Thank you. I can walk you through some meditation exercises tomorrow. We'll start early. You are free to go back to your quarters. You have an incoming transmission from Skywalker."

"Thank you, Master." Rhett said, soon before he walked past Faroch to go take the transmission from Anakin. Rhett walked into his quarters. He threw off his robed almost immediately. It had been months since Rhett had last seen Anakin in the Jedi Temple. He talked to Anakin through transmissions every now and then. Anakin always had stories about the war and how he had saved the day, time after time, while Rhett was still stuck doing exercises and training inside the Jedi Temple. Rhett had grown restless, and wanted to be in command of his men once again. He grabbed his holo-puck and set it down on a table inside his quarters and accepted the transmission. The blue hologram revealed Anakin's face, bruised and bandaged. He was sitting up on a bed.

"Hey there." Anakin said, with a small smile.

"Damn, Walker. You look like shit. What the hell happened to you?" Rhett asked, as he sat in his own bed.

"Oh it was nothing. Master Windu and I just had a little run in with some bounty hunters on Vanqor, but we're alright." Anakin responded. "How are things there?"

"Can't believe I'm about to say this, but I think I'd trade you places." Rhett said. "You know me, I can't stand the formalities. I think I'm ready, more than ready, and Faroch is holding me back because I haven't quite got the hang of the meditation yet. When am I going to have a chance to meditate on the battle field?" Rhett complained.

"You gotta remember, he just lost his Padawan on the battle field. He doesn't want that to happen again. He'll just feel better of he knows you're over prepared, that's all." Anakin explained. "Take it as a compliment. He must really like you."

"Some compliment." Rhett said, rolling his eyes.

"How is the meditation going for you, anyways?" Anakin asked.

"Same shit. My mind wanders, I never really find answers. Faroch is supposed to walk me through some exercises tomorrow." Rhett explained.

"Well that sounds promising." Anakin encouraged.

"Eh, it won't matter." Rhett groaned. "It'll be the fifth or sixth time we've tried this. It never works." Rhett complained as he picked up his container of Zabrak oil, he began to unscrew the lid when he realized the calluses and openings in his hands from farming were totally gone. Anakin looked down at the container.

"Well, keep me posted. And I'll be back real soon. I might need you to get me some more of that stuff for all this." Anakin joked, as he motioned to all the wounds on his face. Rhett chuckled.

"At this point I might as well give you the whole thing. I don't need it anymore. And I'm definitely not getting any calluses around here." Rhett complained.

"You'll be back in action before you know it. Have you tried just talking to Faroch about it?" Anakin asked. Rhett shrugged. "Just try it. He might be willing to hear you out. You never know."

"Thanks, Walker. See you soon?" Rhett asked.

"Seems that way. I won't be going anywhere for a little." Anakin said.

"See ya." Rhett said, before turning his holo-puck off. He laid back onto his bed. He threw the container up and down a few times, he then used the force to send the container floating all around the room to his own amusement. After a few moments, he floated it back down onto the table. Rhett yawned. He rolled over on his bed. "Just talk to him, eh?" He said aloud, before taking a deep breath and closing his eyes to drift off to sleep.

Rhett woke up early the next morning to meet Faroch for his meditation exercise. Rhett sat in a meditation chamber for a few minutes before Faroch walked in.

"Good morning." Faroch addressed when he walked into the room and sat across from Rhett. "Good to see you're eager to start, that's new." Faroch remarked.

"Actually, Master, I was hoping to talk to you about something." Rhett said.

"What is it?" Faroch replied.

"Well, it's about going back into action again." Rhett replied humbly.

"Oh." Faroch said, dismissively. "No."

"Well, Master I was just wondering, if it's the meditation that is holding me back, why does it matter? Am I going to drop down and meditate in the middle of a battle?" Rhett asked, rhetorically.

"It is important for you to be in tune with the force in every way possible, before you need to rely on it for your survival." Faroch explained. "Besides, war is a tough place. A lot of violence, death, and suffering. You might experience something you didn't even think you could imagine and not know how to deal with it, and if you can't meditate on it properly, you may never remove that obstacle from your life." Faroch explained. Rhett still wore a disappointed look. "Especially with you, young one. And that relentless attachment to your friends. What if you watch them die? That kind of pain could lead you down a dark path." Rhett's eyebrows raised. He saw his opening.

"And meditation will prevent that?" Rhett asked, trapping his Master. Faroch sensed it, he answered slowly.

"If done properly, yes." He muttered.

"Then if you're so good at meditating, why did you give into your emotions like you did on Christophsis after your Padawan died?" Rhett asked, in an accusing tone. Faroch frowned, angry.

"Who told you that?" Faroch snapped.

"It's in the reports." Rhett lied, but still his Master had decades more experience over him, and saw right through it.

"Don't lie to me, boy." Faroch grew angrier.

"It doesn't matter where I heard it. And it doesn't matter that it happened, because you got over it." Rhett said.

"It took me days to get over that. Not only did my Padawan die, but my own control of the force nearly slipped through my fingers and dragged me down a dark path. The only thing I could do was meditate on it. And if you are not prepared enough to have that to fall back on then—"

"Then I'll have plenty of time, like you did, to come back and talk to you, Masters Mundi, Windu, Yoda, or anyone around here who can help." Rhett interrupted. "But as for the battle itself, Master. I'm no less prepared for it than you were." Rhett's statement bothered Faroch, but Rhett could also sense that it was convincing. Rhett thought he could take the sting off a little. "I'm not saying I'm more prepared, either. I'm not sure how I'd handle that kind of thing, but my point is Master, I'm ready."

Faroch groaned. He stroked his chin. "I'll talk to the council." The words slipped out of his mouth. Rhett's face lit up and he cracked a smile.

"Thank you, Master. You've trained me well. I won't let you down." Rhett said excitedly.

"There's one more thing you need to do beforehand, however." Faroch interjected Rhett's excitement. Rhett's smile shrank, but still lingered on his face. "I'm tired of you using my light saber. It's about time you get your own."

Chapter 13: The Gathering

"Welcome, Younglings," An older Jedi master said sitting in the middle of the Jedi temple on Ilum in front of a frozen waterfall. After he scanned the line of young, force sensitive children, his eyes stopped on Rhett. "and novice padawans" he added, "To the Gathering. It is here you will enter into the caves, to select your crystals and take your first step in creating your lightsabers; an ancient practice, and rite of passage in the Jedi Order. And one that is to be taken seriously." He continued. Rhett listened intently. He felt extremely out of place among the younglings, and having to go through this process with them by his side made him embarrassed, so he was determined not to screw it up. Still, he was a little annoyed he had to be there with the children. A ray of light entered through a high window. The beam was focused through a large crystal overhead, and the waterfall began to melt.

"It is time." Said the master. Shortly after the frozen waterfall revealed the mouth of the cave, the beam of sunlight disappeared. "Go, find your crystals. You must do it quickly, before the ice melts back over the cave. Once frozen, we cannot help you." The master said in a menacing tone. The younglings murmured in fear. Rhett scrunched his face. His immense telepathic ability picked up on the master's intentions. He sensed the deceit. "What are you waiting for?" The master said. The younglings, still concerned still looked at each other, until Rhett began walking toward the mouth of the cave.

"I want to stick with Padawan Kysn!" A youngling called Ji-Yan shouted before joining Rhett's side.

"Well aren't you quite the leader?" The master said. Rhett turned, without stopping his walk to reply,

"They're just kids. I'm the oldest one here by a parsec." Rhett replied.

"But they're here at the same time as you." The Master replied, feeling Rhett's insecurities. Rhett turned back to face forward and walked into the cave, with five younglings behind him. The cave eventually forked off into several openings, Rhett just continued to walk, not thinking too much about which way to go, instead using his feelings similarly to when he navigated the dark compound on Chandrilla.

"Are you sure you know where you are going?" Ji-Yan asked. Rhett turned around and looked at all five younglings, still following him.

"Well, no. I'm going my own way, like we were told." Rhett replied.

"He's right." Another youngling, named Chit, added, "Master Wyann told us this was an individual journey. We must trust our own feelings, not just Rhett's."

"But I don't want to go alone." Ji-Yan replied.

"You do if you ever want to find your crystal." Chit snapped back.

"He's right, guys. If we want to get out in time, we're going to have to split up." Another youngling said. Some of them looked up Rhett, awaiting his input.

"Look, kid, all I know is that this is where I'm supposed to go, If you guys don't feel like this is right, you should go your own way." Rhett said, looking down to Ji-Yan

"Alright, I'll see you all outside?" Ji-Yan said, slowly backing away, the rest of the younglings followed suit. Rhett watched the younglings until they were all out of sight, then continued on his way. Rhett continued to follow his feelings, and they did not lead him wrong. Soon he was in a room deep within the cave filled with crystals, some blue, some green, partially embedded in the walls of the cave. Rhett knew that only one was his crystal. Only with one did he have a connection with, but standing in the huge space with all those crystals, Rhett had no idea which one was his. He walked around eyeing the crystals. None stood out to him, the feelings that led him down each corridor of the cave, were gone.

After a few minutes wandering around in the room, not sure what to do, he heard the younglings laughing. One after another the younglings poured in, all holding their crystals. Rhett felt something was odd.

"Rhett! Rhett!" Ji-Yan exclaimed. "We found ours!" She looked at Rhett's hands. "Where is yours?"

"He hasn't found it yet!" Chit snapped in a mocking tone. "I guess he really is as weak as us. Weaker even!" Rhett clinched his jaw.

Ji-Yan laughed, along with the other younglings. "I heard he can't even meditate yet!" Ji-Yan mocked. Rhett lowered an eyebrow, confused and frustrated.

"He's got 15 years on us, he'll never be a Jedi!" Chit mocked again. "And we thought he was more powerful because he was older!"

"How can he not meditate? It's so easy!" Another youngling added.

"Meditation is key to being a Jedi, he'll never be one!" Said another.

Rhett slowly lifted his hand, and closed his eyes, trying to block out the children's laughter. Rhett reached out in the force, he didn't feel the Youngling's presence. He opened his eyes, the children were gone. After a moment of confusion, he realized it was only a hallucination.

Okay, Rhett thought, Whatever just caused -that- really wanted me to focus on meditating. Rhett looked around. A rock protruding from the ground was nearby. Rhett sat down on the ground and leaned his back against the rock. I've got plenty of time. I still don't buy that frozen waterfall's gonna lock us in here. I'll give it a shot. It's never worked before, but this place is a lot more connected in the force than Coruscant. Rhett closed his eyes. He slowed his breathing. Still, his struggles continued. He could not find any answers in his meditation. He knew this was an important moment, and did not want to prove the younglings correct, even if it was just a hallucination. Rhett kept his mind clear. He reached out in the force. He kept his focus in the moment. He was using everything that his Master had taught him. What felt like hours went by, and Rhett still had no answers. He took a deep and frustrated breath, and opened his eyes.

But now, when he looked around the room, the cave walls that were once littered with crystals, were bare. Rhett's eyes danced around the empty room, and eventually focused in on a single blue crystal embedded in the wall. His eyebrows shrunk in confusion as he slowly got himself back up to his feet. Still in amazement, he slowly stepped toward the crystal, and carefully picked it up out of the wall. Once he touched it, he knew that the crystal he was holding, was indeed his.

Rhett made his way back through the cave. Rhett wasn't surprised when he saw the entrance of the cave still wide open, with the threatening waterfall still overhead, nearly in the same spot as it was when he had entered. Rhett looked around the entrance to the cave. Master Wyann still was seated on the pedestal in the center of the room. Rhett looked around to see if the younglings had returned with their crystals, but Master Wyann was the only one around.

"Back so soon?" Wyann said, still with his back facing Rhett. Rhett was marveled. Being out of the cave brought him back into reality. Stepping out was almost sobering, Rhett didn't grasp how surreal the experience really was until he was outside. Almost in shock, he raised his thumb behind his shoulder, pointing back inside the cave.

"Do you know what goes on in there?" Rhett muttered. Wyann laughed.

"Yes." He said sharply, as he slowly adjusted himself to face Rhett. "The construction of their saber is a right of passage to a Jedi. We all have gone in, and we all came out changed. The selection of the cyber crystal is unique, and individualized process." Wyann tried to explain. He could still read the confusion on Rhett's face. Wyann cracked a smile. "What'd you see?"

"Well," Rhett wasn't sure where to start. "The kids were following me. Then one of them said they needed to split up and go on their own, so they did. They left me. Then I came up on this huge room. There were crystals everywhere. And I knew that I couldn't just pick one of them, so I kind of just walked around, waiting for one to connect with me, when the kids came running into the room. They all had their crystals, and they were mocking me. Making fun of me. I knew it was a hallucination, but it was so real." Rhett stammered.

"What were they saying?" Wyann hhasked.

"Just how I was never going to be a Jedi, saying I can't even meditate properly, or find my crystal."

"Let me ask you, Rhett. Is your failure in your meditation making you fear you will never become a Jedi?"

"I guess." Rhett said, hlooking timidly at the ground.

"We all face fear, Rhett. What separates a Jedi is if they steer into it and face it, or if they run from it. So tell me, what did you do?"

"Well, since they all said something about meditation, I felt like that was telling me to give it a try. I'm not good at it, not in the way my master describes it anyways. I sat there, and I tried. I tried so hard, and for so long, but nothing was coming to me. I focused my mind for what felt like hours. But judging by how high up that ice still is, and that the kids aren't back, it couldn't have been long. I finally gave up and opened my eyes, and then my crystal was suddenly the only one in the room." Rhett explained as he opened his palm to show the Master Jedi.

"Then it looks like the meditation achieved what you meant for it to, no?" Wyann asked. Rhett still had an empty feeling, in the absence of what he expected to be the big satisfaction of finding his crystal. He decided to change the subject in an attempt to take his mind off it. He eyed the frozen waterfall.

"Those kids aren't really going to be trapped in there if that ice hits the ground, are they?" He asked. Wyann was able to feel Rhett's confidence in the statement. He saw right through the lie. Wyann gave a half chuckle and smiled at Rhett.

"They told me you were good." Wyann said, staring at Rhett in amazement. His eyes moved up to the ice above the cave entrance. "We tell them that to make the moment feel more important and give them some urgency. If needed, the kids will find the strength in the force to break right through." Wyann explained.

"So you're lying to them to make them more focused?" Rhett asked, eyebrows scrunched with doubt in the explanation. "Seems a little wrong, some of those kids were scared as shit."

Wyann's head snapped back to Rhett, almost offended at what Rhett was saying.

"It's for their own good. It's how the Jedi have done it for thousands of years." Wyann explained.

"For their own good" Rhett scoffed mockingly under his breath. "Don't tell the kids that."

Chapter 14: The Saber

Because Rhett had already been assigned a master, he was to construct his saber with Faroch, instead of going with the Younglings onto the Crucible, a Jedi starship where younglings usually made their sabers. Rhett was sent back to Coruscant, to the temple. He sat at a workshop table with a large selection of lightsaber parts in front of him. Rhett picked up a few parts from the table and began to fidget with them, sort of putting them together into the beginnings of a lightsaber.

"No, no." Faroch corrected. "With the Force." Rhett sat the parts down again. He closed his eyes and with a half open hand in front of him, he raised a few parts, hovering just above the table. Faroch looked intently at Rhett, and after a moment spoke again. "Going through the motions, are we?"

"No, Master. I'm focused." Rhett responded.

"Yes, you are. But this isn't a test. You aren't just constructing a lightsaber. You're constructing your lightsaber. A Jedi's weapon is his life. You must share a connection to the weapon."

"I will, but right now I'm just looking at a big pile of parts, how am I supposed to feel connected to this scrap metal?" Rhett asked, holding up an emitter, when he finished his sentence he slammed it on to the table, frustrated.

"You're done for today." Faroch snapped, glaring at Rhett. "I suggest to you, boy, to seek a deeper connection to the things around you. This is not something to take lightly."

Rhett sighed. "Yes, Master."

"I trust you will meditate on this?" Faroch asked. Rhett gave an annoyed, yet humbled nod. He still hated meditating, even after his experience on Illum. "And I also hope, for both our sakes that these kinds of outbursts will also be put behind us, yes?" Faroch added.

"Yes, Master. I'm sorry." Rhett said. Faroch continued his glare as he walked out of the room. Rhett picked up the emitter again and spun it between his fingers, thinking about all the advice he was given over the past several hours. Since he left Illum it was constant instruction, what he should be feeling, what he needs to be looking for, along with how to construct the actual inner workings of the lightsaber. Rhett gave the emitter a light toss back onto the table before getting up to exit the room.

Rhett returned to his quarters. Once he sat down on his bed, he realized how tired he was. He figured he could spend time meditating on his upcoming lightsaber construction the next day. He force pulled the container of Zabrak Oil from the table on the other side of the room. Fidgeting with it was a comfort for Rhett. He'd rub it between his hands, roll it around in his fingers, and toss it around to himself to clear his mind. Soon enough, he grew tired enough to sleep, so he sat the container back onto the table and went to bed.

The next day when Rhett went to meditate, he was met with the same struggles that he usually faced. This time his mind fixed especially onto Chandrilla and Naboo. Rhett was especially frustrated, not only because he again could not properly meditate, but the frustrations only made him want to go home. He grew homesick. He went for the Zabrak oil. He picked up the small container, stared at it for a bit, tossed it to himself a few times. He opened the jar, and took a big whiff of the oil's natural scent. Rhett closed his eyes and pictured his home. He was transported in his mind, back onto his porch with Shrik. He remembered watching the sunset, with the scent below his nose not coming from a small container, but wafting all around with fields of roots giving off the sweet aroma. Rhett wore a half smile, with his eyes closed feeling at peace.

That peace was broken by a knock on the door. Rhett opened the door to see Faroch. "Did you get a chance to meditate?" Rhett nodded his head. "Good, then we can try again. Come with me." Faroch said, starting down the hall. Rhett quickly threw on his robes and jogged out of his quarters, down the hall to Faroch's side. They made their way back to table with all the saber parts on it. Rhett sat down and stared at it once again. He lowered an eyebrow in thought. He waved two fingers over the table, and a group of parts were pushed off to the side with the force.

"Just eliminating some." Rhett explained to Faroch, who was intensely watching his every move. With his left hand Rhett gestured and with the force rose a part above the table. With his right hand he lifted another. He pushed the two together and they joined. Rhett held them up with his left hand and started to bring another one up. He looked at Faroch to gauge his judgement.

"Don't focus on me, focus on what's in front of you." Faroch said. Rhett nodded his head and closed his eyes, focusing on what he was doing. Several parts lifted off the table and hovered. Rhett reached into his pocket and held his crystal between his thumb and forefinger. Gently, the crystal floated into the center of the parts that were raised above his head, and they centered around the crystal encapsulating it within all its components. Finally, the saber was in one piece, and Rhett lowered it down into his hands. He clutched it and opened his eyes. The saber, while in one piece was still incomplete. Its inner workings were exposed. Its hilt was only halfway constructed, but in Rhett's concentration he felt it was complete. Faroch could feel his disappointment and walked over to inspect the saber. He looked over Rhett's shoulder to see the incomplete saber.

"What happened?' Faroch asked.

"I don't know. It felt right. I could feel the connection." Rhett explained. He looked back over the parts still left on the table. "Whatever part I'm missing isn't here."

"This is all we have. It must be one of these." Faroch replied. "What came from your meditation?" He asked. Rhett was caught.

"Not much. My mind was pretty busy this morning, just missing home. That's all." Rhett replied. Rhett reached out to feel Faroch's irritation.

"I thought I told you to let go of your attachments. This is a good lesson of how they can be distractions. Try it again. Meditate on it, let it go, and when you're ready we can try to build a lightsaber again." Faroch said. Rhett grew angry. Not only was Faroch prescribing meditation, which was not working for Rhett, but Rhett also realized another delay in his return to action.

"Can't you tell that it's not working for me?" Rhett snapped.

"I know, but it will." Faroch said. "It can take years for younglings to master the practice."

"Well, I'm not a youngling, am I?" Rhett snapped back. Faroch felt disrespected, and he grew angry.

"You're right. You're not. You've received less training than a youngling. They have more control over their emotions than you do." Faroch replied. "I suggest you start controlling yours before that attitude gets you into more trouble, boy." Rhett glared back at Faroch with his head looking down, taking deep breaths through his nose. He grabbed his saber and stood up quickly. He got chest to chest and looked upward to Faroch's eyes.

"What are you going to do, huh?" Rhett said through his gritting teeth. "Send me home? You'll be doing me a favor." Rhett stormed out of the room. He returned to his quarters. He shut the door behind him and stood, looking down at his incomplete saber. He scoffed and gave it a toss onto the desk next to the Zabrak container. He collapsed onto his bed, and looked up at the dark ceiling, and just sat stewing for awhile. He lay like that for several minutes until he felt a calming presence. Soon after he heard a knock on the door.

"Is that you, Walker?" Rhett called out through the door.

"It is. You alright?" Anakin replied.

"Come on in." Rhett said. The door slid open, Rhett sat up in his bed. "Faroch tell you what happened?" He asked.

"He gave me a run down." Anakin replied, lightheartedly. "He just wanted to know if anything like this happened when we were training you."

"Of course not, we actually got along." Rhett replied.

"He means well. He doesn't want to fail you. He already feels like he failed his last padawan." Anakin explained, as he slowly walked over to the table and picked up the container of Zabrak oil. "You mind if I use some more of this stuff?" He asked, raising it up for Rhett to see. Rhett shook his head and Anakin started to rub some oil onto his hand. "I love this stuff. I've only got one left," He said raising his mechanical hand, "Might as well take care of it." He set the container down, and picked up the lightsaber. "So this is what we came up with, is it?" Anakin asked.

"Yeah" Rhett scoffed. "Real piece of shit, ain't it?"

"No." Anakin said with a chuckle. "We just need to figure out what went wrong. Faroch said you meditated on it, but it didn't really work out?"

"It never does." Rhett said with a sigh.

"Well what'd you feel?" Anakin asked.

"Not a whole lot. My mind was busy, I guess I'm pretty homesick because I kept thinking of home." Rhett explained.

"Well, you might want to listen to it. Maybe you're mind wasn't aimlessly wandering. Maybe the force was telling you to go home." Anakin said.

"Why would it be telling me to do that?" Rhett asked.

"I don't know." Anakin admitted. "That's for you to figure out." Rhett's eyes drifted back to the oil container on the table. He sat leaning on his elbow with his arms laying across his body. He began to tap on his fist with his other hand as an idea started to churn in his mind. A smile slowly creeped onto his face. "The force speaks to us all in different ways for different reasons, you know?" Anakin continued.

"Yeah, I think I do." Rhett replied partially to himself, now with a full smile. Next thing he knew, Rhett found himself in the cockpit of Anakin's yellow interceptor, which Anakin let him use to go back to Chandrilla. Rhett landed next to his farmhouse, and walked inside just to look around. Wearing a smile he walked out of the front door and onto the porch. He looked over his fields, which had been overgrown with grass and weeds. Rhett didn't care too much, he was just happy to be home, and he wasn't there to farm. He was there to harvest. He walked over to the edge of the Zabrak field, and knelt down. With a small blade he cut a length of roots out of the ground and wrapped them around his saber. The saber still felt incomplete, and there was noting to affix the roots to.

Rhett frowned. Dozens of thoughts flooded his head on how he could fix it, but one really stuck with him. He needed to put an organic material for them to latch onto. Dirt wouldn't work, so naturally his next thought was tree bark, and he looked into the distance at some trees. Then it hit him. Suddenly everything made sense. He looked down at the saber. At the bottom of one of the hilt pieces he used was the symbol of the Jedi. Just above it was the start of the Zabrak root that Rhett had wrapped around it. The root represented his farming life. The symbol represented his new beginnings. The Jedi order was only a part of who he was, it wasn't his whole life. Just like Chandrilla was only part of his life. He needed to go back to Naboo to complete his saber.

Again, Rhett found himself inside Anakin's ship, joining up with the hyperspace ring to head to Naboo. Rhett didn't know where to start, so he planned on landing at the last place he knew-the old bait shop. But then Rhett realized, his family would probably be there. He remembered that for whatever reason, it was dangerous to be around them. Rhett questioned the validity of that sentiment, but he was too nervous to see them, anyways, so he landed a few miles away and began looking for something to complete his saber. He figured, like the crystal, it would stand out to him. He spent a few hours wandering the Lake country, but nothing stood out. Not until he got a glimpse of the bait shop in the distance. It looked worn down and abandoned. Rhett looked down at his nearly finished lightsaber. He knew the shop was made of wood, and he needed an organic material to finish the saber. Knowing his family wasn't there based on the look of the abandoned shop, he walked to it.

He stepped into the shop. He took off his robes and threw them into the corner where the wood paneled walls were warped and rotted. Some panels were broken or missing, allowing the light to pour in through the slits. He took a few steps over to the corner of the small shack, where some of the wood paneling was damaged. He rolled up his sleeves and ripped a small piece of wood off one of the damaged panels. He grabbed a rusty bucket that was laying on the ground. He walked out of the shop and over to the water and scooped a bucket full of water and returned it to the shop. He started a fire in the shop in the old fireplace that kept the shack warm. He placed the bucket amongst the flames, and placed the piece of wood inside the bucket, after an hour or two in the hot water, the piece of wood could be shaped onto his saber.

Rhett felt a rush of nostalgia as he wandered around the shop, killing time. Rhett spent a few moments looking around, occasionally cleaning a piece of decor or family memorabilia with an empty smile on his face, reminiscing. The wind blew and slammed the door into the frame that it no longer fit. Almost in an effort to relive the days where he would help around the shop, he spent some time to muscle the door back onto his hinges so that it would fit alright. He cleaned the counter and the furniture. He found an old paint can and touched up the signs out front and in the store that read "Kysn and Sons Bait and Supply" in Galactic Basic.

Finally, when the flames started to die, Rhett used the force to carry the hot bucket outside. He shut the door behind him. He dumped the bucket into the grass outside the small porch that stretched in front of the entry. He grabbed the piece of wood off the ground. With his other hand, he placed his lightsaber in his lap where was was sitting. He closed his eyes, the sound of the waterfalls nearby helped him relax. Using the force, the roots unwrapped from the saber, and the wood was shaped around the hilt. The roots then tightened back around and latched onto the wood. The saber was complete. With a big smile, Rhett stood back up and ignited the saber. He eyed the magnificent blue blade, the light reflected off Rhett's matching blue eyes. He began to chuckle in amazement in relief. He clutched the saber tight, looking at its hilt, where the energy of the cyber crystal illuminated through the bioluminescent properties of the Zabrak. He turned it off, and the glow around the roots slowly faded. He walked back inside and grabbed his robes, he carried them in one hand, his saber in the other.

He walked back outside and closed the newly fixed door. As if he was patting an old friend on the back, he knocked on the doorframe twice with a smile. He backed away from the door, still looking at the shop in a moment of nostalgia. He was leaving again, but it was nice to see the place again and help fix it up a little. He loved growing up here, it gave him a great childhood, and over a decade later, gave him the last piece to his lightsaber. Rhett ignited the lightsaber again. He looked back and forth between the shack and the saber still wearing a smile.

"Hey, kid" An old, tired, male voice said from behind him. Rhett turned around, turning his saber off. In his good mood he said brightly,

"Yes, sir?" His smile disappeared into shock. "Dad?"

Chapter 15: Origins

In shock, Rhett dropped his saber and stumbled to his father. His dad walked to him and embraced his son he had not seen in over 10 years. The sound of the waterfalls nearby were pierced with an occasional sniffle and shaky breath as the two shared an emotional embrace. Finally, the two separated.

"It's so good to have you home again." Ralfinki said looking at his son. His eyes drifted back to the saber that was laying on the ground. "What you got there?" Ralfinki asked, pointing to his son's saber. Rhett wiped away a tear and chuckled.

"I've got a lot to tell you." Rhett said shaking his head with a smile. Ralfinki's eyes sunk and tilted his head down, guiltily.

"So do I, son." Ralfinki said, as he came to realize a secret he kept from Rhett for years was going to have to come out.

"Where's - where's mom?" Rhett stuttered.

"Come here, kid. We've got some catching up to do." Rhett's dad said as he grabbed the back of Rhett's neck and lead him back into the shack. He pulled up a chair next to the fireplace for him to sit on, Rhett followed suit. "Look kid," Ralfinki said in his deep, raspy voice. He sighed rubbing the grey stubble on his chin. "You gotta understand, everything we did was what your mother and I thought was for your own good."

Rhett's eyebrows shrunk, cautiously awaiting the reasoning behind the statement. "Okay?"

"Rhett, uh" Ralfinki said slowly, looking at the ground "We weren't totally honest with you when you were growing up." He locked eyes with Rhett. "There's a lot you don't know about your mom and I."

"Okay, where is she?' Rhett asked again, scared of the answer his father would give him.

"She's safe. She's fine." Ralfinki assured. "We disagreed with how to handle your situation years ago. And when she heard about your brother. Well, she…" Ralfinki struggled to find the words. "Look, she just didn't know how to handle losing the only son she had at the time. She was in denial. She was convinced he was alive. She ran off looking for him, and well…" Ralfinki choked up. "She hasn't come back yet. But the way she left, I'm not too sure she's going to." He said, looking back to the ground, fighting tears.

"What do you mean?" Rhett asked, struggling to take in all the information.

"What do I mean?" Ralfinki clarified, "I mean that when she left she was so upset at me. And your broth-"

"No" Rhett cut him off. "I—I— mean, what do you mean 'handle my situation?''' Rhett asked.

"That's what I mean when I said we weren't totally honest with you." Ralfinki said. "Again, kid, we—we did it to protect you. But based off those robes and that lightsaber you were holding, it doesn't seem like theres anything to protect you from anymore."

"I don't understand.." Rhett admitted.

"I know, kid… do you know how your mother and I met?" Ralfinki asked.

"I thought you met in the city." Rhett said, unsure. Ralfinki shook his head.

"No." He gave a small chuckle. He looked up and rubbed his forehead. He wasn't sure how to go about breaking the news to Rhett. "A lifetime ago, my name wasn't even Kysn. It wasn't Ralf either. Back when I was your age my name was Trypp Swiff. That was uhh…" his eyes darted back to the saber on Rhett's hip, and back to Rhett again. "That was when I was a Jedi." Rhett leaned back in his chair, in astonishment. "While I was in the order, I met your mother. She was a Jedi as well. And against the code, we fell in love." Ralf said slowly, trying to allow Rhett to process the shocking information. "Eventually, the council caught wind of our relationship. They gave us a choice to break it off or walk from the order. We tried to make it seem like we broke it off, but eventually it got to be too hard, and we had to walk away. We moved off to Chandrilla, thinking we wouldn't be bothered by the Jedi again." Rhett took some deep breaths, digesting the information. "Now, if you haven't figured out by now, the Jedi—they mean well, but sometimes their methods can be a bit…questionable. Y'know?"

"I've seen it a time or two." Rhett said softly.

"Well, when your brother was born, all the sudden two Jedi showed up at our doorstep demanding him. Said that it was for everyones best interest—he'd be trained. Fortunately, your brother wasn't all that force sensitive. Your mother and I could both tell. He wasn't strong. A few years later when we found out your mother was pregnant again, well that was around the time I was offered a job on Naboo to be in the royal guard. They liked the fact I was a former Jedi, but I put those days behind me. So I told them no." Ralf looked deep into Rhett's eyes. "But the funny thing about two force sensitive people having a kid is... well, the kid ends up pretty hit or miss. Sometimes, they come out with a low M-count, like your brother. And sometimes, they come out strong as shit. That was you. Your mother and I both felt it. We knew it wouldn't be long until the Jedi showed up at our door again demanding you, and there would be no reason - in their eyes at least - to not give you up. That's when I contacted Naboo again. I said I'd take the job if they could help me change our names and give us a place to keep low."

"You moved out here to keep me hidden? Why did you not want me to be a Jedi?" Rhett asked, slightly offended.

"It's not that we didn't want you to be a Jedi. We wanted you to choose. The Jedi, they come and essentially kid nap younglings to grow their order. We didn't think that was right. And let me tell you kid, to have you follow my footsteps and choose that kind of life, makes me so damn proud." Ralf said with a smile.

"So why did you ship me off to Chandrilla?" Rhett asked.

"When all that was going down, with the Trade Federation and all, Queen Amidala was under the protection of two Jedi and the guard. One of the Jedi, Qui-Gon Jinn, recognized me. He was a very powerful master, and somehow knew about you. He must've felt you in me. He asked me about you. Now he ended up dying, but I wasn't sure who he told about you, so I needed you off this rock so they couldn't get to you. He had a padawan with him—"

"Obi-Wan?" Rhett asked.

"Yes! He made it out, and we weren't sure if Qui-Gon told him about you. We just wanted to keep you safe." Ralf explained, gently to Rhett. Rhett chuckled in amazement. The connectivity in all of it, made his world clearer. "Anyways, we had some friends set up that farm for you. We knew we couldn't be wiring you money all the time, it'd be too easy to trace. So instead we set up a farm. A steady source of income, so you could take care of yourself." Ralf eyed his son, with a prideful smile on his face, "and it looks like you did a damn good job of it too."

"Why did you wait so long to tell me? After I got so old, didn't you know that the Jedi wouldn't be interested?" Rhett asked.

"I don't know. It just seemed easier to keep going the way we were going. But today, I was at work, and got notified of a Jedi interceptor coming into atmosphere, I felt that it was you. And when I got here and saw you had a lightsaber in your hands, I knew it was time to tell you." Ralf explained. Rhett still just looked at him, deep in thought. "What were you doing with it on anyways?" Ralf asked. "Was there someone here?"

"No, I—" Rhett stammered, picking it up to show his father, "I actually just finished building it today." He handed the saber to his father. Ralf twisted it, eyeing it up and down.

"That's a fine build. I like it. It suits you. You got a little piece of home to it. The order's gonna be pissed about it, though."

"Why's that?" Rhett asked.

"You know how they are about feeling attachments? They probably won't be happy about you putting your homes into something as sacred as your saber." Ralf explained.

"Yeah, I know. But they said I had to be connected to it. And now I am." Rhett explained.

"Just don't let them push you around too much." Ralf added. "Hell, if I did, you wouldn't exist." Rhett gave a chuckle and a smile to his dad. "Do they even know you're out here?"

"One does." Rhett said. "That's whose ship I came in on. My first teacher. Guy named Anakin Skywalker. He's a good friend. He also doesn't like getting pushed around by the council"

"Well, at least you got one rock to lean on in that joint. It can be tough sometimes" Ralf said, reminiscently. "But I guess you knew that when you went in, didn't you?" Rhett looked down, almost guiltily. "You did choose to go in, right?"

"I mean—" Rhett collected his thoughts on the past few months. "I guess so."

Ralf lowered his eyebrows. "What do you mean you guess so?" He said, almost in an angry tone.

"I mean, I started my training in secret, just to make me a better soldier. Then when we got word I could be officially trained, they told me I was going to. I'm sure I could have said no, but it just seemed like the next step." Rhett explained. Ralf leaned close to Rhett.

"Listen to me." Ralf said, the anger in his voice was much more noticeable. "They don't control you. You think and act for yourself. They say they stand for freedom and justice but then they go and take anyone they want without a choice in the matter. It's bullshit." Ralf continued, some old feelings toward the Jedi were coming back to him. He caught himself, and leaned back into his chair. "Don't listen to me though, as long as you're happy, do whatever you want. But don't let them tell you how to live your life."

