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      ARAMINTA SOLARII didn't believe anything happened for a reason. Her mother had been a realist, cold and harsh about the world and how everything worked, telling her three children that just because they wanted something, didn't mean it would come into fruition. As she had put it, something had to trigger an avalanche, no matter how destructive it was. Araminta had looked at her in utter confusion, but as she had grown older, she had theorised her mother had made some rough metaphor that nothing happened without action. Nothing happened for any reason other than action.

The Adanei believed in a Goddess of the Moons, a peaceful deity that spoke to them through the cycles and the way their tattoos lit up under the moonlight. Lunae guided them, like a gentle hand on their upper back, lighting up alternative paths and options, expanding the Adanei into creatives, a flexible people that always looked at the big picture. But they did not believe that Lunae, or any other gods, looked after their fate.

If that was true, they never would have allowed the massacre of Araminta's family, and the cruelty of men such as Octavian, who had scoured the corners of the galaxy for force-sensitive children– his future weapons. If the gods were real, that never would have happened, because how could that be for any reason? How could her pain be necessary?

Araminta didn't believe everything happened for a reason. She had stained her hands and clothes with too much blood over the years to believe that. But sometimes she believed the day she had been ousted from Octavian's ranks had meant to happen. She imagined if anyone other than Anakin Skywalker had been alongside the target, if she had been two seconds slower in realising she had been set up. Maybe some things did happen for a reason, but not all.

She rarely left Obi-wan's side after the events of Geonosis, never trusting him not to bury himself in something life threatening again, and the missions afterwards had been wrought with her keen eye and inability to release her hold on her knife. The weight of Geonosis had pressured her shoulders, given her a new responsibility that she had proven herself capable of. Anakin had never brought it up again– the fact that she hadn't run, she hadn't made her survival a priority, that she had stuck to the deal and protected. Obi-wan, too, had never brought it up, but she saw it in the way he looked at her, the way he slowly began to trust her out of sight, the way he didn't talk to her like a child anymore.

Araminta thought about that moment a lot. The feeling of the lightsaber in her hand as she had pushed it against Dooku, the way she had torn through the air with one goal in mind, how she had imagined the look on Octavian's face had he known she had become everything he had taught her to hate. She thought about how Anakin had looked at her, how for a few moments the blood that glossed her hands had felt faint.

That had been the moment before the war had broken out, as was predicted. They had never made her fight, but Araminta had found herself sticking by Obi-wan's side regardless, bound by an invisible contract that only the people in the room that day would ever know about. She imagined Octavia's face, over and over, if he ever discovered she was undoing all the polishing he had done to make her a weapon, cleaning off the blood he had gleaned her and every other assassin with. She found that kept her going, spiting the man that had taken everything from her.

In the year since Geonosis, and the war had been raging amongst the stars, Araminta had heard nothing from Octavian. Not since she had fell Rizeryn or hung up her batons at the very back of her closet in the temple, unable to shake the feeling of using them. Araminta had lived with bated breath for months following, believing that he would make another attempt on her, propose some course of action to manipulate her into being handed over. She knew he wanted to kill her to prove a point, to make an example to the fleet.

But nothing had happened. Life went on and Araminta had to keep going with the rest of the galaxy, as space fleet battles and droid soldiers became a part of her everyday life. She was still living under-thumb, existing because she was a slave to survival, at least that's what she told herself. But at the root of it, she had never been more free from Octavian and what he had made her into.

So maybe things didn't happen for a reason and the gods were merely mystical bringers of hope and life could change in the blink of an eye, like her mother would say. But then she would think of her mother, the stone she wore around her neck that she had torn from her corpse that kept her and their home close to Araminta's heart. Her mother had been kind, and she had wanted her daughter to be smart and listen to the moons, and Araminta knew she would have scorned her future had she known what her daughter would become. But maybe things had righted, and Araminta could become even a fraction of the person her mother had wanted her to.

