Allana

I was surrounded by darkness. Endless darkness, and I felt like floating. It was as if I was lost in the immensity of space, but there were no stars around me. Then, the darkness started to clear out, revealing little by little rocks, mountains and a river.

"What is this?" My voice was too loud, even for me. It looked like the place I go to whenever I meditate and connect with the Force, but it was darker. It felt darker.

As I walked, the river widened until flowed into the sea. With every step I took, the air got colder and colder; in the distance, I could hear the waves crashing at the shore. Suddenly, the calming echo of the water turned aggressive and made my heartbeat rise. A sharp pain in my womb made me stop on my tracks.

A minute later, I heard heavy footsteps behind me. And a breath, a breath that felt like an augury of death. It was as if someone breathed through a ventilator or a respirator of some sort, I couldn't tell. All I knew is that it made me feel scared, more scared than I have ever felt.

When I turned around I saw a figure dressed in all black clothes, his face was hidden by a mask, a helmet, but his presence was terrifying and imposing. I looked for my lightsaber as I walked backwards but there was nothing attached to my hips, I tried to use the Force to push this person away as he or she or whoever they are approached me, but it was gone. I didn't have my ability, my strength.

My breath lacked as I gave a step back, feeling my stomach dropping inside of me due to the vertigo that suddenly hit me. When I looked behind me, there was no more ground to step on, I was standing on the edge of a cliff.

  I turned around as the waves raged below me and this person approached me. When we stood face to face, he stopped. I could tell he was a
man now; and he was much taller than me, he was gigantic.

His hand found my cheek, the back of my neck. I tried to pull away from him, even if his touch felt familiar. A moment later, he pushed me down the cliff and I fell into the sea until everything was dark again as my gasp echoed in the open area before the water filled my lungs.

The sudden feeling of falling and a hand of my shoulder woke me up. I gasped for air and just breathed in and out deeply.

"Hey, you're okay." Said Anakin. The room cleared out, the trunk beds were there, as well as the dim lights and the metallic door that was shut closed. "It's okay." My hand found his and his thumb traced circles in my skin. "What did you dream?"

"I honestly have no idea. All I know is that it was scary, the scariest nightmare I've had in a very long time." He frowned with worry. "I'll be fine, though." He smiled tenderly.

"I know." I breathed in and out heavily. "Well, the meeting's about to start."

"Right." I stood up and ran my hands through my face. "Let's get going." I gave a step but his hand found my arm.

"Wait." I turned around and faced him, he smiled at me; his hand cupped my cheek and pulled me close, sooner than later, his lips were on mine. "I've missed you." He said once the kiss broke.

"So have I." I left a quick peck on his lips and he smiled more. "We've got to meet the gents, otherwise they're going to wonder why are we taking so long."

"Yeah." We walked out of the resting area and he guided the way towards the small communication centre they had stablished at this base. There, Obi-Wan, Windu, Rex, Cody and Hunter were already waiting for us.

"Naberrie, welcome to mission." Said Windu.

"Thank you, Master." I said with a smile, Mace nodded. "So, what do we have?" I asked as I crossed my arms over my chest.

"We have more than a dozen active battlefronts on Anaxes and we are losing nearly every single one." Anakin sighed as he crossed his arms too, I could tell he's tired. "But if Admiral Trench can no longer anticipate our moves, we now have the opportunity to retake the planet."

"I can improve your chances." Said Echo in the background.

"Er, excuse me, Generals." Said Rex and made his way towards his brother. "Echo, I'm sorry, but I don't think you're ready for battle yet."

"I'm not a liability, Rex. I'm the best chance we have to take back Anaxes."

"I agree." I said. "If Echo has a plan, I'd like to hear it."

"May I?" He asked Rex, whom moved aside, and proceeded to walk towards us. The tool hand he had went into the console and he had control of the hologram before us now. "While Master Windu leads a team to retake the assembly complex, the Bad Batch will escort me into Trench's new comm vault which, according to current intel," The hologram of the planet shifted into Trench's ship. "is now located in the Separatist Dreadnought above Anaxes. Once I'm plugged in, I can feed Trench strategies, but this time, you'll know every move before he makes it." He unplugged himself from the console.