"I won't, pops." Rhett said.

"Good." Ralf said. He looked around the shack. "You do all this?" He said, motioning to all the small improvements Rhett made while he was there. Rhett smiled.

"I did. I was just killing time. Thought I'd fix the place up a little." Rhett said. Ralf could tell why Rhett really took the time to make the place look nice.

"Look, kid, that life's behind us. It was great while we had it. I miss it too, but no matter how hard you scrub, no matter what you paint, it ain't coming back." Ralf said softly, shaking his head. "Your brother's gone, and may have taken your mom with him. The Jedi will tell you attachment is bad, and maybe in a way they're right. Don't go chasing the life you left behind. You left it behind for a better one. It's okay to miss those days. But don't dwell on it, alright?" Ralf explained. Rhett was saddened, he quietly nodded his head. Ralf chuckled to himself and put his face in his hands. "I'm so full of shit. I made you miss out on 10 years of fatherly advice and suddenly I try to make it up with some cliché?." He said to himself.

"No, dad, I know you did it for me. You did it all for me. You don't owe me anything." Rhett said. Ralf looked back up at Rhett and gave him a smile.

"Thanks, kid." Ralf replied.

"So uh," Rhett paused for a moment, "You think now I could see you now that there's nothing to protect me from?" Ralf gave him an empty smile. He started to shake his head.

"Kid, the order won't even think about letting you do that. Besides, we live different lives now." Ralf explained. Rhett's face melted in disappointment. "That's just how it's goes, son. Kids grow up and they leave. How are you supposed to live your own life if you keep running back to the one you lived 10 years ago?" Ralf explained. He could sense Rhett's sadness. "You'll hear from me more, though." Rhett looked up at him, hopeful. "When you know you can get a transmission through, without the Jedi knowing you're contacting me, send one. I'll respond as soon as I can." Ralf explained.

"I will, pops." Rhett assured.

"Good." Ralf said, noticing the disappearing sunlight outside. "We're losing light. You should head back to your ship before it gets too dark. Besides, you don't want the Jedi knowing you were out this far from Coruscant."

"I guess you're right." Rhett said, a little disappointed he had to leave so soon.

"I'll walk you there." The men got up and exited the shack, and started to make the walk up to where Rhett had landed Anakin's ship. Rhett shared the story of how he got into the army, he told him about Shrik, Ardees, and how his farming life was. Ralf loved hearing the stories, and kept telling Rhett how proud he was. Rhett climbed into the cockpit of Anakin's interceptor, and before he closed the canopy, Ralf gave Rhett some final advice.

"Look, kid. Again, I ain't gonna tell you how to live your life. And I sure as hell ain't about to try and turn you against the Jedi, but they'll tell you emotions should be surpassed. Kid, your mother and you boys were the best thing that ever happened to me. If I listened to them, I never would have felt that kind of love. It sounds like you got a group of guys that care about you. Don't forget about them just because the Jedi tell you to. Those bonds are special. Take care of 'em" Ralf said.

"It's not just them, pops. It's you too." Rhett added. Ralf smiled as he bent down from the wing of the interceptor into the cockpit to give Rhett a hug. He hopped off the wing, Rhett began to close the canopy.

"And kid!" Ralf shouted over the sound of the engines firing up. He flashed a smile. "May the force be with you!" Rhett looked down with a smile and gave a lazy two finger salute to his father. Some sadness overcame him as he realized he was taking off to leave him again. But this time, he felt he had some closure, and felt that he and his father would soon be together again.

Chapter 16: A Corporal's Return

Rhett landed Anakin's interceptor onto a landing pad in the Jedi temple back on Coruscant. He reluctantly draped his robe over his shoulders as he got out of the cockpit. He had them rolled up beside him the entire flight. He wandered through the temple, looking for Faroch. He finally found him inside some meditation chambers. Rhett opened the door, Faroch's back was turned. He sat still and quiet.

"Master?" Rhett called out softly. Faroch sighed and slowly turned around and looked Rhett in the eyes.

"Yes?" Faroch replied. Rhett slowly pulled his robe back and took his new saber off his hip. The ignition of the blade filled the room with a soft blue light. Faroch's face seemed to light up as much as the room, wearing a face of relief and joy. "Is it complete?" Faroch asked, as he slowly got up from his seat and started towards the saber.

"Yes, Master." Rhett replied prideful, but still nervous about how his master would react. He remembered his father warning him about what the Jedi would think about his saber. He knew Faroch could sense his fear, so he used the force to try and hide it from him. Faroch slowly took the saber from Rhett's hands, and eyed it up and down.

"It's a fine piece, young one." Faroch said. "What is this running up the sides?" Faroch asked.

"Zabrak roots, Master." Rhett replied. Faroch gave Rhett a look. Rhett returned a stone face, mostly in concentration. He felt Faroch around his mind, trying to get a read on him. The feeling soon retreated, as Faroch backed off, but the tension felt between the two remained, heightened by the hum of the saber. It was the only noise in the room for a moment.

"You have a connection through the force? One you found in meditation?" Faroch asked.

"Yes, Master." Rhett replied, concisely.

"And this meditation, you'd consider it to be successful?"

"I finished the saber." Rhett answered, still afraid of what Faroch's response would be. Would he make him create a new one? Would Rhett get in trouble for going home, or seeing his father, a banished Jedi? These thoughts flooded Rhett's mind, but he kept up his barrier so Faroch could not feel them, and it was exhausting.

"Well." Faroch said, "I believe…" Faroch continued slowly, which made Rhett's anxieties grow with each pause, but as a smile grew across Faroch's face, Rhett's nerves diminished. "Congratulations are in order, my Padawan." Faroch finished. Rhett gave a small laugh through a sigh in relief.

"Thank you, Master." Rhett replied.

"Get used to using it, keep practicing. In a few days, you'll need it. I'll talk to the council about letting us go back." Faroch said, as he watched Rhett's face grow more and more excited. "Sound good?" Faroch asked.

"Yes. It does. Very much, so. Thank you." Rhett said with a smile.

"Very well, then." Faroch replied. "Go along." Faroch said as he retracted the blade of Rhett's saber and gave it back to him. Rhett started for the door. "And Rhett," Faroch stopped him before he could get through the door. Rhett stopped and turned back around. Faroch flashed a smile. "I hope you enjoyed your trip."

Rhett felt his chest drop. He had let his guard down, but he never felt Faroch's presence in his mind. He looked down at the floor in a moment of shame, and back up at Faroch. "Did you talk to Skywalker?" Rhett asked, humbly. Faroch still wore a soft smile, one that told Rhett he didn't need to worry.

"Who do you think sent your old friend to talk to you about making your saber?" Faroch asked. Rhett knew that Faroch told Anakin about his outburst, he didn't know Faroch sought out Anakin to go talk to him. It made Rhett feel good. His Master was looking out for what was best for him, and stepping aside when he knew he couldn't get through to him. "He told me what happened. Explained to me why you left. Although I disagree, if you really feel like that is what the force was telling you and it was what you had to do, then I can rest easy." Faroch continued.

"It is." Rhett said, confidently.

"There you have it." Faroch responded, smiling at Rhett. "Go along, now. Rest up."

A few days had gone by. Rhett continued his day-to-day training with Faroch, who, after showing him his saber, Rhett was getting along with surprisingly well. Rhett was asleep in his quarters one early morning, when there was a banging at his door. Half asleep, he got up and opened the door. Squinting his eyes, he looked up at Faroch's eyes.

"Get dressed and ready. Your guys have just disabled a Separatist cruiser, we're going to meet up with them and join their boarding party." Faroch explained.

"My guys?" Rhett asked, having just woken up he hadn't connected the dots.

"Your clone squad, hurry up, now." Faroch clarified. The news excited Rhett, he was eager to see his friends again. He dashed around his room, he put on clothes, grabbed his saber, and started out the door as he began to put on his robe. He stopped and eyed the Zabrak oil container sitting on the table. He looked out the door, and back to the container. He took a step towards the table and leaned to grab the spherical container, and stuffed it into one of his pockets. He quickly walked down the hall, catching up to Faroch who had a large head start on him. Faroch could feel Rhett's excitement, and he stopped to turn around to look at Rhett with a smile. "Well, come along now!"

Faroch and Rhett's shuttle to meet up with the cruiser was getting closer to its destination. Faroch could still feel how excited Rhett's was to see his friends.

"Hey…" Faroch said softly, Rhett's head was tilted back in his seat, his eyes closed. Once he heard Faroch's voice, he opened his eyes to see what Faroch wanted, but soon he felt that it was a more serious conversation, and he lowered his head in attention. "I know you're excited to see them, and I'm happy for you. Really, I am. But you must understand, no matter what happens, you have to stay in control. Keep you emotions in check, no matter what." Faroch said with a lot of emphasis.

"I know, Master. I'm ready." Rhett said. After a prolonged look, Faroch looked away from Rhett, and Rhett closed his eyes again and laid his head back. After a short time, the shuttle was approaching the cruiser. They docked inside the landing bay, and as soon as it touched down, Rhett was out of his seat and standing by the door, waiting for it to open. It began to creak open, and slowly revealed clones on the deck, Rhett looked around for his friends, as his excitement grew. After a moment of scanning the room he heard a clone shout,

"He's here! The Corporal is here!" A flurry of clones began to walk quickly to Rhett. They formed up in front of Rhett and stood at attention, with their helmets off. Rhett could see the smiles on their faces. Rhett's faced matched theirs.

"At ease, boys." Rhett said, as he approached Globes and grabbed his hand and pulled him in for a hug. The clones clamored their welcomes and excitement as Rhett walked down the line, one by one shaking the hands of his squad.

"How was your training, Corporal?" Purggs asked. Rhett laughed.

"Ah it was boring without you guys. I'd rather be up here kicking ass with you!" The group laughed.

"It sure is good to have you back, sir." Cork added.

"It's good to be back." Rhett said with a disappearing smile on his face. He scrunched an eyebrow. He looked around at the clones, something was off. He gave another scan. "Where's Charmer?" He asked the group. The squad lowered their heads.

"We uhh…" Globes started, his voice much sadder than moments ago. "We lost him a few months back." A wave of sadness swept over Rhett, but he remembered what Faroch taught him. He scratched the back of his neck.

"That 's uhh…" he frowned, "tough to hear. Charmer was a good one. Sorry for the loss, boys." Rhett said, trying to sound as professional as possible, while hanging his head.

"We figured somebody told you…" Purggs said as he trailed off, trying to feel out Rhett's emotions.

"I'm alright. Let's keep focused. He wouldn't want us hung up on it too much, would he?" Rhett said.

"That's, right, Corporal." Cork said. Rhett gave a forced smile to his squad.

"Well, I'm happy to see you guys, but where's the militia?" Rhett asked.

"They're around here somewhere." Globes said, looking around for a moment. He cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted, "Aye, civies!" Rhett noticed a head pop up from behind a fighter. It was Ginx. His face lit up, and then turned to the side.

"Hey!" He shouted over the noise of the machinery they were using to fix a fighter. "Hey!" He said louder. The sound stopped. "The kid's here!" Ginx said. Soon after, a man turned the corner form behind the fighter. At first Rhett didn't recognize him, but as he got closer, Rhett saw that it Shrik. As he approached, Rhett looked him up and down.

"Kid!" Shrik yelled, as he approached Rhett and gave him a hug.

"Shrik!" Rhett responded, as the two pulled away. "You look like shit." Rhett said as a joke, but also in his own astonishment.

"War will do that to ya." Shrik said with a small laugh. "Let me tell you, we've seen some shit out there." He continued. Rhett wore a look of concern. He looked Shrik in the eyes. It looked as though the Shrik he knew was dead; replaced by an exhausted and traumatized soldier.

"What's wrong with you?" Rhett asked. "I thought you all weren't seeing much action."

"Ha." Shrik responded. "That lasted about a week. With no commander, we suddenly became the bunch they'd plug into any group that was getting wiped." Shrik explained. The small smile Shrik put up as a facade slowly crept away as he briefly relived all the horrors of the war from the past several months. He caught himself staring at the ground, and looked back up at Rhett and replaced his smile, but it was too late. Rhett had already felt the suffering inside Shrik. Rhett lowered his head and raised his eyebrows in a concerned manner.

"Who'd we lose?" Rhett asked concisely. Shrik looked back at the ground, he took a deep breath and slowly started to rub the side of his neck. He glanced up at Rhett without moving his head much.

"Pyrthwra." Shrik responded. Rhett bowed his head and sighed. "We were in some heavy fire, but it wasn't anything out of the ordinary. Then I heard a rocket incoming." Shrik explained slowly. "I looked over at him in his last seconds. Then I saw…" He tried to tell the story, but it was too difficult, and he trailed off. It didn't matter, Shrik's empty gaze at the floor told Rhett all he needed to know. Rhett placed a hand on Shrik's shoulder. Rhett didn't have any words for Shrik, he just stood by his friend for a few moments. "Is it my fault, kid?"

"What were you going to do?" Rhett asked.

"No. No. You know what I mean." Shrik corrected. "The militia, it was my idea. I dragged him into this, he's gone now." Shrik said, still staring at the floor, fighting back tears.

"Don't go down that path." Rhett said. "It's not gonna lead you anywhere. He knew what he was getting into." Rhett consoled. Shrik didn't move or react at all. "If you asked him if you all should go back or keep fighting, what would he want you to do?" Rhett asked, genuinely. Shrik's eyes lifted from the floor and stopped at Rhett.

"That's why we're still here, kid." Shrik said.

"Then let's go win one. For Pyrthwra." Rhett said, as he patted Shrik on the shoulder.

A short while later, Rhett, Faroch, Ardees and the militia were gathered around a holo table, to Rhett, it felt just like the briefings before the missions on Chandrilla, and it made him happy to be back. Shrik stood silent, listening to his superiors, with no excitement or nervousness. He had been through so many he was almost numbed to any of the emotions Rhett was feeling. The clones were designed and bred for this, but Shrik, just a farmer from Chandrilla, was not.

"Listen up, boys." Rhett addressed his strike team. "It's good to be back with you guys, but we have work to do." Rhett pressed the controls for the holo table, which illuminated and showed a separatist cruiser. "You guys did a great job in taking down and disabling that cruiser, as you know it was able to get its initial jump into hyperspace off, but died seconds after. We've finally located where the ship is dead in space. We don't know who or what is left functioning inside, so we must take caution. Any organics should be taken prisoner if possible, but you have the green light to fire at any and all droids." Some clones scoffed. They knew that any separatist organic would not surrender. Fear of Dooku and Grevious ensured that no one would surrender. They would rather take out one more clone right before they get shot then have to deal with the consequences of betrayal. The clones experienced it first hand, but knew Rhett had not seen enough action to know why this order was so useless.

Faroch sensed the distrust in the inexperienced corporal. It wasn't anything against Rhett, but the clones knew where he was the past several months, while they were gaining much more experience on the field. Faroch tried his best to back up his Padawan. "We're just sweeping the ship to make sure no one of importance escapes. This cruiser is sending in three teams. We'll sweep the starboard side, another team its port side, once we rendezvous in the middle, a third team will sweep its cargo bay for any cargo precious to the Separatists, but we won't have to worry about that." Faroch explained. No one responded. "Understand?" A flurry of confirmations came from the men.

"Good." Rhett interjected again. "We board within the hour. Gear up and get ready, meet back in this hangar."

"You heard him, Lads." Lowe said, as he began motioning for the clones to move out. Rhett gave a nod of gratuity to the commander.

Soon the squad was aboard its shuttle, nearing the dark and disabled cruiser. The shuttle docked on one of the exterior ports of the cruiser.

"Form up." Rhett ordered. He knew from his training that he and Faroch would take the front, their force powers and sabers were responsible for blocking any blaster bolts that came for the squad. The clones and farmers stood behind, blasters pointed toward the door, waiting for it to open. It was quiet, as the tension grew. Rhett dialed in. His senses heightened, and the butterflies in his stomach disappeared. The silence was pierced by the magnificent whooshing sound of Rhett's saber igniting. Its hum was the only sound for a moment, until Faroch ignited his saber. The door hadn't even opened all the way, but Rhett felt the incoming danger. Before his eyes even saw a droid, Rhett knew his next three moves with his saber. Blaster bolts slipped through the doorway as soon as it opened. Rhett and Faroch methodically blocked every bolt that imposed danger, deflecting some back into the small pocket of droids that awaited their arrival. The rest of the droids were finished off by the blasters of the clones behind them.

"Well done." Faroch said, after eyeing the disabled droids on the ground.

"He's better than when he left." Globes joked. Rhett turned around with a smirk and made eye contact.

"I learned a few tricks." Rhett responded with a shrug. He focused back up. "Move out, stay sharp. There will be more." Rhett told his squad, as two by two the men systematically stepped through the door of their shuttle into the much larger cruiser. The squad swept through the cruiser halls, occasionally they would get to a doorway, and a pair of clones or militia would peel off from the group and clear the room. The group never came face to face with more than two or three droids, which would be no match for a Jedi and his apprentice with the company of a clone squad. The squad continued the sweep of the massive ship; the meticulous process had lasted several hours. Despite being battle hardened and genetically engineered, the clones and the militia had become exhausted.

"Our scanners still show only two or three life forms. We don't even know if its intelligent life." Purggs remarked.

"Corporal, I'm not sure this is worth it anymore." Lowe added, in defense of his men, wanting to get them back to safety to rest.

"If there are still life forms on the scanners then the job isn't finished." Rhett replied, as he pressed on. After a moment, his master spoke to him softly.

"We've done our job, my apprentice. We've swept the parts of the ship we were supposed to. I know you're excited to be back, but you aren't going to win the war in this one mission." Faroch explained. Rhett paused and looked at Faroch.

"You really think going back is the right idea?" Rhett asked. Faroch gave a nod. Rhett sighed, almost in relief, he had been so focused and on edge for so long, it was nice to finally see the light at the end of the tunnel, and know that the conclusion was near. "Alright, Master." He said to Faroch, before turning to address the rest of his squad. "Maybe its not a bad idea to get back, is it? We'll head back, but stay sharp. We're still in enemy territory here." Rhett told his troops, who all seemed to share the relief Rhett felt moments ago. The squad turned back, and were making their way back to the shuttle.

"Finally listening to me, now are we?" Faroch joked.

"I've been listening, Master." Rhett replied.

"I know." Faroch assured. "It's just nice to see it in action. You're turning out alright." Faroch said. Rhett smiled Just after, an excited voice of a clone came over a com link.

"Ardees group! Hostile organic, coming into your sector! We've got him on the run. Corridor 7b!" Ardees group all reacted at the same time, as they moved to intercept the Separatist on the run.

"Set up here!" Rhett commanded, when they came to a junction in the hallways. Half of the soldiers covered their flanks, and Rhett, Faroch, Lowe and Globes focused down the hallway they knew the fugitive was down from the updates they were receiving from the other clone group. Rhett raised the com link to his mouth, "We've got a trap set up for him on our position, get him to turn right, and we'll be right here for him.

"Affirmative." The clone said.

A few tense moments passed, as Ardees group awaited for the fugitive to come into their sights. Suddenly, Rhett and Faroch sensed a presence, immediately followed by the sounds of running footsteps. The trap had worked. The fugitive had turned right into Ardees group. And with the other clone squad on his tail, he had no option of escape.

"Freeze!" Lowe yelled. A narrow eyed Gossum stopped, and gave an arrogant, yet defeated smile. The clones in pursuit caught up, and from a safe distance, slowly started to approach it.

"Put your hands up!" Rhett yelled. The Gossum slowly complied. "What are you doing here?" The Gossum replied in its native language. Rhett looked to Faroch. "You know what he's saying?" He asked as he nodded his head toward the surrendering fugitive.

"He's conducting business." Faroch translated.

"With who?" Rhett interrogated. After the reply, he looked back to Faroch.

"He says his business partners wish to remain anonymous." Faroch explained.

"Well they did a pretty shitty job at doing that, transporting you in a Separatist cruiser escorted by the droid army, didn't they?" Rhett asked. "You're working with them, aren't you? What are you selling? Weapons?" The Gossum began a long-winded reply, lowering his hands and gesturing. "Faroch, what is he saying?" Rhett asked as the Gossum continued to speak.

"Not much." Faroch admitted, his concentration split between conversations.

Rhett had had enough, and pointed his saber at the Gossum. "That's enough. We're taking you in." Rhett began to slowly creep toward the Gossum, who was still speaking and moving his hands all about.

"Rhett," Faroch called out, sensing danger. In his arrogance, and frustration with the Gossum, Rhett didn't listen. Rhett lowered an eyebrow and gave a look that tried to intimidate the Gossum.

"In the name of the Galactic Republic—" Rhett started, trying to talk over the words of the Gossum.

"Rhett." Faroch warned more sternly this time, still to no avail.

"You are under arrest." Rhett continued. In one quick move, the Gossum reached for a thermal detonator on his hip and lunged at Rhett.

"Rhett!" Faroch yelled as he stretched his hand out. Using the force, he pulled Rhett back, and pushed the Gossum back. As it activated the bomb, the Gossum blew itself up in an attempt to take out Rhett. The explosion propelled Rhett back toward Ardees, who was far enough back from the blast to keep on their feet. Rhett, however, winced and groaned on the ground. He ached, and had a large gash under his left eye.

"I tried warning you, boy." Faroch said. Rhett expected Faroch to be much more angry, but Rhett sensed a much more sarcastic and playful tone to the comment. Faroch knelt down next to Rhett. "Are you alright?" He asked.

"Yeah." Rhett said, before letting out a large groan.

"Doesn't sound like it." Globes joked. Rhett gave an irritated look at him, before he wiped away some blood from his cheek. He looked at the amount of blood on his hand, it was a lot, but not as bad as he thought it would be. His eyes snapped back at Faroch.

"Thanks." Rhett said to Faroch.

"You're my apprentice. It's my job to bail you out when inevitably make mistakes. It's your job to learn from them." Faroch said, as he pulled Rhett to his feet.

"I didn't sense it until it was too late." Rhett said.

"I didn't either." Faroch admitted. "But I know the Gossum. They're highly intelligent and cunning, I knew he would have a truck up his sleeve." Faroch explained. Rhett groaned in pain.

"You couldn't have mentioned that before I started to walk toward it?" Rhett joked through his painful groans as he moved his shoulder to work out some of the pain.

After that, the return back to the Jedi cruiser was uneventful. Rhett was in the medical bay once again, getting his wounds cleaned, when Faroch walked in.

"How are we doing, my apprentice?" He asked.

"I've been better. I've been worse." Rhett admitted. "Sorry I let you down."

"You didn't let me down." Faroch corrected. "Everything you could have controlled you did perfectly. You got unlucky and ended up face to face with some of the most deceitful and scheming species in the galaxy. But I think you came out a better Jedi than you went in, yes?" Faroch asked. Rhett thought for a moment before nodding his head in agreement. "Then it was a successful mission."

Chapter 17: A Dangerous Rescue

A week had passed since the explosion. Rhett and his squad returned to their routine tasks aboard the Jedi cruiser. Rhett looked in the mirror at his eye. The gash that had opened up had healed nicely to a small pinkish horizontal line about an inch long. He rubbed it with his finger, wondering how he never saw it coming, and thinking about how stupid he felt to put his master and his squad in harm's way. Once the thought of his master was on his mind, he suddenly felt his presence. He turned his head to the door in his small quarters on board the ship. Rhett waved his hand and used the force to open the door. A moment passed where Rhett remained looking at himself in the mirror before Faroch came in through the door.

"Expecting me?" Faroch asked looking at the door.

"I felt you coming." Rhett replied, not breaking his stare from the mirror.

"You always had a knack for that." Faroch admitted. "Well, boy, I came looking for you because I've got some news from the bridge. It's our next mission." Rhett didn't answer. He still sat in the mirror looking at himself and his scar. Faroch could feel his uncertainty. "Are you ready for that?" He asked.

"Why couldn't I sense it?" Rhett asked.

"We've talked about this, boy." Faroch said.

"No. I mean—I know." Rhett said as he turned around to face his Master. "My job as a Jedi is to use the force to keep myself and others safe. I failed at it the first chance I had." Rhett said.

"Rhett, it was misfortune. You ran into a Gossum." Faroch was cut off in his explanation.

"Yeah, I know, but you sensed it still? I heard you calling my name, but I didn't listen. I mean…why couldn't I feel it?" Rhett asked.

"I didn't feel anything." Faroch remarked. Rhett looked at him confused. "I didn't feel anything and neither did you because there was nothing to feel. The Gossum wasn't planning on blowing himself up until he did." Faroch explained.

"Then how come you didn't—?" Rhett started to ask.

"Rhett, none of us were. Both clone squads were still standing back. That isn't a force thing. That's a war thing. They've seen Separatists get backed into a corner countless times. They knew how unpredictable things get. You haven't figured it out yet. That's alright. You have them for that. And they have you and me for whatever experience can't protect them from." Faroch assured. Rhett smiled. "Now I've taught you a lot of skills that Jedi who are around for centuries sometimes don't master, but sensing something that isn't there? Nobody can do that."

"Thanks, Master." Rhett said, humbly.

"Now let's go." Faroch said motioning to the door. Rhett paused a moment and started to walk out the door, after giving Faroch a pat on the shoulder. Faroch returned a smile.

"Gentlemen, there's no way around it. This is our most dangerous mission yet." Commander Lowe said, facing his men in formation. "Any one of you that wants to sit this one out, speak now." Lowe left a moment for someone to speak out. Rhett's eyebrows shrunk and he looked at Shrik, who kept his eyes forward at Lowe. He felt something for a moment, but it passed as quickly as it came. "Good. Here's the deal, Lads. Senator Yehmish was kidnapped by Separatists on her way back from Coruscant. We believe she was taken to Rylkin, that is where we are headed now. We must get her out. Our plan is to fly low, using the tall mesas as cover, and drop you all in. Once you storm into the citadel, and extract Yehmish, you will retreat back into the Mesas where we will evacuate you." Lowe explained.

"Sounds easy enough." Purggs smugly said.

"That's where you're wrong." Lowe said. "Remember, this planet is completely Separatist controlled. That means difficult entry into the system, difficult landings, and once you're down there, you're alone. No air support, no reinforcements. Just you." Lowe looked over his squad. "Can we handle that?" Lowe asked. The clones all grunted and pumped their fists into the air. "Alright then, we'll be there soon. Get ready, lads. We're taking the fight to them. See you out there." Lowe finished, and the clones began to scatter. Rhett's eyes fixed onto Shrik, and as the men started to move around, Rhett bee-lined for him. He placed his hand on his shoulder.

"You alright?" Rhett asked.

"Great." Shrik said with a smile. "Taking the fight to 'em! What we wanted, right, kid?" Shrik said, almost nervously. Rhett didn't need his force ability to see through Shrik's lies.

"Cut the shit, Shrik." Rhett demanded. "You've been off the whole time I've been back, and I felt some doubt in you when Lowe asked if anyone wanted to stay. What's up?" Rhett asked genuinely.

Shrik gave a sigh and his body slumped as the facade he put up came down. "I almost watched my best friend get suicide bombed. I'm allowed to be shaken up, okay?" Shrik broke down.

"I know." Rhett said, not sure how to help his friend. "But, I'm okay—We're okay." Rhett corrected.

"I'm not okay. Rhett, that explosion was just the last thing that wasn't okay. This whole war thing, I thought it would guarantee my freedom, but now I realize, even if we won tomorrow, it's taken it." Shrik explained. Rhett was confused, and Shrik could tell. He explained further. "Rhett I don't sleep. I don't sleep because every time I close my eyes I see a rocket blowing Pyrthwra to high hell. Every time someone drops a wrench or fuser around the deck I flinch. If I sit in my room for too long, I go through every wrong thing in my head over and over, so I do my duties to distract me. I can't leave, kid. Go back to farming? And make these guys go through that? Why is it fair I get to leave and they don't? And even if I did, I'd be out on a harvest, thinking about it all day. So I stay." Shrik rambled. Rhett was shaken, and Shrik could see that, too. "But there's nothing we can do about it, is there?" Shrik said angrily as he started to back away. "So let's just keep going and make sure the good guys win, eh?" Shrik said wiping away a tear and turning around to walk away.

"Shrik." Rhett said in an empty attempt to make him stay. He would have chased after him, but he wasn't even sure what he'd say when he caught up to him, so instead he watched his friend walk away. Rhett hung his head.

"What was that about?" Faroch asked from behind Rhett. Normally, Rhett would have felt like he had been caught, but his relationship with his master had grown to the point where he felt more comfortable asking for this kind of advice.

"Um…" Rhett struggled to find the words, "He's uh…we'll he's been through shit during the war. He watched his neighbor get blown by a rocket, and he's…" Rhett trailed off, "Well, he's not taking it well." Faroch nodded his head in an understanding way.

"It is a problem unique to your group." Faroch remarked. Rhett lowered an eyebrow, not quite understanding. Faroch explained further, "The clones, they're psychologically engineered and perfected so things like that don't effect them."

"So what should I do?" Rhett asked, almost in a desperate tone.

"When I lost my Padawan, it helped to talk about it. Just talk through it with him whenever you can." Faroch said in a caring tone. "But boy," His tone switched, much more serious this time, "I know I don't need to remind you about attachments. Don't let your friend's problems distract you from the mission. Focus only on the force." Rhett gave a nod in understanding. "And boy, you might not be able to help him. You will need to accept that."

"Thanks master." Rhett replied in a monotone voice. He was disappointed in the response, but was glad his master gave him some advice instead of another lecture about his disapproval of his having friends.

A few hours later, Rhett, Faroch, Ardees, and the militia were on board a dark shuttle. They all sat in silence. A dim red light illuminated overhead. Rhett could feel the tension, and the nervousness in each man, something that he had never felt in their previous missions.

"What's wrong with everyone?" Rhett whispered to his master, "You feel it too, right?" He clarified. Faroch returned a small smile. He leaned in and whispered.

"They've been on a lot of missions, they've studied the briefings. It's a dangerous mission, corporal. Just be glad they know what they need to be ready for." It started to sink in for Rhett in that moment. He looked around the shuttle at each of his men, almost preparing to lose one of them if not more. Faroch felt Rhett's feelings stirring. "You aren't afraid are you?" Faroch asked. Rhett looked up to Faroch, and gave a small, fake smile and shook his head. "Fear is dangerous for a Jedi." Faroch said, "There is no emotion…" Faroch said. Rhett smiled, let out a small chuckle and returned his head to its forward position.

"There is peace." Rhett finished the line from the Jedi code. Looking ahead, Rhett noticed Globes' shaky hands, and terrified look on his face. "Nervous?" Rhett asked.

Globes broke his gaze from the floor to look at Rhett. He gave the same fake smile Rhett had given to his master a moment ago. "No, sir." His eyes sank back to floor and the smile disappeared. Purggs had noticed the interaction. He began slowly and rhythmically thumping the butt end of his blaster rifle on the floor of the shuttle. THUD…THUD…THUD. He looked up to his fellow soldiers and smiled,

"Come on, lads!" He called out. Slowly, each of the men started stomping their feet, knocking on their helmets or armor to the beat Purggs had set. Rhett looked around in confusion. Shrik had perked up in his chair and gave Rhett a wink. Purggs began singing to the beat.

"From the Hills and Trees

To the Silver Sea

We're stuck here together, and so it be!"

The rest of the soldiers joined in,

"We'll fight all day

Make those separatists pay!

Chins up, lads and brothers, it's the Chandrillan way!"

Rhett smiled. He recognized the tune. It was a modified Chandrillan drinking song, Rhett and Shrik would often sing at taverns and cantinas,

'From the Hills and Trees

To the Silver Sea

We gather together to drink beers and meads!

We've worked a long day

Now its our time to say

Drink up, lads and ladies, it's the Chandrillan way!'

The spirited song that provided a sense of camaraderie and togetherness back home among drunken farmers was now being sung much more intense by battle-hardened soldiers, but the feelings it brought remained the same. He looked to Shrik and the militia. Shrik wore a large smile. "We taught them the song." He stated over Purggs' singing of the verse. "They made some changes to fit the squad." He said with a shrug. Rhett laughed, and started banging his chest to the beat, as Purggs ended the verse, and let out a rhythmic grunt before the rest of the men joined back in for the chorus,

"From the Hills and Trees

To the Silver Sea

We're stuck here together, and so it be!

We'll fight all day

Make those separatists pay!

Chins up, lads and brothers, it's the Chandrillan way!"

As the song went on louder and louder, each verse more intense than the last, the singing visibly boosted the spirits of the men, and lit a fire under them. The same men who were shaking in their seats moments ago now felt like they could take on the entire separatist army by themselves. Faroch leaned over to Rhett, who was still smiling and thumping his fist to the beat.

"I know the Jedi teach that friendships are distracting, but this…" he said as he motioned to the singing men in the shuttle, "I've never seen this." Faroch said with a smirk. Rhett returned a smile. The men sang one last and loud chorus and ended in cheers and laughter. Lowe let the joy last a moment before he focused them back in.

"Alright, lads. We're entering the system now. Strap in. We all know what we have to do. We all know the stakes. This is what it's all about. What do you guys say, for the Republic?" Lowe asked rhetorically.

"For the Republic!" The soldiers responded with the same enthusiasm and intensity that had carried from the song. As the men fastened themselves to their seats, Rhett took a look around at his squad once again. The fear he had felt before had been overtaken by courage.

"90 seconds!" The pilot called out from the cockpit. Rhett took a deep breath and rested his head back. He looked at Globes. Globes grabbed his helmet from underneath his seat and stared at it for a moment. The smirk on his face disappeared. He slowly inhaled through his nose, then exhaled sharply out his mouth as he slipped the helmet on over his head. Rhett continued to stare, Globes made eye contact with him through his helmet and gave him a nod.

"You ready, Corporal?" Globes asked. Rhett silently gave a nod. Just then, Rhett felt the ship jolt, as it dropped out of hyperspace. The urgency of the mission demanded for the ship to come into the atmosphere of Rylkin incredibly quick, and the maneuver was executed by the pilot on a rather harsh manner for the men in the back. The men felt the bumps and the planets gravity immediately. Grunts and groans of exertion filled the shuttle as the men struggled to hold on to the bumpy ride. The shuttle started a nose dive towards the surface. Rhett felt his stomach drop. He looked to Faroch who looked equally uncomfortable with the bumpy ride. Faroch felt Rhett looking at him.

"We'll be fine." He said through his labored breathing. "I'm getting too old for this, that's all." He said in hopes to calm Rhett. The joints of the ship creaked and rattled as the ship flattened out its rapid descent and hovered in between two mesas.

"All clear! All clear! Go! Go! Go!" The pilot screamed.

"Alright lads, let's go get 'em!" Lowe hollered before opening the door. Quickly and methodically, two at a time out each door the soldiers hooked up to the drop line and repelled to the ground. Once unhooked, they took a defensive position to secure the landing zone. Scoping in on the cracks and crevasses of the rocky terrain. Still on board the shuttle, Faroch and Rhett watched the last set of soldiers start their descent down the line. Rhett was looking down at the ground at the troops when he heard his Masters voice. He turned to face him.