And that was how she found herself on a warship with Obi-wan Kenobi, providing reinforcements against the battleship Malevolence, which had already crippled forces in the Outer Rim. The Jedi and the Republic were locked in a battle with the Separatists and Dooku's forces with their own army of clones that Araminta had taken distractingly long to get used to. The Jedi, who held some of the highest authority in the ranks, having control of their own troops and more sway in the decisions of war than Araminta deemed appropriate.

Despite following Obi-wan at the hip, and accepting whatever orders he gave her, her disdain for the Jedi way had not waned. She had learnt somewhat to not be so loose-lipped about it, but behind closed doors she hissed about them and their ideals. Sure, she aligned with stopping the galaxy-wide threat and trying to become the sort of person to make Octavian's skin crawl, but that was where their similarities stopped.

The only person, perhaps, who didn't think entirely opposite to her entered the deck of the star destroyer at that moment, Araminta's golden eyes flicking to him. "Master Plo," Anakin said, addressing the second Jedi with them. Beside Anakin, his padawan, Ahsoka, noticed Araminta and gave her a grin in greeting.

"Anakin," Obi-wan sighed. "Were you able to contact Master Luminara?"

"Yes Master. She's busy with a fleet of Separatist reinforcements nearby. She won't be able to give support until she's turned them away," Anakin reported, Araminta watching him attentively. He had outgrown the boyish look he sported the first time they had met, his features had become harsher, only added to by the thin scar over his eye. His prosthetic had been upgraded to something more solid, and he had long grown out the padawan braid along with his hair. He looked like the General he had been promoted to, a shell of the boy who had stepped in for her over a year ago.

"Then we'll have to make do with what we have," Obi-wan agreed, tightly. "Admiral, status report."

Admiral Yularen snapped to attention behind them, a brisk man Araminta encountered often in their jumps across the galaxy. "They're not attempting to jump to hyperspace. Their hyperdrive must be damaged."

Obi-wan nodded, briefly looking at Araminta, who waited only a second before saying, "It's our chance."

The Jedi Master regarded her for a moment, before turning away from her. "All ships, target the bridge, maximum firepower," Obi-wan declared. Araminta felt the familiar warmth bloom in her chest.

She turned to Ahsoka, who was already a few inches taller despite her age, the padawan hovering around her as she often did. "Did we miss much?" the assassin asked, lightly. She had exchanged minimal holograms with Anakin on the way, and her and Obi-wan had been kept up to date on the condition of the medical centre evacuation, as it was the warship's target until it had been intercepted by Anakin's fleet.

"Just me saving the day," Ahsoka responded as they moved away from the authoritative figures. Ahsoka liked to check the radar when she had a chance, a habit she had quickly developed in the small amount of time Araminta had been around her. It was endearing, the eagerness to seek something out as someone being taught.

"Typical," Araminta scoffed.

The day Anakin had been given a padawan was surely one to remember. Araminta had been busy 'negotiating' with Obi-wan, but the moment they had achieved their goal and peace was somewhat restored, she had gotten an earful from Anakin at the temple the next night. Everything from the Council not trusting him to trusting him too much, to limiting him but also dismissing his potential, Araminta heard every angle of disgruntled. She had just sat there, nodding along intermittently and when she felt it had been too long since she'd spoken, she agreed with a small "yeah" or "for sure."

It was comical that Anakin couldn't grasp how similar Ahsoka was to him when he had been younger, and Araminta had teased him relentlessly for it, sometimes even joined by his padawan, who had clung to Araminta after only a few minutes together. Her energy and enthusiasm was infectious, and the times she teamed up with her were especially memorable. Araminta wished it was under better circumstances than a war.

"Am I seeing this right?" Ahsoka asked abruptly, looking over her shoulder at the other girl.

Araminta furrowed her brows as she moved so she could see around the padawan. "Shit," she hissed, registering the new signal.

Ahsoka frowned at her reaction. "Master, I'm picking up a signal near the enemy vessel," she announced, gaining Anakin's attention. "Something just came out of hyperspace."

"Enemy reinforcements?" he asked.

