"I cannot believe that we're back here again."

Zelina stood beside Obi-Wan and Master Mundi on the bridge of one of the many Republic Cruisers, staring out of the viewport at the looming planet of Geonosis. Unwelcome, horribly unpleasant memories and feelings were rising to the front of her mind; memories and feelings that were best left buried.

"It is unfortunate; the resistance from the Geonosian forces were stronger than we anticipated," Mundi said as the doors behind them hissed open, allowing Anakin and Ahsoka to stroll inside.

"The same can be said for their loyalty to Count Dooku," Obi-Wan mused.

"A fact that is often overlooked," Mundi responded softly.

Zelina was only halfway paying attention, watching Anakin walk tensely towards the group, Ahsoka in tow. She noticed his right hand clenching and unclenching methodically, probably subconsciously as he too stared out the viewport. She couldn't stop the perfectly clear image of him pushing her out of the way, the flash of Dooku's lightsaber, and then Anakin being sent flying backwards, suddenly missing half his arm.

She clenched her teeth at the memory, shoving it back to the furthest corner of her mind and dispelling the feelings into the Force before they could overwhelm her.

"You're late," Obi-Wan said with just a slight hint of sharpness in his voice once Anakin came even with them.

"Sorry Master, Ahsoka and I were busy routing the Seppies near Dorran," Anakin responded with an upbeat voice.

"My squadron alone had fifty-five kills," Ahsoka said proudly.

"Yeah, but mine had seventy-six," Anakin responded with a cocky voice and signature smirk.

"Show off," Ahsoka said with a roll of her eyes.

"Well I'm glad you two are enjoying yourselves," Obi-Wan said in that tone of voice that usually acted as a lighthearted reprimand.

"Hey, it's just a little friendly competition Master," Anakin replied with a shrug and a grin. "Nothing to worry about."

"What I worry about is the way this war seems to be drawing out with no end in sight," Obi-Wan said grimly, tugging at his beard. He sure had a way of making everyone sober again.

"Which is why it is crucial our invasion of Geonosis is met with success," Mundi added.

"Agreed," Anakin said with a nod.

Zelina sighed. "That should be easy," she said, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. Anakin rolled his eyes and turned to Ahsoka.

"Ahsoka, contact the Outer Rim command; we're ready for our briefing."

"They're already waiting for us," Ahsoka announced with a small smile. The group of Jedi shared a look before they collectively left the bridge, making their way to the briefing room.

This was a no-nonsense, all business mission today.

*****************************************

"Our ships are in position, and we are ready to begin our campaign against the Geonosians," Obi-Wan was telling the holographic images of Yoda, Palpatine, and Windu. Zelina was currently ignoring Palpatine, staring intently at Yoda instead and pretending that she couldn't see that the Chancellor was watching her as intently as he could whilst being discreet.

"And what about Poggle?" Windu asked. "Any report on his location?"

"It seems he's holed up at the primary droid foundry here," Obi-Wan said, pointing to the exact location on the holographic image in front of them. "The factory is protected by a shield generator. Anakin, Ki-Adi, Zelina, and I shall attempt a three pronged attack through their defense lines to a staging area just short of the shield. Once we have landed we shall knock out the shield generator; that is our primary target.

"Isn't it risky committing four generals to one area of the attack?" Palpatine asked, his eyes flickering over to Zelina and Anakin even as he turned to Windu. "If something went wrong we could be dealt a serious blow."

"To insure that rise again Geonosis does not; capture Poggle, we must," Yoda told Palpatine easily.

"Of course. As always I should leave the strategy to you Master Jedi," Palpatine said with a gracious nod of his head. Ever since the Zillo incident Palpatine had been playing extra nice with the Jedi, a fact that was not lost on Zelina.

"Our thanks chancellor," Obi-Wan said.

"May the Force be with you," Windu replied, ending the conversation. The three holographic figures all bowed in respect before the image dissipated and the captains and commanders entered from the door across from the Jedi. Zelina smiled and nodded at Captain Cruiser who was flanking Commander Cody on one side while Captain Rex stood on the other. Mundi's man was standing beside Cruiser. She would be in charge of Cruiser and his men, as always, for this mission.

"Good, Cody; these are the coordinates for the rendezvous," Obi-Wan said, producing them for the four troopers to see.

"Yes sir! When we hit the ground we'll create a perimeter there. Getting past their defenses here will be the trick," Cody said, highlighting a spot on the map in green just off to the right of the rendezvous point. "General Mundi will come across the defensive lines from the north, we will make our assault through the middle, and General Skywalker will make his attack on the defensive lines from the south. And we will meet on the rendezvous point at 0700 exactly."