"Don't worry, boy. You've trained for this." Faroch reassured. Rhett gave a confident nod. "May the force be with you." He added. Rhett's smirk snapped to a full smile, before he took a nonchalant step backwards, dropping out of the shuttle. Faroch chuckled and followed suit. Rhett and Faroch landed one after another into the cloud of the dust that was getting kicked up from the shuttle's engines. As it began to climb its elevation the dust settled, revealing the troop in a circular defense position, blasters and sabers at the ready.

"All clear?" Rhett asked.

"Yes, sir." Lowe confirmed. "No heat yet." They surveyed the landscape. Much like the reports, the surface was covered in thick, leafy and jungle like foliage and tall grass. The mesas protruded out of the ground in clusters, dividing the high plateaus with thin valleys that allowed passage for inter-planetary trade routes.

"No way they didn't notice us coming in. Stay sharp." Rhett responded, retracting his saber, and starting to lead the pack through the ravines within the cluster of mesas. Faroch and Rhett pointed the team as they moved silently until they got to the final bend of the valley before the landscape flattened out near the city. Rhett and Faroch sat behind a large boulder. Faroch began to scope out their surroundings while Rhett pointed men to place of cover where they could clear their immediate surroundings.

"What do you see, General?" Globes asked, scanning the empty horizon.

"This path, it seems to be the only one that leads to this valley from the city." Faroch said while looking through his scanner. The path ahead of them was elevated, leaving a few feet of clearance above the large leafy plants and taller grass in the ditches on either side. "We can use that path for cover until we get into the city. I don't see any mobilized droids, but stay ready." Faroch explained. Faroch walked around the large boulder he was sitting behind and carefully made his way down onto the lower brush beside the path on the left. Rhett fell in behind, beckoning for the rest of the soldiers to do the same.

The men walked while crouching, keeping their heads below the level of the path, so not to be seen by anything on the other side. The path and the fog of the lower valleys made for plenty of cover. Occasionally Faroch would stop, sit and listen if he sensed something or heard a noise, but the approach to the city went smoothly. The city looked rundown, and was made up of small and compact buildings, with narrow alleys running between most of the main streets. Ardees deviated from the path once within eyeshot of most of the buildings and remained low under the cover of the planet's leafy jungle-like foliage.

Faroch led the men until they got just in front of one of the entrances into the walled-in city. Between Ardees was a few yards of thick plants, and an elevated path that ran parallel to the city's wall. Faroch motioned for the men to fall in shoulder to shoulder with him, as he used his scanner to look through the entrance. They all laid flat against the small and steep hill that lead up to the road. The entrance itself was unguarded, but Faroch could see patrol units further down the main road of the city that the entrance opened up to. The clones and militia looked down their scopes, at the ready. Suddenly, Rhett and Faroch's heads snapped simultaneously to the left, looking down the parallel road.

"Get down!" Rhett said in a loud whisper. The men lied down and backed away from the road, putting more plants between themselves and the city. The men took a moment to ensure they were hidden, before a convoy of separatist battle droids passed them on the road. The men sat still and quiet amid the tension as the convoy slowly passed. Rhett watched through the leaves, but placed his head back down after a moment. Eventually, the sound of the convoy passed by, and Rhett waited a few moments before whispering to his master. "I saw a few speeders, at least two tanks, and a whole bunch of ground troops." He reported.

"They know we're here." Faroch replied. "Let's stay out of their way as long as we can." He looked over Rhett and addressed the rest of the men in a soft voice, to not be overheard. "We're going to wait a little for that convoy to get further away, then make a run for the city, and get off the main road just inside the gates. It looks like there's an alley between the wall and that building on the left. Everyone got that?" Faroch asked. The soldiers returned nods, and thumbs up. The men laid there for several more minutes. "Trust in the force. When you feel like there's a window, let me know. If I feel it too, we'll go." Faroch whispered to Rhett. Rhett gave a silent nod, as he moved his eyes back toward the road. Faroch felt ready to go for a few moments. Rhett, on the other hand was overanalyzing every thought. He had to - the stakes were too high, his men were with him this time. Faroch could feel it and looked over and saw Rhett's eyes moving back and forth. "Don't overthink it, boy. Trust in the force. If it feels natural, it is right." He explained. Rhett didn't respond. He waited a few more seconds.

"Now." He said confidently, looking to Faroch for approval.

"Let's go." Faroch said, getting up and starting into a run towards the city's entrance. The rest of Ardees saw Rhett and Faroch start to move and followed suit. The men ducked into the small alley unnoticed, with Faroch leading the way and Lowe leading the back of the single file line, back pedaling pointing his blaster back towards the entrance of the alley. Faroch led the men through the maze of alleys for a few hundred meters toward the city center, where they believed the Senator to be held captive. He got to a corner, and something felt off. He cautiously checked around the corner and quickly ducked back around after spotting a patrol unit. "Not that way." He whispered motioning for the men to back track. The men moved around a few buildings before Lowe stopped them again.

"We're about to get pinched, here General." Lowe reported quietly after ducking back around a corner he was about to turn. The men started back toward the main road, the only option they had left. Shrik poked his around the corner, investigating the main road.

"That convoy's coming back!" He said softly, with urgency. The men desperately began looking around for other options.

"In here, general." Cork suggested, as he motioned to a door he had just opened.

"Yes, go." Faroch ordered. The men piled into the building and cleared the room. They systematically swept the structure until they decided it was empty. They took a moment to take it easy, some sat down, others looked around the house and out the window.

"They're everywhere. How are we gonna get through all that?" Patch asked.

"We'll find a way." Faroch said. Shortly after he responded, he sensed the convoy again, he looked out the window, and saw it coming a short ways down the street. "Get out of sight of the window stay down! Stay quiet!" Faroch commanded. The men scattered, finding various hiding spots. Rhett and Shrik ducked behind a counter. Shrik leaned against it. He heard a small thump after he placed his weight on it. He lowered his eyebrow. Rhett sensed the concern and fear in him. Shrik glanced at Rhett to ensure he heard it too. Rhett gave a curious nod. Slowly, Shrik raised his side arm, and slowly opened the cabinet door beneath the counter. Shrik gasped sharply. Before Rhett fully registered what happened, he saw Shrik shakily pointing his blaster pistol. It took Rhett a moment to realize that Shrik was pointing his blaster at a young child, who was hiding inside the cabinet. Shrik's blaster was clattering as his hands shook. Rhett could feel his emotions overflowing. He didn't want to have to shoot the boy, but if he was going to give up their position, he might have to. Rhett didn't want his friend to deal with that, especially after all the stress he had already gone through. The tension in the situation grew as the sound of the convoy passing by pierced the silence. The fear in Shrik's eyes grew as he squinted his eyes, fighting back a tear, as he looked the frightened boy in the eyes. Shrik made his decision. He slowly raised his finger to his mouth signaling for the boy to remain quiet. The frightened boy, slowly moved his small and bony finger to Shrik's forearm. He pointed to the Republic symbol on his armor and then moved his finger to his mouth, an unspoken agreement that he was an ally and would remain quiet. Shrik lowered his pistol, and collapsed his head into his hands in relief. Rhett moved over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder in support.

Suddenly a blaster shot echoed through the building. "Shit!" One of the farmers exclaimed, as he saw the droids in the convoy look into the building, blasters raised.

"OPEN FIRE!" Lowe screamed. From their cover, the men began shooting at the droids through the windows. Faroch jumped into the open and began deflecting bolts back toward the droids.

"We're pinned!" Purggs yelled out among the gunfire. Rhett felt a tug on his robes. He looked down to the boy, who was pointing to a back door, that lead into the back alley.

"Fall back! Out the back door!" Rhett shouted to his men.

"You get back inside there, and don't come out until it is quiet." Shrik instructed the kid, who crawled back into the cabinet. Rhett ran next to Faroch and began deflecting blaster bolts to cover Ardee's retreat out of the building. Once everyone was out, the Jedi slowly backed up, still blocking bolts until they themselves were able to turn the corner out the door.

"What the fuck was that, Hosque?" Ginx asked, as the men ran through the alleyways, back toward the city gate.

"The damn thing walked right in the door, it was going to find us, anyways." He hollered as he ran with his blaster raised. The men moved quickly back through the alleys. Poking their heads around every corner first, checking any nook that a droid could be hiding in. The back half of the squadron kept their blaster pointed up, cautiously sweeping the rooftops, as to ensure nothing caught them by surprise from above. Rhett and Faroch kept the squad's back safe. They made it back to the last corner, the one they came in from, between the city wall and the first row of buildings, with the main path leading out of the gates. The gates were still open, but after Globes took a quick peek around the corner down the main road he held the troops in the small alley.

"Convoy's looking our way, as soon as we come out from behind this corner they'll see us." He reported.

"How are we going to get to the senator, now, General?" Lowe asked Faroch.

"We don't. The mission is blown. We knew this might happen. We need to get as far away from the city as we can." Faroch explained with some urgency. Globes took another glance around the corner.

"Either way, we might have to blast our way through. They're getting closer." He reported in a soft voice.

"We'll retreat back to the tree line on the other side of that road, where we came in from." Faroch responded, keeping his voice low.

"How do you plan on doing that? As soon as one of us goes, they'll see us." Patch asked.

"I got an idea for that." Rhett said, before realizing he was stepping on the command of Faroch. He looked up at Faroch guiltily, "Sorry." He conceded.

"Go ahead, boy." Faroch said. Rhett smiled at him. He turned to the rest of the squad.

"Master Faroch and I will take point. Globes, throw a smoke grenade out in front of the gate. They won't see you. Master and I will block any blind shots they take through the smoke while you guys slip behind us and round that wall as soon as you can, so they don't have a shot. Once you round that corner, head for the trees." He explained, as he pushed his way to the front of the group, shedding his robes. Faroch followed him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Are you sure you're ready for this? That's a lot of fire, and you won't be able to see them coming." Faroch asked, privately to Rhett. Rhett nodded.

"I'm sure." He responded. Faroch broke his intense eye contact with Rhett. He looked at the rest of the squad.

"Alright then, you heard the boy. Globes, on Rhett's mark." Faroch said, drawing his lightsaber. Faroch, Globes, and Rhett all crowded the corner.

"Get ready to run, lads." Globes whispered.

"Send it." Rhett whispered to Globes. He pushed the activation button on the grenade, and slowly rolled it around the corner out on to the main road. It slowly began releasing a thick smoke, and the hiss it made drew the attention of the droids just down the road, they drew their weapons. Once the cloud reached the end of the building, Rhett and Faroch ignited their sabers and took position in the middle of the thick cloud. "Go! Go! Go!" Rhett yelled, and he and Faroch stood shoulder to shoulder, placing themselves in between the droids and their men. The plan had worked, all the droids could see from the outside was a thick grey cloud, the green and blue glow of the sabers was the only thing that could be made out. They opened fire toward the sabers. Rhett and Faroch stood, shoulders square to the fire, as the clones and militia slipped out of the city walls behind them, blocking blaster shot after blaster shot, smoothly swinging from one position to the next. The red light from the blaster fire mixed with the red and green sabers was dispersed in the smoke creating a beautiful light show inside the cloud of smoke.

Once the men had made it to the other side of the wall, Rhett and Faroch started back pedaling, until one after another could make a quick dart behind the outside of the wall and into the trees. Globes and Lowe began leading the clones through the jungle, along the same route they had taken on their way into the city.

"That went well." Faroch remarked to Rhett, as they ran side by side to catch up with the soldiers.

"We got pretty good at that, haven't we?" Rhett said with a smile. Faroch gave Rhett a big smile and gave a playful, light push on Rhett's shoulder as they ran. It was uncharacteristic of Faroch to do something like that, which is why it made Rhett feel like Faroch was really proud of him. The Jedi caught up to the rest of the squad right as the men came up to when the large jungle trees started to change into a thicker grassy and bushy area, which had the elevated path the men took on their way cutting through it.

"Stay low, move quick, we can angle towards that path just like we did on our way here. I'll message for extraction." Lowe ordered. The men crouched down and began walking through the thick greenery. The group made their way through the grass for a short while until they could hear the sound of the Separatist tank rounding the corner out of the jungle trees.

"Get down!" Lowe hollered out. Within a second the men were all lying in the tall grass, hoping that it would be enough to conceal them from the tank. The men sat in silence for a moment as the tension grew. None of them could see the tank, but they knew the danger was just above them on the path. The silence was abruptly pierced by the sound of the tank firing blindly into the fields. The droids accompanying the tank followed suit. Blades of grass above Ardees' heads were being singed as the blaster bolts came inbound. The men didn't move.

"What do we do?" Purggs asked. Rhett tried to answer, but he himself was stumped. He was frozen, much like his first time leading a mission, he felt overwhelmed.

"Rhett!" Faroch said quickly. Rhett made eye contact through the grass. Faroch gave him an intense look. Rhett felt an intense and sudden sense of focus. Somehow Faroch had communicated his entire plan in his thoughts and feelings through the force. It didn't come through words, but Rhett just understood. Rhett was blown away by his power, but didn't have a moment to appreciate it. "Got it?" Faroch asked. Rhett nodded his head. Faroch began to crawl away from the group. Rhett stood up into a crouch and grabbed Globes by the shoulder and pulled him away from the group on the other flank.

"What the hell are they doing?" Cork yelled out to Lowe through the gunfire.

"I don't know!" Lowe responded. "But I trust 'em."

"What are we doing, Corproal?" Globes asked, as he flinched away from a blaster bolt that landed nearby. He was still moving low through the grass, being mostly dragged by the shoulder by Rhett.

"Waiting on Master Faroch. You have those EMPs and thermal detonators, right?"

"Yeah?" Globes responded. "I cant make that throw from this distance."

"That's fine. I've got that part figured out. Just be ready with that EMP." Rhett replied, confidently. The men waited eagerly for a moment, until they heard the sound of Faroch igniting his saber. He immediately drew all the fire toward him, when he popped up over the grass about twenty yards away from the rest of the men. He handled the blaster shots with ease, deflecting every one that came his way. The tank cannon slowly began to pivot towards him.

"The EMP! Throw it!" Rhett yelled out.

"But sir, I can't—" Globes began, until Rhett yelled over him.

"Just throw it!" Rhett yelled. He stood up, and hurled the EMP towards the tank. At first, it was obvious the throw would be short by a good 20 yards, until Rhett thrusted his hand out, and used the force to give it a large push that carried it the rest of the way. Sparks and electric currents surrounded the tank upon the detonation of the burst, and the tank dropped to the ground with a thud, disabled.

"Open fire!" Commander Lowe hollered out. The men followed orders, as they popped out from underneath the grass and began lighting up the droid that surrounded the now disabled tank.

"Globes! The detonator. You have it ready?" Rhett asked.

"That armor is too strong. We'll need to blow it from the inside." Globes explained.

"I know. Run and jump. I'll do the rest." Rhett said. Globes turned to look at him through his helmet. Rhett turned his attention away from the fight to Globes ands gave a reassuring nod. "Go." Globes hung his head briefly preparing himself for what was to come. He hollered out, and took a few hard steps, before launching himself. When he got the the apex of his jump, Rhett extended both arms and dragged Globes through the air over the blaster fire and onto the tank with the force. He crashed hard against the top of the tank, but was able to get his hand on something before he slid off. He stood up, opened the hatch and dropped the detonator into the tank before diving off the top. He barely reached the grass when the detonator exploded, creating a much larger explosion as the tank blew up with it, wiping out any remaining droids around it.

The men stood around, partially in amazement for a moment, looking at the carnage around of them. "Come on, men! Double time!" Faroch focused them back in. "There will be more coming. Hug the path, get back to the valleys, now!" The men fell in line, jogging behind Faroch next to the path, weaving their way around the jungle plants. Rhett ran to Globes.

"You alright, soldier?" He asked as he extended a hand down to help him up.

"Never trained for that." Globes joked with a smile, as he took Rhett's hand and pulled himself up. Rhett patted him on the back and pushed him along as the two feel into the back of the line of their squad. The men ran alongside the path, keeping low using the foliage as cover.

"Move fast, men! Bound to have more coming for us!" Lowe yelled out. The men were moving as fast as they could, but weaving in and out of the bushes slowed the men greatly.

"They already know we're here! This cover is doing nothing but slowing us down!" Frolph complained.

"He's right, Commander. We should go up onto the path." Patch added.

"Running down that path gives them a wide open, clear shot. It's too dangerous." Lowe responded.

"So is moving this slow." Faroch interjected. "Go up onto the path. The Padawan and I will stay in the back. We can block any fire that comes down the path." Faroch stopped to let the men get ahead of him, one by one, until he got to Rhett at the end of the line. "Same thing as at the gate. Keep moving backwards, until it's safe for us to turn and run." Rhett gave him a nod, before the two climbed up the ditch and onto the path. "Double time it, men!" Faroch called out before starting his jog.

The squad started their run to the mesas, and the safety of their steep and narrow valleys. Faroch's size and large strides made up for the slower movements that his age demanded at first, but soon he began to fall behind the much younger group. Rhett slowed with Faroch, leaving some separation between the Jedi and the soldiers.

"You alright, Master?" Rhett asked through his breaths.

"Just old." Faroch joked, continuing his jog. Rhett gave him a chuckle. Rhett's smile quickly ran away from his face.

"You feel that, Master?" Rhett asked.

"Yes." Faroch said, slightly alarmed. "Pick up the pace, men! Full sprint!" The soldiers looked back briefly, but the sense of urgency in Faroch's voice was enough to tell them that danger was on their heels. Faroch and Rhett picked up their pace as well and ran until they both sensed the incoming blaster fire. A troop carrying speeder full of droids had just turned the corner and into the view of the retreating men, and opened fire. Rhett and Faroch took a large leap forward, spinning themselves to face the incoming fire in mid air as they ignited their sabers, almost in unison. The large amount of droids demanded a higher level of concentration and skill from the Jedi in order to block all the fire. Rhett's movements were sporadic, clearly on the defense, just making sure to put his saber in front of the incoming bolts as he back peddled toward the valleys. Faroch's movements were much more fluid.

"We can't hold this many back for long." Rhett said in a strained voice.

"Then we best take some out. Get into the offensive." Faroch said, as he stopped his backwards walk and dug his feet into the ground. Rhett also stopped his backpedal and began focusing on trying to deflect the bolts back into the incoming droids. Faroch was returning the bolts back perfectly at a much higher rate than Rhett, who only took out one or two on the fully loaded skiff. The Jedi continued to deflect the bolts while the skiff began to speed closer and closer to them.

"They're getting closer!" Rhett cried out, worried, as there were still at least a dozen droids remaining on the skiff. Faroch took a quick glance behind him. The rest of the squadron was nearly to the safety of the mesas. Faroch looked back to the incoming skiff.

"The front of the craft. Push it down with me!" Faroch called out to Rhett, who was still blocking incoming bolts. "On three." Faroch said. Rhett was still focused on protecting himself, he hardly gave an answer. "One. Two. Three!" Faroch extended his hand out. Rhett did the same, before quickly returning it back to his saber to help him block the gunfire. The front of the hovering skiff dipped, slightly. "Concentrate, boy! Again! On three!" Faroch yelled again, with more urgency as the droids got closer and closer.

"One..!" Rhett could barely hear, he was starting to get overwhelmed by the gunfire, as it got more intense the closer the droids became.

"Two..!" Faroch could see that Rhett was not paying much atttention. "Rhett!" He screamed. Rhett made quick eye contact with Faroch, and concentrated back on the plan. "Three!" Faroch yelled. Rhett focused into his force push, violently thrashing his hand out with his whole body. Faroch also extended his hand out, and the front of the skiff dipped down quickly and the front of the craft dug into the ground, which violently flung the rear of the skiff into the air, ejecting its droid passengers. Wreckage of the ship began to crash and roll toward Rhett and Faroch, who dove off the path to avoid the shrapnel and wrecked craft. After the crash had settled, Rhett and Faroch rose back onto the path to finish off the few remaining droids that survived the crash.

"Good work, Padawan." Faroch said. "But try to get it on the first try next time. I know you can focus in on more than one thing at once. Don't stress about it, and it will come much easier."

"Yes, master." Rhett said with a slight shame, disappointed in how he handled himself.

"Don't dwell on it, you'll learn. Now let's go. Before more come." Faroch said, as he put his saber back onto his hip and began to jog toward the mesas. Rhett followed suit. They weren't too far away from the mesas when they both felt another incoming danger. They ignited the sabers and stopped their run and looked down the path. They scanned the horizon, but saw nothing, until over the tree line arose a missile, coming from the city.

"Master? What do we do?" Rhett asked in a moment of fear and shock.

"Run." Faroch said calmly at first, but Rhett's astonishment paralyzed him for a moment. "RUN!" Faroch demanded. Rhett turned and began his sprint, running side by side with his master.

"Can we force push it away?" Rhett asked through his quick breaths.

"It's a homing missile. If we push it it will adjust its course." Faroch replied.

"Then what do we do?" Rhett asked in more of a panic, as he sensed the incoming missile getting closer.

"I don't know!" Faroch snapped, as they picked up their pace toward the cover of the valleys.

"It's getting closer!" Rhett hollered, gauging its closing speed with the distance to the mesa. "We're not gonna make it!"

"I'm sorry, boy." Faroch said, calmly. Rhett's heart sank as his master accepted their fate. "I'm not losing another one." Suddenly, Rhett felt a jolt, as Faroch stopped his run and pushed both hands out to use the force to send Rhett through the air. As he flew through the air, Rhett turned around and saw his master one final time. He wore a sorrowful, yet comforting smile. His eyes were scrunched as he concentrated his power into forcing Rhett through the air. Rhett hit the ground and slid to the mouth of the valley he used his hands to slow his slide, facing himself toward Faroch, who was still a good distance from the valley. Rhett saw him slowly bow his head, then look back up to his apprentice.

"Master!" Rhett screamed in desperation. For a moment, the cry echoed through the valley, until the sound of the missile's detonation overtook it. "Master! Master! No!" Rhett screamed out, and his voice started to break as he held back tears.

Chapter 18: Battle In the Valley

Rhett raised his arm over his face to shield himself from the blast. He felt the heat and debris from the blast blow past him. He felt Faroch's presence extinguish with the flames. For a moment, Rhett could hear the sound of the rolling debris, but soon it settled and the only sound was the burning foliage around the blast sight. Rhett sat up for a moment with a helpless look on his face, staring at the charred ground and rising smoke where his master stood a moment ago. As the grief took him over his head slumped into his hands, which rested on his knees. His arms shook and his lip quivered. He felt the tears forming in his eyes. He heard footsteps approaching from deeper inside the ravine, but he did not move.

"Corporal." A clone voice said. Rhett didn't move. "We need to move. There are more coming." Lowe said in a soft, monotone way. Rhett looked up to the commander with tears in his eyes, wearing a desperate, yet helpless face. He made eye contact for a moment, then sunk his head back to the ground. He sat for another moment, another set of foot steps came near.

"C'mon kid." Shrik said, walking up to Rhett. "I know." He said. "Trust me, I know better than anyone what that's like." Shrik let Rhett stew for a few seconds. "But you gotta keep going. Now let's go." Shrik said as he placed his hands under Rhett's arms and pulled him up. As Rhett got to his feet, he kept his stare at the same spot on the ground. Shrik dusted him off with his hand. "You hear that?" Shrik said. Rhett started to snap back into the battle. He could hear the sounds of another skiff headed their way. "That's the sound of more of 'em coming. We gotta move." Rhett still didn't speak. He closed his eyes and nodded his head as he started to walk deeper into the ravine. He took one last look at the spot where his master had died, before heading towards the rest of his squad deeper into the ravine.

"What are we going to do, Commander?" Patch asked when Rhett, Shrik and Lowe reconnected with the rest of the group. Rhett sat, not making a sound, thinking about what he just saw while the others took some time discussing what to do and where to go. All Rhett could think about was the missile coming in and landing right at Faroch's feet. He thought about how he has so much left to learn, how he had just started to get along with Faroch, and started to feel cheated from his training.

"Corporal. Corporal!" Lowe's voice brought his attention back to the situation at hand. "They're right behind us, let's move." He said as he motioned further away from the incoming skiff. Rhett was the last of the group moving through the narrow valleys. As he walked, his thoughts stewed more and more. His grief turned into anger. He kept thinking about Faroch and how he was supposed to learn so much more from him. He would have to start the whole process over again. He figured it would probably mean another few weeks at Coruscant. His anger stewed more and more, as he walked silent and stone-faced in the back of the group. The sound of the skiff's engines cut out, and they could hear the sound of droids starting to storm the ravine.

"Shit. They're closer than I thought. Double time it men!" Lowe ordered. As the men took off running, Rhett stopped walking. His breathing became more intense and faster. He tightened his grip on his saber, and his other hand balled into a fist. His eyebrows lowered. His anger became too much. Without even thinking, he ignited his saber, and turned around toward the droids. Lowe heard the sound of the saber and turned around just in time to see Rhett turn a corner away from the group. "Rhett!" He yelled, and started to chase him. "Rhett! Stop!" The other men heard this and followed. Rhett sprinted over the rocky terrain with tears in his eyes and his men several yards behind. He turned the final corner before he was facing a pocket of nearly two dozen droids.

"FUCK YOU ALL!" Rhett screamed. He took a bound off the ground, just in time to avoid an incoming blaster shot. He planted his foot on the right wall of the steep cliff next to him and jumped over three or four droids. He blocked a bolt in mid-air and cut through all four droids under him in one swoop. His anger pushed him through more and more droids, always on the attack, lunging at droids between his movements to block their incoming fire. His once fluid saber movements became more wild, and less controlled as he aggressively swung through each droid, one at a tine. He cut his way through about half of the group of the droids, when Lowe turned the corner and into view.

"Corporal!" He hollered, "Fall back!" He raised his blaster, trying to help, but the narrow ravine made it difficult to shoot around Rhett, especially around his spastic movement. He made a few more attempts at getting Rhett to fall back as the rest of the squad turned the same corner. Rhett might as well have not even heard the commander, because all he was focused on was cutting through the droids. The clones were almost impressed at his ability to burn through the enemy, but they knew from the way he was moving and his screaming, that he may have been out of control.

Rhett's rampage continued, as he blocked blaster fire, force pushed a droid against the cliff wall, stabbed another, even crushing a droid's control unit with the force, then moving the disabled droid in front of more incoming blaster shots as he pulled his saber out of the stabbed droid. He then cut the crushed droid that was hovering in front of him in half, as it dropped he was able to deflect two more shots and in one swing, cut off the heads of two more battle droids. The two, now headless, droids collapsed to the ground to reveal the last droid who was back pedaling from Rhett. He took a leap towards it and sliced diagonally through its chest. It dropped to the ground, but Rhett continued to violently swing at it on the ground. He hit it repeatedly, letting out a grunt with each swing as he chopped up the already destroyed droid. He slowed as he got tired, then all the sudden he caught himself.

He froze, his saber above his head, ready for another swipe. His arm slumped back to his side, as he stared at the droid on the ground. He raised his head back up, slowly, then it snapped back to his squad. They slowly walked toward him. He retracted the blade on his saber. He began to walk back to his squad, almost in shock at his own actions. "Think you got him there, kid?" Shrik asked. Rhett looked back to the carnage of destroyed droids on the ground. He started to rub his eyebrows with his hands. He slowly looked down to his side. He slowly lifted his hand to a spot just under his left elbow on his ribs and rubbed it briefly. He lifted his hand back in front of his face to find his own blood on the tips of his fingers. The anger had blinded him he hadn't even felt the grazing blaster shot that caught him right on his ribs. In that moment, Rhett fully grasped what all had happened, and it spooked him. He immediately thought of the rumors that surrounded his own master when he had lost his apprentice. Just like Faroch told him, he knew he needed to talk with someone.

"I gotta make a call." Rhett said. Frightened of what just happened to him, and coming down from the out of control rage he was just caught in.

"Position confirmed. Sending a platoon." Rhett overheard from the com link attached to one of the disabled droids.

"Do it as we walk. That's a lot of heat coming our way." Lowe said as he tossed a transmitter to Rhett. The squad started to walk back deeper into the valley. Rhett stepped to the side to let Purggs past. Purggs stopped and put his hand on Rhett's back and nudged him along.

"Oh no. Someone's keeping an eye on you this time." Purggs remarked, insisting Rhett move along ahead of him in the single file line. Rhett was frustrated he felt he needed to be babysat, but he understood. He nodded and fell into the line. He took a few steps traversing the rocky ground before he raised the transmitter up to his chin.

"Walker, are you there?" Rhett asked. "Walker, come in." He plead. "General Skywalker come in." A moment passed, until Anakin accepted the transmission and a soft blue holograph projected out of the transmitter.

"Yes, I'm here. What do you need?" Anakin asked. The question overwhelmed Rhett; he didn't know where to start.

"I don't know what I need." Rhett admitted. His voice cracked as his emotions began to stir again. "I lost Master Faroch. I lost him. He's gone." Rhett said in a hopeless tone.

"I'm sorry to hear that. Master Faroch was a good one." Anakin said slwoly.

"That's not all. Afterward, I…" Rhett paused, he struggled to find the words to describe what happened to him. "I just lost it. I lost control."

"Of the force?" Anakin asked.

"Of everything. Myself, my emotions, my actions. I just started swinging. Mowing down every one of those droids that was responsible for his death, and when I got to the end, it wasn't enough. I still felt empty. I was just so angry…" He trailed off, almost in shame.

Obi-Wan had overheard the conversation from nearby Anakin. He stepped into the transmission next to Anakin. "Rhett. Calm yourself. It is important to keep your anger from controlling your actions like that. I understand the bond a Padawan has with his Master. And I know firsthand what it is like to lose your master. But you cannot allow your anger to overcome you." He offered his advice. Anakin stepped back in.

"Stay where you are. We're coming to get you. Have Lowe transmit us the coordinates. We aren't too far away from Rylkin. We'll be there soon. Just hold on. And if you're about to do anything crazy again - talk to me." Anakin said intensely, worried about his friend.

"Alright. I'll see you soon." Rhett said, before turning off the holo puck and giving it a toss back to Lowe. Knowing Anakin and Obi-Wan were on their way made Rhett feel more at ease.

"Hey kid, you doing alright back there?" Shrik asked after a few moments of walking through the rocky terrain. Rhett broke his stare at the ground and gave a quick nod of his head in response.

"We've all lost someone. You gotta remember what they died for, and honor them by continuing their fight." Globes said, trying to help. Rhett didn't say anything back, he just kept walking with his head down. Suddenly, Lowe held up his fist at the front of the line, and the men stopped the walk and crouched down. They went silent. The faint sound of a separatist bomber echoed in the valley. It got louder and louder, until the sound of explosions over took them on plateaus of the mesas above.

"Watch for the rocks!" Cork yelled out, as the men started to scatter and run through the narrow valleys like mice, trying to avoid the rocks that were falling into the valley from above. The bomber completed its first pass.

"They're really coming for us." Shrik said.

"Two Jedi and one squadron infiltrated a Separatist controlled planet and city, they don't take too kindly to that kind of stuff." Lowe explained.

"What are the odds one of those bombers find us?" Hosque asked.

"Not sure, but let's not find out." Lowe responded to Hosque, then projected his voice to the rest of the squad. "Double time it men!" The squad picked up their pace as they could hear the sounds of the bomber circling back to them. Chaos ensued again when the bomber blindly dropped its payload overtop the squad, hoping to flush out the men. They ran blind, their vision clouded by the dust flying from the crumbling rocks falling from above. Commander Lowe gestured to pack the men into a smaller crevasse in the wall of the cliffs. They all huddled in for a few moments, not speaking a word, until the sounds of the bombers, explosions, and falling rocks faded into silence.

The men slowly came out of the tight quarters of the crevasse one at a time, looking overhead for more incoming ships, but they found nothing.

"Are they coming back?" Cork asked as he scanned the top of the mesas with the sights of his blaster.

"Shh" Commander Lowe shushed, as he tried to focus on the sounds of the ships overhead. The sound of the bomber became more and more faint, but Lowe could hear more. "Landing craft. They're sending in ground troops." Lowe said. The men groaned.

"Does anybody even know where we are anymore?" Patch asked. In the chaos of the bombings, and running without direction in the ravines had been very disorienting.

"We came from this way." Frolph said, pointing down the valley.

"Then we move back until we can re-orient ourselves and navigate ourselves to the evac point." Lowe ordered.

"Evac? This place is crawling with seps. No way we get evac-ed." Cork added.

"Our orders haven't changed. General Kenobi and Skywalker are on their way. They'll get us out." Rhett said, breaking his silence.

"If they even make it through the atmosphere." Cork mumbled. His pessimism dejected some of the squad, as the reality of their situation became more and more obvious.

Lowe escorted the squad down the way they came not even a hundred yards around the twists and turns of the ravines. A large rock that had separated from the side of the cliff in the bombing runs had blocked their way.

"Now what do we do?" Globes asked.

"Fan out, try to find a way around it or over it." Lowe ordered.

"Negative." Purggs said, before the men could even take a step. His eye fixed on his scanner. "Scanners indicate a large platoon of clankers just down that way." He said, pointing to the other side of the rock.

"Then turn around. We'll find a way out the other end, and send our position to Kenobi when we're safe." Lowe said as he nudged the squad down the valley the other way. The men passed the crevasse they hid in, and didn't walk too much longer before the sides of the ravine got narrower and narrower, until they converged, cutting off any chance of passage through.

"Shit!" Patch shouted, as he realized the valley ended. "A dead end. We're stuck."

"We're done for, commander." Cork said.

"Not yet. Purggs—status report." Lowe demanded.

"They're closing in." Purggs regretfully informed. "They must have us on their scanners." As he reported the news, the men hung their heads. Some sat down. Seemingly accepting the fate that was coming their way.

"Can we scale the cliffs?" Ginx asked, clinging on to some hope.

"Too steep to climb. Too tall for cables." Pines reported. Rhett sat down on the ground, his back against the cliff wall. The men fell silent. Some had given up, some were still trying to figure out a way out. The men milled about for a few minutes. Rhett sat collecting his thoughts, the closest thing he could do to meditating. After a while, he broke the silence of the squad.

"Lowe." Rhett called out. Lowe turned his head to look at Rhett. Rhett held open his hands in front of his chest. "Holopuck." He demanded. Lowe tossed the puck into Rhett's open hands. Rhett sent a transmission to Anakin again. The hologram turned on, this time Anakin had his armor on.

"What's going on?" Anakin asked, concerned.

"How far are you?" Rhett asked.

"We're close. Just hold on a little longer." Anakin said.

"We're out of time, man. We're done." Rhett dejectedly reported. Anakin's heart sank.

"Wh-What do you mean?" Anakin stuttered.

"We're trapped in the valley, some bombing runs cut off our escape, and a platoon of droids is closing in." Rhett said.

"Only a platoon?" Anakin asked, arrogantly.

"I'm not you. I'm hardly a Jedi. That's too much for me and my men. Especially without Master Faroch." Rhett said, shaking his head.

"Rhett, you're more of a Jedi than you let yourself think. Remember on Chandrilla? You saved me from that rocket. You sensed those speeders coming before I did. Faroch wasn't around then. Faroch was a great Jedi, remember his training." Anakin plead.

"I don't know. I just don't think I can." Rhett admitted.