"It's just one," Araminta responded, before her eyes widened. She turned back to Anakin. "It looks like a Naboo ship."

"Gunners, stand down," Obi-wan instructed. "What in blazes are they doing out here?"

"Ahsoka, contact that ship," Anakin ordered.

Ahsoka frowned at the tone, but obliged. "Naboo cruiser, identify yourself," she spoke into the com. A beat passed with no response, not even static.

"This is Senator Amidala," the voice came through a moment before the hologram did, Padme sitting in her ship, face set in the way she often had it when she was under pressure but keeping herself calm.

"What're you doing?" Araminta demanded. The sensors had indicated she was right next to the Malevolence, right in the way of their firing line as they pursued the warship. Araminta had a very strong suspicion she was not here by chance.

"I was sent on a special mission. The Senate was told the Banking Clan wanted to negotiate a treaty," Padme explained, only confirming Araminta's suspicions.

"Get out of there as fast as you can," Anakin exclaimed.

Padme shifted, eyes narrowing at something they couldn't see. "I'm being pulled inside the droid cruiser by a tractor beam," she announced, incredibly calm given the situation. Anakin's eyes widened. "I will not be made a Separatist bargaining chip. Continue your attack. You must destroy this monstrous ship," she said, solemnly, before the transmission cut out.

Anakin looked across at Araminta, who only frowned. Padme had stayed their close friend over the years, and the senator had continued to guard the secret of the mark she bore under her sleeve. Whenever Padme found herself on Coruscant, they would pay a visit and talk about anything other than the state of the galaxy, a small escape from the firestorm outside. Padme being directly in the crossfire was numbing.

Araminta watched as Anakin turned away from her. "Admiral, order our ships to stop firing," he said, tightly. The admiral nodded and moved off, and the thrumming of blasters halted shortly. With the attack ceased, Anakin turned and began to walk off.

"Where do you think you're going?" Obi-wan asked, still maintaining the tone of a parent that he couldn't quite outgrow.

"Somebody has to save her skin," Anakin replied, nonchalantly.

"I thought you might say that," Obi-wan sighed, as he, too, followed, giving the smallest gesture with his hand for Araminta to follow.

Araminta was quick on her feet, passing Obi-wan and catching up to Anakin in three skipping-steps. "It's a trap," she hissed, falling into step with the younger Jedi, whose shoulder could bump her head with their height, as they left the bridge of the ship.

"Then we out-trap them," Anakin responded simply.

"You're insane," Araminta huffed.

"But you're coming with, aren't you?" he asked, snidely, as they took the turn towards the hangar.

"No shit."

The hangar was relatively empty, most clones and commanders being involved with the onslaught of the Malevolence, as Anakin headed for his ship, the Twilight, R2D2 in toe with them as per usual. Her uniform had changed over the years, now a half-sleeve covered her left shoulder, making movement around troops and fleets more comfortable. The secret was still hushed up, but Araminta felt in the grand scheme of things, such as war, it would mean far less than it had years ago.

"Ladies first," Anakin teased, as Araminta clambered into the ship, taking her usual seat, pulling one knee up as she usually did, as Anakin took his place at the helm. The door to the ship opened again.

"You took your time," Araminta sneered, Obi-wan rolling his eyes at her as he took the seat across from Anakin.

"I trust you've already formulated a brilliant plan to rescue the senator," he said to Anakin.

"As a matter of fact, I have," he responded, proudly.

"But do we have plan B? Every operation needs a backup, Anakin," Obi-wan said in his characteristic tone. Araminta snorted into her hand, never left bored by their antics in over three years.

"I don't have a backup– yet," Anakin assured. "But I do have a plan for getting on that ship."

Obi-wan arched an eyebrow. "Really?"

Anakin ignored the tone. "The enemy sensors are obviously damaged, so we'll sneak in behind them and dock at the emergency airlock," he explained.

"That's your plan– just fly there, land, hope they don't spot us and walk in the door?" Obi-wan asked, quizzically.

"Seems pretty standard," Araminta chimed in.