"Are you certain that if we get you on board that ship, that you can convince Trench's army to do what you want?" Asked Windu.

"Absolutely. Unfortunately, I've been doing this for a while, but this time I can help bring about a Republic victory instead of a defeat." Everyone nodded and that seemed to settle it, we'd follow Echo's lead. Obi-Wan was going with Windu while I'd be going with Anakin and the Batch to help Echo get in that ship.

"Please tell me we're blowing something up." Said Wrecker when we got out of the atmosphere and into space. I chuckled.

"Sorry, Wrecker." Said Anakin, crossing his arms yet again. "This is strictly stealth." The soldier grunted in response.

"I hate that word."

"Echo, you're up." I said and he moved over to the panels of the ship.

"Don't worry. As soon as I plug in, I'll send a signal to the command ship." Said Echo as he bent down to get to work.

"What type of signal are you gonna send?" Asked Hunter. "Nothing that'll give us away, right?"

"As far as the droids are concerned, we're just gonna be another one of their shuttles coming in for a landing."

"And the regs think we take risks." A couple minutes went by in which we flew into the Separatist fleet.

"Sending the signal...now." One short moment of silence until a droid spoke to us.

"Roger, roger, Shuttle TC-159. You may approach and land." Wrecker groaned again.

"I'd still rather blow it up."

"I have a feeling you'll get your chance." Said Tech, making me chuckle.

"Yeah. I mean, who knows? Sometimes we have a plan and end up doing anything but the plan. Don't lose your hopes, Wrecker." I commented as our pilot got us to Trench's cruiser.

  Tech locked the ship to an airlock and we went into the Separatist cruiser slowly, making sure not to get spotted. If everything was going according to plan, Windu and Obi-Wan's team should be making their move by now.

  Anakin and I were leading the way while the boys watched the flanks, no one talked, our communication was solely through hand signals and I truly doubt it was even needed. We understood each other with a simple glance, plus, everything was quiet. Not a single droid in sight.

  Eventually, we arrived at a control room. Tech hacked a door that guided us into the comm vault, it slid open for us to walk inside in a matter of seconds.

"Tech, can you rig an interference?" Asked Echo.

"I assume that's a rhetorical question." Said the Batch member as he bent down and got to work on the interference while the rest of us watched.

"We should make sure this comm vault has no other entrances." Echo commented as he looked at Anakin and I.

"We're on it." Said Skywalker and we walked out of the vault to have a look around. "You're clear." He added as we stood by the gate, right next to Wrecker and Hunter.

"I'm intercepting a transmission." Said Tech after a while spent in silence, time in which Echo got to work. "Trench is ordering all of his droids...to the assembly complex." He added looking at Hunter and us.

"Alright, Echo, what are you trying to pull?" Asked Hunter.

"Don't worry, that's what I told him to do." Said the ARC trooper.

"But our troops will be vastly outnumbered." Said Rex.

"Not when I send them a feedback pulse that shuts down all the droids." Echo told him.

"How do we know that's what you're really going to do?" Asked Tech, I frowned and sighed.

"Gentlemen, if we're going to make a success out of this mission, we gotta trust each other." I said looking at the clone troopers.

"Lana's right." Anakin backed me up.

"Echo, we're counting on you." I told our old friend and he nodded at me as I still sensed the Bad Batch's uneasiness. "Should I tell Windu or you do it?"

"I'll let you handle that." I scoffed and clicked my comlink to contact Windu.

"Master Windu, I know this sounds crazy, but it's about to get a little more crowded where you are." I communicated with Mace.

"We have our hands full as it is." Said Windu through the comlink. "What's your plan?"

"Well...it isn't my plan."

"It's Skywalker's doing, then." I almost laughed.

"Ouch." Anakin complained, offended.

"Not his plan either, actually. Echo is drawing all the droids to your position, so he can neutralise them all at the same time."

"Alright, well, thanks for the head-start." Before I could say anything, he finished the conversation by hanging up.

"That went surprisingly well." I sighed through my nose. "Echo, get to it, pal. Obi-Wan and Master Windu will need you to hurry up."