"When Obi-Wan watched his master die, he was forced to take on a Sith Lord by himself. I've studied that fight for years. Obi-Wan was outmatched. He won because he didn't want to let his master die in vain. He surpassed his emotions, and was able to focus himself to use his surroundings." Anakin explained. Rhett remembered hearing the story. He took a deep breath. The weight of Faroch's death lifted off him for a moment. Anakin could see in his face that it was working. He smiled. "Good. Just like I taught you back on the cruiser. Relax. You're a powerful Jedi. Just hold on a bit longer." Anakin plead. Rhett opened his eyes, and looked around at his men, and the surrounding area. His eyes darted around the valley.

"He used his surroundings, huh?" Rhett asked, still looking around at the ravine.

"Yeah. He—" Anakin started.

"Okay. I can buy us some time." Rhett said, cutting off Anakin's sentence. He made intense eye contact with Anakin's hologram. "But you get here fast." Anakin could feel Rhett's confidence grow, and it comforted him. He let out a smile in relief.

"I'll see you real soon." Anakin said, before Rhett turned off the holopuck.

"Men!" Rhett shouted. "Form up on me." The soldiers slowly got up. Rhett's new form of confidence gave most of them a sense of safety, some cautiously optimistic.

"Sir, you must know what's coming for us." Cork said.

"I know. And we can't take them outnumbered 10 to 1." Rhett replied.

"10 to 1 is lowballing." Shrik added.

"We're not taking them 10 to 1. We're gonna take them four or five at a time." Rhett explained. The men looked at him, doubting and confused. "We move deeper into the valley, where it gets real narrow. They can only fit four or five at a time. We dig our heels in, form up and bottle neck the droids."

"Is that going to work?" Purggs asked.

"Do we really have a choice?" Lowe said.

"We don't need to mow through them all. We just need to hold them off long enough for Kenobi and Skywalker to get here." Rhett explained.

"Alright. I'm in." Cork said. "What do you think, lads? One last stand for Ardees squadron?" He looked around to the others, who seemed to perk up. Some gave a nod.

"Let's move. Follow the corporal." Lowe ordered. The men started to move out. As Rhett passed Lowe, he stopped him by putting his hand on his chest. "It's been an honor, Corporal." Rhett patted the back of Lowe's helmet.

"It has." Rhett said with a growing smile. "And it will be tomorrow." Rhett said with a wink. Globes watched the interaction from nearby. He turned back to face the other clones as they walked.

"You hear that? The kid really thinks we're getting out of this one." He said.

"He's one crazy son of a bitch then." Patch replied.

"He is the one that jumped into the fighter by himself." Purggs joked.

"Poor kid shouldn't even be here." Globes said. He took a moment, thinking about all they had been through with Rhett. "Let's make sure we get him out."

"He saved my skin once. I owe him this one." Purggs admitted. The men took position. The eleven man team dug their heels into the rocky soil where the valley followed a gentle curve, so the droids would come into view just a few at a time. A fallen boulder on the right side of the path was enough cover for Pines and Hosque to station behind. Rhett stood just behind the boulder in the open path. Ginx and Cork lay prone just behind and on the flanks of Rhett. Globes and Lowe knelt just above them. Purggs and Shrik stood above them. Frolph and Patch sat deeper in the valley with long guns. A tight seven man formation, armed with blasters and a single lightsaber, with two man teams on their right flank and in the rear was all the men had against a platoon of the droid army.

"Purggs?" Rhett said, eyes still fixed down the valley, but tilting his head toward Purggs.

"Sir?"

"How's that scanner look?" Rhett asked. Purggs glanced down at his scanner.

"Looks like they're just getting over that fallen rock that cut us off." Purggs reported.

"Ready up, men!" Rhett called out. He turned around to the two man team behind him. "Keep anything from up on the mesas off us. We'll handle the valley."

"Yes, sir." Patch said with a nod. Rhett turned around and faced where the droids would come into view in a few moments. He took a deep breath in and closed his eyes. For a moment, everything around him was silent. He exhaled, slowly, and as he took his breath the world seemed to slow with it. He ignited his saber in his right hand, his arms down at his sides. He opened his eyes, still fixed on the corner where the droids were headed.

"Purggs?" Rhett asked. Purggs checked his scanner one last time.

"Any second now." He responded, as he tightened his grip on his blaster and looked down the sights. Rhett could feel the danger, he knew the droids were just around the corner. He spun his saber around at his side and brought the blade in front of his body. Pines was the first to shoot, hitting a droid before to even came into full view of Rhett. As soon as the first blaster shot fired, the squadron opened their fire. The droids were able to round the corner two or three at a time, and were met with eight waiting blasters. The first 15 or so droids were mowed through, most not even able to get a shot off, even if they were able to squeeze their triggers, it was while their disabled frames were falling, sending a bolt off in an unthreatening direction. But the droids used Ardees' tactic against them. A smoke grenade detonated, forming a smoke screen right in front of the bend in the corner, and the clones only could blindly shoot through the smoke. The droids were able to advance around the corner, and emerge out of the smoke with a straight shot. Blaster bolts started to fly, and were redirected. With the tight formation around Rhett, the men were kept safe by the lightsaber. Rhett moved it through the air in fluid movements. His movements were smoother and faster than any other time he had held a saber. He knew he was the only thing between the blasters and his friends. His focus seemed like it was doubled. It was more blaster fire than he'd ever faced, and he was covering more men than he ever had to before. There were moments where he'd leave himself exposed to swing his saber out to his side to deflect a shot headed for one of the other soldiers, then quickly return it back in front of himself. The smoke screen dissipated to reveal another, larger wave of droids. With a clearer line of sight, and the droids behind slowed by their need to climb over disabled droids on the ground, the men on the blasters were able to clear out most of them.

Rhett felt his stomach drop. He sensed a tremendous amount of danger. He turned around and looked to the sky. With his head still turned he deflected a blaster bolt, but the droids weren't the danger anymore. The noise of blaster fire kept anyone from hearing it, but the bombers were back, and now knew Ardees' position. "Get down!" Rhett yelled, as the bombs started to fall, crashing into the sides of the cliffs, knocking huge rocks into the valley. The blaster fire paused a moment, its sound replaced by explosions and tumbling rocks. One bomb landed right near Pines and Hosque, and they were hurled further back into the valley, injuring them and effectively taking them out of the fight. The battlefield landscape had completely changed. Huge chunks of the cliffs, boulders the size of tanks, and land speeders had littered the small valley the men took their position in, and their bottle neck strategy was made useless. The droids came climbing up, around and under every crack and crevasse they could find, no longer coming from one place, and Ardees' formation had split up. "Fall back!" Rhett ordered. The men climbed over boulders and loose rocks, stumbling and diving behind anything that would provide some cover, occasionally getting a shot off during their retreat. Rhett slid behind a rock and bumped into Globes.

"Did we all make it?" Rhett asked. Globes poked his head up and let off two shots, and surveyed the area.

"Pines and Hosque are with Lowe. They're the only ones." Globes replied. "I'll cover you." Globes popped up again and started to shoot again, the droids slowly grew in numbers, but their advance was slow, and the squad had more cover. Rhett climbed over a few more rocks. He found Lowe with Pines.

"Lowe!" Rhett hollered. Lowe turned his attention from Pines to Rhett. "I need a blaster!" Lowe reached down and grabbed Pine's sidearm, a small blaster pistol. He tossed it toward Rhett, who force pulled it into his hand. "Shoot and move, men!" He ordered. He retracted the blade on his saber. He poked his head above the boulder he was behind and took out two droids with as many shots, one right after another. He quickly ducked back under his cover. And moved further into the ravine, keeping his head low. By now, the squad had moved all the way back to where Frolph and Patch had set up their long guns, and not much further was the dead end of the ravine. "Hold position!" Rhett screamed. Each men was only able to pop up for a second or two to get off a single shot. It seemed each time they looked, more and more droids were on top of the rocks. Rhett popped up and shot a droid, and immediately ignited his saber to block an incoming bolt as he moved behind another boulder, one where Globes was taking cover behind.

"Nowhere left to go, sir." Globes reported, pointing to the dead end behind him. Rhett turned his head to Purggs and Shrik who were also laying prone, pinned behind the last piece of cover they could find.. Shrik moved his head toward the droids, gesturing the way he wanted to go. Rhett shook his head. Shrik shrugged and his face was hopeless, worn by a man that knew and accepted they were out of options. Rhett looked around for a moment. The inspiration he felt from his squad's bravery and fight began to ware off. Rhett began to accept the defeat. The droids had run the squad all the way back to the dead end, and disrupted the landscape enough to take away Ardee's only advantage. Rhett looked back to Globes. "Globes."

"Yes, sir?" He said.

"What do you think? One last ride? One more push for the Republic?" Rhett asked.

"For the Republic. For Ardees. And for you, Corporal. It's been an honor." Globes said, as he placed a hand on Rhett's shoulder. Rhett closed his fist and tapped it against Globe's chest.

"You took me in. Cover me on my way out." Rhett said, he turned back in the direction of the squad, who were pretty spread out by now. "Men!" He shouted. He paused to ignite his saber, and rose it into the air. "Push forward!" Cries flew out from the clones and militia as they emerged from their cover. Rhett jumped up onto the rocks, drawing most of the fire. Blocking the shots as he took two large bounds forward with one foot each, he landed into a small pocket of four droids. Right before he hit the ground, he deflected a bolt back into a droid on his right, swung the saber back left, slicing through two droids. He crossed his left hand over his right to force push the last droid hard against a rock. He then took a leap over a boulder, dodging a bolt midair, landing on top of another droid, thrusting his saber through it. While the saber was still in the droid's chest, Rhett swung his left elbow, knocking the blaster out of the hands of the droid immediately to his left. He pulled his saber out and swung through the second. He had a moment to look back at his men. A well placed EMP throw helped them take out the first pocket of droids they ran into.

"Give 'em hell lads!" Purggs yelled, as he lead the group around the fallen boulders. Rhett jumped back on top of the rocks, and made quick work of a few more droids, methodically deflecting shots and slicing through droids, as if he had been a Jedi for years. He looked around him. He didn't feel in danger anymore, the droids he expected to see weren't there.

"Purggs?" He called out, looking for his men. He heard a quick exchange of blaster fire, behind him and to his right. He turned around and made his way over to where the sound had come from. He dropped down from on top of the rocks to find another small group of droids on the ground, disabled. The clone and militia unit still standing. "Purggs." Rhett called again. Purggs turned his head in attention. "Where'd they go?"

"Not sure, sir. Looks like they're retreating." Purggs reported, after checking his scanner.

"Why the hell would they do that?" Rhett asked. Before Purggs could even form an answer, three Republic gunships came into view from above the plateaus of the tall mesas.

"It's Skywalker and Kenobi!" Cork yelled out in joy. Ardees laughed and cheered in relief. Two gunships chased after the retreating droids, and one hovered above the valley, dropping cables for the men to repel up. They loaded up Pines and Hosque first, then all piled into the ship, which quickly turned up towards the sky to retreat. Rhett shouted to the pilot.

"Comlink! Now!" The pilot handed Rhett a comlink. He rose it to his smiling face. "Walker, you crazy son of a bitch, you did it!"

"Don't thank him yet." Obi-Wan said over the com link. "His escape plan isn't the best."

"It'll work. Just give her a chance." Anakin defended himself.

"What's going on?" Rhett asked. He looked through the cockpit windows as the side doors shut and sealed themselves. As they left atmosphere, he only saw Separatist cruisers. "Uh, Walker? Where's our ride outta here?" Rhett said.

"Anakin…" Obi-Wan said in an accusatory tone.

"Well we couldn't just park the cruiser up there." Anakin defended himself again.

"Soon enough we're not going to be able to park anywhere, when that cruiser blasts us to bits!" Obi-Wan said.

"She'll get here." Anakin said confidently. Rhett grew nervous as the ship got closer and closer to the separatist cruiser up ahead. Suddenly, a Republic cruiser dropped out of hyperspace right in between the retreating gunships and the separatist cruiser. Immediately, the two large cruisers began firing at each other.

"I'm here! Make it quick!" Ahsoka said over the comlink.

"Yes!" Rhett shouted in the gunship as he pumped his fist and banged on the side of the cockpit in excitement.

"I knew you'd come through, Snips." Anakin said.

"We're not clear yet. Our shields are taking damage, get into the hangar quick!" Ahsoka responded, as she sat on the bridge of the cruiser, looking over the control units. The gunships raced toward the open hangars, and toward the incoming fire from the Separatist cruiser. Finally, the ship ducked into the hanger.

"Gunship one is secure." The pilot reported.

"Anakin! Hurry up! Our shields are about to give out!" Ahsoka reported.

"Gunship two is secure." Another pilot reported as Obi-Wan's gunship got into the hangar safely.

"We're almost there! Starting our approach." Anakin said. Rhett sat in the landed gunship still, rubbing the back of his neck, nervous, eagerly waiting to see the third gunship emerge through the force field of the hangar.

"Anakin!" Ahsoka said more urgently this time. To Rhett's relief, he saw the gunship lower into the landing strip, and into the hangar. The instant the ship was clear, Rhett heard Anakin over the comlink.

"Secure! Go!" Just as fast as the ship came in, it took off. Jumping to light speed, and out of the battle. Ardees squad, physically and mentally exhausted, started shaking hands and hugging. Glad the battle was over, and glad to be out of it. Rhett congratulated and thanked his squad as they exited the gunship. The men dispersed, and Rhett locked eyes with Anakin. He walked over to him. Rhett walked over to Anakin and gave him a bear hug.

"Never been so glad to see you in my life. Usually you bring the trouble." Rhett said.

"I did. I gave those droids plenty of trouble." Anakin joked. "You alright."

"I'm fine." Rhett reported, "Now." He corrected. "Lost my shit back there. It still hurts that we left him." Rhett said.

"You're okay. We'll get you back to Coruscant. They'll help you work through it." Anakin explained. "For now. Just be glad those who made it out did." Anakin used his eyes to point to Ardees squadron, and went back to made eye contact with Rhett. He patted him on the chest. "I know I am."

A few days had gone by since the failed mission. Rhett was in his quarters, still on the cruiser. It had some stops on the way, but Rhett was on his way back to Coruscant. Obi-Wan walked into the room, and Rhett perked up and sat up and winced as he sat up on his bed. His wounds made the adjustment uncomfortable.

"Take it easy now, I'm just here to talk. You've been through a lot the past few days." He said. Rhett slowly nodded his head, he felt like he failed as a Jedi when he lost his temper and let some of the dark side creep up into him. "It's okay." Obi-Wan assured, reading his thoughts. "I just want you to walk me through what happened. From the start of the mission."

Rhett did as he asked. He started from when the shuttle dropped them off to when he repelled up into the gunship. He told him about the kid they found in the house, the blown cover, hiding in the bushes, blowing up the tank, covering the retreat, the missile, doubling back to destroy the droids, the final stand, and their final charge. Obi-Wan sat patiently, stroking his beard taking in the story. Rhett ended his thoughts and looked to Obi-Wan for his reaction. Obi-Wan never broke his stare from the floor, deep in thought.

"Master Faroch was one of the best Jedi we've ever seen. His wisdom, his experience, his raw power. Trust me, it was no split second decision he made saving your life." Obi-Wan explained. "Master Faroch had mastered some abilities even beyond Master Yoda's capabilities. His species' natural telepathic developments helped some, but Master Faroch understood the force."

"He looked at me, and communicated a whole plan—a whole battle strategy. And I understood it in a second." Rhett remembered. Obi-Wan raised his eyebrows.

"Impressive isn't it?" He remarked, with a smile. "That's all I needed. I just needed a debrief. That's it." Obi-Wan assured.

"What now? What do I do without him?" Rhett asked.

"The council will figure all that out later. Just get some rest, and come find Anakin or myself if you need anything." Obi-Wan said, as he started out the room. Before he closed the door, he stopped and turned around. "Oh and Rhett, your friends are looking for you in their barracks." He said with a smile.

Rhett wandered to the clone barracks. He opened the door, and Ardees squadron had gathered around a bed. They all wore empty, sympathetic smiles. "Corporal, we have something for you." Globes said. He slowly pulled back a sheet on the bed, revealing a clone armor chest plate and wrist cuffs. Rhett was speechless.

"We figured you got your start because you put yourself into this armor. You needed some to continue on." Purggs explained, as Rhett slowly walked up and picked up the armor to inspect it.

"Might cover your ass next time you do something stupid get yourself shot again." Globes joked.

"We made some modifications." Cork explained, referring to the burnt orange and deep green paint job they had given it in honor of Faroch's dark orange skin and green lightsaber. "Thought it suited you." Rhett wore a sad smile. He was still saddened about losing his master, but such a meaningful gift from his squad made him happy.

"It used to be Charmer's. We figured he'd want it to go to you." Globes explained. Rhett's head hung.

"Thanks, boys." Rhett said. It was all he could muster.

"Thank you, Corporal. Without you, we would have not gotten out of that, and we would have given up a lot sooner without you." Patch added.

"We did it for Faroch. And Charmer. And we're gonna win this war for them." Rhett choked up. "Thank you guys…really."

Chapter 19: Attachment

"Padawan Kysn we understand your situation is…different." Plo-Koon paused before finding his words. He leaned back in his chair in the council's chambers high above the Jedi temple on Couruscant. "Had it not been for Master Kenobi and young Skywalker's recommendation, the council would not have even considered you for training. Nevertheless, your outburst is reason for alarm."

"Normally, when we take younglings in, they're too young to form the attachments we try to avoid, and we're able to teach them to suppress them as they grow." Windu explained. "But it is clear your relationship with Master Faroch was a strong one. We're sorry for your loss, but you demonstrated the exact reason why we must keep these emotions in check."

"Warn you, he did, about these dangers." Yoda chimed in.

"He did. He was a great master." Rhett replied, humbly.

"Then ignore these warnings, did you?" He asked

"No, Master Yoda. I did my best to, really, I'm just not sure how to totally ignore something ingrained in my nature. I don't get it." Rhett admitted.

"Then you confirm our reasoning. You were too old to take in. It was a mistake to train you." Windu accused. Rhett sat silently. He had felt like Windu was blaming him, even though Rhett had no say in the matter.

"Easy, now." Ki-Adi-Mundi interrupted. "In the end, he was able to overcome his mistakes, and show ability far beyond his training to help his men out of Rylkin."

"And what if he didn't?" Windu replied sternly. "What if he lost more men? We know what his reaction is when he loses one, and we all know firsthand the separatist army is capable of killing a lot more than one." Windu said, glancing around the room. His intense stare turned its full attention to Rhett. "Padawan Kysn, I suggest you reflect on this deeply, and maybe take heed of our teachings. They're for your protection. You don't get to choose which ones to follow." Windu explained. "These friendships you have formed are dangerous. Companionship is one thing but these emotional investments you've placed on your men can not be tolerated. Am I clear?"

"Yes, master, but…" Rhett stammered.

"But, what?" Windu cut him off, his voice clearly showing the disdain for the disrespect he picked up from Rhett.

"It's just, in the valley, when it was just me and the squad, our backs literally against the wall." Rhett slowly explained. "I mean even Master Mundi pointed out, I was performing beyond my years. And I think it was because I had no choice. I had to if I was going to get my guys out."

"Sacrificing your control for strength of power is the way of the dark side. The Jedi are taught to control it, not to be driven by it." Plo-Koon replied quickly, as to spare Rhett from an incoming lecture from Windu. Every Jedi in the room could sense the tension.

"I had control." Rhett argued.

"You ran straight into a skiff full of droids yelling obscenities to avenge your master." Windu replied sternly.

"Then I learned my lesson. After that I felt more connected to the force around my men, and was able to keep my head level." Rhett tried to defend himself.

"Young one. For thousands of years, we have, studied the force. Understand it fully, we do not. But this. Fundamental, this is." Yoda explained calmly, fascinated by the young Jedi's naive approach to the force.

"It's just not a risk you should be willing to take." Mundi chimed. Rhett felt humbled. He looked around to a few of the council's faces, then down to the floor.

"Understood." Rhett said, still looking at the floor.

"Do you have any other questions?" Windu asked.

"No." Rhett said with a sigh, as he looked back up to the council members. Rubbing the stubble on his face, he slowly responded. "Just…trying to figure it all out."

"You may leave. We will discuss your future and notify you when we have reached a decision." Windu said. Rhett gave an empty and defeated, smile, along with a polite bow, and slowly walked out of the chambers.

"That boy is lost." Windu said, as soon as the chamber doors were closed behind Rhett.

"Yes." Mundi butt-in, "But extremely powerful." The council members sat silent for a moment, looking at one another. "I know you all felt it. He has far surpassed my expectations in his growth. He may be stronger than some of our more experienced padawans."

"Admittedly, yes, he has grown substantially. Perhaps our decision to pair him with Faroch backfired." Windu said.

"No. Pairing him with Faroch was the right decision." Mundi defended.

"We placed him with Master Faroch because of his ability to teach control, not grow raw power. Now we've all felt the strength he has, but he clearly is unable to control it." Windu argued.

"So what do we do with him? Abandoning his training may be dangerous, but so can teaching him more if Master Windu's speculations are correct about his lack of control." Plo-Koon asked. The council looked at Yoda, who slumped in his chair with a distressed face.

"Meditate on this, I will. Approach this with great caution, we must." Yoda declared.

Rhett walked around the temple halls, troubled. He held on to the grief that Faroch's absence brought but suppressed it. He didn't show it at all, but he felt it. As he walked further and further from the council's chambers, he was troubled more and more. His confusion, grief, and anger towards the council had his head spinning. He stepped into his quarters inside the Temple, he ripped off his robes and slammed them onto the bed. He changed back into his farming clothes, almost in spite, as a way to take out his anger on the council. He felt himself getting emotionally stirred again, and took a step back. He sat on his bed. He looked around his room, his eyes drifted back to the zabrak oil container. He force pulled it to himself, and began applying some to his side where he had been grazed by the blaster shot. He was going through the motions, until he caught a whiff of its earthy aroma. He thought of Chandrilla again, and thought of Anakin. He knew Anakin would be willing to talk. He placed his robe over his farming clothes, so the other Jedi wouldn't see his attire, and walked out into the hallway of the temple again.

"Do you know where Skywalker went?" Rhett asked a fellow Jedi, who was passing by in the hall.

"I think he went to the Republica. Probably meeting with the Chancellor." He replied.

"Thank you." Rhett said, as he started down the hallway again. He walked through the temple, and hopped on a speeder on one of the landing platforms, and took off to the residential building where most of the government officials stayed while on-world on Coruscant. When he arrived, he began making his way to the Chancellor's chambers, he knew that he and Anakin were close. On his way, he saw Anakin down the hall duck into a room. He followed him to the door and knocked. The door creaked open, and Padme Amidala answered the knock.

"Oh, sorry, Senator. I thought I saw someone come in here. I must have the wrong door." Rhett apologized.

"Rhett Kysn? Is that you?" Padme asked, going in for a hug. Rhett's face turned red. He pulled away from the embrace and looked down at the ground, a little embarrassed.

"It is." He said with a smile. "I didn't think you'd recognize me."

"Of course I would! It's so good to see you. It's been so long." Padme responded.

"It has. We both grew up a little since then." Rhett joked.

"We sure have. Who were you looking for? Can I help you?" Padme asked.

"Oh I was looking for Anakin Skywalker, I heard he was here, and I thought I saw him duck into this room."

"Oh." Padme said, a bit worried. "Y-yeah." She continued, stuttering. Rhett scrunched his eyebrow, picking up on the panic that Padme had lead on. Padme caught herself. "Come on in." She said, as she opened the door wide enough for Rhett to walk through. "Anakin! Someone is here for you!" She called out to the apartment. Anakin turned a corner and made eye contact with Rhett. Not expecting him to be there, and worried about his secret marriage being exposed, he too had some concern in his voice.

"Rhett. It's good to see you. Take a seat." He said, pointing to the sofa. Anakin paused, as he sat down. "What are you doing here?"

"I actually came here expecting to find you with the Chancellor, but I saw you come in here from the hall." Rhett explained.

"He just dropped in to say hello." Padme answered quickly. "He and I go back years." Rhett could tell something was off in their explanation, and he could sense a tension between himself and the couple. He had other things on his mind, and was still too weak in the force to fully read into their thoughts.

"It sounds like you two already know each other." Anakin pointed out. Rhett's mind was still spaced out and racing, and he snapped back into the conversation. He fixed his eyes back onto Anakin.

"Oh yeah. Um…" Rhett started, a little embarrassed. "We knew each other. On Naboo."

"My family's vacation house in the lake country was not far from the Kysn bait shop." Padme took over the explanation. She could tell Rhett felt a little embarrassed. When the royal family came into the shop, it was always a humbling experience for the simple-life Kysn boys, and they usually felt like low-life citizens in comparison. "It was the place my family would go when I was a child. That's where my Dad taught me to fish. We loved going there" Padme continued to explain.

"It was an alright place. No place for a princess, but we tried our best to make it nice for you and your family." Rhett admitted.

"Nonsense! We loved it. It was the only place where I felt like a real child, not a princess." Padme said, smiling at Rhett, trying to make him feel better. Rhett returned a nod and a half smile. "I remember once when we were really little, my dad was looking around your shop for a long time, and told us to wait outside. You, your brother and I played outside by the lakes for what felt like hours. We had so much fun!"

"Yeah I do remember that, actually. I got into quite a bit of trouble for letting the princess get so much mud on her clothes." Rhett said, chuckling.

"So what brings you by?" Anakin asked.

"Um…" Rhett muttered, as he rubbed the stubble on his tired face. His eyes darted over to Padme and back to Anakin. Anakin could sense it was important. He stood back up to excuse them from Padme.

"Well, Senator, it was great to see you again." Anakin addressed before giving Padme a hug. "I think it's time for us to head out." He said patting Rhett on the shoulder. Padme started to walk them to the door.

"Rhett. It was great to see you again." Padme expressed.

"The pleasure was all mine, Senator." Rhett replied.

"Oh, Rhett. I'm still the same kid that used to run around your shop and tease you and your brother. You're a good friend, Rhett, you don't need to be so formal." Padme said, giving out one last hug. "Come back and see me anytime." She said with a smile. Rhett gave out a sigh of relief and flashed a smile.

"Will do." He said before the door closed. It was refreshing to see a familiar face from Naboo, even if it was the Queen. And having her tell him to dispense of the formalities was a breath of fresh air. Anakin and Rhett began walking down the hall.

"I can feel you're troubled. What's on your mind?" Anakin asked.

"I just met with the council. I just don't understand what they're telling me. Fundamentals of the Jedi code, that I thought with time I'd be able to wrap my head around, but here I am, still grasping at straws trying to understand." Rhett explained.

"Like what?" Anakin asked.

"I lost my shit on Rylkin, when Faroch died. But what brought me back, what focused me back, was the bond I had with my brothers. With Shrik and Lowe, Globes and the rest of Ardees. They saved me. And I saved them. But the council is thinking of stopping my training because of that." Rhett explained.

"They're what?" Anakin asked sharply, offended and angry.

"They think I was too old when they brought me in. I had already formed too many relationships, it's something I can't suppress anymore. And the council thinks I may be dangerous if I can't control it." Rhett explained.

"That's ridiculous. You are one of the most promising Jedi in the order. They can't cast you aside and give up on you." Anakin remarked, more angry this time.

"Well they haven't, yet. I'm waiting on their decision." Rhett explained.

"Well, let me know what they decide. I might not be the best person to talk to about this." Anakin humbly admitted, with a slight guilt in his voice. "I'll contact Obi-Wan, he'll be able to help you. Until then, just fly low around the Temple. Don't give the council any reason to suspend you." Anakin explained.

"Sounds like you're talking from plenty of experience." Rhett joked with a smile.

"I've aggravated the council a time or two." Anakin chuckled. They stopped and shook hands as they approached Rhett's speeder.

"I'll talk to you tomorrow." Rhett said, shaking Anakin's hand. "Thanks." He said as he started to hop onto his speeder.

"Hey Rhett!" Anakin said, "The council will tell you otherwise, but having friends like you and Obi-Wan and Ahsoka are what gets me through the war." He said with a smile. Rhett smiled and looked down at the ground, before returning his eye back to Anakin.

"See you tomorrow."

"The council has discussed your future and has come to a decision." Windu said, formally and calmly. Rhett stood in the council chambers once again, surrounded by the members of the council. Rhett focused himself, he looked for a read on Windu's emotions, but Windu was too experienced to let Rhett read him like a book.

"Given your value to the Grand Army of the Republic, and the dangers of going into the war without proper training, the council has determined that your training will be…temporarily…suspended" Ki Adi Mundi tried to explain sympathetically.

"I don't understand." Rhett said. He eyed around the council members, who all remained stone-faced. "If it's dangerous for me to wield my abilities without proper training why am I not going to be trained?"

"You will be." Windu replied sternly. "After the war is over."

"What am I going to do until then? Sit around and wait for someone to knock on my door and introduce themselves as my master?" Rhett asked rhetorically, and angered.

"There aren't many masters available for training that are not caught up somewhere in the war. You will continue your duties as a Corporal in the Republic, just not as a Jedi." Windu replied. Rhett shook his head and lowered his eyebrows in disappointment, a gesture not taken kindly by Windu. "Padawan Kysn." He addressed, offended. "Your participation in this war was your choice. We knew it was what you wanted. Now we weren't planning on letting you serve at all until you could handle yourself, but your talents as a pilot and a leader to your men is something the leaders in the Army do not want to go to waste." Windu laid it out for Rhett. "Are we clear?" Windu asked. Rhett knew there was no up side to arguing further.

"Yes, Master." He solemnly replied.

"You are a fine Jedi, Padawan Kysn. Your odd circumstances put you into this position, we set you up to fail. Do not be too hard on yourself." Master Mundi said.

"You may go." Windu said, sternly. Rhett gave his obligatory bow, and turned around and went out the doors angrily. He stormed through the temple and worked his way back to his quarters. He closed the door behind him. He stood in the doorway, hanging his head. He felt a storm brewing in his chest. His frustrations built more and more. His breath got shaky and quick. He jolted his hand down to grab his Zabrak oil container and picked it up. He took a big step as he threw it against the wall almost as hard as he could. His momentum carried him onto his bed, where he collapsed. He laid on the bed in the dimly lit room. The only sound in the room is the metallic ring of the spherical container still rolling around. The sound made him sit back up. He pulled the container back up to his palm with the force. He looked at the new dent near the top of the spherical container. He chuckled.

"Dumbass." He muttered to himself. He checked to make sure the container still opened properly. He twisted the top off, smoothly. As soon as the top came off, the smell of the oil hit Rhett's nose. He sat with a small smile on his face, as he thought about everything he left back home. He sat, still, just staring at the open container as an idea started to stir in his mind. Suddenly, he jolted up, grabbed his belongings and walked out the door. He walked quickly throughout the halls to get to the landing pads.

"Hello, Corporal." A clone standing near a gunship said.

"I need transport to the cruiser landing pads." Rhett declared. The clone paused for a moment without giving an answer, not really wanting to give Rhett his wish. "Just drop me off, you'll be back here in 10 minutes."

"Yes, sir." The clone reluctantly replied, starting to move to the cockpit. Rhett climbed aboard, grabbed ahold of a handle, and once again pulled the container out of his pocket. The gunship took off, and after a quick jaunt through the busy lanes in Coruscant, arrived at the grounded cruiser during its resupply. Rhett hopped off as the ship still hovered a few feet off the landing pad.

"Thanks, soldier." Rhett said with a wave to the clone pilot. Rhett turned to walk and the gunship took off again behind him. Rhett walked down the boarding ramp onto the cruiser. He walked with a purpose past some clones at work in the hangar on board the cruiser. He sped through, weaving his way through the controlled chaos. Nearby, Anakin was speaking to some clones when he caught Rhett out of the corner of his eye. He watched him as he walked. He could sense his distress and saw his conviction in his strides. He turned back toward the clone.

"Excuse me soldier. There's a matter I have to attend to." He told him with a pat on the shoulder.

"Very well, General." The clone replied, as Anakin turned to walk toward Rhett. Anakin kept a loose follow through the hangar. He saw Rhett stop to have a quick and quite word with Globes, who pointed him to a general area, and Rhett quickly followed his direction. Anakin kept his pursuit through the crowd. Rhett continued his brisk walk to Commander Lowe, who was studying a star map.

"Commander Lowe." Rhett addressed.

"Rhett? What do ya need?" Lowe asked in a bright tone. Rhett looked around, and leaned in close to Lowe.

"I need you to break a few rules for me." He asked carefully, maintaining an intense stare. There was a brief moment of silence when neither one really knew what to say. "And a ship." Rhett added. Lowe recognized the desperation in his voice.

"What kind of rules?" Lowe asked cautiously.

"Nothing big. I just need to leave for a while." Rhett plead.

"Is it on assignment?" Lowe asked.

"Well, no. Not really." Rhett slowly admitted.

"Well then, what am I going to say when there's a ship missing? Not to mention a Corporal." Lowe asked, trying to avoid the responsibility.

"Just list it as on assignment. On-world escort or transport, I don't know." Rhett tried to justify.

"And how do I explain myself when I lost track of my Corporal Jedi trainee who just got into trouble with the council? Not to mention your history with the Grand Army." Lowe replied.

"Look, it's not like we're going anywhere soon. There's still a ton of damage from General Skywalker's getaway maneuver. I'll be back before repairs are done and we leave again. And everyone around here has gotten used to me. I don't think anyone will even care." Rhett explained.

"Look, it's not really about missing your duties. It's—" Lowe tried to argue, but Rhett wasn't letting him get many words out.

"Commander. I'm not asking your permission. I'm just asking for you to turn a blind eye for a bit." Rhett plead. Lowe let out a huge sigh.

"One fighter. One week. Max. People might start asking questions any longer." Lowe said reluctantly. Rhett sighed in relief. He thanked Lowe and ran off. Anakin, still close by, watched the interaction and saw Rhett run off. He started to approach commander Lowe when a clone stopped him.

"General, Commander Tano is looking for you in the bridge." He reported. Anakin's eyes shifted away from the clone back to Lowe. He kept his eyes on Lowe for a moment, before slowly turning around to start his walk to the bridge.

"Alright. Let's go." He said slowly. As he started to walk toward the bridge, he heard the sound of a fighter starting up. He watched it take off out the hangar and off the cruiser. As he watched, he could feel Rhett's presence inside the ship. He stopped his walk, as he watched it fly.

"Sir?" The clone asked, "Something wrong?"

"No." Anakin said shortly. He turned back around to the clone and smiled. "Let's go."

A few hours had passed. Lowe was in his quarters, when Anakin knocked on his door. Lowe opened it, surprised to see him. "General Skywalker? What do you need?" He said brightly.

"Nothing, Commander. Just wanted to ask you a few questions." Anakin said kindly.

"Well, go ahead."

"A fighter took off a few hours ago today from the cruiser. Where was it headed?"

"Another platoon requested a fighter for an escort. Some Senator going off-world, I suppose." Lowe said with confidence.

"Who was it piloted by?" Anakin asked, still in a gentle tone.

"Not sure. Would have to check the report." Lowe said. Anakin smiled and shook his head, he saw right through Lowe.

"Commander. You're not in trouble." Anakin calmly explained. "I saw you talk to Rhett. I know he was in that fighter. I'm just worried about him." Anakin finally broke the charade. Lowe bowed his head.

"I'm sorry, General. He just asked me to cover for him while he left a few days."

"Did he say where he was going?"

" I don't know where he went. But it wasn't on assignment." Lowe admitted, humbly. "I was just trying to help. He hasn't been the same since we lost Faroch."