"Basically," Anakin confirmed.

Obi-wan sighed. "Oh, brilliant. Let's get going."

And with that, they left the hangar, heading into the vacuum of space, Anakin ducking and weaving them through repair drones and debris from the attack. As they neared the ship, surprisingly encountering no resistance, Araminta felt dwarfed by the scale of the warship in their windows.

"If they spot us, we'll be pulverised," Obi-wan warned.

"They're too busy repairing the ship. They don't have time to notice us," Anakin dismissed.

"Subtlety has never been one of your strong points, Anakin," Obi-wan pointed out.

"Everything I know, I learned from you, Master," Anakin retorted.

"Oh, if only that were true."

As they got closer and more droids hovered around them, Anakin was forced to spin and loop to reach the emergency airlock on the side of the ship. Araminta had gotten more used to his reckless flying over the years, even if at times she felt they might crash, she figured Anakin was better than that. Figured.

They reached the emergency airlock, R2 activating the clamp and docking them in. The group of three got to their feet as the airlock opened to allow them on board, as they stepped onto a platform that raised them into the warship and cleared the air.

"Anakin, you're crazy. Spinning is not flying," Obi-wan chastised as they moved. Araminta looked at her feet, sometimes finding it hard to differentiate between the day she first began working alongside them to now. Even as a full Jedi, Obi-wan remained close to his former-padawan and talked to him like a charge.

"But it's a good trick," Anakin said, lightly, with a smile.

Obi-wan rolled his eyes. "You've scared Araminta into silence," he said, gesturing to where she stood in the middle of them.

"She's in awe," Anakin snipped.

"In awe of your stupidity," Araminta spoke up. Anakin scrunched up his face at the response

Obi-wan sighed, straightening up. "Now, we do not want to be spotted," the teasing gone from his voice now. The door to the airlock opened, revealing three droids in plain sight.

"Ah, I knew it! It's them!" one cowered.

Araminta glanced between the two men shouldering her, before all three leapt forward, two with the hum of plasma, and one with reinforced arm braces, which she used to cave in the droid's head with a clang.

Once the war had begun, and Araminta had been admitted alongside Obi-wan, it became immediately clear her weapons were not fit for fighting metal. In lieu of the batons she had used at Geonosis, she had a new pair manufactured after she 'lost' the others, as well as reinforced braces on her forearms and shins so she could combat droids in close combat. Though not her preferred weapon, a blaster was also strapped to one of her thighs.

Despite the upgraded arsenal, Araminta kept her stash of knives at all times, refusing to separate with them.

The droids fell to the ground, as Anakin turned to his droid. "You stay here, R2," he instructed, before he led the way forward.

"Where're we headed?" Araminta questioned as they picked up a run.

"The hangar, it's where they'll be locked in," Anakin replied.

"Fantastic," Araminta deadpanned, knowing they would not be left to run free.

They had only been moving for a few minutes, uninterrupted by any droid forces, when the comlink at Anakin's wrist chimed. "Yes?" he asked through running pants.

"Master, we've found the senator." It was Ahsoka. Anakin stopped running, forcing the other two to stop as well. "I'm patching her through."

"Padme?" Anakin asked after a moment.

"Yes, I'm here," Padme responded, sounding out of breath.

"Where are you?" Anakin demanded.

"On the lower levels. I'm fine but I don't know for how long. Droids are everywhere," she replied. Araminta exchanged a glance with Anakin.

"Us three are onboard, too," he told the senator.

"What? What are you doing here?" she asked in exasperation.

"We came to get you off this ship," Anakin said, simply. "Ahsoka, how can we get to the senator?"

A beat. "According to our scans there seems to be a large open area in the centre of the ship," Ahsoka answered. "It should be halfway between the two of you."

"We're on our way," Anakin affirmed. "Did you hear that Padme?"

"I'll be there," she responded.

The transmission ended, as they adjusted their course to keep straight ahead, towards the empty space Ahsoka had described. They continued in relative silence, ready for any form of attack, but were met with no resistance, as they arrived at the lip of a massive transportation system.