"Yes, ma'am." Said the trooper and he got to work. In seconds, a massive wave of electricity —that we all could see— travelled from the column Echo was woking on upwards to be extended all over the ship. "That'll do it." We waited a minute and received a transmission from Windu.

"I am pleased to report that we are in control of the assembly complex, and all of the fronts are falling to the Republic thanks to Echo's plan." Mace's voice echoed through Anakin's communicator. Skywalker smiled at the words.

"That's good news, Master Windu." Said the General. "We're on our way back to the base."

"May the Force be with you."

"Good job, Echo." Ani congratulated his trooper as he ended the transmission with the other Jedi.

"Well, I guess you actually are on our side." Said Hunter, I smiled and shook my head.

"Was there ever any doubt?" Asked Echo, making me scoff.

"Some." Said Tech.

"Well, thanks." They all smiled at each other, classic clone trooper teasing.

"Come on, brother." Rex said. "Unplug, and let's get out of here." We all took a step towards the gate when Echo spoke again.

"Wait!" He called out of the blue, causing us to turn around. "I just scanned a new order from Trench. He's initiated a countdown." I frowned as I watched Echo's eyes analysing everything in his head, suddenly, they opened like plates. "There's a bomb hidden at the assembly complex," Every single one of us tensed and I felt my heart sinking with sudden concern. "but it's big enough to destroy most of Anaxes."

"Shit." I muttered. "Can you stop it?"

"Well, I can try." Said Echo and turned around, from the corner of my eye I saw Anakin walking away.

"General, where are you going?" Asked Hunter before I could.

"If you can't stop the detonation, perhaps Trench can." Anakin answered as he ran away.

"He's gonna keep all the credit again." Said Echo.

"Absolutely not." I said. "I won't let him have all the fun." I added as I started running behind Anakin. "We'll try to buy you some time! See you, Wrecker." I commented as I ran past the big guy. After a minute running behind him, I managed to arrive at Anakin's side.

"Hey, what took you so long?" He asked and I scoffed.

"The fact that you run faster due to you long-ass legs." He laughed.

"That's on you for not getting any taller."

"I tried."

"Still, you failed."

"Shut up." It was obviously not only our height difference what made me run slower these days, but a joke was not the way to tell him he'd be a dad. Instead, I changed the subject. "What's your plan now?"

"Just knock on the door and ask for the sequence numbers."

"You really expect that to work?" He gave me a coy smirk.

"Yeah." I chuckled and suddenly stopped, pulling his arm back towards me, his chest collided against mine and my back hit the cold wall, my skin shivering when it made contact with the wall. Droids were guarding the entrance to Trench's bridge of the ship and they fired their blasters at us when they heard us approaching, by pulling Anakin, I avoided him from getting his brains blown off. "Thanks, sweetheart." He said and kissed my lips, stealing a kiss from me. I smiled.

"You're welcome, love." He turned on his lightsaber, bright blue illuminating my left flank.

"Ready?" He asked and I turned on my own saber, violet joining in. He smiled.

"You needn't ask." His turn to scoff. In a second, we walked out of our hiding spot and walked slowly towards the gate as we deflected the blasts of the droids back at them.

It was only six droids, nothing tough at all; both of us cut off the last two droids' heads as the gate of the bridge slid open, our lightsabers making cuts on the metal. Now, Admiral Trench stood before us.

"Huh?" He exclaimed with surprise as I cut off the head of his Commander droid and Ani twirled his lightsaber in his hand. "Jedi scum." He kindly commented as his commando droids started firing their blasters at us. When I enlightened my other saber, it was enough signal for us to move.

While I handled the droid on the right side, Anakin went for the one on the left, staying very close to Trench. I cut the droid I was fighting in two with a swift move by the time Anakin was destroying the droid he was fighting against.

Trench was about to attack him, sending an electro-web his way to capture him and knock him out, but he jumped to avoid it as I cut Trench's robotic arm from behind, making him yelp. I placed the blue blade of my saber close to his neck while Anakin walked up to us.

"Tell me the sequence to disarm the bomb!" Skywalker ordered.

"Never." Said Trench. "Dooku would kill me for losing Anaxes."