"That's okay, Commander. I know." Anakin assured. Lowe's eyes sank to the ground.

"None of us have, really." He admitted. A quiet pause hung about for a moment or two as the pair reflected on what Rhett was going through. They felt bad for him. Anakin finally broke the silence.

"Were they finished?" Anakin asked a heavy question. Lowe understood what he was referring to. His eyes sunk again and he nodded his head.

"I'm going to find him. I'll need a transport. Big enough to tow or carry two ships." Anakin explained.

"You're the general." Lowe said.

"I know." Anakin laughed. "Just letting you know what I'm taking." Anakin smiled at Lowe, whose sad eyes were still fixed on the ground. "Thank you, Commander. Let's just carry on as we were. No one has to know." Anakin said with a smile. Lowe sighed with relief. He forced a smile, and nodded his head toward Anakin.

Rhett set his fighter down slowly a few hundred feet away from the farm house on Chandrilla. As he started out of the cockpit, his robe got snagged on one of the controls and tugged him back. Frustrated, he ripped off the robes and threw them angrily into the dirt with a grunt, and a few mumbles of profanities. His frustration toward the Jedi had boiled over. He left the robes in the dirt and stormed towards the house. He stomped his feet up the two stairs that lead to his porch. He only stopped his march when he heard a chitter in the corner. He turned his head, slowly. A small furry creature was hiding behind one of the rocking chairs Rhett had on the porch. It took a few limping steps away from Rhett, back toward the grass. Rhett could see that there was a clump of bail netting caught around its foot. Rhett's anger disappeared. He gently took a few steps toward the creature.

"Easy now." He said while slowly approaching the creature and squatting lower. "I ain't gonna hurt ya. Did I leave some netting out there?" He asked. The creature turned and looked at him. "It's okay. I'll get it off. Sorry about that." The creature proved extremely docile, but Rhett had gotten close enough for its liking. It took a few steps away from Rhett. "No, no. it's okay. I'm trying to help ya." Rhett said. He kept reaching his hand out. The creature started to run away, until Rhett raised his hand and lifted its legs off the ground with the force. Gently, he pulled it into his hand. He stroked its head with two fingers a couple times, before untangling the netting around one of its legs. He set it back down gently. The creature looked him up and down once or twice as if to say thank you before scurrying off the porch and into the grass.

Rhett, now much more relaxed and happy to be home, took a sigh before entering his home. The door groaned as it swung open, and it revealed his home as he left it. Rhett took a look around, the wind outside was the only sound and it made Rhett feel at peace. He closed the door. He took his lightsaber off his hip, he eyed it for a bit, and placed it on the table. He walked into his bedroom, and collapsed onto his bed. It felt more comfortable than the cots on board the cruisers and inside the temple. He was so glad to be home. He lay for a moment, listening to the wind outside blowing the cool air. He lulled off to sleep.

The sound of a loud engine outside descending near his home woke Rhett. Groggy, he stumbled his way outside. Out of caution, even though he sensed no threat, he used the force to pull his saber off the table as he walked by. He stepped outside, once he got out from under the cover of the porch, he could see Republic decals on the large ship as it descended onto the Zabrak field. He knew he'd be in trouble for leaving, but he was so tired of the chain of command and following orders, he didn't care in that moment. He stood waiting for the ship to land to face the problem head on. The loading ramp lowered, the ship was turned perpendicular to Rhett so he couldn't see who was in the ship or what was in the cargo hold. Anakin began walking down. He stopped at the edge of the ramp of the large ship, and leaned against the ramp supports.

"Walker?" Rhett called out from the porch. Anakin sat with a smug smile. Rhett, glad to see him, but a little annoyed that the Jedi found him so quickly wanted to knock him down a little. "You gonna pay me for those crops you just landed on?" Rhett asked.

Anakin chuckled. "We'll bill the Republic." Rhett didn't react. He held his stare, squinting across the distance. "I just came to talk. Nobody but us and Lowe knows we're here. And I'm confident it'll stay that way, but we need to go back otherwise people will start to sniff something." Anakin explained.

"I just got here." Rhett responded.

"I know. I get that, but that's not really how this works. The Republic already did you a big favor by letting your fighter theft slide, you don't want to tack on an AWOL charge to that.'' Anakin replied. Rhett held his stare, showing that he was over it, and was unbothered by the possibility. Anakin realized his pleas weren't getting anywhere. "Come here. I've got something for you in the cargo hold I need help unloading." He turned around and walked back up the ramp. Rhett didn't move. Anakin stopped and hollered out. "Come on now. It's fine. It's not like I'm going to kidnap you."

Rhett sighed and took a slow step off the porch and started to the ship. He climbed the ramp into the cargo hold. A large canvas covered a shape in the cargo hold. "Well, what is it?" Rhett asked, getting to the point.

"Well…" Anakin wasn't sure how to prepare Rhett for it. "I think it might just be best if I just show you. Grab that corner." He said, pointing to the corner of the canvas. Anakin and Rhett began to pull back the canvas to reveal two Eta-2 class Jedi Interceptors. There was an initial shock in Rhett, but a slight confusion. "We commissioned two for you and Master Faroch. They just came off the line. They're yours if you want them." Anakin explained.

Rhett was fighting back tears. "But, why?" Rhett asked slowly.

"Well, it's pretty standard for a Jedi to have his own fighter. But, Faroch's old padawan didn't fly. So once he got one that did, we figured it was time. We commissioned them right after you got back into the fight." Anakin slowly explained, aware that the explanation was hurting for Rhett, who bowed his head while leaning on one of the ships. He slowly nodded his head. He lightly knocked on the ship with his fist. He looked back up, tears in his eyes.

"Thanks, Walker." He muttered, slowly nodding his head. "Wish he was still here to fly it with me." Rhett admitted.

"We all do." Anakin said. Anakin let Rhett stew for a moment. The sound of the wind, and some sniffles from Rhett was the only thing that broke the silence. Anakin finally broke it.

"I brought some paints. You gotta make it your own." Anakin explained. Rhett gave out a chuckle and rose his watery eyes from the ground. He nodded his head with an empty smile. "You want to start now?" Anakin asked sympathetically.

"Yeah. Sure. Let's do it." Rhett said slowly. He around the ship and over to Anakin, gave him a quick hug. "I'm no artist though." Rhett broke through the tension with a joke. Anakin laughed.

"That's alright. Just slap something on there. Personalize it a little. Come here." Anakin started to walk further into the cargo hold, motioning for Rhett to follow. He walked to the corner, opened up a crate to reveal several containers of paint inside. "What's your color?" Anakin asked. Rhett reached into the crate. He pulled out two containers of paint, some brushes and walked over to the ships.

"Which one is mine?" Rhett asked.

"Depends on which one you paint." Anakin responded. Rhett smiled. Opened up the container, dipped the brush in, and put his first brush stroke of a burnt orange color on one of the wings.

"Mind if I help?" Anakin asked, as he grabbed some paint of the same color and walked to the other wing.

"Not at all." Rhett said.

"Want any designs? Logos?" Anakin asked.

"I got something in mind. I'll figure out where to put it later." Rhett responded. The two worked in silence for a while, and aside for some light conversation and talk about the paint job, the two just hung out for a while. Anakin knew Rhett needed him to be there. Nothing special, just a friend for a bit. The two painted some stripes on the trim of the ships, the wings a solid orange, and added baby blue some accent marks.

"Kinda looks like your saber." Anakin remarked.

"Good. That's what I was going for." Rhett admitted.

"So what about that design you wanted?" Anakin asked.

"Oh yeah. Give me a boost?" Rhett responded as he placed his hands on the top of the ship. Anakin lifted his foot up and Rhett stood up onto of the ship. He stepped over the wet paint, near the cockpit. He knelt down, dipped his brush into the orange paint, and behind the hinge for the cockpit, painted an outline of an Iktochi head.

Anakin bowed his head and gave a sad smile. "It's perfect."

"Not bad, eh?"

"Let's just hope you fly it as well as it looks." Anakin joked.

"I mean that's the plan." Rhett remarked back.

"Well what's the plan for the other one?" Anakin asked.

"Well." Rhett paused. "It was made for Faroch." He explained as he walked back over to the crate full of paint containers. He reached inside and pulled out a dark green color. "Like his saber." He explained as he reached for a second can, an earthy brown container of paint, that matched that hilt of Faroch's saber. "How 'bout it?" Rhett asked. Anakin smirked.

"Let's get to work." He said as he grabbed the container from Rhett's hand. The two started to paint for a bit. The tension had calmed down between the two, so Anakin took his chance. "So. When do you think you're coming back?" He gently asked. It was not the question Rhett wanted to hear, so he ignored it and kept painting. "Rhett. I get it." Anakin slowly said. "But your men and the Republic are counting on you. Not to mention the Jedi—" Rhett interrupted.

"The Jedi? The Jedi? The Jedi couldn't give a shit about me? What are they going to do if I go AWOL? Remove me from the order? They basically already have." Rhett exploded.

"Nobody said that." Anakin defended.

"The council demanded a stop to my training, Walker. What do you call that?" Rhett said sternly.

"They just—"

"They just what? Abandoned me? Because that's what it felt like." Rhett snapped, cutting Anakin's defense off.

"They didn't abandon you." Anakin assured.

"Oh but didn't they? When I needed them most, when I was going through the shit. I needed some guidance to get through that. Is it my fault I took it so hard? Maybe. But I still needed…" Rhett stumbled to find the words. "I need someone." Rhett said, defeated. "I need someone to talk me through all this." Rhett bowed his head. "I need you." Rhett admitted.

Anakin frowned, disappointed. "You know why we can't do that."

"Yeah, and what's up with that bullshit?" Rhett's anger came back into his voice. "No attachments? What kind of impossible to follow rule is that when they pair you up with a mentor who is supposed to bring you up in the order?" Rhett asked. "They act like they know everything. Well I know the bond I had with my men is what got us out of that shit hole, so don't tell me that these attachments can only be bad. Because they just saved my ass and a whole squadron of the Republic's finest!" Rhett's anger stewed to the point of a shout, and he threw a roll of painting tape against the wall of the ship's cargo hold. Anakin remained calm, and let Rhett vent. When he finally felt that he had let it all out, he spoke.

"I understand. I really do. I don't always agree with the council. Especially on this matter." Anakin admitted.

"I guess you are right. You, Obi-Wan, and Ashoka are all pretty tight, huh?" Rhett asked.

"Well, yeah." Anakin admitted.

"Exactly the relationship between a master and an apprentice is inevitable. How do they not see it?" Rhett asked rhetorically. "Even so, it seems they have a bigger problem with my relationships with the squadron and Shrik, and home." Rhett said, hoping to get some advice form Anakin.

"Well, I'd say I'm close with Rex and some of the guys in the 501st. I never had too many friends from my childhood, and I hated my home. But I'd say I have some friends outside of the Jedi and the Republic that the Jedi would disapprove of…" for a moment, Anakin let his guard down in the company of a brand new Jedi, still weak in the force. His mind wandered to Padme, and his secret relationship with his wife, that he had to hide from the Jedi. "But I know there's ways to balance yourself in the force, I've been able to do it just fine." Anakin explained.

Rhett, who was intently reading into Anakin's thoughts and listening to every word carefully, could tell that Anakin was hiding something. It took him a moment, but he pieced together that the something was a someone. Rhett lowered his eyebrow, as he tried to figure it out. Anakin picked up on Rhett trying to read into it, and he put his guard back up, burying his feeling for his wife out of caution. He tried to change the subject.

"Not even considering the council, AWOL charges are no joke. You don't want to get caught out here." Anakin plead, trying to get his friend to return to Coruscant. Rhett sighed, he still didn't want to talk about returning. He hung his head, and looked out the cargo bay door. He could tell the sun was getting low.

"Come here." Rhett said as he motioned with his head and started out the cargo bay. Anakin paused for a second before giving out a sigh when he deiced to follow along. He followed Rhett to the front porch of the house. Rhett walked through the front door. Anakin, still a ways behind him, didn't make it to the door before Rhett came back outside with a bucket of Chandrillan ales. He pointed to one of the rockers that faced the overgrown Zabrak fields. "Take a seat." Anakin slowly sat down. Rhett plunked down in the rocking chair next to him. He opened one of the ales, and offered another to Anakin.

"Jedi don't usually drink." Anakin said, looking up to Rhett, who didn't move his hand, still offering the drink.

"Out here, I'm just a farmer sitting with his buddy. Take the damn drink." He said gently pushing the bottle into Anakin's sternum. Anakin let out a small chuckle before reluctantly taking the bottle and opening it. The two sat, looking over the fields and at the sinking sun for a moment.

"I can see why you like it." Anakin said.

"Ain't it something? Beats Coruscant." Rhett replied.

"Sure does." Anakin admitted. "This what you and Shrik did every day?"

Rhett slowly nodded. "Yup. It's my favorite place in the galaxy." He explained. "You?" Rhett asked. Anakin again, unknowingly let his guard down. He placed his mind back to the lakes of Naboo. Rhett could see Anakin's mind wandering, and tried to read into him. He briefly got some senses of lake country on Naboo, but figured that was his home planet distracting him, so he moved on. "You got a favorite spot?" Rhett asked again. Anakin snapped back to attention.

"I guess not." Anakin lied. He knew the answer, just wanted to keep it hidden.

"I guess that's why it's so easy for you." Rhett said.

"What do you mean?" Anakin asked.

"I was 13 when I was cast out here. I had to make friends or die. I'd like to think I could take care of myself. And maybe I could've. But without Shrik I would have been a completely different person." Rhett explained, between sips of ale. He looked back out over the fields. He motioned toward the field with his hand. "And this place. It fed me. It gave me stability, a home. Sure, I grew the crops, but if the land didn't provide them for me, I would've been screwed, of course I grew fond of this place." Rhett explained, as he leaned over in his seat to place an empty bottle down onto the porch and pick up a new one. "I don't want to spew my guts out, though." He said, as he shook his head before taking another swig.

"It's alright, Rhett. Really." Anakin said genuinely. Rhett held his stare over the fields. As a man who didn't like to show his emotions, he realized the conversation hit a little too close to the heart for his liking, so he avoided eye contact. Anakin could tell he was out of his comfort zone. "So, tell me about this place. You must have a thousand stories." Rhett knew what Anakin was doing, changing the subject and all. He let out a smile and a chuckling breath, before finally locking eyes with Anakin. Both knew it was a charade, but they continued the conversation until it was no longer a charade, but just two friends having conversation. It lasted for an hour or so, as the sun sank behind the Zabrak fields, and the Chandrillan ale disappeared. Rhett had just finished a story about the time he had to get Shrik to help him dig out a speeder he had run aground in the middle of his field and tangled in the roots.

"Well, Walker. I'm out." Rhett said, as he held up the empty bottles, showing he was out of Ale. "Theres a tavern not far from here. I'm gonna go stop by. See what trouble I can stir. You in?" He asked. Anakin laughed and stood up, and took a small balance-gathering step.

"Like I said… I don't usually drink. Go ahead though. Have fun." Anakin said with a half drunk smile and glaze over his eyes. Rhett smiled, amused at his drunken friend.

"Sleep it off, Walker. Guest bedroom is all yours." He said, motioning inside the house.

Chapter 20: The Bounty Hunter at the Bar

Rhett walked into the tavern. He gave a quick glance around. Everything seemed like a usual night at the bars. It wasn't very busy, there were a few empty tables around and some open stools at the bar, with small pockets of strangers striking up some small conversation. Some speakers overhead played some light music. As he walked to the bar, he scanned the room looking for familiar faces. He didn't see anyone he knew, but the familiarity of the bar that he and Shrik occasionally went to was enough to feel like home. He plunked himself down at the bar. He continued looking around the room, until the bartender walked up to him and spoke. "What'll it be?" He said in a deep raspy voice.

Rhett realized he didn't know what he wanted. He came for the familiarity of it all, not even because he wanted a drink. "Um…" Rhett trailed. He smirked. "How about some Ardees?" The bartender responded with a grunt and a nod, and walked off to make his drink. Rhett continued to scan the room as he pulled some credits out of his pocket. A feeling told him a familiar presence was around, but his senses were mixed, as he also picked up some hints of danger. His eyes had a slight squint to them as he scanned the dark bar room, trying to understand his feelings. After a moment, finding nothing, he chalked up the strange feelings to the booze.

"Here 'ya go." The bartender said, as he placed the glass down and picked up the credits Rhett left on the bar. Rhett responded with a nod, and picked up the glass. He sipped it. He sat sipping his drink for a long time, lost in his thoughts. He considered the council's advice, he thought about what Anakin had told him, he thought about what he wanted more; to be a good Jedi or to keep his friends. He thought back to his dad's advice, but then again, his dad had other priorities. The stress built up in Rhett's mind, so he drank more. The comfort he found in the bar was replaced by the confusion of his own thoughts. He wore a thousand yard stare down to the glass not a foot from his face. He slouched in his barstool, leaning on his elbows, spinning the glass, watching the ice rattle around in a circle. Rhett cycled between sipping his drink and staring down at it a few more times. The drunkenness sank in, and made him realize how long he'd been lost in his own thoughts. His focus snapped back into the room. As his head moved around, once again scanning the room, he could really feel the Ardees, but he could also feel a stronger feeling of danger. Rhett considered his emotions for a moment. Right as he started to dismiss the increased caution with his increased inebriation, his eyes locked onto a Mandalorian helmet at the end of the bar. The Mandalorian somehow sat down at the bar without Rhett noticing, and he was looking directly at Rhett. His elbows were leaning on the table, he had something in his hands.

Rhett didn't know why a Mandalorian would be after him, but he could sense that he was in danger. He downed his drink in one swig, and got up to leave. As soon as he started to get up, so did the Mandalorian. Rhett tried to walk out of the bar as if he didn't see him, but the Mandalorian was experienced. He had seen this move before, and accelerated his walk to be right on Rhett's heels as he tried to exit the bar. He moved his hand to draw his blaster. At the same time he drew, Rhett turned around quickly. He whipped his arm around, and grabbed onto the barrel of his blaster and pushed it to the side. The two locked eyes for a moment, until Rhett scanned the room, noticing the attention he brought to themselves in their quick movements.

"This isn't Tatooine. These folks aren't used to this kind of scene in here. You have any idea how much heat you'd draw to yourself?" Rhett said, coldly.

"Just sit down. All I want to do is talk." The Mandalorian explained, through his helmet.

"What about?" Rhett said. The Mandalorian responded with a sigh.

"Does it matter? I know for a fact you don't have your saber on you. Do you really have a choice?" The Mandalorian slowly and calmly explained. Rhett looked around at all the stares they'd attracted again, they still hadn't moved. They both stood near the exit, Rhett's hand on the blaster that was still in the outstretched hand of the Mandalorian. Wanting to calm the scene and remain civil, he agreed. The two sat at an empty table nearby.

"Am I gonna need another drink for this?" Rhett asked, sternly. The Mandalorian ignored him. He sighed, and slapped a bounty puck on the table.

"You know what this is?" He asked calmly. Rhett knew, but didn't answer. "It's a bounty. Someone in the Republic wants you turned in." The explanation surprised Rhett.

"From inside the Republic?" He chuckled. "Now who would that be?" Rhett asked.

"I don't know. No one does." The Mandalorian slowly explained. "This is one of the shadiest jobs I've ever heard of. You must've really pissed someone off."

"Not sure who it would be. Why does it say they want me?" Rhett smugly responded, thinking he was innocent.

"Well. It says AWOL charges." He explained, "But for this price, it must be for something a lot bigger." His words were careful and slow. He leaned back in his chair, more relaxed. "Those politicians. They have more power than they let people think. How do you think they were elected? You gotta know the right people. And when you know the right people, you can make a lot of things happen. People disappear without a trace, and it's kept pretty quiet. Whoever it is that wants you gone, is powerful enough to have a small group of us undergrounds on the hunt for ya, without even knowing why."

"So you gonna rope me up, or what?" Rhett asked. The Mandalorian sighed.

"Your buddies — your squadron — they're not first gen clones, are they" he asked. The question confused Rhett. He wasn't sure what it had to do with anything.

"I don't think so. When I linked up with them they were rookies." Rhett responded. The Mandalorian nodded.

"Well, those first gen clones. They're a different breed. They were raised and trained as Mandalorians. Any idea who trained 'em?" He asked.

Rhett started into his intimidating and smug squint again. "Something tells me you did." He said.

"I did." He responded, then shifted his weight onto his forearms which sat on the table. "You ever met a first gen clone?" He asked.

"I don't know. I don't think so." Rhett replied.

"Well, ya have." The Mandalorian said confidently. Rhett sat for a moment, wondering what he meant. "You bailed a whole bunch out a while back ago, just a few miles from here, when the Seps sieged that base."

"Commander Lowe's old squad?" Rhett asked, almost in disbelief.

"That's them. They were going to get wiped until some force sensitive farmer stole a Republic fighter and saved everyone's ass." The Mandalorian said. Rhett didn't reply. He wasn't sure what even to say. "Funny." The Mandalorian scoffed. "I always figured him a hero. I was a little surprised when a bounty was put on him from the Republic."

"What is this about? Are you going to take me in?" Rhett asked.

"No. I'm not." The Mandalorian responded slowly. "Like I said, I trained those guys. Was glad to hear they got out, wanted to thank the guy that did it. That's you. We'll call ourselves even then." He said, as he stretched out his hand over the table for a handshake. Rhett slowly took it and shook. He still wasn't sure if it was a ploy, but he sensed no danger.

"Glad you're the hunter I ran into. What's your name?" Rhett Asked.

"Roal Quil." He responded. "And you better be. You'd be surprised how many people know about the bounty. Some are pursuing. Some don't want the attention. Some just disagree with bringing you in. Lots of folks. Mandalorians, bounty droids, even Jedi."

"Jedi?" Rhett said surprised.

"You heard me. You'd be surprised how corrupt that joint is." Roal explained. Rhett lowered an eyebrow and scowled he wasn't sure what to believe.

"How do you know?" Rhett asked.

"I'm good at finding things." Quil said as he shrugged. "I know more about the Republic army than you."

"Oh, yeah? Like what?" Rhett asked.

"Lots of things. The Republic isn't free of corruption either. Those clone friends of yours aren't as real as you think." Quil explained.

"Real?"

"I quit training 'em because I found out what the Republic was doing to 'em. Chips." He said tapping his head, "In here. They're damn near programmed. It was kept real quiet too. It was hard for me to find a whole lot out. I'm still not totally sure what they're used for. I don't know if that's what makes them tick or what, but the whole thing seemed shady. I liked those guys. I didn't think it was right. Couldn't ask anyone about it because I sure as hell wasn't supposed to know about it. So I quit." Quil explained slowly.

"If you didn't know what they did, why'd you quit?" Rhett asked, still skeptical.

"They tell everyone that they're basically just humans, then what's with the chips? I don't know what they're for, but it can't be good if it's kept such a secret. I'm no scientist. I don't have a theory, but something in my gut tells me it's bad." Quil said, before kind of shrugging it off. "I don't know, though. Could be nothin'."

"Appreciate the info. Can I buy you a drink?" Rhett said, sort of just to change the subject.

"Sure thing." Quil responded. Rhett started to get up, but Quit grabbed his arm. "Look. Like I said, you might have some Jedi coming after you. From what I hear, you're good, but inexperienced. You need an upper hand." Quil said, pulling out a weapon off his hip from underneath his cape. He plunked it down on the table. It was a small handgun. "It shoots a metal slug. Goes way too quick and is way too small for a Jedi to block. Compared to a blaster, it's harder to aim, and even harder to find ammunition for it, so use the shots wisely. It's an ancient weapon we used against the Jedi in the war."

"Then why give it to a guy you just met?" Rhett asked.

"I got no use for it. I don't mess around with Jedi." Quil said.

"You pulled a gun on me in a crowded bar." Rhett argued.

"Well, I wasn't gonna tell you this but the weapon is illegal as hell. I've got enough heat on me. I don't want no one finding that on me." Quil admitted. Rhett lowered his eyebrows, unsure whether to accept. "Keep it in your farm house. No one's gotta know, but it'll keep you safe. Give you a little edge on the more experienced guy. I don't want nothing for it. Take it. Buy me a drink and we'll call it even." He said as he motioned his head toward the bar. Rhett slowly grabbed the gun, looked around the bar and tucked it underneath his barn clothes and onto his waist. He started toward the bar. Quil got up and followed. Rhett leaned on the bar. Quil joined by his side and slipped his helmet off to reveal a young face, Rhett gauged him around his own age. He had dark hair and a scruffy chin.

"Two shots of Ardees please." Rhett said to the bartender, again plinking down some credits onto the bar top.

"Nice choice." Quil said. The bartender set down two glasses in front of them, and filled them.

"Thanks." Rhett said, as the bar tender leaned back away from them.

"To your new squad, and to the one you saved right here on Chandrilla." Quil said, proposing a toast to Rhett. Rhett clinked his glass, and threw down the shot with Quil.

"You want another?" The bartender asked.

"I'll do one." Rhett replied, wanting a drink to calm the nerves that were stirred by what Quil had told him. He turned to Quil. "You?"

"Nah. I'm gonna get going. Stay safe out there, Corporal." The Mandalorian walked out, and was gone about as quickly as he appeared to Rhett.

By the time Rhett turned around from watching Quil exit the bar, he had a new glass of Ardees waiting for him on the bar. He picked it up, swirled it around and fell back into his stare towards the bottom of the glass. He swigged it back, and slapped the glass back down on the table. He slowly spun the glass on the bar top between his two fingers, as he let all the overwhelming information from Quil sink in. He let go of the glass, and started to rub his eyes with one hand, stressed. A familiar female voice from behind the bar snapped Rhett out of his stress, with a friendly greeting. "Rhett Kysn, is that you? When did you get back?"

Chapter 21: The Bartender

Rhett's eyes snapped up to the figure behind the bar. His eyes met with a different bartender, who walked down to Rhett from the other side of the bar when she noticed who he was. Rhett eyed the woman. He recognized her wavy blonde hair and blue eyes. She had sharp facial features and a bright smile as she looked at Rhett.

"Oh hey, Val! How are you?" Rhett said excitedly.

"I'm—I'm good—I'm great!" She replied brightly through her stammer.

"How's your pops?" Rhett asked.

"Well, not as good. The war has made running the store pretty tough. I started working here to make some extra cash." She replied. Rhett knew her through her father. He had owned a farm and feed supply store nearby, where Rhett would purchase his equipment, soil regulators, and fertilizers. She had always helped out in the store. Rhett had a few conversations with her every now and then, but mostly remembered her father. He was a few years older than her, which seemed like a bigger deal when Rhett was an incredibly mature and independent teenager, and she was still just a kid playing around her father's store. But now that she was a hard working adult, it almost seemed as though she had her life together more than Rhett.

"That's too bad. I might have to stop in sometime and pick up some weeders. My field's overrun. Maybe I can help him out with some oils or something if y'all come help me get it under control." Rhett said with a smile.

"I'm sure my daddy's got something for ya." She said with her slight twangy accent.

"He always does!" Rhett replied with a chuckle.

"Well, hey, you want another drink? On the house?" She asked. Rhett shrugged.

"Oh, I don't know. I've been drinking for a while. I was actually thinking of heading out soon."

"Absolutely not! We need to catch up. I'll pour you a shot. And to sweeten the deal, I'll throw in something light to sip on. No charge." She said with a smile.

Rhett slowly peered his eyes up from his glass, wearing a drunk smile. "Fine, but if I'm drinking I'm not doing it alone. And you gotta catch up." Rhett said as he pulled some credits from his pockets. He smacked them down on the table. "Shrik and I used to do shots with the bartenders all the time in here. You give me those for free, and I'll pay for two shots for you." He said with a smirk. She rolled her eyes, with a big smile, and rolled her body with her eyes as she turned around to pour the drinks.

She returned with 3 full shot glasses, and one glass. She set them down on the table, and picked up the credits Rhett had set down. She slid one shot and the drink toward Rhett, and picked up the other two shots. "What are we drinking to?" She asked as she held up the shot glasses proposing a toast.

"To Valtara and Murr Perata. To the feed store's success and to your new job." Rhett suggested.

"Okay, fine." Val giggled. "But if you use my full name again, I'll throw you out of this bar." She said with a big smile, before knocking back the two shots.

"Hey!" A voice shouted from down the bar. "Get back to work would ya? I've got customers over here waiting." The first bartender shouted.

"I'll be right back." Val said as she smirked and winked at Rhett. She stepped away from Rhett, collecting the shot glasses as she left. Rhett caught himself still smiling, as he looked back down to his drink. He picked it up, let out a small chuckle to himself and swigged his drink. He watched her as she served a few customers down the bar. He looked her up and down. He found himself attracted to her as he looked at her figure. He found himself enjoying her happy demeanor and energy as she bounced around the bar back grabbing bottles and glasses. She began to pour a drink, and while it was pouring she turned her head and made eye contact with Rhett, effectively catching Rhett checking her out. They both chuckled. Val sent another wink to Rhett, who promptly looked back down at his drink, a little embarrassed.

He kept his eyes down for the next several minutes. Struggling with his feelings again. As if things weren't complicated enough. His drunken self found himself more and more attracted to the girl from his past behind the bar. His thoughts were interrupted when another drink was set down in front of him. He looked up to see Val again, still smiling, gazing into his eyes.

"Apparently I misheard what he wanted. I'm just going to dump it out if you don't take it." Val told him. Rhett rattled the ice in his cup.

"I'm still working on the first one you gave me." He said, as he slid the new glass back toward Val. "And if I remember rightly you still need to catch up." He smirked. She giggled.

"I'm working!"

"If you want me to stay I ought to be having fun. And I'm not having fun if everyone ain't having fun." Rhett laughed. Val scoffed, picked up the drink and looked around the bar for her bosses.

"You're going to get me in trouble!" She whined.

"Better finish it quick then!" Rhett responded gleefully. She let out one more giggle, before tipping the glass back and downing the whole drink. She set the glass down, and tried to give a playful glare to Rhett, but a smile creeped across her face as she looked at him. She slowly shook her head as she turned around and walked down the bar again.

Val would go help some customers, and when everyone had their fill, she would walk back down to Rhett and talk to him. They kept the conversation light for the most part, reminisced about the past, and caught up on each other's lives. Rhett's drunken mind was choosing to not mention that he was a Jedi, in fear she would stop showing interest. They intermittently talked for about an hour between Val leaving to go help other customers, and Rhett slipping her his glass for her to drink now and then. Val was helping another customer when the other bartender called out last call. Rhett finished his drink, and was waiting to say goodbye to Val. She could tell he was getting ready to go, so she walked down to the end of the bar to him.

"Want anything else?" She asked sweetly.

"I don't think so. I've had enough." Rhett said behind his glazed eyes.

"Me too. What did you do to me?" She said, before they both laughed. "Well hey, my other bartender needs to go home, so it's just me closing this place up. What do you say you stick around while I close up?" Val asked.

"Only if I get to help." Rhett replied.

"Oh no you don't have to do that." Val said.

"It's fine! Just give me the easy stuff. I'll wipe the tables, stack the chairs. That's nothing!" Rhett insisted.

"Fine, but you aren't doing it for free. I'll pour us some drinks for it as soon as everyone's gone." She said smiling, before turning around to leave once again.

"I thought we'd had enough?" Rhett asked.

"Our night just got longer." Val joked from a few steps down the bar. Before long, the bar had emptied out. It was just Rhett at the bar, still chatting with Val, who was cleaning out some glasses.

"Okay, Val, I'm outta here. Tips are in the back. Who's this guy?" The other bartender said, pointing at Rhett as he was walking across the bar room floor, towards the door.

"He's with me. He's fine." Val responded.

"Well, have fun. But not too many free drinks, tonight, please?" He joked.

"We would never." Val replied, with some sarcasm behind her voice.

"uuhh-huh" He said slowly as he pushed the door open, leaving.

"You're not gonna get in trouble for this, are you?" Rhett asked.

"Oh no. he's just checking on me. It's happened a few times where the guys I flirt with in this bar looking for a bigger tip seem to think they're taking me home. He's had to kick out a few drunks who decided they were going to wait on me." Val explained.

"Well I haven't tipped you at all yet. Still working me over?" Rhett asked.

"I invited you to stay, didn't I?" Val asked with a smile.

"I offered to help." Rhett playfully replied as he got up from his seat. "What do you want me to do?"

"Sit back down and keep me company." Val said, giggling.

"Nope. I'm going to help. I'll wipe down those table tops. You got a rag?" Rhett asked. Val tried to maintain a hard stare, trying to get her way, but as she looked into Rhett's eyes it broke into a smile and she dropped her head giving up, throwing a rag at his chest over the bartop.

"You always were such a hard worker. Probably why I had such a crush on ya." Val admitted.

"Oh, yeah?" Rhett laughed.

"When I was a 13 year old girl, maybe. 13 year old girls crush on everyone that's older than them. Usually it's…their neighbor, or their brother's friends, but I never had a neighbor… or a brother. So I had to settle for my dad's youngest customer."

"Oh so first I was a crush, now I'm a settlement?" Rhett joked, looking up from wiping down a table a few steps from the bar. Val nodded her head up and down with a smile. "Yeah? And what am I now?" Rhett asked flirtatiously.

"You're the drunk customer I manipulated into wiping down the table where a Rodian threw up yesterday." Val clapped back jokingly. She laughed. Rhett was bent down wiping down the table, but he stood up, and pointed his finger at Val.

"That was low." He said with a smile, before going back to wiping down tables. After that, Val began to count some credits, and Rhett was wiping down tables further away from the bar along the walls, so the conversation stopped, but the two would catch each other looking at one another from across the room while they were doing their jobs and smile. Rhett soon finished up wiping down tables and walked back towards Val behind the bar.

"Finished up? So am I." Val said.

"Well, thanks for the drinks. It was nice catching up." Rhett said.

"It was." Val said with a longing smile. "But hey," she continued "I'm walking home with a lot of credits on me. Mind walking me home?" She asked, shyly. Rhett knew full well that she had made the walk with credits on her multiple times. But he wanted to stay with her longer, and could feel through the force that she also wanted him to stay. He let out a chuckle.

"Of course." The two walked out of the bar, and Val locked up behind them. "You had to stay for a whole extra hour, with help. Y'all don't have a droid for all this?" Rhett asked.

"We can't afford that! We're small town, here, Rhett. You leave for Coruscant for a few years and forget not everyone's got that money, huh?" She said through a smile. Rhett's face shrunk. His smile lingered, but his face looked defeated.

"Thought you didn't know where I went." Rhett asked.

"Come on, Rhett. Like I said we're small town. People talk. There are no secrets. You think a Separatist raid can happen, with all those ships coming to and from your house and no one talk about it? Immediately after, you disappear, your farm is clearly abandoned, and the only thing anybody ever sees at your land is a Jedi interceptor?" Val explained.

"So you know?" Rhett asked, his drunken eyes blinked slow.

"We all guessed." Val admitted. "I mean we were all happy for you. That's the most exciting thing to happen to any of us."

"Funny." Rhett said slowly. "Sometimes I think my life is too exciting."

"Too exciting? I'd trade you in a heartbeat. That Rodian throwing up was the most exciting thing that happened in the bar in a month." Val joked.

"Say what you will, but I miss it here." Rhett explained.

"Is that why you came back?" Val asked. Rhett shrugged.

"It's good to see a familiar face. Even if it's just for tonight." Rhett explained.