Trains of cargo and unactivated droids blazed past them on multiple levels, only highlighting the sheer scale of the warship they were onboard. Araminta scanned below her, along with the two Jedi, for any sign of Padme.

"I don't see her," Obi-wan said after a few moments.

"She's here, Master. I can sense it," Anakin insisted.

Araminta, through the thrum of the trains, picked up the sound of blasters, immediately perking up, ears swivelling with her head. Anakin looked down at her, narrowing his eyes at her movements, before she turned and pointed at the commotion below them.

"There."

Padme was being pushed into the station by a wave of droids, Threepio accompanying her as was standard nowadays. Weapons brandished, the trio leapt down until they could mount the top of a train heading in the direction of Padme, who had found her way atop her own, separated from her droid.

They leapt further down, another level, Araminta clinging to the fast-moving surface against the strong resistance. Over the rush of the wind, Obi-wan turned to his bodyguard. "We'll fetch the droid," he told her. She nodded.

Anakin leapt towards Padme, who was many more levels below them, as Threepio was whisked away on a different train. Obi-wan and Araminta moved to keep up, sprinting along the top of the moving transport, as the former used the force to whisk Threepio towards them.

A second too late, as an oncoming train slammed into him and blitzed away out of sight. Araminta blinked at the loss, before turning to her charge. "Blast, that's not good," Obi-wan cursed.

"Good job," Araminta echoed.

"Anakin, I got separated from your droid," Obi-wan relented in his comlink

"I'll take care of it," Anakin responded, sounding irritated. "I'll meet you back at the Twilight," Anakin then said to Padme, voice slightly more distant from his comlink.

"No! We can't leave yet," Padme insisted. "I overheard Grievous, their hyperdrive is almost repaired."

Araminta and Obi-wan exchanged a glance, and the assassin sighed out her nose. "Well, we're heading in that direction anyway," she responded, holding her own comlink to her mouth.

"Give me a second. I'll come up–"

"No, find Threepio," Araminta said firmly, cutting Anakin off.

She heard him scoff. "But y–"

"We've got this, just get them to safety," Araminta snapped.

There was a beat of silence. "Fine." The transmission ended.

"It's a wonder he listens to you," Obi-wan mused as the train took them away from the open space and into the tunnels of the warship, lights flickering above them as they passed at high speed.

"I think he's scared of me," Araminta snickered.

"Probably," Obi-wan agreed with a smirk.

The train continued to rush through the warship, Araminta and Obi-wan pressing themselves as close to the surface as they could to avoid detection whenever they passed droids briefly. "It's this stop here," Obi-wan said abruptly.

Araminta nodded, and a few seconds later they nimbly jumped off, the assassin revelling in the lack of wind rushing in her sensitive ears. Obi-wan led the way, Araminta shadowing him as they moved along the quiet hallway, the door up ahead automatically opening. Two droids were working at the control panel for the hyperdrive, turning and noticing them. Araminta tensed, ready to leap forward, when she heard something.

From all three entrances to the control panel, groups of droids approached, some larger and more advanced than others, completely surrounding the intruders with a firewall. Araminta stepped the tiniest bit closer to Obi-wan, as she swivelled at the sound of maniacal laughter, back pressed against Obi-wan's now.

She tapped him incessantly to turn around, as the spindly cyborg leapt down to their level.

"Hello there," General Grievous greeted, voice guttural. "General Kenobi, did you really think I would leave the hyperdrive unguarded?"

"Anything is possible," Obi-wan said, thoughtfully stroking his beard. "You haven't exactly impressed me today."

Grievous just laughed. "Kill them."

The sound of many weapons being loaded and aimed overwhelmed Araminta's senses. A moment before they began to fire, both her and Obi-wan had leapt into the air, lunging in different directions. Obi-wan cleared one entrance, rolling one of the larger droids with the force to clear the way. Araminta mirrored the technique, though a little more warily as she lacked the protection of a lightsaber.