"And you think we won't?" I asked coldly into the spider's ear as I placed my lightsaber blade closer to his neck.

"You're Jedi." He said. "You must-" Anakin moved his lightsaber down and cut off three of his remaining legs, leaving only two left, in the blink of an eye, even I gasped. Trench gasped and grunted in pain.

"I don't have such weaknesses." I frowned and blinked as I stood in place. "Now, let's try that again. The sequence, give it to me." Silence. "As you wish." I moved aside when Anakin placed his hand up, as if he was going for his neck, he swished it down but stopped near his ear when he started talking.

"Three, one, eight, seven, five, six, seven!"

"See, insect? It wasn't that hard." I said as we opened our communication channel. We heard half of a conversation between Obi-Wan and Windu.

"I still have a chance to stop this, even if it's down to my best guess." Said Windu.

"How about we take the guesswork out of it, Master?" I asked. "Admiral Trench was kind enough to give Skywalker and I the sequence to stop the detonation."

"What number do you need?" Asked Anakin.

"The final number." Said Windu.

"Try seven." Skywalker told him.

"Good work Skywalker, you too, Naberrie. The bomb has been disarmed." I released a breath at Windu's words.

"You both owe us one now." Said Anakin and he ended the transmission, that's when Trench hit the ground with the cane he held on one of his remaining right legs and it zapped with electricity. Then, he hit Anakin's ribs, making him groan in pain. It took me a second to stab Trench, when he fell to the ground, Anakin fell to his knees to recover his breath and I approached him as I turned off my sabers just to clip them to the holders.

"Are you okay?" I asked, my hands holding his face.

"I'm alright, thanks." I placed his arm around my shoulders and helped him up.

"C'mon, we gotta go." I said as I walked towards the door.

"Just give me a second." He clicked something on a screen and then grabbed a remote that suddenly appeared on the armchair that's in the middle of the bridge. "Oh, Wrecker's gonna love this." He said.

"Let's go, Skyguy." I said and he nodded.

"Admiral, a pleasure." He told Trench as he exhaled his final breath and we ran out. "You're always so bossy, Smarty."

"What can I say? It's my job." We kept on running, destroying every droid we found in our way until we heard the boys by the infiltration point.

"Hope you weren't waiting for us." Said Anakin.

"Now all we're missing is Crosshair." Hunter informed. That's when we heard someone running towards us from the right flank.

"You missed me?" Asked the Bad Batch member as he locked his aim at a device he had thrown to the wall. We spotted dozens of droids coming towards us. "How touching." He added and fired his gun, with a single blast, he took out all the droids he had on his tail leaving them destroyed on the ground and Wrecker with his jaw on the floor.

"Impressive, very impressive." Said Anakin as we walked out of this cruiser to get into the Batch's ship.

"Man, Cal would've loved to see that." I said and smiled to myself as Anakin placed his hand on my shoulder.

"Yeah, he would've."

"Someone else comes to mind, too." He smiled at the ground.

"Same."

"Relax, Wrecker. You'll top him next time." Said Hunter.

"No, he won't." Said Crosshair, mockingly and we were all on the ship. I sat down and let out a sigh of relief as I did so. Anakin laughed at me and I flipped him off.

"I have a present for you, Wrecker." He told the trooper and gave him the remote.

"Oh, seriously?" Anakin smiled, Wrecker's joy was contagious, I smiled too. "I get to blow it up? The whole stinking thing?" Anakin chuckled and handed the remote over, Wrecker cried as he took it. "This is the happiest day of my life." He clicked the button and we heard the rumble of the ships outside as they were blown up to pieces. Not only did Trench's crosser blew up, but the whole fleet.

In a matter of minutes, we were back at our base and safe and sound, each and everyone of us. When we got off the ship, Obi-Wan, Cody and Windu were already waiting for us. Anakin and I stepped beside them while the troopers stood still and tall.

"Captain Rex, Corporal Echo and Clone Force 99, you have all done a great service for the Republic. Thanks to your courage and effort, Republic shipyards will soon be up and running again." Windu said and walked away.

"You've got some medals coming your way." Kenobi added and joined Windu.