"If we meet with strong resistance and are forced down from the landing zone, hold out until we join our forces before attacking the shield generator," Mundi informed everyone standing around the holographic image of the Geonosis landscape. Zelina frowned, inspecting the middle zone that she and Obi-Wan would be tackling. Simply for the fact that it was right down the middle of their defenses, Zelina had insisted that she provide Obi-Wan with support. That was why Cruiser and she was joining Obi-Wan's task force.

"Their front lines are heavily fortified," Ahsoka noted. "Look at that giant wall with all the gun emplacements...that won't be easy to get past"

"Don't worry, we're not going anywhere near that," Anakin said easily. Zelina couldn't help but notice that her friend was being unusually optimistic about this entire operation, and briefly wondered if it was a front to mask unpleasant stirrings in his memory like Zelina was having.

"Come now, what happened to all the enthusiasm I saw earlier?" Obi-Wan teased with a slight smirk. Zelina had to stifle a chuckle.

"Don't worry about us; you just make sure you get yourself to that landing zone in one piece. Zelina will be there to make sure you don't blow anything up without us," Anakin said with a grin, clasping Obi-Wan's shoulder.

"Yes...we shall be waiting for you when you finally arrive," Obi-Wan said cheekily in response.

"Gentlemen if you are quite finished we have a battle to begin," came the voice of a holographic Master Luminara. Zelina hadn't even noticed her there; perhaps she'd need to commit herself to a brief meditative session to sharpen her focus and attention before the battle.

"Quite right," Obi-Wan said promptly, making his way around the table. "Cody, prep the gunships; I'll meet you in the hanger."

"Yes sir," Cody responded quickly.

Zelina nodded. "I'll join you shortly."

*****************************************

The sounds of ships warming up and taking off filled the hanger as each of the Jedi filed into their respective gunships. Even though Zelina and Obi-Wan were taking the same course, they were in different gunships, just to be safe. Zelina was currently boarding hers, Cruiser in tow.

"I heard that you were in the first assault on Geonosis General," Cruiser prodded, trying to sound like he wasn't as curious as Zelina could see he was through the force. She smiled faintly.

"Yes, I was, as were the other Generals, though General Skywalker, General Kenobi, and I were the first Jedi there considering we were the ones about to be executed."

"What was it like," Cruiser asked as they stepped aboard the gunship, grasping an overhanging strap to stay stead instinctively.

"Well, picture a big arena, four bloodthirsty ginormous animals hungry for a meal, one lightsaber, and four people trying not to get eaten and I think you'll get a good idea of what the first fifteen minutes were like."

"Sounds...entertaining."

"It was for the Geonosians."

If Zelina would have known a similar conversation was going on in Obi-Wan's gunship, she would have laughed. Still, there was hardly any time for humor as the gunship started moving, plunging them into a tense silence. Zelina kept her free hand on her lightsaber, staring fixatedly at what was visible of Geonosis from the small segment of the cockpit that she could see out of. The blaster fire came in heavily, just as she expected from the middle of any good frontline. She could see Obi-Wan's gunship out of the right of her gunship, swaying to avoid the heavy fire that the Geonosians were sending their way. Deafening blaster and cannon fire filled the air, and it made Zelina antsy to be unable to do anything at the moment; this was always the hardest part for her, waiting for the transportation to be over. She couldn't wait to be on the ground and actively fighting, because right now she felt like a sitting bantha. Instead, she simply shifted her Jedi clothes to a more comfortable position, glad that she hadn't taken her robe along for the ride.

The pilot banked hard to the left, throwing them all off balance and bringing them dangerously close to crashing into the ship beside them. Zelina grit her teeth, forcing herself to stay in place and pray to the Force that nothing would go too horribly wrong. "Careful Rider!" Zelina called to the pilot.

He made no sound of acknowledgement, but Zelina knew he had heard her; he was simply too focused on keeping them all alive to reply.

"General Kenobi, General Du'ahn don't land, the zone is hot!" came a voice suddenly through Zelina's com link.

"But there's nowhere else to go!" came Obi-Wan's shouted reply.

"He's right, we have to land somewhere or we'll all be shot out of the sky," Zelina added loudly, trying to speak over the noise of the battle outside as her gunship was jarred to and fro, miraculously not shot down yet.

Suddenly there was a loud explosion from right next to their right, and Zelina felt her heart suddenly jump painfully into her throat.

"We're hit! We're going down!" Obi-Wan said, confirming what Zelina had feared.