She moved so she was against Obi-wan again, as was her nature now. Grievous fired at them with a blaster, Araminta blocking two beams with her wrist braces, which could take the brunt of such attacks sparingly, before they retreated behind one of the destroyer droids, using its own shield and slow turning speed to block the hits.

Together, they forced it back with extra speed, rolling towards Grievous and the droids behind him, forcing the cyborg to cease shooting to stop the projectile with his hands more strength than Araminta had expected. Obi-wan saluted him, before running off, blasts trailing their footsteps. Araminta wheeled around and blocked another aimed for their backs just as the door closed behind them.

"Obi-wan? Solarii? Come in," Anakin's voice suddenly rang from their wrist coms. Araminta's was buried underneath her bracers to prevent damage when fighting, but her keen ears picked up on the slightly muffled sound nonetheless whenever someone contacted her.

"Anakin, I'm afraid Grievous is onto us," Obi-wan replied.

"Yeah, we noticed," Anakin responded lightly, the distant sound of blasters in the back of his transmission.

"We'll rendezvous back at the Twilight," Obi-wan instructed. "The fleet must engage–"

Static.

"Shit," Araminta snarled. "They're jamming us."

Obi-wan grimaced. "We can only hope he heard us– look out!"

Araminta ducked to the side as Grievous appeared behind them in the hallway, blaster blazing. "He's stubborn!" Araminta exclaimed as they increased their pace, following Araminta's ears back to the transport system, having left through a different door than they had entered the hyperdrive.

"We have to hurry, the fleet cannot wait much longer," Obi-wan told her, Araminta nodding frantically as they took the turn to the trains, jumping to the first one heading towards the airlock.

Grievous followed after them, droids also in pursuit, though more cumbersome and less agile. The General boarded the same train, beginning to cut through the obstructions and boxes with two sabres. Araminta glanced up at the crane that was hinged on their carriage, exchanging a glance with Obi-wan as she sprinted forward and he activated his lightsaber just as Grievous got closer.

Araminta moved quickly, clambering up the crane's beam, where she clung to the top. She watched as Grievous erupted through the final barrier of cargo between him and Obi-wan before she timed herself and leapt, swinging on the line. Grievous paused, realising she was absent from the Jedi's side, before she slammed into him from behind, the crane following from the weight as it crashed over the side of the tracks.

The blow didn't do nearly as much damage as she had hoped, but it distracted him enough as he whipped around and slashed at her. She jumped backwards, as Obi-wan charged from behind. Grievous blocked it with one of his sabres, then added the second one, pushing against the Jedi's strength. Araminta drew her blaster, firing quickly, forcing the cyborg back as Obi-wan jumped away and headed for the front of the train.

The wind picked up, as Araminta slid under Grievous, feeling the heat of the blades as she did, covering Obi-wan's back while she ran and fired between the distance of them and the infamous cyborg, who was advancing on them menacingly. Araminta paused at the front of the train, looking below them at another vehicle moving far faster in the direction of the airlock. She met Obi-wan's eyes, holstering her blaster and reaching for her utility belt instead, just as Grievous arrived.

Obi-wan blocked another hit, before backing up, allowing Araminta space to roll the smoke bomb at his feet. They waited a second for it to go off before jumping downwards together, hitting the other train, hard, but accepting it as it moved them off. Araminta looked over her shoulder, as Grievous lost them in the few seconds he was blind, their transport far out of range by the time he regained sight.

Obi-wan saluted him again.

The new train carried them out of the open space again in the direction of the airlock. Obi-wan moved so they were next to each other, looking across at her. "Do you know how much easier life would be if you just–?"

"Not happening," she snipped, cutting him off.

"It's a lightsaber, it's not going to hurt you," Obi-wan said matter-of-factly.

Araminta ignored him. They were far from safe, as more fleets of droids began to appear, firing at them as they flew past other stations, forcing them to block anything too close and press themselves against the side of the train. The pair disembarked at their stop, which was already flooded with droids awaiting their arrival.