"You're leaving tomorrow?" Val asked, almost annoyed.

"Well, yeah. I'm kind of AWOL right now. Could be in a lot of trouble." Rhett said.

"Well. In case you end up in jail and I never see you again…" Val said. She stopped her walk, grabbed Rhett's hip to turn him to face her. She got up on her tiptoes and used her other hand to pull Rhett's neck down to kiss her. Rhett's heart skipped a beat. He felt a connection in the force. A wave of excitement overcame him. But as the two kept kissing, Rhett's drunken mind raced. The Jedi, his troops, Anakin, all bounced around his mind, and it all was too much at once. He had responsibilities, and he realized this was a bad idea. He gently placed a hand on Val's shoulders and pushed her away. He could tell Val was embarrassed. "Sorry." She said, disappointed.

"No. No." Rhett stammered, with a huge smile on his face. "It was…" he trailed off into a laugh. He couldn't explain it. So he just grabbed her shoulders and pulled her in for an embrace. His hands slipped down to hers and he grabbed them. "It's okay." Rhett said with an assuring smile. He let go of one hand, but held on to the other as they kept walking. The two walked in silence for a second.

"Did I make it weird?" Val said, worried. Rhett laughed.

"Would you stop?" Rhett said.

"No! It's just…I know that…" Val couldn't seem to find an explanation either. She sighed. "We both have had a lot to drink." She said almost laughing.

"Val." Rhett said more sternly. "You have nothing to worry about. And this is your fault, by the way, you kept shoving drinks in my face all night." Rhett joked, trying to make her feel better. She kept her silence. He could still feel she was embarrassed. he looked down at her as they walked and squeezed her hand. "It was a good night." He said with a big smile on. Val didn't say anything, but she pulled herself closer to Rhett and laid her head on his shoulder.

"So…" Val changed the subject. "You don't like being a Jedi?" She asked. Rhett sighed.

"There are parts of it I don't like, sure." Rhett admitted.

"Like what?"

"The robes for starters." Rhett said, Val laughed.

"The robes? It can't be that bad if all you have to complain about are the robes." Val chuckled.

"It's not just that. It's the whole structured, formal, one-way to do it kind of thing, you know? Thats not me. I'm a farmer. Theres a problem, you do whatever you need to do to fix it. Doesn't have to be the same way every time. As long as the work gets done." Rhett explained.

"I get that, it can be tough to adjust.' Val consoled.

"That's why they try to bring them in so young. That rubs me the wrong way too." Rhett said.

"What do you mean?" Val asked.

"I don't know it's like they know their ideologies are hard to buy into, so they usually only take them in when they're young so the kids don't have a chance to really think anything else." Rhett explained.

"What kind of ideologies?" Val asked. Rhett panicked. If he mentioned that Jedi can't have attachments, it would make him seem like a hypocrite, after the night he had with Val.

"Just…" Rhett paused. "I don't know. I'm just whining." Rhett dismissed, Val could tell he didn't want to talk about it, so she didn't say anything back. The two took a few steps in silence before Rhett broke the tension. "And the robes, by the way, are that bad." He joked. Val laughed in a response.

"Oh, yeah?" She egged him on.

"They are! They're way too baggy, they go all the way down to the floor. I'm stepping on them all the time. I'm not even mentioning how hot they are!" Rhett explained as Val giggled. From there, the conversation drifted. The two swapped some more stories throughout the rest of the walk. Val asked about Coruscant, cruisers, and the war. Rhett asked about the farm, the shop, the bars, and the locals he missed. Soon the two found themselves at Val's front steps.

"Well, this is me." Val said. Rhett smiled. "Thanks for the help. And for walking me home."

"Thanks for the drinks. I had fun." Rhett said. Val came in for another hug.

"I'm glad you came back." She said, still in Rhett's arms.

"I'm glad I ran into you." Rhett replied, his chin resting on the top of Val's head. He tilted his head down and kissed the top of her head before unwinding his arms around her.

"Goodnight, Rhett." She said as she stepped through the front door.

"'Night, Val." Rhett said with a smile, somewhat to himself. Knowing, but struggling to accept, that that night was going to be the only time he experienced anything like it. He would go back to the Jedi. He would get a new master, who would teach him to overcome his emotions, he would sell the farm, to live in the temple full-time, and maybe never see Val again. All these thoughts clouded his mind as he made the long trek home. By the time he got to his front porch, the sun was already beginning to rise, nearly two hours after he had dropped Val off at her home. He stumbled into his bedroom, collapsed into his bed, and finally got to sleep.

Chapter 22: Leaving Chandrilla

Rhett woke up a few hours later. The sunlight poured into his room in the lone window. It was blinding to Rhett. His head ached, his eyes hurt, and his stomach was upset. He turned in his bed, planning to just fall asleep again. Then, he remembered that Anakin was in his house, and probably wouldn't be too happy if Rhett allowed himself to be out so late and sleep so long. He stumbled out of his room in to the main living area. Anakin was across the room, he was cooking something on the stove against the far wall.

"Morning." Anakin said plainly.

"Good morning." Rhett said with a stretch while rubbing his eyes. "How'd the guest bed treat you? Haven't had someone in there in years. Besides Purggs, I guess."

"It was fine. How'd the tavern treat you?" Anakin replied.

"It was good." Rhett said, slowly nodding his head.

"It must have been." Anakin said as he turned around with an accusing look on his face. "I heard you stumble in this morning." Rhett laughed at himself.

"Yeah. Yeah, it was quite a night." Rhett admitted.

"What happened? I try to cut you some slack, but that was ridiculous." Anakin said, annoyed.

"I uhhhh," Rhett wasn't sure what to say. He was still a little tipsy from the night before and didn't care enough to concoct a lie, and instead just keep things vague. "I ran into an old friend."

"Okay? And that justifies staying out that late drinking? You're a Jedi, and a corporal in the Republic Army. I don't think either one of them would be happy about this." Anakin asked. Rhett stumbled around the kitchen getting water and some food.

"I know. But…I uhh…" he stammered, he slowly raised his thumb over his shoulder pointing in the direction of the bar "They work at the bar. I figured I would stay and help close the place down."

"Rhett, you aren't a farmer anymore. That isn't your life anymore." Anakin tried to explain.

"I know, I know. But just for last night. I thought maybe one more time. I'll go back to Coruscant tomorrow, and forget all about her." Rhett said, without even thinking.

"Her?" Anakin said, realizing that it wasn't just an old drinking buddy Rhett ran into. "Is that what happened?" He interrogated, with some excitement in his voice.

"I…" Rhett wasn't sure what to say. He sighed. "She works at the bar. She closed by herself. I helped. She had all her tips on her, so I walked her home. I made sure she didn't get mugged. She isn't exactly close to here, so the walk took a bit, and that's why I got home so late." Rhett explained.

"And that's it?" Anakin asked.

"That's it." Rhett said. Anakin saw right through it. Rhett's broken concentration allowed Anakin to read him like a book.

"You're lying." Anakin said smugly. Rhett slumped in his chair and rolled his head defeated.

"Okay so there was one kiss." Rhett admitted. Anakin's head whipped around from the food on the stove.

"You kissed her!" Anakin said excitedly.

"I know. It was dumb. No attachments. Like I said, I'll leave tomorrow and forget all about her." Rhett said.

"No. It's just…I don't know. Kind of exciting." Anakin said with a smirk.

"Really? No lecture on the code? No telling me I'm a bad Jedi? Or telling me I could be so much better?" Rhett asked.

"Like I told you last night. I don't always agree with the code. Especially when it comes to this kind of stuff. I just think…I think the bond that people share… are powerful." Anakin admitted. He began thinking about Padme again, his guard was lowered because of Rhett's hungover state, thinking he wouldn't be able to sense anything. However, Rhett once again picked up a weird feeling coming from Anakin, and the buzz he still had from the drinks from the night before gave him the blind confidence to try and read into Anakin's mind. He felt Padme in Anakin's thoughts. He connected the dots; finding him in her quarters, the images of Naboo, it was because of Padme.

"You son of a bitch." Rhett said with a smile.

"What?" Anakin said, on the defense already.

"The Queen?" Rhett laughed. Anakin's face scrunched in a panic.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Anakin said.

"You're in love with the Queen! With Senator Amidala?" Rhett clarified.

"What gave you that idea?" Anakin asked.

"An old master taught me something…sometimes you gotta know what to look for to find it." Rhett said. Anakin was amazed but also concerned. "I caught you two in the Republica. I saw you thinking about Naboo. It all makes sense now."

"Okay." Anakin said, defeated. "So what if I am?"

"So what are you two seeing each other in secret or what?" Rhett asked.

"Something like that." Anakin admitted.

"Well what is it?" Rhett asked.

"We're married." Anakin said slowly. Rhett gave an excited gasp. He got up from his chair and walked up to Anakin and began playfully punching him.

"Walker you son of a bitch! The best Jedi in the galaxy and the Queen of Naboo! Thats's awesome! Why didn't you tell me before?" Rhett asked.

"It's dangerous. For both of us. It's forbidden." Anakin said sternly.

"A forbidden love! How romantic!" Rhett playfully said.

"Would you stop? No one can know!" Anakin snapped. Rhett's playful mood was not matched by Anakin.

"Come on, Walker. You know you can trust me." Rhett insisted.

"I know. This is just a big deal. I don't know what would happen if the wrong people found out. I can't lose her." Anakin said.

"You really do care for her." Rhett finally matched Anakin's serious tone. He sat down at the kitchen table again.

"I do. Yeah." Anakin said reminiscently.

"How are you guys?" Rhett asked. Anakin smiled.

"We're good. It can be hard. It can be very hard. But it's worth it." Anakin admitted. Rhett fell deep into thought. He bounced his fingers on the table.

"Would you ever leave the order? For her?" He asked, thinking about his own parents.

"I think I would." Anakin assured. "Wouldn't you?"

"Yeah." Rhett said quickly.

"Not even going to think about it?" Anakin asked.

"From what I heard from my dad, from what I can feel in your emotions, and from what I remember from my own family on Naboo…that's what it's all about. Family." Rhett chuckled at how cheesy he was making himself sound. "Having a group of people you'd do anything for. I think I'd leave for even a chance at it." Rhett slowly admitted.

"You really are conflicted. We've all felt it. I've just never heard you admit it." Anakin replied. "You aren't thinking that this girl…" Anakin trailed off.

"Maybe. I don't know. Last night was the first time I saw her as as an adult. Before that she was just Murr's daughter." Rhett said.

"Murr?" Anakin asked.

"He's the owner of a farm supply shop down the road I always went to." As Rhett explained, he realized she might be there now. For just a moment he considered going. Anakin looked at his face more intently.

"You wanna go there don't you? You think she's there?" Anakin asked. Rhett nodded his head slowly with a small, defeated smile.

"A little bit, yeah." He admitted with a chuckle.

"Rhett, let me ask you, point blank." Anakin said, heavily. "Do you still want to be a Jedi." Rhett sighed and gazed out the window to his crops. He rubbed the scruff on his face and leaned his head on his hands.

"Yeah." He said with a nod. "But I want to do it my own way."

"Your own way?" Anakin asked.

"Like you." Rhett turned his head to Anakin. "You're the best Jedi around. And you're doing it how you see fit. I want to do it like you." Rhett said.

"I'm doing it in a dangerous way." Anakin warned. Rhett nodded slowly, still in thought. He got up from the table and opened the door, out of the house. "Where are you going?" Anakin asked. Rhett stopped in the doorway. He smiled.

"To go be dangerous." Rhett said, before closing the door behind him.

Rhett walked into the feed and supply store. It was a large building, but was mostly empty. He turned his head, scanning for Val. He began walking along the aisles, looking down each one. "Well hey there stranger." He heard from behind him. He turned around to see Val near one of the registers. He walked up to her, smiling. She was smiling back. "Feel okay this morning?"

"Not my first time. Probably won't be my last." Rhett admitted.

"So…?" Val smirked, tilted her head and raised her eyebrows.

"Awful. I did not feel good this morning." Rhett said, shaking his head and giving a laugh. Val giggled in response.

"What'd ya come in for." Val asked. Rhett wanted to admit his real intentions, but wasn't sure how Val felt. He wondered if it was just a drunken interaction sealed by a kiss or if she really liked him.

"uhhh…Have any dormanters? I want to stop the weed growth while I'm gone." Rhett made up on the spot.

"We sure do. Come with me." Val began leading him through the aisles. Rhett knew where they were, and Val knew that too, but the two wanted to walk together.

"So you're leaving again?" Val asked.

"Kind of have to. They don't really know I'm gone, and I promised my guys that are covering for me I wouldn't be gone long."

"Well… sad to see you go." Val said, stopping and pointing to a large bag on a shelf. "Here's what ya need. I can ring you up up front." She said. Rhett slung the bag over his shoulder and began following her to the front of the store. "Well don't leave without saying goodbye. I have something for ya."

"Oh, yeah? What is it?" Rhett asked smiling.

"It's a surprise. I've worked on it all morning." Val responded.

"Well, I can't wait." Rhett replied, as he set the bag down on a counter and began digging around his pockets for credits.

"Don't worry about it." Val responded. Rhett smiled. He placed the credits down on the counter.

"Well then we'll just consider that payment for the drinks." Rhett said. Val chuckled. His face shrunk into a small smile. She locked eyes with Rhett intently.

"It was good to see you again, Rhett." She said. Rhett shyly looked at the ground and back up at Val.

"You too." He said with an empty smile, before walking out of the store. He walked to his speeder. He began wondering why he didn't say anything to her. He was mad at himself for not asking to see her again. Conflict grew inside of him. He knew he couldn't pursue a relationship, even if he wanted it. He began securing the bag onto the speeder with some straps, disappointed in himself.

"Rhett!" He heard Val shout from the door of the store. He saw her running to him. She ran into his arms, which wrapped around her. She kissed him intensely. Rhett's heart raced and his head was spinning, only for a moment, he focused on Val and the conflict faded away. The two separated from their kiss. Val locked eyes with Rhett with a smile.

"Just in case you thought last night was some drunken mistake. I did that on purpose. And I'm glad I did." She said unapologetically.

"I am too…" Rhett said smiling. But Val could tell in the way he said it there was a problem. Rhett didn't know how to explain it. He let out a small laugh. "Val do you know all the rules I have to follow as a Jedi?" He asked.

"Not really, no." Val admitted, concerned.

"I—" Rhett stammered. "I don't really understand why." He said slowly. "But…relationships…attachments…they're banned. Apparently they can be dangerous." The words hurt to let out.

"Oh?" Val said, a little defeated.

"I never understood it. And I'm horrible at following it." Rhett admitted. "I can get away with having friends I care about, but being in a relationship…it's just not something I can do." Rhett explained. Val's head sunk. Rhett grabbed her chin gently with two fingers and lifted it back up so he could look her in her eyes. "But look. I've had some problems with the Jedi. I'm not happy there. I miss home. There's so many reasons for me to stay. If you asked me to, I would."

"Rhett…" Val said, flattered but almost annoyed. "I had fun last night. I like you. I really do. And I've loved having you around all these years…But we hardly know each other." Val said painfully. "I'd love for you to stay. But you're asking me to ask you to change your whole life so we can go on a second date and see where it goes? I just can't do that." Val explained. Rhett gave an empty, sorrowful smile.

"I know. That's why this sucks. I'm sorry to have gotten you wrapped into this." Rhett said, pulling her closer and wrapping her in a hug.

"It wasn't a mistake." Val assured. "I really want you to stay. I'm going to miss you. I know it was just one night…but…" Val wasn't sure how to explain her thoughts, and gave up on the explanation. "Goodbye." Rhett returned a defeated smile as he climbed on top of his speeder bike.

"I leave in the morning. If you come and stop me, I'd stay." Rhett admitted. Val laughed and shook her head.

"You're crazy." Val said, laughing. "Stay safe out there, Rhett. Send a transmission or two to the bar every now and then, will ya?" She asked. Rhett smiled.

"I'll have to." He said with a smile. He started his speeder and took off back towards the farm. When he arrived, Anakin was waiting for him on the porch. Rhett pulled the speeder right up to him.

"So?" Anakin asked, "How did it go?"

Rhett shook his head with an empty look on his face. "I'm leaving tomorrow."

"What about the girl?" Anakin asked.

"What about her?" Rhett asked as he climbed off the speeder, and started to unload the sack. "Can't stay here, and I can't take her with me."

"What about all that stuff you said this morning? Leaving the order for a chance at a family?" Anakin asked.

"I've got a family." Rhett said. "You and the boys. And I need to get back to 'em." Rhett explained, walking away from Anakin towards his barn. Anakin pursued.

"You want to go back there where the order will forbid you to have a family?" Anakin asked.

"It's all I got. I can't leave." Rhett said. Anakin could hear the hurt in his voice, as he opened the barn door.

"What do you mean? You have this place. You have her." Anakin asked.

"Why are you of all people telling me to stay right now?" Rhett asked aggressively as he slammed the bag down on to the ground. "A day ago you came out here to drag my ass back to Coruscant."

"Because I care, Rhett." Anakin said firmly. "Now do you want to talk to me about this, or keep giving me the short answer?" Anakin asked just as firmly. Rhett sighed.

"This group of guys has been the closest thing to family I've had since I was a boy. My dad told me to take care of them. I can't leave them for a girl I met at a bar one night ago." Rhett explained.

"I can feel the conflict in you. You don't mean that. You want to. You want to stay don't you. But you feel like you can't." Anakin accused. Rhett looked at the ground, defeated. He had been caught.

"Did you feel like you could leave the order to be with Padme?" Rhett asked. Anakin's face shrunk.

"No." Anakin admitted, disappointed. Rhett threw his arm up in a shrugging motion.

"Well there you go." Rhett pointed out. "And she can't come with me and live in Corsucant like Padme can." Rhett paused. "I told her, if she comes and stops me from leaving tomorrow, I'll stay. But we both know she won't do that."

"You don't know that for sure." Anakin tried to encourage. Rhett slowly nodded his head.

"No. We do." Rhett sighed.

"I never thought Padme would fall for me." Anakin explained. "All it took was a few days, and suddenly we're both in love. You never know." He tried to make Rhett feel better. Rhett shrugged. He didn't want to talk anymore.

"Look I gotta spread these dormants on the field before nightfall." He said, pulling out a spreader from his cluttered mess of farm equipment.

"Can I help?" Anakin offered. Rhett shook his head.

"I got it." Rhett said slowly, wanting to be left alone. "I'll meet you inside." He started to move outside again, until Anakin stopped him.

"Rhett." Rhett stopped and turned his head to listen. "It's nice having someone to talk to about all this. You're the only one I got I can be open with."

"I know, Walker. Good thing I ain't leaving then, huh?" Rhett said with a small chuckle, before walking out the door and turning the corner out of view. Anakin dropped his head, and kicked around some dirt, disappointed he couldn't help his friend more than he had.

Rhett worked until the sun went down. He worked slow, just kind of going through the motions, not too focused on the work, but more so on his problems. Anakin watched him from the house, he could feel how broken up and conflicted Rhett was. When it was dark, and the only light was the glow from the Zabrak, which was heavily covered by the overgrowth, Anakin sat on the porch and waited for Rhett. Rhett walked up on to the porch without noticing Anakin.

"Work all done?" Anakin asked. Rhett flinched and gasped.

"Didn't know you were out here." Rhett said plainly.

"You still leaving in the morning?" Anakin asked. Rhett flipped a crate that was sitting on the porch over so he could sit on it.

"Well I just made all my crops dormant. There's not much here for me anymore." Rhett said.

"Well…what about…" Anakin trailed off, unsure if Rhett wanted to talk about Val. Rhett knew what he was referring to.

"She's not coming." Rhett declared.

"You don't mean that. I can feel it inside you. The hope. You're still hoping she shows up." Anakin said. Rhett didn't acknowledge the comment, but knew he was right. He looked at the little light shining through the weeds.

"Looks like shit, don't it?" Rhett asked.

"I've seen worse. I grew up on a planet where nothing grew. Too much doesn't seem like a problem." Anakin explained. Rhett didn't say anything again. Remembering Anakin's childhood made Rhett's problems seem obsolete. Anakin picked up on what had happened. "I'm sorry. This isn't about me. What do you—" Anakin tried to ask a question to Rhett, but he wasn't sure what to say. Rhett could tell.

"Tell me about Padme." Rhett said with a smirk.

"About Padme?" Anakin said, with a smile growing.

"Yeah. Tell me about your wife. I'm sure…you don't get to much." Rhett said slwoly, with a large smile. Anakin's smile grew across his face, now ear to ear. He took a deep breath, and began telling Rhett everything he had to keep a secret for years. He talked and talked, reminiscing and just talking, a smile beaming the whole time. Anakin understood Rhett didn't want to talk much, so he did the talking, and Rhett was happy just listening. They sat a while before turning in for the night.

The next morning Rhett sat up in his bed, freshly awake. He took a moment to get his bearings in his groggy state. He looked around. For a moment, he had forgotten all about what had happened the past two days, but he quickly started to think about it again. As soon as he did, however, he realized he had felt a presence. He felt as if Val was at the homestead. He quickly got up and changed his clothes. He walked down the stairs quickly into the kitchen. Anakin was sitting at the table, and he sat up in his chair. "You ready to go?"

"Almost." Rhett replied. He looked around curiously. "Anybody here?" Anakin gave an empty smile. His eyes sunk, sad. He almost expected the question, but was still disappointed to deliver the answer.

"Just me." He said plainly.

"Oh." Rhett replied, softly. "Okay." He mumbled, disappointingly rubbing his neck. "Yeah. Let me pack up a few things and I'll be ready."

"I'll start loading up." Anakin said plainly, ignoring the elephant in the room. Rhett slowly walked back up to his room, packed up his things in a single backpack that he threw over his shoulder. His movements were without purpose. His body was just going through the motions as his mind was racing. He walked out of his house. He locked the door, and walked past Anakin's Cargo ship, still with the interceptors inside. "I'll meet you on the cruiser. We can unload these there." Anakin said motioning to the ships.

"Okay. I'll see you there." Rhett said, sad. Anakin felt bad for his friend. He dropped his head, unsure of what to do, so he just got inside his cockpit, and waited for Rhett to depart.

Rhett walked past, stone faced, not wanting to show his disappointment to his friend. He walked closer and closer to the shuttle. The closer he got, though, the more he felt Val's presence. The small glimmer of hope he had sank back in. He thought she might be waiting at his ship, but he knew that it was a long shot. Still, the closer he got to the shuttle, the stronger he felt her. His walk became more brisk toward the shuttle. His heart sank when he saw something on the ground near the entrance of the ship. He quickly walked to the shuttle. He noticed a slip of paper tucked into the crack of the shuttle door. He slowly reached for it, and turned it around to read it.

Rhett,

I know you want me to stop you, and I want to…but I can't change your destiny. I can change your clothes, though. Hopefully these won't get too hot for you. If you ever come back, you'll know where to find me. Stay safe out there. Good luck.

-Val.

His heart sank. The little bit of hope he had once again disappeared. His mind raced, she had been there, and chose not to see him. His heart ached. He looked at the lump on the ground. He picked it up, and unfolded it to reveal a shirt. It was a pullover with a small hood, and tighter sleeves, and was cut at the waist. He chuckled to himself, thinking about the conversation he had with her about his Jedi robes. He hung his head. Without raising his head he lifted his arm to the control panel of the shuttle door. He paused for a moment, as if he couldn't bring himself to open the door, then he quickly tapped it. He drudged into the ship and plunked down in the cockpit chair, and slowly grabbed the controls of the ship, and slowly rubbed them. By now Anakin had lifted his ship off the ground, and brought it to a hover near Rhett's cockpit.

"You alright, buddy? You coming?" He asked sympathetically, over a com link, sensing his tremendous disappointment.

"Yeah." Rhett said plainly. He took a glance at the clothes Val had made him before quickly going through the series of controls to start the ship. The engine whirred to a start. "I'm coming."

"Alright." Anakin said hesitantly, "I'll see you there." He replied before turning his ship towards the sky. Rhett gave out one last sigh before taking off. His entire flight he was going through the motions. His mind fixed on Val, Faroch, the Jedi, Chandrilla, Anakin's marriage, nearly everything. His trip home was supposed to clear his mind. Instead, it only cluttered it. He dropped out of hyperspace near Coruscant. He began to descend down to the cruiser. Once it came into view, reality began to set in. He looked at the robe once again. He nodded his head to himself. "We're going to do it my way." He reassured himself. He flicked some controls to transmit his clearance codes to the cruiser.

"Cleared to dock. Welcome back, Corporal Kysn. Your boys missed you." A clone said over the transmitter. Rhett let out a smile, finally accepting his feelings towards his men, instead of forcing himself to suppress the bond he felt. He nodded his head again.

"My way." He said, confidently.

Chapter 23: The Weapon

Quite a bit of time had passed after Rhett had joined back up with the cruiser he was stationed on. The cruiser was still limping by even after the initial repairs while on the ground. The Republic officers had decided to vacate the landing pad and make the rest of the repairs in orbit of Coruscant, which Rhett liked because it means he could hang out with his buddies in Ardees squadron rather than have to go in the Jedi temple. He had decided to embrace the relationship with his friends, against the Jedi code, and carry on learning the ways of the force in his own way. He wore his pullover that Val had made him, and rolled his sleeves up to just below his elbow. Besides a small remark from Obi-Wan in a transmission about them, they weren't a problem so far. Rhett was cautious returning to the ship, heeding the Mandalorian's warning of his bounty, but there was seemingly no issue.

Rhett, Globes and Shrik were in the cruiser's strength gym, lifting weights and killing time while awaiting word when their cruiser would be good to go back toward the front lines.

"So when do we think we'll be ready to go?" Globes asked, curiously.

"Who knows. I've heard weeks, I've heard days, some even say they we're already to go, they just haven't sent us anywhere yet." Shrik replied.

"Why wouldn't they send us anywhere?" Globes asked. Without speaking, his eyes shifted to Rhett, checking his words. Rhett could sense the panic in Shrik, who tensed up after the question was asked, because he knew the answer.

"Waiting to give us a new Jedi?" Rhett suggested, after setting his bar down back on the ground, finishing his reps. "I heard that too. Now that Faroch's gone, and I'm…whatever I am…I think they want to give us a new general. Makes sense."

"Why don't they just promote you?" Globes asked, adding more weight to the bar. Rhett chuckled.

"Meh. To them, I'm just a pilot who happens to carry a light saber. Most generals are Jedi masters. And I'm far from it." Rhett explained, as he also added weight to the bar and got out of the way for Shrik to start his lift.

"Well I'd follow you anywhere, sir." Globes said.

"You already know I would too, kid." Shrik replied, getting ready to start his lift.

"Corporal Kysn…" Commander Lowe said seriously as he approached the men. It stopped Shrik in his motion, and both Globes and Rhett snapped their heads in attention. "A senator has sent you a transmission, and asked for only you to hear it." He explained. Rhett's eyes shrunk in confusion.

"Why would a senator be sending me a transmission." Rhett asked.

"Unknown, sir. But it's marked as urgent. I suggest you take it as soon as possible." Lowe explained. Rhett turned to Globes and Shrik.

"Well boys, y'all might be taking orders from me soon, after all." He joked, as he pat Shrik on the back and he walked around him to follow Lowe out of the gym. "I'll see you boys later. Globes, don't let this old man lift anything he can't handle." He said as an attempt to cut the tension he could feel amongst the two. A transmission from a senator was very out of the ordinary. Once out of earshot of the other two, Rhett asked Lowe, "Which Senator is it? Amidala?"

"No. His name is Giddean Danu. He is senator of Kuat, but his transmission is from one of the mid-rim worlds. Not sure what he is doing that close to the front lines."

"Weird. I'll take it in my quarters. You have the holo puck?" Rhett asked.

"No puck. He uploaded the full transmission onto this data stick." Lowe said, "Said you'd be able to break the encryption." Lowe explained. It only further perplexed Rhett.

"Whatever it is, it must be important. I just can't figure out why it's coming to me. I'll let you know what I find." Rhett told Lowe, before breaking off in a different direction down a corridor toward his quarters. He sealed himself inside his room. The emptiness of the room was magnified by the tension. He walked over to the terminal that was in his room and plugged in the data stick. A string of numbers appeared. Rhett recognized them immediately. It was his home address, missing only a few numbers, on a coordinate system used by the Naboo. It wasn't a standard way of mapping and was really only used by fisherman that fished the vast lake systems of Naboo.

"How the hell does he know this?" Rhett whispered to himself. The encryption required a passcode. Rhett typed in a few missing digits in the address and immediately, a hologram began to emit. "What the—" Rhett started, before concentrating on the hologram.

"Corporal Kysn. You'll have to pardon the secrecy…but soon you will understand why. My good friend Senator Amidala ensured me, that you, and only you would be able to figure out the encryption. I am Senator Giddeon Danu of Kuat. Earlier this year, I proposed a weapon - one that some of the universities on my planet were able to design. It emits an electromagnetic pulse, it targets equipment, not organic matter. Our belief is, we could detonate this pulse in a battlefield and disable battle droids without bringing harm to our clones. We put it through rigorous testing, but for some reason it did not get approved by the Republic for use. Everything was going smoothly. After all, we are in war. Any weapon contribution is usually pushed through faster than it should. All of the sudden, and unfortunately, under some rather suspicious circumstances, my weapon system was denied. It was labeled 'unsafe for clones.' The weapon had already passed its safety inspection. It wasn't until those Kaminoans caught wind of it…they shut it down quick. I don't know whats going on there, but I don't like it. We know this weapon is safe. I began privately and secretly funding further testing of the weapon here on Balnab to provide the Senate with hard proof this weapon works. It seems as though the separatists have caught wind of our weapon, because they have started snooping around and are closing in on our laboratory. The Balnab government is becoming less welcoming of our laboratory…they have a growing concern we will bring the war to this neutral planet. I'm afraid, they may be right. I send this transmission to you, because I know your relationship with the council and our government is…rocky. I know you don't feel the need to do things by the book. You may be the only one I can trust. I understand your relationship with General Skywalker is a tight one. I considered seeking his help, but was afraid his friendship with the Chancellor might encourage him to turn me in. Maybe if you ask him, you two may form a team to come help me and my researchers get this weapon safely out of Balnab and we can change the course of this war!" The transmission ended.

Rhett stood still, slightly shocked. He felt honored such a big task was trusted to him. He knew that Padme must have given him all this information, and he didn't want to let her down. He immediately knew he wanted to help, but also knew he didn't have the authority to carry out this mission. Getting Anakin on board was vital, but he was unsure how to do it. He rewatched the transmission, stressfully rubbing his neck and fiddling with the Zabrak oil container. When it ended, he stood up, grabbed the data stick and walked out of his room and headed for the bridge.

"Commander Lowe." Rhett announced as he walked onto the bridge.

"Yes, sir?" He responded.

"Get Ardees outfitted and ready to deploy to Balnab." Rhett demanded.

"Sir, our ship repairs are not complete." Lowe replied.

"We aren't taking a cruiser. It's a neutral system. If a Republic cruiser shows up it won't be pretty. Just get the boys ready to go. I'll need to get in contact with General Skywalker as well before we go. I'll fill you in as much as I can soon." Rhett explained.

"Yes sir." Lowe acknowledged, before walking out of the bridge to address Ardees. Rhett cracked a smile. Lowe's response made him feel trusted and respected. Rhett walked over to the holotable and sent a transmission to Anakin. Rhett sat waiting Anakin's response for a moment, trying to formulate his best plea to get him to join him. A hologram of Anakin appeared before Rhett, and his time to formulate had passed.

"Walker. How 'ya doing buddy?"

"Alright. Had to go to Kadavo to handle a few slave traders, but I'm heading back now. What's up?" Anakin responded.

"Well. I've got a mission. A special request…from Senator Danu. Padme Amidala sent him." Rhett explained, with a distinct emphasis on Padme's name.

"Okay. What is it?" Anakin said, curiously. Rhett looked around him, seeing who was in earshot before he lowered his voice.

"He's built a weapon. He's testing it on Balnab. The seps' are closing in on him. It's an EMP weapon—sends out a pulse that disables droids. It keeps life forms unharmed. Now apparently, the Republic disapproved of the weapon, saying it's dangerous for clones. But he was adamant that's not the case. I can't tell if he's a nut-case mad scientist or if he's got something real. But, if it gives us the upper hand while lowering casualties on our side and on civilians, I say we give him a shot."

"Hm." Anakin grunted. "Senator Danu isn't the nut-case type. Maybe he's got something. What does he want us to do?" Anakin asked.

"He asked me to get him and his team out of there. But it has to stay discreet, he doesn't want the Republic figuring out he continued testing. I think he's trying to tell me he thinks there's conspiracy without telling me he thinks there's conspiracy." Rhett explained.

"Odd, for sure. Do you sense a trap?" Anakin asked.

"Nope. Just can't get a read on this guy. If what he says is true, there is no reason the Republic would've denied him. It just doesn't make any sense to me." Rhett said.

"Me either. But it's worth checking out. We'll head straight there. We can meet you in orbit. Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, and some guys from the 501st are with me, so we have back up." Anakin explained.

"I don't think we want to many heads knowing about this, Walker." Rhett said firmly.

"It's Obi-Wan and Ahsoka. I don't know if there are two we trust as much as them in the galaxy." Anakin said.

"Obi-Wan doesn't like to go against the council or the Republic. If you can convince 'em to keep quiet, bring 'em." Rhett reluctantly said.

"If it's for the right cause, they'll stay quiet. We just gotta hope this guy hasn't gone mad." Anakin reassured.

"Alright. Thanks, Walker. I've got Lowe prepping Ardees now, we'll meet up in orbit and discuss a plan." Rhett said.

"Sounds good." Anakin replied.

"Oh and Anakin…" Rhett interrupted before Anakin ended the transmission. "No cruisers. Only shuttles—or a cargo ship if you've got one. Balnab is neutral. We don't want too much attention to the Republic military." Rhett explained.

"You got it, Kysn. See you soon." Anakin said pleasantly before ending the transmission.

"We're all loaded up and ready to leave on the shuttle, Corporal. Are we ready?" Lowe asked Rhett.

"We're ready. Generals Skywalker and Kenobi have secured us a transport ship so we can load the weapon out. Ardees understands what's up, yeah?" Rhett asked.

"Yessir, they won't talk." Lowe reassured.

"I know they won't. Just as long as they understand the weight of it." Rhett explained as he boarded on the shuttle. As he climbed aboard, the squad turned their attention to him. "I don't have much, fellas…we'll formulate a plan with Skywalker and Kenobi when we meet up with them. We'll keep you in the loop. If you have any questions feel free to ask. But we're -all- on a need to know basis. This is a black-op. It never happened." Rhett explained. A pause lingered, and Rhett could feel the tension. "We have the best two groups of troopers in the whole galaxy on this one. I have no doubt y'all will get the job done with no problems, and no one will ask any questions." He added to instill confidence in his troops. "Are we clear?" He asked.

A thunderous "Yes sir!" arose from his troops.

"Good. Now let's go take care of business, and get back before anyone realizes we're gone. I'm sure the Senator is grateful for all of us." Rhett said, scanning over his men with his eyes. "I know I am." He added with a small smile, as he sat down in his shuttle seat. Quickly after, the shuttle jumped into hyperspace. The ride was quiet. A few murmurs came from the clones and militia. Asking questions no one knew the answers to. Any response was purely speculation. Some questions didn't even receive speculative answers. Most questions they brought up amongst themselves were answered by a simple shrug.