"Obi-Wan!" Zelina cried out, unable to do anything as his flaming gunship zoomed in and then out of view of the cockpit. She leaned forward. "Land! Land! Unless you want to be shot out of the sky like everyone else! Form the square! Relay that order!" she commanded loudly.

She wanted to throw her senses out in search of Obi-Wan, but there was so much death and destruction around her, she wasn't sure if she could take it, especially if Obi-Wan's life was possibly one of the lives she would feel ending around her.

The order was quick to go through what remained of her and Obi-Wan's combined forces, and soon the gunships were forming a defensive square on the ground, combining with the walkers for added effect. The moment Zelina's gunship was on the ground she was off, Cruiser at her side.

Immediately, a haphazard stronghold of sorts was formed; crates of valuable supplies were stacked throughout the middle, the guns were positioned to ward off the forces around them, and the men were taking various offensive and defensive positions throughout the square on Zelina's orders. Commander Cody was the second on her priority list after setting up the defenses. She approached the Commander, who stood at the edge of the perimeter formed by their defensive square, scanning the battlefield in front.

"Not good, the bugs are splitting up," a scout beside the Commander said as Zelina came even with him, eyeing the downed ship up ahead that was unmistakable as Obi-Wan's. Anxiety soared through her and she tightened her grip on her lightsaber.

Cody nodded at her. "General."

Two scouts appeared before Zelina could say anything.

"Boil reporting as ordered sir."

"Waxer, reporting as ordered sir."

"We've got a downed gunship, five clicks east; we believe it's General Kenobi's. I need you to get out there and check for survivors!"

"Sir, yes sir!" they said in unison. Zelina stepped forward.

"I'll go with them; I think the trip will be much easier with my added support," she said confidently.

"All due respect General, wouldn't you be of better help here, directing our efforts?" Cody asked. Zelina shook her head.

"I'm much more useful in the thick of battle Commander; and this operation will run much smoother if Kenobi is here as well. I'll be back before you know it. Besides, I have full faith in combined leadership between you and Captain Cruiser," she said with a small smile. Before Cody could possibly complain any more, Zelina turned to the scouts.

"Let's go you two," she said grimly, already plunging forward into the action.

Cody sighed. "Is she always like that?"

Cruiser chuckled. "Yes sir, she is."

Zelina wasn't too thrilled when the first shot that came close to them came from a cannon, practically nipping at Waxer's heels. Zelina took the lead, lightsaber in hand and ready to deflect any incoming blaster bolt meant for her or her two scout companions as they rushed across the desert and rock terrain. In the back of her mind, Zelina was thinking of her first time on Geonosis and how she had only been in a ground battle in the arena. This was her first real battle on a desert planet.

She didn't activate her lightsaber because she was absolutely sure that it would draw even more cannon fire and make the blaster fire aimed at them almost non-existent. Truthfully, she had half a mind to activate it anyway seeing as all that seemed to land near them was cannon fire anyway.

Within a few minutes that felt more like seconds, the small party of three reached the downed gunship, pressing themselves against the side door for cover as several blaster bolts buzzed overhead.

"Why do we always get the fun missions?" Waxer grumbled beside her.

"Because the battles would be boring without them," Zelina responded with a grin, clasping his shoulder.

"This isn't the fun part; getting back to the square is the fun part!" Boil told Waxer, causing Zelina to laugh lightly for a moment before she took a step back.

"Stand back, I'll open the door," she told them firmly, already reaching into the Force. They did as instructed, and the next moment the door slid back easily, allowing light to fall on the occupants of the gunship.

Obi-Wan was the first person that Zelina saw, his arm raised to shield his eyes from the sudden onslaught of light.

"Obi-Wan," she breathed in relief as the scouts moved in.

"Boy am I glad to see you," Obi-Wan responded wearily with a weak attempt at a smile, sporting several nasty cuts across his cheeks. "Trapper and I are the only ones still alive."

Zelina sighed, doing her best not to look at the dead bodies that littered the gunship and keep her eyes level with Obi-Wan. "Come on General; let's get you out of here."

As she spoke, Waxer and Boil moved forward, each lifting one of the wounded men and draping one of the wounded men's arms around their shoulders.

"It's good to see you too General. General Du'ahn established the square just beyond this position, and it is currently being held down by Commander Cody and Captain Cruiser. The bugs are on the move and trying to surround us as we speak sir," Waxer said as he carried Obi-Wan forward, filling him in on the situation. Zelina finally activated her purple lightsaber, standing outside of the gunship.