"Thank you, General." Rex said to us, for we were the last ones standing there. We nodded at him and started walking away, too.

"I'm exhausted." I said as I rubbed my neck and lower back.

"Same here." Anakin commented as he yawned. "You're going off to meet with Cal?"

"I think so. I mean, he hasn't called, but I was in for helping you finish this mission and go back with him." He nodded. "Are you done here? Your whole mission, I mean?"

"Well, we gotta clean up some Separatist forces that might be left in outer space, but after that I'm done." It was my turn to nod.

"Right."

"Why do you ask?"

"Well, the kid took my ship, so...I kinda need a ride to the Middle Rim." He smiled.

"I can get you there." I smiled too. "Let me sort it out with the Council." After some deliberation, Anakin came back. "They agreed, I'll take you back to your mission but we must stop by the Temple first."

"But isn't it easier to drop me off in the Middle Rim and then continue to the Inner Rim?" I asked.

"Yeah, but they want to hear your notes on the report in person." I groaned and rolled my eyes. "It's alright, you said Cal hasn't called yet, he's got the situation well under control." I sighed as we walked towards his cruiser.

"I know, I just don't want it to take me by surprise, you know?" He smiled.

"I know, it won't take long." I nodded and we got into the ship, in a few minutes we arrived at the bridge, Rex was already there.

"Generals." He greeted us.

"Captain." I said. "Where's Echo?"

"Following his own path, ma'am. He's left with the Bad Batch." I smiled and nodded.

"They're exceptional soldiers, just as Echo is. He'll do great there." Rex smiled and nodded.

"I know, thank you, General."

"Of course."

"Where to, General Skywalker?" Asked Yularen to Anakin.

"Coruscant, Admiral."

The journey lasted hours, about seven hours in total and only four had gone by, meaning there were three more left. Anakin had gone to take a long and well deserved nap while I remained at the Communication Centre. I was all by myself going through the recordings of a few past missions to use those strategies in our favour in a near future.

However, my mind was elsewhere. How could I find the right words to share the news? I didn't know. I walked out after an hour had gone by and made my way towards Skywalker's room, he was still asleep, and I smiled at the sight. I laid down, careful not to wake him up, but he woke up anyway. That's yet something else we've got the war to thank for: a very light sleep, anything can wake us up easily, specially the shift of the weight in our beds.

"Are we there yet?" He asked, his eyes still closed as he turned towards me.

"Not yet." I whispered and brushed his light brown curls carefully, he smiled. When he tried to hug me, my hands found his and brought them close to my chest. "We'll get there in two hours or so." He nodded and kept on sleeping.

When we arrived at Coruscant, we left the bedroom just to meet with the Admiral upstairs at the bridge. There, Anakin gave him instructions to stay at the edge of the military lane while we got into a gunship and head to the ground, that we'd report and return to leave towards the Middle Rim.

It was a very boring meeting, Anakin talked most of the time about what had happened for the past five months while I just spoke about what a success the last mission was.

"Well, you should get some rest." Said Windu's hologram, I delivered a half smile acknowledging I'm very tired but knowing we wouldn't rest just yet. In that moment, my communicator started to beep. I excused myself from the conversation as Master Mundi asked Ani a few more questions, and walked out.

"Naberrie here." I said as Cal's figure materialised in a blue image before me.

"Master, I'm pleased to inform we've accomplished our mission, the Planet is secured." I smiled at him.

"Well done, Padawan." He smiled and nodded. "We wrapped things up back in Anaxes a few hours ago, the Council asked us to report back, I'm in Coruscant at the moment." He nodded.

"I'll assemble our troops and the crew, see you at the Temple in a few hours." I nodded back with a smile.

"See you, kid." The transmission ended and I walked back into the Council's Chambers.

"How was your mission in the Middle Rim, Naberrie?" Asked Master Secura.

"A success, Master. My Padawan, Captain Kestis, just called back to inform that the planet Bothawui is secured from any Separatist forces. Mission accomplished." Anakin smiled proudly at me.

"Well done." Said Windu. "And we're glad to hear those words because we were going to dispatch you to another mission." I tightened my grip around my wrist to suppress a sigh.