When the shuttle met up with the transport ship near Balnab, the team didn't get the answers they had hoped for. Obi-Wan, Anakin, Rhett, Ahsoka, Lowe, Rex, and Cody all were piled into the bridge of the ship.

"I received the coordinates for the lab from the surface. But, that's all the info we got." Anakin reported.

"Sir, just exactly how much resistance are we going to meet down there? I mean, is it even safe to land the ship near the lab?" Rex asked Anakin, who turned his eyes to Rhett for an answer.

"He didn't say. He just said they were here. Considering the fact that he had time to send us a message and then wait for us tells me that he's at least in the clear for now." Rhett speculated.

"I thought Balnab was a neutral system. Why are there any battle droids here at all?" Ahsoka asked.

"For the same reason as we are, I suppose. There isn't much government organization on Balnab. Still, this weapon Danu has created must pose a real threat to Separatists if they are willing to sneak onto the planet to find it." Obi-Wan added.

"Which is why we want to get it off world, safely." Anakin chimed in. "Now, I say we slowly approach the lab, I'll have R-2 scanning for droids on our whole descent, if it seems too hot, we bail and try to approach another way." Anakin explained.

"That could work. I'll go in to find the Senator with Ardees. Anakin, Rex, your boys can stay outside and secure the perimeter. Just make sure nothing surprises us as we load up the weapon and the research team." Rhett explained.

"Yes, sir." Rex replied.

"Cody, Obi-Wan, your team can help with evacuation. Escort the researchers door to door from lab to ship in case something happens. We load the weapon last. Lives are more important, here." Rhett explained.

"Yes, sir." Cody responded.

"Good. Now, I don't know how much help I can be, but, does anyone have questions?" Rhett asked.

"I do, sir." Lowe said, shyly. "This weapon—" Lowe stammered. "It's dangerous to clones…but not to you? How dangerous? What does it do?" Lowe asked. Rhett gave a defeated smile.

"I don't know, Commander. I think that's what the research team is trying to figure out. We don't plan on using it today." Rhett explained. "Let's go brief our teams. We'll start our descent on the lab in say, an hour?" The group looked around and nodded in agreement. "I appreciate your help on this everyone, hopefully, it is for a good cause." Rhett said, before the group broke to go meet up with their respective teams.

Within the hour the cargo ship had descended into the atmosphere of Balnab. Rhett and Ardees waited by the door of the cargo ship, ready to run into the lab as soon as they landed.

"R2 is picking up small pockets of droids a few miles outside the lab. A couple patrol units, nothing too bad. We should have enough time." Anakin reported, announcing across the ship.

"We still want to make it quick, boys. No messing around. The faster we're out the better." Rhett explained to Ardees. The report Anakin gave made tension from the group relax a little, but Rhett could still sense the group on edge. Rhett knew that a black-op mission with little to no intel was the source, but there was nothing he could do about that now. The tension grew a little more and more as the ship got closer to the ground. "Alright, Walker. We're getting close. Still in the clear?" Rhett asked.

"All good. Set the ship down outside the lab." Anakin said. The ship set down, the cargo ship opened its doors to show a small building, partially covered by a great umbrella tree, native to Balnab.

"This is it?" Globes asked.

"I guess so." Rhett said. "I was also expecting more, but theres only so much you can afford when trying to develop something in secret." Rhett speculated. "Whatever, let's go." Rhett said patting Globes on the shoulder and slipping by out of the door to the ship.

"I have a bad feeling about this." Ahsoka said, hesitantly while scanning the mostly desolate landscape outside the ship.

"We'll be okay, Snips." Anakin said, trying to calm his Padawan. Anakin turned his attention to Rhett , "We'll secure the perimeter, go ahead and work on getting them out."

Rhett didn't respond, he also felt something off about the building and the landscape around them, but he didn't show it. He just walked up to the door of the lab, with a small nervous feeling in his stomach. He stopped at the door and looked around.

"Uh…do we just knock on the door?" Patch asked. Lowe looked at Patch, shrugged, and knocked on the door. An intercom gave a small beep, and then a voice rang out.

"What is it?" A sharp and aggressive tone accompanied the mysterious voice. The clones looked at each other, and then to Rhett.

"It's Rhett Kysn. We're here for Senator Danu. I'm with Obi-Wan and Anakin." Rhett explained. The small crackle that accompanied the intercom shut off, now completely silent. The men looked around to each other again, still confused. The men sat confused for a moment, before the door cracked open for a brief moment.

"Oh thank goodness you are here!" Senator Danu said, now exploding through the door, and giving Rhett a big embrace. Rhett tensed up gave a small resistance to the unwelcome hug. "Come in! Come in! I will show you our work!" Danu said, beckoning the men into the laboratory. Rhett lowered an eyebrow of doubt and subtly looked back to Anakin, who was leaned up against the cargo ship still. He gave a small smile, shook his head in amusement of the senator's enthusiasm and turned back toward his men to organize them. Rhett switched his focus back toward Ardees, and nodded his head toward the door, signaling them to follow him into the building. He stepped inside, where Danu was waiting.

"Senator Danu, I'm glad you're alright, but we want to be in and out as quickly as possible. If we could start loading up and evacuating—" Rhett's plea was cut off.

"Of course! Of course! I will have my team start bringing the weapon back immediately." Danu said, as he pressed some controls on a computer inside the lab.

"Wait, bring it back?" Rhett asked.

"Yes! Yes! It is currently at its testing site, only a mile away. You didn't think we activated it inside the lab, did you?" Danu asked with a laugh.

"I guess not, but I thought you might have it here ready to evacuate when you sent me a transmission." Rhett explained.

"And waste my last precious moments of testing? Nonsense! This weapon is going to change the course of the war, Corporal. It is more than worth the risk. Come here! I will show you!" Danu enthusiastically said, before walking into another room of the small laboratory. Lowe grabbed Rhett's arm before he could follow him into the room.

"Are we sure this guy's got it all together?" Lowe asked in a quiet voice.

"Not so much anymore now that I've met him." Rhett said, before going into the room. There were sketches, graphs, data sheets, and diagrams plastered all over the wall. Rhett looked around and wondered in amazement, as did the rest of the men that followed him into the room.

"Wonderful isn't it?" All this valuable data, evidence to the Republic! This weapon will win us this war!" Danu exclaimed. Rhett wandered to a drawing of the weapon, and began to study its spherical shape with a disc running through the middle of it, housing what appeared to be controls.

"What exactly is it?" Rhett asked.

"It is a non-detonating EMP. Capable of sending a pulse 250 meters, disabling droids all around it. Harmless to humans! Harmless to clones! It recharges in only a matter of minutes, and the best part is it is transportable! Only about a meter wide and weighs less than 200 pounds!" Danu explained.

"That's great, Senator. But we need to get going. Start packing up this stuff and loading it up. These men will help you. We need to get out of here as soon as possible." Rhett said, plainly.

"Yes! Yes! Of course! Right away. Oh thank you, Corporal. Thank you!" Danu said before quickly beginning to pack up his things. The men slowly started to help. Rhett walked out of the room, and was heading outside the lab before Lowe stopped him again.

"Do we really have time for this? And is it even worth it? I don't think I trust this guy, and we're endangering ourselves the longer we are away." Lowe asked.

"I know. I don't like it either. But we're already here. I'll go get a status report from General Skywalker and make sure we still have time." Rhett said as he started to walk away from Lowe, towards the door again, but Lowe stopped him one more time.

"Sir." Rhett turned his head back again. "If it's safe for humans and clones. Why is their testing facility a mile away?" Lowe asked, timidly.

"I don't know, Commander. It probably messes with their computer or something, I don't know." Rhett admitted, before walking away, towards the door.

"No one knows anything about this mission. I don't like it." Lowe responded. Rhett continued out the door of the lab and towards the cargo ship. He approached Anakin.

"How are we looking?" Rhett asked.

"Alright. R2's scans actually show the droids are heading further away. Most of them are completely off his scanners now. They're no where near us." Anakin reported.

"Well, good. Because this guy was not ready for us to show up. He has none of his data packed up. The weapon is a mile away at its test site. I'm beginning to think he might just be a mad scientist after all." Rhett explained.

"He's a politician. They're all crazy." Obi-Wan chimed in. Rhett gave a chuckle.

"Either way, I'm thinking we send a team out to the testing site, to make sure we get that team moving. I don't like the idea of being around anymore than we have to." Rhett explained.

"I like that. Go ahead and take a team and get them moving. Anakin and I will ensure the rest of the researchers are emptying out the lab." Obi-Wan declared.

Rhett turned around and started scanning around, calling out his team. "Alright boys! Ardees, roll with me! Shrik you and the boys stay here and help load up, we're gonna make sure this weapon starts heading this way." Rhett called out before walking down the path in the direction that Danu pointed out to him earlier, towards the testing site. "Ping me on the com link if you pick anything up. We'll be quick…hopefully." Rhett declared.

"Wait for me!" Danu hollered while running out of the door of the lab.

"No, way, Senator. You stay here where we know it's safe." Anakin declared.

"Nonsense!" Danu said. "This is my experiment! My work! I must make sure the weapon gets back safely!" Danu exclaimed. Anakin paused, and looked at Rhett.

Rhett rolled his eyes and started heading down the path again. "You better hurry then! Keep up!" Rhett exclaimed. Rhett, Danu, and Ardees walked quickly down the path. Danu was talking the squad's ear off about how happy he is that they came.

"For a moment there, things were looking a little rocky. The weapon lets off a huge energy signature, so every time we had a test, they were able to pick up the energy reading and close in on us. But! We're better! We're smarter! And they'll never expect the weapon to be able to move as far and as easily as it can!" He pridefully explained.

"If it's such a great weapon. How come we aren't using it?" Lowe asked skeptically.

"Lost minds mislead us in the senate." Danu explained. "I know that might sound weird coming from a senator, but there is a great deal of collusion and corruption in the senate. It is up to the good ones to be louder and more effective than the bad ones. That's why you are here." Danu explained.

The story added up for Rhett. He considered, for a moment, all the people that have told him that the Jedi, the Senate, and the Republic might not have been all they were hyped up to be. But Danu's explanation comforted Rhett. He knew Danu was a friend of Padme. And even though he was a little on the wild side, he figured that was enough to put him on the side of the 'good ones.' His thoughts were interrupted by a ping on the com link.

"Hey Rhett, just a heads up. R2's picking up a large group of droids in your area. They don't seem like they're headed your way, just know they're close by." Anakin warned.

"Got it. We'll keep it in mind." Rhett assured through the com link. He clipped the com link onto his waist and rolled up the sleeves on his new robe. "Alright boys, let's quicken the pace." Rhett announced to his team. The team followed order, and began a brisk pace down the path toward the testing site. Within a few minutes, they arrived to a small set up under camouflaged tarps held up by stilts, sheltering some equipment. A few yards in front of the equipment, was a large shipping container. One of its sides that faced the blast sight had a large rectangle cut out and was refit with glass. There was already a small team of researchers there who seem to be packing up their testing materials.

"Here we are!" Danu exclaimed. "It's not as nice as the lab, but it's mobile!" He explained. "Where is the weapon?" He asked one of the researchers.

"Inside the blast box" He replied, pointing toward the container. "We figured it would be easier to move it all at once."

"Woah. We're not here to relocate your lab." Lowe interrupted. "We're here to evacuate your team and the weapon. Anything you guys can carry is a bonus, but we don't have the equipment to move that container." He explained firmly. Danu looked to Rhett, wanting him to refute Lowe.

"I'm sorry, Senator but he's right." Rhett said plainly.

"I understand." Danu said, defeated. "Come on, come on. Let us go unload it." Danu said beginning to walk toward the container, motioning to walk along. Lowe, Rhett, Globes, and Purggs followed. They turned the corner into the container and saw the weapon. "Here it is! My beauty!" Danu exclaimed. "Thank goodness you all are here!"

"Don't mention it, Senator. If this thing works like you say it does, it's our duty to ensure this gets out safely." Globes said respectfully.

"Yes, yes! It does. And now I can prove it!" Danu said, beginning to look down on the controls. He began pressing some buttons, frantically trying to execute commands on its main module on the center disk. The weapon started to hum and glow.

"What are you doing?" Lowe asked abruptly, as the humming picked up in intensity.

"Don't worry it's perfectly safe!" Danu ensured.

"No! Senator!" Lowe said, forcing himself between Danu and the weapon, pushing him into the wall of the container. Globes and Purggs ran to the panel looking to shut it off.

"How do we shut this thing off?" Purggs asked in a panic. Lowe was face to face with Danu, pinning him against the wall. He drew his weapon and pointed it at Danu's face.

"Tell them!" Lowe demanded.

"Field testing on clones is the last piece of the puzzle." Danu struggled to say.

"HOW DO WE SHUT IT OFF!" Lowe screamed in his face, pushing Danu harder against the wall.

"It's safe. We've already tested it on normal humans." Danu said, gasping for air.

"We're not willing to be your lab rats. TELL them how to turn it off!" Lowe said angrily.

"Lowe." Rhett said calmly, warning Lowe to stop. His calm demeanor relaxed the tension in the room a bit. Everyone looked at Rhett. "Senator." He said above the hum of the weapon, and walked toward Danu and Lowe. "I'm sure it is safe for them. I believe you." Rhett was lying, he was still very unsure, but he knew Danu needed to feel like Rhett was on his side. "But you yourself said it, the droids close in once it fires. The energy signature. We need to shut it off." Rhett calmly explained. "We need to get this thing out of here, and we can find clone volunteers to finish your testing. But none of the tests matter if the Separatists close in on us right before you finish." Rhett said. Lowe relaxed his grip, Danu froze in contemplation. "Shut it off, Senator. Make sure this thing makes it out."

"Fine." Danu, still frozen in his posture, uttered. Lowe let him go, but Danu's defensive posture lingered for a moment, until he finally walked toward the weapon. In a series of unsure motions, he turned off the weapon. The disappearance of the hum accompanied sighs of relief and an end to the tense situation. "Let's get going." Danu said firmly, yet defeated. He quickly walked out of the room.

"You think this thing has fried his brain?" Purggs asked sarcastically.

"I don't know. But let's move it out." Lowe said. Purggs, Pines, Patch and Globes followed orders and began pushing the weapon out of the door. Rhett and Lowe stayed out of the way of the weapon as it exited the container.

"Corporal." Lowe addressed, stopping Rhett before he walked out. Rhett stopped to look at him. "Thanks." Lowe said with a humble nod of the head. Rhett gave a small smirk and a nod and walked out of the container. Rhett's com link pinged. His heart sank. He knew that turning on the weapon may have been enough for the droids to pick up an energy reading. He slowly raised up the com link to his lips.

"Give me some good news, Walker." He said quickly, while motioning for his team to hurry up down the path.

"Afraid not, buddy. They seem to be moving toward you. Better move out quick." Anakin explained.

"Alright, we'll double time it." Rhett assured quickly, before lowering the com link. "Gotta go team! Let's move!" He then got behind the weapon and started pushing along side the clones, the weapon had hover controls, but was still heavy to move, but with all of Ardees pushing the weapon, the team was able to move at a jogging pace down the path in front of Danu and the team of scientists. The jog lasted for a minute or two, until the sound of the com link pinging interrupted the sound of footsteps and grunting.

"What now?" Rhett said through his hard breathing to the com link.

"Stop running! They've cut you off on the trail!" Obi-Wan warned. "Anakin and Ahsoka are coming to back you up, but I suggest finding cover until they arrive."

"Cover? Have you seen this place?" Rhett said, looking around. Balnab's vast plateaus provided little cover.

"Well, you'll have to find a cluster of umbrella trees or something, you just have to wait a little while!" Obi-Wan warned.

"Shit!" Rhett exclaimed, rolling his head around in frustration. He pointed to a distant patch of umbrella trees. "Make a break for those trees! Full speed!" He ordered. The group broke into a full sprint. The scientists and Danu, not hindered by the weight of the weapon, started to pull away from Ardees.

"They beg us to come save their ass and they bail at the first sign of trouble?" Patch complained.

"Forget about them just keep going!" Lowe ordered. The team kept pushing the weapon as hard as they could, making a beeline for the small cluster of trees that the team of scientists had almost reached by now.

"Hurry up!" Danu encouraged from a distance in front of clones, worried about his weapon.

"If the droids don't, I might kill him." Purggs groaned through the strain of his voice. Rhett could really feel the clones' anger, and he felt guilty. It was his call to bring his team here, and here they were, with danger closing in quick. He could feel the threat of the droids growing.

"Fuck this!" Rhett said as he stopped pushing the weapon. The clones followed suit. "We'll stay back and provide cover fire, if we need it. Two at a time, make a break for it. We'll fend off the droids until Walker and Tano can back us up. Patch, Pines. You go first. Go!" Rhett screamed. The two clones started running toward the trees. "Rest of us, post up, get ready to fire." Rhett ordered to the rest of Ardees. The men rested their forearms on the top of the weapon, pointing their blasters down the path, awaiting the droids. Patch and Pines got about halfway to the trees when the first blaster fired from Lowe.

"They're here, lads!" He shouted between his blasts of fire, the rest of Ardees followed suit, firing at the droids as they crested a hill off to their right, between the clones and the scientists. Rhett grabbed his com link "Protect the senator and those civilians, boys! We'll get to ya when we can!" He ordered to Pines and Patch, who in a few seconds were gathered with the rest of the scientists, firing from behind the cover of trees.

"Okay! Corks, Purggs! You're next!" Rhett shouted through the chaos.

"The fire is too heavy, they'll never make it!" Lowe shouted to chime in. Corks and Purggs didn't move, Lowe was right. As the first wave of droids moved closer and closer to the two groups, more were coming in behind them. Rhett broke his concentration from aiming down his sights to scan the field, realizing just how many droids there were.

"Fuck!" Rhett screamed, as he smashed the butt of his gun on the weapon in frustration. He grabbed his com link. "How close, Walker!? We're pinned!"

"We've got problems of our own, here!" Anakin replied, as he and Ahsoka had run in to a small patch of droids.

"Dammit!" Rhett exclaimed, before pointing his rifle back down the path.

"There's more! 3 o'clock! 3 o'clock!" Globes shouted in warning. He noticed even more droids, moving in on a skiff, from their right.

"Whenever you wanna send that next group, we'd love to have some help over here!" Patch said through the com link in his helmet. "We've already lost one or two!"

"They're killing civilians?!" Rhett asked in surprise, looking at Lowe to validate his surprise.

"They're desperate Seps. What do you expect?" Lowe replied. Rhett almost forgot how much more action the clones had seen than him, this seemed like usual business for Lowe. Rhett focused back on firing at the droids and speaking to Patch.

"They're driving a wedge between us. We're almost cut off." Rhett reported.

"There's starting to be too many of them!" Corks shouted. Rhett knew he was right, he just wasn't sure what to do. He tossed his gun down, and ignited his saber. He jumped on top of the weapon and began blocking the blaster bolts that were heading toward his friends.

"Sir! Senator Danu recommends detonating the weapon!" Patch said over the commlink.

"Absolutely not! We don't know if that's safe for you yet." Rhett screamed over the commotion.

"Sir." A calm voice said behind the weapon. "Maybe it's worth it." Globes said, defeated.

"I said no!" Rhett insisted firmly, not wanting to lose his friends.

"Worst case, we die here. You, the militia and the civilians go home. If we don't, we all might die." Globes explained. Rhett ignored him. He didn't even spare a glance towards Globes, and instead focused on his elegant, smooth, sweeps of his saber, deflecting blaster bolts away.

"Corporal." Lowe chimed in. Rhett gave a quick glance to Lowe. "He's right." The statement sank in. "And you know it." Rhett didn't want to give up hope. He took his right hand off his lightsaber, and picked up his com link once again.

"Walker!" He screamed, almost in a panic. "Report!"

"We got pushed back a bit, going to regroup with the others." Anakin reported. "Just hold on a little longer!" Anakin plead, concerned.

"Dammit!" Rhett screamed, tossing the com link away. "We don't have that kind of time!" He said aloud. He pondered what to do once more, he began to panic, and couldn't think clearly. What thinking he could do was focused on protecting himself from the blaster fire the droids were peppering onto him. That's when he realized he was overwhelmed, and soon, so would the rest of the squad. He spoke, defeated. "I'm not going to order you to blow that thing, but what you decide to do, you decided to do." Rhett explained, giving the option to the clones.

"Pines. Patch…" Globes said into his com link. "Put Senator Danu on. Have him walk us through the detonation process." Globes asked slowly. Rhett sighed, almost disappointed his friends wanted to risk it. He wanted not to look, think about, or worry himself about whether or not the detonation would kill his friends. He tried to keep the emotions away like Faroch had taught him, but they kept creeping in. He instead decided to focus on his saber once again, now trying not only to deflect the blaster bolts, but instead deflect them back toward the droids.
He began walking toward the droids, distancing himself from the weapon and the clones taking cover behind him.

After Danu had walked Globes and Lowe through the initial processes of starting the weapon, a control display screen now flashed the word "armed." There was one more button to push. Globes looked at his brothers. Lowe, Corks, and Purggs were all around him. Lowe was helping Globes fire the weapon. Corks and Purggs were still firing at the droids from the sides of the weapon. "Boys. Are we sure?" Globes asked.

"It's been an honor." Lowe said.

"Do it already!" Purggs said, barely shifting focus from his blaster fire. Globes locked eyes with Corks, awaiting the last response. Corks paused for a moment, sighed and shook his head.

"Ah…what the hell?" Corks groaned.

"See you boys on the other side." Globes said. He closed his eyes tightly, and pressed the final button to start the ignition sequence. A bright blue light flashed from inside the weapon. The disc around the center sphere opened slightly, and the great blue light escaped around the edge of the disc. Sending a ring of blue iridescent light expanding outwards from its center. The ring traveled quickly, kicking up huge clouds of dust behind it, like a shockwave, outpacing the billow of dust. The ring passed through Rhett. He heard a violent sound; a bang like an explosion, followed by a static buzz, rapidly raising in frequency like buzz magnets, finally stopping with some lingering snapping sounds. A brief moment passed before the dust cloud and shockwave caught up with him, blinding him, and leaving him coughing after he accidentally took a breath full of dust.

Rhett was disoriented. He hunched over coughing, and tried to cover his nose and mouth with his shirt. His eyes, squinted, looked back toward the direction of the droids. It took him a moment to realize, he didn't see any blaster fire. He didn't hear any either. In fact, he didn't even feel anything in the force. He turned back toward the weapon. "Boys?" Rhett asked, barley able to see the weapon. "Boys?" Rhett asked louder. Still no response. He raised his com link. "Pines? Patch? Come in?" He realized his com link did not chime when he pushed to talk, it wasn't working. He turned and ran toward the weapon, which was now sitting still, with only a small hum coming from its center. He rounded the weapon and saw the clones on the ground. His heart sank. He realized all of them were grabbing their heads, he knew something was wrong. He bent down to take off Lowe's helmet. "Commander Lowe?" He said, worrisome, as he gently grabbed his helmet. Lowe groaned. "Commander Lowe?!" Rhett said more lively.

"Yeah, kid. I'm here." Lowe tiredly said.

"Oh thank god. You alright?" He asked, before checking the others, they started to shift around and slowly pick themselves up.

"I think so." Lowe said, taking off his helmet, and regathering his bearings.

"What the hell was that?" Globes asked, rubbing his neck, clearly in pain.

"I don't know. But I don't hear anymore droids." Purggs groaned. "Must've got 'em."

"Take your time, boys. We don't have to rush anywhere." Rhett encouraged. He took a moment to check each one, until the sound of rapid footsteps came from behind the weapon. Rhett stood up quickly to his feet, hand on his saber, ready to ignite, until he identified that is was Danu. Danu stopped his run, after locking eyes with Rhett, and then glanced at the clones. He gasped.

"I knew it! I knew it! It worked! Harmlesss! Harmless!" He celebrated, throwing his arms in the air and chopping his feet in excitement. He laughed and hugged Rhett. "Thank you, Corporal, thank you! It worked!" He exclaimed again. He ran over to the clones to check them himself, almost in disbelief that they were okay. Pines and Patch finally caught up to Danu.

"They're all okay?" Patch asked.

"A little disoriented, but it seems that way. We'll keep an eye on 'em. That was a lot of energy to be standing right next to." Rhett said. Pines and Patch both took a sigh of relief. After a brief scan of the landscape, to gather himself, Pines spoke.

"Should we continue towards the ship?" Pines asked.

"I don't know. My comm is fried. Haven't heard from the others." Rhett explained.

"EMPs will do that." Patch joked, as he tossed Rhett a new comm link, before walking by him to go check on his friends. Rhett smiled. Pressed a button on the com link, and heard the trill that was absent a moment ago.

"Walker, you figure yourself out yet?" Rhett asked.

"We made it back to the ship. The air support is scattering their troops, you should be clear to head back. How are you holding up over there?" He asked. Rhett smiled.

"Well…" He said before chuckling at the obscurity of the situation. "the boys…they uhh…well they set off the weapon." Rhett said, laughing once again. Mostly in relief.

"They what?" Anakin replied.

"Yeah. It worked like a charm. The boys are fine. Seems like we've got a clear path back." Rhett reported.

"Well be safe. We'll see you back at the lab in a bit." Anakin said.

Not long after, everyone was loaded on to the ship, and headed off Balnab, with the weapon, its data, and its research team inside. The Jedi, the clones, and the militia were inside the war room, listening to the Jedi give their debrief. "That was more stressful than we wanted, sorry we dragged you along." Anakin apologized to his troops.

"But thank you for doing it. As we all just saw…this mission may have just helped us close out this war sooner." Rhett chimed in, slowly starting to applaud his troops. Everyone joined for a moment. "But…" Rhett said sharply as soon as the applause died. "Like I said before, this mission…never happened. Although we all know you are heroes in the war, no one else will. We will continue to monitor the health of the clones caught in the blast, but as of right now, it seems there was no effect on any organic systems. All of this, is top-secret information, and cannot be leaked to anyone, including others in the Grand Army of the Republic and members of the Galactic Senate." Rhett explained.

"What about Danu's research? We just proved that it's safe for clones. Can't we tell the Senate?" Corks asked. Rhett sighed. He locked eyes with Obi-Wan and Anakin.

"Unfortunately…" Obi-Wan started.

"We'll figure that out later." Anakin interrupted, enthused that the weapon may end the war, and still wanting to discuss whether or not to disclose the impromptu testing. Obi-Wan glared at Anakin.

"We probably won't be able to bring that information forward." Obi-Wan explained.

"I wouldn't want to be the one that has to tell Danu that!" Shrik joked. The room chuckled.

"Alright, alright. Do we have any other questions?" Rhett asked. He paused awaiting a response. None came. "Great. I just wanted to thank you boys for being a group I can trust with this. I'm not worried about this at all, and I appreciate that about you. You are dismissed." Rhett finished. The room started to swirl as everyone got up from their seats and began to mingle and leave. Rhett stopped Globes before he left. "Globes, man. I just wanted to thank you. You made the call to blow that thing, without knowing what it was going to do to you, and it bailed us all out." Rhett said sincerely.

"Don't mention it, Corporal." Globes humbly replied.

"Well, I already did. It's too late. As soon as we leave this room, we can't speak about it again, so I wanted to thank you while I could." Rhett said.

"I'd do it again." Globes said with a smile.

"I know you would. But, really… how are you feeling?" Rhett asked. Globes groaned.

"I've still got a nasty headache. I can feel it right here still." He said, pointing just behind his right temple. "That's the only spot." Globes said.

"Right here?" Corks asked, pointing to the same spot on his head, as he over heard the conversation. "Me too! Just in that spot. Weird isn't it? Lowe had it too!" The men gave a small chuckle.

"Really?" Globes asked. He turned his head toward Lowe. "Hey Lowe!" Globes called out. Lowe locked eyes with him from across the room. Globes pointed at the spot on his head. Lowe chuckled and tapped the same spot on his. "Funny." Globes said. "See you around, Corporal."

Rhett thought back to Roal, the Mandalorian at the bar on Chandrilla. He vividly could picture him tapping his head, around the same place the clones were. "Chips." Roal's voice echoed through Rhett's mind. Rhett wore a concerned, yet curious face.

"Yeah. Funny." He said, plainly.

Chapter 24: Whispers

"So the brass said we're headed to Christophsis again?" Shrik asked Anakin, peering over the wing of Rhett's interceptor.

"My squad at least. Not sure what will happen to you guys with all of your guys injured." Anakin responded, not looking up from the inner-workings of the rear of the ship, turning a wrench. Rhett's voice echoed from underneath the ship, where he was fiddling with some wires.

"How did we fuck that one up? Isn't that where I dropped you guys off before I left for the temple? I guess that's what happens when I don't go on mission with y'all." Rhett joked.

"Ease up kid, the only reason we made it out was because you weren't there to fuck it up for us." Shrik responded. The three laughed. "Speaking of fucking things up, what is taking you so long down there?" Shrik asked. Rhett groaned in response before rolling himself out from under the ship.

"Yeah I don't know, man. That whole thing is just a birds nest down there. Might need R-2 to take a look at it, if you don't mind." He replied, shifting his head over towards Anakin.

"Yeah that's fine. I'll probably need him to put the program in to reroute your power distribution anyways." Anakin responded.

"Why does he need to do that?" Shrik asked, eyeing Rhett. He shrugged.

"Well," Anakin started to respond slowly, concentrating on his work. "Without it, sure you'll be able to go faster, but only by dumping a bunch of fuel into the ignition chamber. You'll burn through it inefficiently." He explained. "If we divert power into the ignition chamber when you want it to, we'll be able to fine tune the pressures and air comps for it to burn more efficiently. Faster speeds, without tearing through the fuel."

"Yeah, Rhett. obviously." Shrik said sarcastically. "Why didn't you learn all that in Jedi-school?" He joked.

"I didn't grow up there like he did!" Rhett said defensively.

"I didn't grow up there either. Only about half my life." Anakin said with a smile. "They said I was too old when I first came in, too."

"Well, if you were too old, how the hell did they let this man-child in?" Shrik asked smiling.

"I still don't know." Anakin said with a laugh.

"It must have been my good looks and charm." Rhett said confidently.

"Yeah, definitely not that." Shrik replied.

"Well it couldn't have been my knowledge of the force. I still don't know anything." Rhett joked.

"Well do you know how to reinforce the nose pieces? We don't want those shearing off when you go super-sonic in a thick atmosphere. Can you two get working? Or are you going to make me do everything?" Anakin sarcastically asked.

"Exactly how fast do you think this thing is gonna go when we're all said and done?" Rhett asked.

"To be honest, I'm not totally sure." Anakin laughed.

"Well don't break my ship, I just got it." Rhett responded lightheartedly.

"It's not fun until it feels like it's going to break." Anakin replied.

"Well then we'll strap your ass to this homemade rocket on the first test flight." Rhett snapped, while starting to strip some pieces off the nose of the ship.

"Gladly." Anakin replied smugly. "Are you actually going to do any work? Or just insult the free labor I'm giving you to make your ship the best interceptor in the order?" Anakin asked with a smile.

"He's right. I don't think I've ever seen you goof off so much while working." Shrik said behind a smile and a hint of sarcasm, but he really was appreciating Rhett's enjoyment and friendship with Anakin.

"At least I'm working!" Rhett argued. "What have you done in the past 20 minutes?" Rhett asked.

"I don't know this stuff! This is miles past small speeders and tractors." Shrik said in defense. "And I have no idea how you know this shit, I thought I taught you most of what you know, and we never had Jedi interceptors on the farm." Shrik said.

"Well I know you know how to flush out and replace a fuel line, do that so we can replace it." Rhett snapped. Shrik rolled his eyes with a smile and got to work. He had just picked up his wrench when Rex walked in.

"General Skywalker, Corporal Kysn, Private Byra." He addressed.

"At ease, Rex. We're just tinkering on Rhett's new interceptor." Anakin said,

"Very well. I have more details about our mission." He said.

"Lemme guess. General Skywalker goes in and saves the day while the farmers sit back and watch?" Shrik asked.

"They're shipping the 501st in to reinforce the front line. They want whats left of Ardees to escort a supply run to the city." Rex explained.

"Pretty much nailed it." Rhett said with a shrug and a smile, looking at Shrik.

"Yularen wants to brief you." Rex reported.

"Alright, I'll be right there." Anakin responded, before Rex walked away. He quickly tightened one last bolt, and shut the access panel he was working under. He slowly backed away from Rhett and Shrik. "Relax, guys, you guys know you are still valuable to Republic." Anakin reassured. Rhett and Shrik mumbled some in a hesitant aggreement. "…Just not as valuable as me." Anakin said with a big smirk, before turning all the way around and walking away.

Rhett and Shrik grumbled and boo'ed Anakin mockingly behind laughs before throwing a wrench near Anakin's feet, shooing him away. They laughed. Shrik turned back toward Rhett.

"It's good to have you back." Rhett said, happily.

"Back?" Shrik asked.

"Yeah. We kinda lost you there for a bit. You were just a shell of your old self." Rhett said.

"Oh yeah." Shrik said, humbly.

"It is better, right?" Rhett asked.

"It comes and goes, I guess." Shrik explained, not really wanting to talk about it.

"Well, once this thing is over, we can get you some help. Get ya back to your old self." Rhett said, optimistically.

"No, Rhett." Shrik said. "A part of me will always be out there. Once you go through that, you can't put yourself back together." Shrik said, somberly.

"We can try, right? We still have good times." Rhett asked.

"We can try to minimize it, kid. But there will still be a shadow." Shrik admitted. Rhett frowned. He didn't like to hear his friend talk like that.

"Does anything help?" Rhett asked.

"This helps, yeah." Shrik admitted, gesturing towards the ship, referring to his spending time with his friends. "Takes my mind off everything at least. Hanging out with you and the boys helps."

"Well there ya go." Rhett said with a smile. "I don't plan on goin' anywhere."

"Anyways…" Shrik said, wanting to change the subject. "If we're on an escort mission, someone is gonna have to keep an eye on us from above." Shrik suggested. He patted Rhett's ship. "And I happen to know a pretty good pilot who just tricked out his ride, and needs to test-fly it."

"Trust me, I'd love to." Rhett said. "But you and I both know we're just gonna have to do what the orders are."

"Eh. Don't worry about that. I know a General who is just as curious to see how that ship will perform, we can have him pull some strings." Shrik said.

"I like the way you think." Rhett said with a smile.

Later, on the surface of Christophsis, Shrik and the remaining healthy members of Ardees were walking alongside of a convoy. The convoy was headed toward some of the main cities, to deliver some supplies from the landing ships away from the frontlines of the battles. The body language of the soldiers was relaxed. Being a non-military target, and walking further and further from the frontlines, the men were relieved and content being on a low-stress mission.

"Where 'ya at kid? We've already gone 4 clicks away from the LZ." Shrik asked Rhett through the com link.

"Yeah, I know, I know. I'm coming. I'm not sure what R-2 was doing on the power diverter, but we had some trouble getting this thing to turn over." Rhett explained. R-2 began whistling, from the astromech socket from the wing. "Relax, buddy, I never said it was your fault. And I never could have started it without you."

"That little droid sure is something." Shrik said.

"Might even say he has too much personality, but I don't mind havin' him around." Rhett joked.