Obi-wan led the charge with his sabre, before Araminta cut through the smaller ones, signature clangs from her gauntlets as she kicked and hit, echoed through the chambers. Araminta recognised where they were now, as they began to push their way towards the airlock through the unwavering blaster fire.

Frustrated, Araminta used the force to slam a row of droids against the wall, heaving as they were given a small break and allowed space to sprint through the corridors. A T-junction had them intercepted by a new fleet, whose firing was so dense it wasn't even worth stopping and fighting as they continued to run, blocking haphazard shots over their backs.

The pair turned the corner, seeing the others already there to head down into the ship. "Hold the ship!" Obi-wan cried, gaining their attention as he and Araminta desperately increased their pace. Anakin covered them, moving boxes between them and the droids between the second break as they, too, turned the corner.

Araminta and Obi-wan finally came to a stop, as the door closed and the last few shots reverberated off of it. Araminta heaved a breath, sheathing her batons and pushing strands of her hair back.

"You're okay," Anakin sighed as he approached her.

Araminta looked at him, oddly. "Told you," she responded as the doors to the Twilight opened and they piled inside.

"I'll contact the fleet," Obi-wan said immediately as they all took their seats.

"R2, release the docking clamp," Anakin instructed as they disembarked, flying back into space. Araminta didn't let herself relax, as only moments later, their ship was shaken, followed by pursuers of the Malevolence that refused to let them leave.

Araminta grit her teeth, turning to Anakin. "Awe me," she said, snidely.

Anakin didn't look at her, but he grinned. "Thought you'd never ask."

They began to spin as they sped towards their fleet, which had begun to open fire on the Malevolence, forcing Anakin to dodge from every angle. The extra evasiveness made them a more predictable target for the ships chasing them, and after far too many hits, Araminta got to her feet.

"Fuck this," she snapped.

"Already on it!" Padme responded, already on her feet and engaging the ship's defences. Araminta blinked at her, wondering when she had transitioned from the girl in dresses she had met so long ago.

"She seems to know her way around," Obi-wan mused, as a stray hit their ship. Araminta stumbled, catching herself on the back of Anakin's seat, teeth gritted.

"Pardon me, sir, but R2's scan of the enemy ship indicates their hyperdrive is activating," Threepio announced

"Don't worry about it," Anakin shrugged as they cleared the fire of their own fleet. She noted that the enemy fire had also ceased significantly.

"What?" Obi-wan said, exasperated.

"See for yourself," Anakin said, smugly.

Araminta glanced towards the back window with Obi-wan, where the Malevolence could be seen heading straight for the moon at breakneck speed. Moments later the nearby airspace lit up, as the massive warship crashed into the celestial body, ending its reign.

"Brilliant," Araminta grinned.

"I have my moments," Anakin replied, smugly.

As Araminta gazed down at him, it was all she could do to agree with him.

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we back bitches.

sorry this took so terribly long, i absolutely procrastinated starting a new era of araminta but here we are!! her character is quite different after a year as you can see, and there's more of a focus moving forward on who araminta is without octavian's influence, who she probably would have grown into sooner without him, etc etc. so there will be a noticeable difference between her mindset now than compared to literally a chapter ago

with the clone wars i think i wanna add what episodes/arc the chapters cover at the end? i'm not sure. maybe i'll leave it ambiguous cause i'll no doubt change and add some stuff. either way this was 1x03 a bit and 1x04 ^^

i can't promise when the next chapter will be out as it takes AGES to sit down and write through a 22 minute episode and i'm also currently trying to prewrite some other projects BUT I WILL NEVER abandon this fic. rare occasion i love my oc, the fandom and the characters all at once like i still reread act one to hype myself up because mwah

i know this chapter was a lot of telling not showing/catch up, but i promise the new relationships and dynamics will continue to be shown and explored, the first few episodes are just a bit meh for scenes and the year timeskip adds an extra layer to it. also not much anakin but i promise the next few chapters especially remedy that!!

anyway thanks to anyone who waited on this update, you're amazing <3