"I'll cover," she said shortly, turning sharply to the left to deflect a blaster bolt that had come flying their way. The scouts slowly started the trip back, and Zelina was pleased to see cover fire being provided for them. Still, she stood at the back of the group, her lightsaber moving in a blur of motion to keep any deadly blaster shots from hitting home. Several shots came too close for comfort and caused rocks to cut her cheeks and dust to get in her eyes, but Zelina kept up her cover, relying heavily on the Force.

Finally, the group limped into the square, somewhat safe from the fire outside of their defenses. Cruiser and Cody were the first to greet them.

"Are you injured General?" Cody asked Obi-Wan.

"Oh, no, nothing too serious," Obi-Wan said breathily as Waxer led him to a nearby pile of crates. "What's the situation here?"

Cody sighed as Waxer leaned Obi-Wan against the stack of crates, Zelina kneeling down beside Obi-Wan to check him over and treat whatever wounds he had the best she could. She too listened to the report, having not checked in on the first evaluation of the situation before going after Obi-Wan. "We've got no air cover, two Generals on the ground beyond our position, and a mess of bugs surrounding us. The enemy was more than prepared for our attack sir. They knew our every move."

Zelina backed off as a medic began an evaluation of his own over Obi-Wan, leaning on the crates and looking out behind them at the horizon. So Anakin and Mundi were having just as bad of a stroke of luck. They had definitely found themselves in one sticky situation.

"Well, I'm sure General Skywalker and General Mundi will make it to our position. We just have to make sure we're still here when they arrive," Obi-Wan said, doing his best to keep his voice upbeat and cheerful.

"Do we still have contact with the others?" Zelina asked, turning back to Cody.

"Yes ma'am we do," Cruiser responded crisply. "Commy is keeping track of our communications with them."

Zelina's lips quirked to a smile. She still felt bad for Commy's name; it was a bad stroke of luck for a nickname. "That's good. Well, if you don't mind Obi-Wan, I'm going out there to help our men try and fight off these bugs; they need all the help they can get."

"I know there's no stopping you Zelina, go on ahead and do what you need to do," Obi-Wan said with a wave of his hand.

Zelina nodded curtly. "Take it easy Obi-Wan, you're in no shape for a fight." With that, she turned to Cruiser. "Round up a small group of whatever men you can find to spare. We're going to try and take out as many of those tanks and cannons as we can. Meet me over at that walker," she commanded.

Cruiser snapped into a salute. "Yes ma'am."

**********************************************

Going head to head with a seemingly never-ending arsenal of tanks and cannons was not one of her brightest ideas.

However, they were making a difference, and providing some amount of relief for their forces back in the circle. As a result, Zelina's small task force had become a target out in the open field for the Geonosians, a priority to take out. The effects of being such a target were starting to show.

Cruiser and a handful of the men they had started with were taking cover behind a downed Separatist tank, firing rapidly at an advancing force of Geonosians on speeder bikes. Zelina could see a tank approaching as well, and wasn't sure if she was in a position to take this one out. She stood atop the tank, moving her lightsaber rapidly to deflect as many blaster bolts that came her way as possible. Still, she wasn't able to deflect every single one. She was breathing heavily, hair falling in her eyes, muscles aching, several burns and cuts covering her from a mixture of blasters and raining debris, trying very hard not to think of the fact that while they had been successful at first and plunged into the Geonosian forces with ease, they were now being pushed back towards their square.

Zelina growled slightly in her throat at the tank that was finally too close for comfort. The last thing she wanted was her and what remained of her men being blasted into oblivion by the tank.

"Cover me!" she barked, already launching herself forward at a hurried pace towards the tank. She ducked, weaved, and deflected, praying she didn't stumble in the sand and letting the Force direct almost all of her movements before she rushed up the front of the tank, swinging from the main gun before cutting it off, launching herself up into the air and to the hatch that housed the driver. She lifted the hatch and impaled the droid inside, dropping down into the machine and turning the tank around. With a small grin, Zelina targeting some of the cannons that were farther back, blowing several out of commission with a whoop of joy before a shrill warning suddenly sounded through the Force.

She reached a hand out and blew the hatch off of the tank, kicking up and out of the tank with a powerful wave of the Force the same moment that a cannon strike from the east hit home. Debris shot into the air with her as Zelina tried to angle herself in the direction of the square in the hopes she would land closer to safety instead of further into enemy ranks. She cried out in pain as a searing hot twisted chunk of metal gouged a deep gash in her back before she hit the ground very ungracefully, the breath knocked out of her. Dimly she registered a sharp pain in her thigh and realized that a jagged piece of debris had lodged itself into her thigh. Groaning, Zelina laid her head back and resisted the urge to reach forward and yank the metal out, already calling on her adrenaline and the Force to help her to her feet so that she wouldn't get shot just sitting there. Instead of grasping the shrapnel, she grabbed her lightsaber, dragging herself to her feet and activating the blade to deflect several deadly bolts that came flying her way. Her ears were ringing from the explosion, so she didn't hear Cruiser and the men shouting at her. She did see them waving her back towards the tank they had been using as cover, and doubled her limped pace.