"Where?"

"Yerbana, Obi-Wan is on his way there. Apparently, the Separatists have let all the weight of their fleets fall upon the planet, so, we're going to respond." I nodded.

"I'll send Cal and meet him there." Yoda frowned.

"Get here how did you?"

"My fleet brought her." Anakin answered. "We can get her there too and work as backup." Everyone in the room nodded.

"Do that." We nodded. "Get going, may the Force be with you."

"May the Force be with you, Master." I spoke as we bowed our heads and got out. "You always have a way of infiltrating my missions." I commented as we got into the elevator.

"I just wanna spend more time with you." I laughed and contacted Cal, who picked up quickly.

"What's up, Master?"

"Have you set coordinates to Coruscant yet?" I asked.

"Just did, we haven't jumped into hyperspace yet, though."

"Good, because you'll cancel that. Set coordinates for Yerbana instead, we'll meet there." I saw how Cal looked at Coburn, who nodded and gave the order to a trooper for him to change the coordinates. "When you get there, because you'll arrive before we do, contact Obi-Wan and get to the ground to provide aide to his troops, understood?"

"Yes, General."

"We'll be there shortly."

"Alright."

"Hey, Witty, there will be plenty of droids there." Anakin told him as we exited the lift.

"Yes, please be careful, Cal." I added.

"Sure thing, Masters." He smiled. "I can handle anything." We chuckled.

"We know you can. See you in a bit." He nodded and we got to the gunship that had brought us here, then, we got to the cruiser. When we got to the bridge, we found Yularen frowning and fighting with nobody, he was mumbling something.

"Admiral, what's going on?" Asked Ani as we approached him.

"There's a ship right behind our gunships, they're invading the military lane." He informed and opened communication with the vessel. "They won't pick up." He was getting angry.

"Surely they're just teenagers learning how to fly, calm down." I said.

"Ma'am, this is a restricted area, they can learn how to fly elsewhere." That's when the ship finally answered Yularen's call.

"This is the Silver Angel, what can I do for you?" I almost laughed at the bad name of the ship.

"See? Teenagers." I whispered to Anakin, who crossed his arms and smiled, amused. Yularen rolled his eyes at me.

"Have you lost your mind?" He asked. "This is military airspace. Civilian transports are not authorised to be in this sector. I'll have your star pilot license for this." Someone mumbled something and then, someone else spoke.

"Uh, sorry. So- so sorry." It was another woman. "Um, it won't happen again. Just teaching my younger sister to fly, sir." Yularen turned to look at me and I shrugged with a winning smile on my lips, Anakin chuckled.

"Oh, you're teaching me to fly? That's a laugh."

"Who is this? What's your license number?" The communication was cut short and it left Yularen bitter. We saw how the ship flew past the cruiser. Anakin looked at me and turned at his Admiral.

"Who was on board of that transport?" He asked.

"Some rookie pilots on their first maneuvers, indeed." Yularen said looking at me. "I was just about to send a detachment to arrest them." I looked at Anakin, he had a soft frown on his face, his blue eyes searching the blue sky through the glass, he closed his eyes and turned his head in the direction the ship had gone. He was reaching out through the Force to find these people. "Should I send de detachment, General?" I placed my hand up to stop Yularen from speaking and allow Anakin to concentrate. Few seconds later, Ani opened his eyes, still frowning.

"No, it's nothing." He said and turned back to the front. "Set the coordinates to Yerbana, Obi-Wan and Cal might need our assistance."

"Yes, sir." In a moment, the cruiser left the planet's atmosphere and jumped into hyperspace soon after.

"Everything alright?" I asked.

"Yeah, everything's fine." He said with a reassuring smile that began to look like a smirk. I arched an eyebrow and he sighed. "It's nothing, I thought I had sensed something, but it was nothing; don't worry."

"If you say so, tough guy." He chuckled. "Alright, we should get ready for whatever is coming."

"Yes, we do." We watched the stars move at light speed before us and prepared ourselves mentally for the fight that we'd be fighting soon. Again.

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author's note: my goodness, it's been so long. enjoy this chapter, lovelies. and see you soon, i promise!

xx