"You better keep him safe. I think Skywalker might kill you if something happens to it." Sheik said.

"Oh I know. Trust me, I didn't even want to take him, but I need him to run the diagnostics and check systems. I have no idea what kind of shit he did to this thing, but it sure flies different." Rhett admitted.

"Different how?" Shrik asked. Rhett chuckled.

"Turn around and I'll show ya." Rhett said arrogantly. Shrik turned around and eyed the sky. He didn't see anything. The squad was on a long straight road, so there was nothing blocking his view of the sky behind him. He stood scanning for awhile, until he noticed a small dot, hovering just above the horizon. It grew in size, slowly at first. It was almost surreal looking at first, from Sheik's perspective, it barely moved, and didn't make a sound. Suddenly the dot got bigger and bigger, its silhouette against the sky grew exponentially in size, then almost all at once, Shrik could finally make out the details of Rhett's ship. It passed overhead, flying low and fast.
For just a moment, there was no noise, an eerie void that hung in the air before a deafening, boom, caused the troop to all flinch and duck their heads, before breaking out into some grumbles and some cheers. The sonic boom ripped through the air, a sharp crack that reverberated in the chest, followed by a thunderous roar as the jet's afterburners burned through the atmosphere. The sound was deep and guttural, a metallic growl. A massive gust of wind rushed in its wake, and its echoing engines forced Shrik to shout over the sound into his com link. "God dammit, kid!" He shook his head, although annoyed, he said it with a smile.

"Woo! Did you like that one?" Rhett yelled over his head set.

"Alright that was cool, I'll admit, but stop messing around, let's get to work." He said, still smiling. For a moment, he was happy, proud of Rhett and happy for what he had become. He always felt bad for the little kid next door that was stuck on his tiny farm, so young. For a moment, he didn't feel like just a farmer, he had purpose. He had Rhett, he was fighting for a cause, and with the tide of the war turning to the Republic's side, he felt accomplished. He watched as Rhett piloted the interceptor up and around, it glided smoothly through the atmosphere, slowing down and repositioning overhead the convoy making sweeps around the area making sure there were no threats.

The escort mission on Christophsis was complete. The mission was straightforward—no enemy interference, no unexpected surprises. For once, everything went according to plan. Back on the cruiser, Rhett finally felt some peace, a relatively calm mission was just what he needed to gain some confidence and level his head.

Rhett made his way through the corridors of the cruiser, feeling the familiar hum of the ship's engines beneath his feet. The atmosphere is quieter than usual—the clones are preparing for the next phase of the war, but for now, there is a rare moment of stillness.

Rhett went to go check in with Anakin, who he had not seen since they left for the Christophsis mission. Anakin's quarters were dimly lit when he arrived. The door slid open, and inside, Anakin leaned against a console, arms crossed, lost in thought. R2-D2 beeped at Rhett from the corner, acknowledging his presence.

Anakin looked up, a faint smirk appeared. "You finally decided to show up. Thought you were avoiding me." He gestured for Rhett to sit. The playful edge in his voice was present, but something felt…off. There was an intensity behind his eyes, like a sadness, something deeper than casual conversation. After a moment, he spoke again, more serious this time. "You been doing okay? I know, lately things have been okay, but we haven't been able to talk too much since I had to come pull you off Chandrilla."

"Yeah, I don't know, man. It's just…a lot of chaos. A lot has been thrown at me the past few years. Training at the temple, accidentally finding my dad again, then I get tossed back into the war. Y'know…Faroch. It's just, every time I feel like I've got something figured out or into a routine, a new wrench gets tossed in, y'know? How could I ever stay the same when a new life changing event goes down every couple of months?" Rhett asked.

Anakin still looked agitated. Rhett didn't need to feel his emotions through the force, Anakin wore them on his face. "But I honestly thought things were getting better, we've strung together a couple of successful missions with no casualties, and without the formal training I feel less stressed, I honestly feel like it helps my connection to the force. Figuring things out on my own? That's what I'm used to." Rhett explained.

Anakin's head sunk. "I know, I just…" he struggled to find his words. There was a brief pause while he mustered up the courage to speak. "Ahsoka…" he lifted his head, and twisted it, finding his words. "Left."

"Left?" Rhett asked.

"Yeah." Anakin said, sharp and defeated. He sighed. "That's where I've been the past couple of days. There was an attack at the temple."

"I heard." Rhett admitted.

"People died, Rhett. It was bad." He explained, stressed "Somehow, Ahsoka got tied up into all of it. She lead us on a chase, she was a fugitive. It took a lot to finally get her name cleared. The Jedi expelled her from the order. And when we finally got them on our side… She left."

"What do you mean?" Rhett probed.

"She's not a Jedi anymore. She left. Took off. The Jedi offered her spot back into the order, and she denied it. I don't even know where she ended up." He said reluctantly, as he plopped down, sitting next to Rhett.

"Shit." Rhett let slip out, not even knowing what to say. All he did was place a hand on Anakin's shoulder, its all he could think to do.

"I don't know, I just feel like it's my fault, for some reason, and then I think about how the council didn't trust me, or her, and jumped to wild conclusions without due process. It wasn't fair!" Anakin snapped.

"It never is, kid." Rhett admitted.

"I don't know, it's just…I don't know. I thought hearing from you would help. Everyone just looks at them and takes their word because of their status, and I know—you're different."

"Well, yeah. I don't know. I think there's just a disconnect between them and us that they don't consider." Rhett admitted. "We came in old. They have a hard time acknowledging having a past life, what that means. When they all grow up the same, it's easy to kind of hive-mind." Rhett explained. "I guess it's made me question some things."

Anakin tilted his head, studying Rhett. "What kinds of things?"

Rhett hesitated, then decide to redirect the focus slightly. "How do you deal with it?" he asked. "The doubts, I mean. The things the Jedi tell us to believe... but don't always feel right?"

Anakin's expression darkened slightly. He's quiet for a long moment, looking past Rhett, as if he was debating how much to say.

"I don't know if I'm the best person to ask," he finally says. "The Council already thinks I question things too much." He exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "But I'll tell you this—every Jedi struggles with doubt, whether they admit it or not. We're supposed to be above attachments, above emotions, but that's not how people work. That's not how we work."

"So what do you do?" Rhett asked.

Anakin leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees. "I focus on the people who matter. The ones I can trust. The Jedi talk about serving the Republic, but in the end? The Republic is just politics. What really matters is the people beside you. My men in the 501st. My friends…" He slowed as his gaze dropped to the floor "Ahsoka," He gave Rhett a meaningful look. "You." He said, with a shrug towards Rhett's direction. Rhett opened his mouth to speak, but before any words fell out, a sharp beep from R2-D2 interrupted. Anakin sighed, rubbing his face before standing up. "Listen, Rhett," he said, his voice lower now, more casual. "I don't have all the answers. But if you ever need to talk, you know where to find me. I just wanted to make sure you don't end up like she did. I guess that's why I wanted to check in with you." He said, walking up to R2, avoiding eye contact with Rhett, almost like the moment got too personal. He changed the subject "I should check in with Obi-Wan before he starts thinking I've gone rogue again." His smirk returns, but his eyes still hold that seriousness. "You sure you're good?"

Rhett humbly nodded his head. He lied. He deflected with humor, ""I'll be fine," he said, waving a hand dismissively. Then, with a mischievous grin, he added, "So, what does Obi-Wan want? It's been a minute since we pissed him off. Want me to go with you?"

Anakin chuckled, shaking his head. "Tempting, but I think I've already tested his patience enough this week." He crossed his arms, smirking. "Besides, if you came with me, he might drag you along with us to Ringo Vinda. Trust me, you don't want that." Anakin joked,

You shrug. "I like to think I could keep up."

"You could, but we're meeting the Mikkian twins, they're always a handful." Anakin replied.

"Oh I gotchya. Don't worry, Walker, I won't tell Padme you've been hanging out with the twins, Rhett said with a wink. The tension from before eased slightly, and Rhett could tell Anakin appreciated the humor—maybe even needed it.

"Oh shut up." He said through a smile, "Alright, well, don't go getting into trouble while I'm gone," he said as he moves toward the door. "Actually, never mind. I know you will. Just don't get caught." As he left, R2-D2 let out a low whistle, almost as if he was agreeing with Anakin.

Rhett leaned back in his chair, and let out a small chuckle, as he returned to being alone with his thoughts again. Although he was happy to have such a good friend, and a Jedi he could relate to, the disconnection between what the Jedi preached and his role model made it all the more confusing. Anakin was supposed to be the most powerful Jedi in the galaxy, and his words directly contradicted what every other Jedi master told him. He could feel something in him start to shift, it made him uncomfortable. Uncertainty, anxiety, and dread —the feelings surrounded him and extended beyond him. Whatever it was, it was bigger than him. He sat for a moment in thought, and then did the only thing he's ever known when something is weighing on his mind, get back to work.

A few days had past since Anakin left, and Rhett was starting to get restless. He had plenty of work to do on board the cruiser, but was starting to itch to leave again. There was some buzz around the cruiser that they were mobilizing, so Rhett started to investigate. The hangar on the cruiser was alive with the sounds of maintenance crews working on starfighters, clone pilots running pre-flight checks, and the occasional bark of an officer keeping everything in order. The scent of engine fuel, scorched metal, and freshly welded durasteel lingered in the air. He made his way to his own fighter, he wasn't sure what exactly he was going to do. He was just looking for something to do. He ran his fingers over the sleek hull, until he heard a clone's voice behind him.

"Didn't think you flyboys actually did your own maintenance." He turned to see Corks, grinning as he leaned against a supply crate.

"I don't," Rhett joked, "I make Skywalker do it. I'm not sure what I'm doing here." He admitted.

"Figures. So, what brings you down here?" Corks asked.

"Y'know I'm not too sure. Figured I'd find something to do. You got anything for me?" Rhett asked.

"Our fleet's heading into the Outer Rim soon—big offensive push. We're just waiting for the brass to send the orders."

Rhett frowned. "The Outer Rim? That's Separatist territory."

Corks noded. "Yeah. And word is, we're not just hitting some backwater skirmish. They're mobilizing entire fleets. Jedi, clones, everyone."

That caught Rhett's attention. "A push that big? I knew we were starting to win, but I didn't think we were ready to start invading the Outer Rim like that. Are they thinking we're almost out of here?"

Corks gave a half-shrug. "Maybe. Or maybe they're just throwing everything at the wall and hoping something sticks. Either way, command's being tight-lipped. Only the generals know the full plan." He leaned in slightly. "Though, rumor is the Chancellor's calling the shots personally on this one."

That made Rhett pause. Chancellor Palpatine? Directly controlling a military campaign? He thought. "Great. That guy gives me the creeps." Rhett joked. He tried to gauge Corks' reaction, but his expression remained neutral—just another soldier following orders. "So what's Ardees Squadron doing?" Rhett asked.

"Recon and escort duty for now, but once the push begins? We'll be in the thick of it." Corks smirked. "Hope you're ready for some real flying." Rhett smiled.

"That's always the plan, isn't it." Rhett chuckled.

"You'll be alright. Hey, I think Shrik was looking for you, actually. He's down in the troop quarters." He leaned in close to Rhett. "Word on the street is he snagged a little something for you." He said with a wink. Rhett said goodbye to Corks and started toward the lower decks, where the troop quarters were located.

Unlike the sterile halls of the officers' sections, this part of the ship felt lived-in to Rhett—clone armor stacked in lockers, gear bags thrown onto bunks, the occasional sound of maintenance tools clanking made it feel more casual and homely. Rhett found Shrik leaning against a supply crate, drinking from a metal canteen, looking as grizzled as ever. His eyes flicked up when he saw Rhett, and for a moment, there's silence. Then, a slow smirk. "Just the man I was looking for." he says, grinning.

"Big words for a guy who flies like a drunk Kowakian monkey-lizard," Rhett shot back, grabbing a crate and flipping it around to sit across from him. Shrik huffed a laugh, but there was something in his posture—something heavier than his usual rough sarcasm. Rhett gave him a once-over. "How you holding up?"

Shrik took a swig from the canteen before answering. "Still breathing. Though this Republic food paste is about one bite away from convincing me that death might not be so bad."

Rhett nodded toward his canteen.

"Drink up while you can. Sounds like we're all getting shipped to the Outer Rim soon."

Shrik paused mid-sip, then slowly lowers the canteen. "Yeah. I heard." He said before taking another swig.

"Speaking of which, are you gonna share or what?" Rhett joked. Shrik handed him the canteen. Rhett took a small sip. Its bite made Rhett huff. "What the fuck even is this?" He asked with a laugh.

"Some local on Christophsis gave it to me when we made out supply run as a thank you. Good shit isn't it?" Sheik raised an eyebrow.

"It'll do." Rhett said between a chuckle and another nip of the canteen. "Anyways…Any idea what we're walking into?" Rhett asked, handing the canteen back to Shrik. He exhaled through his nose, shifting against the crate, after he leaned in to take the canteen.

"Not much. Just that it's big. Command's keeping it locked down, but when clones start getting rotated off mid-deployment for 'classified briefings,' you know something's up." That got Rhett's attention.

"Briefings? What kind?"

Shrik shook his head. "No idea. But I've seen a few troopers from the 501st and 212th pulled aside. They come back quiet. Focused. Too focused." Rhett's stomach dropped. The clones are already bred for discipline, but this sounded like something else. Something deliberate. "And it's not just grunts," Shrik continued. "Some of the officers too. The kind that don't normally get pulled for meetings unless it's coming from the top."

That lined up with what Corks said—Palpatine himself was directing this campaign.

Shrik took another swig, watching Rhett carefully. "You hear something I haven't?"

"No. That's what's bothering me. I feel like I'm usually pretty in the loop. Not that I think I deserve special attention or anything, but why is it all the sudden so cloak and dagger?" Rhett asked.

"Who knows, kid?" Shrik conceded. "Why? You worried about something?'

Rhett shook his head. "Nothing solid. Just trying to get ahead of whatever's coming." Shrik eyed Rhett for a second. He knew Rhett well enough to tell when he was holding back. But he didn't push. Instead, he took another swig from his canteen and lets out a tired chuckle

"Figures. Always thinking one step ahead. That's how you survived this long, huh?" He said, as he pushed the canteen towards Rhett.

Rhett shrugged as he accepted and took a swig. "That, and sheer dumb luck."

Shrik smirked. "Mostly the second one." They laughed together. "Anyways, I thought you came here to relax a bit, huh?" Shrik laughed. "Whatever's happening, we've had a few days with a lighter workload. Let's take advantage!" Shrik said.

Rhett smiled. "You're right." He lifted the canteen towards Shrik "To Christophsis?"

"Good enough for me." Shrik said, before he took the canteen back. The conversation drifted into lighter territory—old war stories, the worst rations they've ever had, which Jedi are the worst at flying. Rhett talked more about life at the temple, filling in gaps of time on how he kept himself busy while Shrik was stationed. They talked about the farms. For a little while, it almost felt normal. Almost.

But even as he joked around, Rhett couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about the campaign in the outer rim. Why are certain clones being singled out for briefings? And why is Palpatine himself so involved? He thought.

After an hour or two, Shrik tossed his empty canteen aside and stood up, he clapped Rhett on the shoulder. "Whatever happens next, we stick together, yeah?"

"That's the plan" Rhett said with a half-hearted chuckle.
"What's so funny?" Shrik asked.

"I just told Corks something similar." Rhett said. Shrik could still read the stress on his face.

"Look kid, if it's bothering you that much, I'm sure Lowe will fill you in — on what he can." He said, after a pause.

"Yeah I planned on it." Rhett admitted. "I don't know, this one just feels, different, y'know?"

"I know, kid. Maybe we're just close to the end?" Shrik said, trying to optimistically justify the feeling.

"I think you're right." Rhett admitted. "I'm just not sure I'm gonna like the ending."

Rhett carefully waited a few hours to sober up, before he made his way toward the officers' briefing area, where senior clone commanders and Republic strategists worked behind the scenes. The atmosphere there was tighter, more controlled—clones walking with purpose, no wasted movement, no unnecessary chatter.

Rhett saw Commander Lowe near a holotable, analyzing troop movements with a few clone officers. His blue-marked armor was polished and precise—just like the man wearing it.

He noticed Rhett approaching but doesn't look up immediately. Instead, he finished his conversation with his men, then dismissed them before finally turning to face him.

"Kysn," he greets you evenly. "Didn't take you for someone who liked hanging around command. I thought you liked the lower levels a little more."

"You're right, sir. I'll be honest with you—I've been hearing things. About this upcoming push into the Outer Rim. About clone officers being pulled into special briefings."

Lowe didn't react at first. His expression remained stone-cold and neutral, unreadable.

"And?" He asked.

Rhett pressed on. "And…it sounds like there's more going on than just another military operation. Clones coming back from these meetings—different. Focused. I know you've noticed."

Lowe exhaled slowly, rubbing his chin. He steps away from the holotable and motions for Rhett to follow. The two walked toward a quieter corner of the room, away from prying ears.

"I have noticed," Lowe admitted. "And I don't like it." His honesty threw Rhett off. He was hoping for a simple explanation. "I've been a soldier since I took my first breath, never once questioned an order. But lately? The way command's been handling things? It feels different. Feels… final."

"Final?" Rhett asked.

Lowe nodded. "Like we're being prepared for something bigger than just another battle."

"What do you mean by 'final'? What are we being prepared for?" Rhett asked.

"I don't know," he admitted, "but I have a bad feeling about it."

"These briefings—are they for strategy, or something else?" Rhett asked. Lowe's jaw tightened, as he scanned around the room for anyone eaves dropping.

"They're not sharing operational details with us like they used to. Usually, when we get briefed, it's about battle plans, supply lines, enemy movements. Now? It's different. More... personal. Direct orders from the Chancellor himself."

Finally, Rhett got the confirmation he was looking for. "Palpatine is briefing clones personally?"

Lowe nodded. "Not face-to-face, but through select channels. We're told it's for security reasons, but it's unlike anything I've seen before."

"I don't like that. Even as a kid, my dad was not very fond of him as a Senator. I stayed out of politics, hardly knew what was going on. But what does he know on military strategy?" Rhett asked, rhetorically. Lowe could tell there was more behind his voice.

Lowe's expression hardened. "What are you trying to say, Kysn?"

Rhett shrug, keeping his voice calm. "I'm saying Palpatine is making calls personally now. Dictating military strategy, briefing clone officers in secret. That's not normal."

Lowe's fingers drummed against his armored forearm. "I know," he muttered. "I don't like politicians, either. Never have. But at least before, the Jedi were the ones handling strategy. Now, it's all coming from the top. And soldiers like me? We're just expected to obey." His voice dropped even lower, Rhett could tell he didn't want to talk much more. "Look, I'm not about to commit treason over a gut feeling. But you're right—something isn't sitting right with me. If you're smart, Kysn, you'll keep your head down. Asking questions like this in the wrong places can get you killed."

That made Rhett lower his voice even more, "Alright, one more. What about the Jedi? Have they been involved in these briefings at all?"

Lowe's expression darkened. "No. And that's the thing that really bothers me. The Jedi used to be at the center of every battle plan. Generals, strategists—hell, they practically ran the war. Now? They're being cut out. Every major movement in this campaign is coming straight from Palpatine's office, and the Jedi are just… reacting."

Palpatine's consolidating control. Rhett thought. His stomach turned. Something felt off. He couldn't pin it, but was always on the look out from that moment on.

"So what do you think we do. What do I do?" Rhett asked.

"That's the million-credit question, Kysn." He stared at the holotable for a long moment, the blue glow reflecting off his armor. "I don't know what's happening," Lowe finally said, voice low. "But I know how this ends for soldiers like me: with orders. And when the time comes, we follow them."

"Even if those orders don't feel right?" Rhett asks. Lowe's eyes flick back, sharp and assessing. He doesn't answer immediately.

"What about you?" he countered. "What are you gonna do if the Republic starts giving orders you don't like?"

The question was heavy, there were a million responses in Rhett's head, but all he could do was deflect.

"I dunno, Lowe. Maybe I'll just go back to the farm, and finally get some decent food for once." Rhett said, an empty joke.

Lowe chuckled, shaking his head. "Yeah? You gonna grow your own rations? Because if so, I might have to defect."

"Anything to get away from Republic food paste," Rhett said, feigning deep contemplation. The tension eased just a little. Lowe saw right through the dodge, but he lets it slide. Rhett knew he didn't want to talk about it much more, either. He exhaled and straightened up.

"Well, when you figure it out, let me know. Until then, try not to get yourself killed."

"I make no promises." Rhett joked.

Lowe smirked. "Didn't think you would."

Alright, Chancellor, Rhett thought, what the fuck are you playing at?

Chapter 25: Palpatine

"Everything is shaping up exactly to plan, Master. We'll be ready by next week." Dooku addressed his master, over an encrypted holographic transmission.

"Good, my apprentice. I am moving the clones towards the Outer Rim, prepare your defenses, but it should create the necessary opening to attack on Coruscant." Darth Sideous explained.

"A victory that will no doubt, be the final piece to our plan." Dooku sneered, admiring his Master's plan.

"Yes. We are almost ready. There are few loose ends." Palpatine replied, assuredly.

"What must be done?" Dooku asked in his deep, mysterious voice.

"Skywalker and his friend." Palpatine replied.

"I assure you, Obi-Wan and Skywalker will be no problem." Dooku replied.

"Not Kenobi." He hissed. "His apprentice."

"She has already left the order. I thought the attack on the Jedi temple had solved that for us." Dooku asked.

"Not the girl either. The boy. The Naboo. The one I sensed would stand in my way all those years ago!" He explained, his anger growing. "I should have killed him when I had the chance!"

"Master, I'm afraid, I do not know what you are talking about." Dooku replied, slowly, and humbly.

"Of course not! He's not big enough to cause any ripples."He snapped in anger. His speech started to slow. "Not yet, at least. Kysn, is his name." The name fell out of Sideous' mouth like he was spitting out a foul tasting meal. "I had foreseen this." He said, regretful. "But I will handle it."

13 years earlier. 32 BBY. Naboo.

Queen Amidala had just secured her victory in her election against Sanandrassa. Her family, along with local government was throwing a celebration. Much to the chagrin of Padme, who was anxious to get to work, the pageantry concluded on a luxury yacht, in the lake country. On board was everyone the Queen and her incumbent bureaucrats thought she should establish positive social relationships with, those they thought she would be working with. Or, trying to take advantage of what they perceived as her naive age, those that could be useful to themselves.

On board, was Quash Panaka, who headed her security detail. He already helped Padme in her first few days of her reign recruit her majesty's handmaidens, who were also aboard. This made Quash one of Padme's most familiar and trusted faces on the yacht, and, wanting to make a good impression for the new queen, was never too far away. His next in command was Ralf Kysn. Padme knew who Ralf was, she had grown up vacationing near his fishing supply store out on the lakes. She had a vague familiarity to him.

Ralf humbly stood aside and did his job while the Queen exchanged pleasantries and small talk with all of the political figures that were trying to get on her good side. Ralf had been moved to the exterior of the ship, keeping an eye on the rails and scanning the shores of the lakes to detect any threats. Inside, the rapid change and overwhelming environment has started to weigh on Padme. She grew more and more frustrated with the party, uninterested in any more shallow and theatrical conversation, she notified Quash that she was going to step outside to get some air.

She burst through the door of the yacht, onto the balcony. She glimpsed at the water, and for the first time in her political career, felt overwhelmed. She was only 14 years old, and in this one moment, in privacy, she let herself show her emotion and nerves. It had finally boiled over to more than she could handle at such a young age. For just a moment, she cried. She gathered herself, and as she looked up, running her fingers under her eyes in an attempt to fix her makeup, she saw Ralf stationed on the rail. Looking straight out over the water. He hadn't moved since she came outside. He felt sorry for her. He knew her as a child, and having Rhett at home at the same age, sympathized with her new overwhelming position.

"Oh. Excuse me." Padme squeaked out, composing herself, she

"That's okay your highness, is there anything I can do to help?" Ralf asked. Padme chuckled.

"You can sneak me off of this boat." She joked, still not recovered from her break down enough to put on her political facade.

"If you really want, I can notify Quash that you wish to terminate the celebrations." Ralf offered.
"No. No." Padme responded slowly. She finally removed her fingers from her face and composed herself enough to look up at the man she had been talking to. "I asked for all of this I need to—" she cut off her own answer as soon as she finally made out Ralf's profile. He had still not broken his gaze off the horizon, not wanting to embarrass the Queen, making it look like he was staring at her. "Mister Kysn?" She asked. This made Ralf break his stare. He turned towards Padme.

"Yes? Your highness?" Ralf asked politely.

"Oh my goodness! I knew you were in the guard, I just didn't…" she almost seemed choked up. "It's just really nice to see you." She said, the relief in her voice, forced out in a few more huffs like she was breaking down again. Ralf just smiled, flattered.

"It's good to see you too." He assured with a nod in her direction.

"Wait, we've got to be close to…" she trailed off, scanning the horizon.

"The shop? Yeah we sure are. I helped Quash and the handmaidens set it up, so may have had a little bias." Ralf explained

"We have to stop by!" Padme exclaimed.

"Oh no, no, no. That's no place for you." Ralf humbly explained.

"What are you talking about? I used to love going there as a kid!" Padme countered.

"And we loved having you, your highness, but your first outing as queen should not be to that old hole."

"Mr. Kysn, my whole campaign was based on giving everyone a voice, valuing all walks of life. There is no better place than your humble bait shop with the back drop of the lakes. It will be a great outing! We're going to pass right by. I'll go tell Quash!" She said, as she excitedly went back inside the yacht.

"Your highness—" Ralf tried to stop her, but she had already gone inside.

Soon, the whole party knew of their upcoming pit stop. Some guests were disgruntled, some understood, but few showed their hand. Most quietly went along, just hoping to make a good impression. In a more luxurious corner of the yacht, sat senator Palpatine. He was mostly uninterested in the party, it was just a duty he had to fulfill as Naboo's senator. He was talking to a fellow politician. "And thank you for helping my colleague, Wilhuff Tarkin in his campaign to be governor of Eriadu. He will be wonderful in his role."

"I'm sure he will." The politician said. "What do you think of this election/? You have a new queen, that must be exciting."

"Yes, yes. A bit young, but trusted by the people. Well liked, I'm sure she will do just fine." He said with a smile.

"A bit odd, though. Going to some farm? On her victory tour?" The politician asked.

"I was told it was a bait shop." Another politician chimed in.

"I understand what she's doing. She wants to feel relatable. You cannot do that on a luxury yacht. Setting the precedent that she is one of the people, and leading them, opposed to being above them and ruling, them. It's a quite respectable political maneuver. She's very smart." Palpatine conceded.

"Senator Palpatine, it's time to prepare, please." A political staffer interrupted to get Palpatine ready for the outing.

On the docks of the bait shop, Ralf had sent a transmission to the shop to prepare as best they could for the queen to arrive. Rhett and his mom did their best to prepare themselves and the shack, but they were both still a little raggedy. Just like the politicians wanted.

A long walkway extended from the lower decks of the yacht to the dock that extended out behind the bait shop. Rhett's brother had just turned 18, and had left the shack for a few weeks to find a job in the cities. Rhett and his mother were the entire welcoming party. Padme, Quash, a few handmaidens, and senator Palpatine all walked toward them, as the photos flashed behind them.

"It's perfect. She looks like a single mother." The politicians murmered, as they snapped photos.

"Such a genius stunt. She seems so caring." Another said. However, to Padme, it wasn't a stunt. She was glad to be there and see it again.

"Hello, Mrs. Kysn. Hi Rhett." Padme addressed with her royal facade back up.

"Thank you for coming, your Highness…" Rhett's mother started. While all attention was on the Queen, Palpatine's smile slowly crawled away. As he looked at Rhett, he felt annoyed. It started as if it was just a thorn in his shoe. As he continued to study Rhett, he felt a disturbance now. This disturbance turned into anger, anger into rage. He could barely keep his face still. Palpatine had started setting his plan in motion with Maul. This boy interfered with his lust for power. He could not figure it out. It bothered him, made him angry. How could this 14 year old child be a threat to him, a master of the dark side of the force? Yet, he felt it, so assuredly, their destiny were intertwined, and Rhett's interfered with his own. He felt insulted, confused, which snowballed his aggression.

Before he knew it, he was prompted to shake Rhett's hand. He refocused himself. "Hello, young man, thank you for allowing us to stop by." Palpatine said, as he shook Rhett's hand. As soon as he made contact with his hand, he felt his strength in the force. It staggered Palpatine. His thoughts and hatred had distracted him. He didn't even catch his name.

The meeting was uneventful. Pleasantries were exchanged, photos were taken, and the politicians took off before Ralf even had a chance to say hello to his kid. Back on board the yacht, Palpatine could only control his curiosities so long. He eventually approached Padme, for the first time all day.

"Your majesty, I apologize it has taken us so long to connect today." Palpatine chose his words carefully.

"Not a worry, Senator. It has been a full day with lots of faces to meet. I'm sure you've been just as busy as I have." Padme admitted.

"I must say, it was quite an intelligent move to stop and pose at that shop. It was a great way to display your solidarity with the common folk." Palpatine said with a smile.

"Thank you, Senator, I appreciate you coming along. I want to show the people of Naboo that I am on their side." She explained.

"And what a wonderful way to show it." He replied, grinning. "Say again, how did you know that family?"

"My family used to go there when I was little…" She started, Palatines eagerness to ask his questions stepped on the remainder of her answer.

"Ah yes and who was the boy?" He snapped, still maintaining his polite tone.

"That was Mr. Kysn's son." She replied with a smile, gesturing to Ralf, who since the photo op, had been moved inside.

"How proud you must be." Palatine said, with a cheeky smile growing across his face.

A few weeks after the victory tour, Ralf was inside the Naboo palace. Palpatine had taken a trip back to Naboo for an important meeting regarding the developing tensions with the trade blockade. He had just stepped out of a meeting, and found Ralf inside the security office.

"Mr. Kysn, I was looking for you, I have exciting news."

"Me?" Ralf said, almost intimidated, and caught off guard the senator was in his office.

"Yes. As you know, I have been in contact with the Jedi, in an attempt to get them to help with our situation." Palpatine started.

"Yes, senator." Ralf carefully responded.

"Well, they informed me, one of their kind came into your shop not too long ago."

"Oh really?" Ralf immediately was on alert. If a Jedi was in his shop, he would have known. Palatine didn't know Ralf was former Jedi. He hadn't shut himself off completely from the force, and Palatine's obsession with his son prevented him from feeling his own power.

"They told me they believe your boy is strong in the force. You must let me take him back to Coruscant for testing." Palpatine explained.

"My boy?" Ralf asked.

"Yes! If you send him to the capitol, I can take him back to Coruscant on my ship. We leave tomorrow."

"With all due respect, sir, I don't think that can happen. I mean we need him for the shop. Besides, he's not cut out for that Jedi lifestyle." Ralf defended.

"Mr Kysn, I must insist." Palpatine said, showing some signs of irritability.

"If the Jedi want him, Senator, they can come get him." Ralf said with a cautious undertone of humor to mask his actual concern. Palpatine's face shrunk.

"So be it." He addressed sharply, before walking away. Ralf couldn't pin point it, but he sensed trouble. Palpatine was patient, his plan was a slow-burn, and it was taking shape nicely, but a small child emerging so suddenly as an unexpected obstacle threw him off, and for once, he acted too quickly, too aggressively, and Ralf had caught it. Palpatine was still in control. Framing the Jedi as the bad guys, and still walked around clouded in darkness, so that Ralf could not feel his true intentions in the force. Ralf knew it was trouble, but he didn't know where it was coming from.

For the first time in decades, Ralf sat quietly in a dark room, reaching out in the force. His meditation techniques were rusty, but still felt like he could make a solid connection to the force. It took him lots of energy, effort, and time, but eventually, he felt a strong enough connection to look for some answers. He could see glimpses of Rhett, being pulled out of the front door of the bait shop, being dragged by the silhouette of Jedi robes. He looked deeper. He suddenly felt all of Rhett's energy in the force extinguish. He searched further, but his connection in the force was too weak. Angered by his lack of clarity and feeling the simulated shock of his son dying, his visions began to spiral. His mind raced. His connection to the force weakened, his frustrations grew, he strained to reconnect, but all that he tried, failed. He finally opened his eyes with a frustrated, and horrified scream. He knew one thing for sure; if he sent Rhett to Palpatine and the Jedi, he would die.

Ralf's scream attracted the attention of his wife, who ran into the room to check on Ralf. He explained everything. They argued for days, Ralf wanted to send Rhett into hiding, his mom argued for just about every other alternative. But when Qui-Gon recognized Ralf as former Jedi, and asked about Rhett, by name, it spooked Ralf enough to make a panic-driven decision. He had already asked his connections to set up a spot in Chandrilla. He was still figuring out who could look out after him, but he was too spooked to wait any longer. Ralf sent Rhett on his way to the Zabrak farm on Chandrilla. The quick decision strained his relationship with his mother for years, but Ralf was sure he made the right call.

After the Naboo had fended off the droid army of the Trade Federation, Palpatine returned to Naboo for the celebration. In the Royal Palace, he again asked Ralf about his son. Palpatine was more cautious this time. "And how is your boy doing, Mr. Kysn?" He asked. Ralf kept things vague.

"He stays busy. I feel like I never see him any more." He said with a slight laugh.

"Did the Jedi ever come interview him? While Obi-Wan is here, you could send him to the capitol, that way he doesn't have to go off world."

"I'm sure he's far too busy with the festivities to worry about my boy." Ralf responded.

"Oh I'm sure it won't be a problem. I can look after him, arrange the meeting. He'll be well looked after, he can attend a nice dinner. It'll be fun for the boy!" Palpatine assured.

"I'll let him know he's invited." Ralf said, slightly dismissive. Palpatine, careful to not over play his hand this time, chose not to press on. Instead, he chose to smile, wish Ralf well, and study him from a distance. Palpatine searched into Ralf through the force. He had gathered that his son had gone into hiding. Still not wanting to overplay his hand, especially with a prominent figure in the royal guard, he stayed quiet.

Over the years Palpatine's focus shifted, and he slowly forgot about Rhett. Dismissing him as a threat. After all, how could an untrained force user interrupt his master plan as a dark Lord of the Sith? By the time the Clone Wars started, and Palpatine was granted Emergency powers, he had almost completely forgotten all about it. That was until he heard a kid named Kysn jumped into a fighter and helped defend a Republic base. He kept a loose eye on Rhett, he even placed a bounty on him through his channels in the underground markets. Most didn't want to touch it. It was finally becoming clear to him, however, how this child could be a threat. He knew he was still too weak in the force to stand in his way. However, his relationship with Anakin, now that was a problem.

Darth Sideous had obviously kept his true intentions away from Dooku, but still needed him to perform his dirty work from the side of the Separatists. "I know both of them are on the Venator. Skywalker likes to keep his pets around. Set a trap for them on Denon. One of them will respond. That should at least eliminate one of them for our strike on Coruscant." Sideous explained.

"Consider it done. I'll have my mercenaries ready," Dooku explained. "But Master, if it's Skywalker that responds, he'll be able to overpower them."

"It matters not, my apprentice." Sideous began, slowly, his voice turning more and more sinister. "As long as they are not together."

**Author's note: This is my first update in the story in a long time. Please leave a review if you are enjoying the story.