Cruiser and Geno suddenly broke away from the group, rushing towards their injured General with a speed to be admired.

"I've got you ma'am," Cruiser grunted, draping her arm around his shoulders.

"We're pulling back to the square," she grunted, twisting so that she could keep deflecting the bolts with her lightsaber.

"I figured ma'am. The men are ready to move on your orders."

Zelina's head suddenly snapped up. "Get down!" she shouted. Cruiser obeyed without question, and she was able to pull him away from the worst of what followed.

Geno wasn't so lucky.

A shot from one of the cannon's and from one of the tanks simultaneously hit their position, striking a nearby downed speeder bike as well. Geno was thrown into the air, landing on a piece of twisted shrapnel while Zelina and Cruiser curled up to avoid as much of the debris as possible. Zelina could sense pain ring through the Force from Cruiser as the shot came too close. She didn't let herself think on what had caused her two comrades pain though. Instead, she raised herself up and sent a powerful Force Push in the direction of their attackers before she turned her focus back on Geno and Cruiser. She grasped them carefully through the Force moving them back to the pitiful shelter behind the tank as she dragged herself back to her feet and limped back to the same spot. She collapsed against the tank, breathing heavily as another one of the troopers with her, Sentry, came to her aid.

"Ma'am, we need to get back to the square," he said urgently. Behind him, Geno and Cruiser were already draped around the shoulders of Dash and Nex (a play on the title of Nexu).

"I was just about to say that," Zelina said wearily, letting Sentry lift her and leaning on him gratefully. They hobbled back towards the square and Zelina was alarmed at how little cover fire they were receiving. Had they really lost that many men?

Zelina turned her face away as a sudden blast from a cannon came dangerously close, throwing dust in her eyes once more. They were almost there...

Once they broke into the square, Commander Cody materialized at her side. "General, are you injured?" he asked.

Zelina shook her head. "I've got two men that need whatever help you can give them right now; cannon fire, tank fire, and shrapnel," she said seriously. "I can wait, I'll be fine."

Zelina was absolutely sure that Cody didn't believe her, but he still did as she asked. As Nex and Dash carried Geno and Cruiser to one of the few safe spots in there increasingly weakening defenses, Zelina turned her head to Sentry. "You can set me down by General Kenobi," she said grimly.

"Yes ma'am," Sentry said gently, hurrying over to the position. Obi-Wan looked alarmed when he took in her battered, heavily injured state.

"I thought you were going to try and take out a few cannons and tanks, not throw yourself to the nexu's!" Obi-Wan exclaimed as Sentry set her down carefully beside him. Zelina waved Sentry off, gesturing for him to go help with the defenses.

"They kept coming," she said gruffly, avoiding any chance of drawing attention to her thigh and the shrapnel that was pierced deeply into it. "If we don't get help soon Obi-Wan, we're not going to be here when it does arrive."

As she spoke, their men were concentrating to the middle of the square, pushed back even within their own defenses. Zelina groaned, brushing some hair out of her eyes as Obi-Wan started to push himself to his feet.

"Obi-Wan, get down, you're in no state to fight," Zelina said seriously.

"I don't think we're going to have that option," Obi-Wan said grimly. His words caused Zelina to drag herself to her feet as well, though she leaned heavily on the crate behind them as she activated her lightsaber. Obi-Wan was panting from the effort it took to stand, yet he still managed to hold his activated lightsaber steady.

"Reinforcements! Reinforcements have arrived!" came a sudden joyous shout from off to their left.

"Oh!" Zelina cried out in relief, dropping back to the ground and deactivating her lightsaber at the same time, burying her face into her hand as bombers and fighters suddenly sailed overhead, the ground shaking from the bombs that were suddenly being dropped all around. Cheers rang out through the air from what remained of their forces, and beside her Obi-Wan slid to the ground as well in equal relief and exhaustion.

"Master Kenobi!"

Zelina looked up, startled when Ahsoka was the first Jedi on the scene. Anakin was the next, and the horror at Zelina's state was evident on his face.

"Zelina! What happened?" he asked, his voice oozing concern as he kneeled beside her, brushing some of the hair from her face for her.

"Oh...complications," she said with a grimace. "Help me up will you? I've got to go check on some people..."

Anakin complied without a word of complaint, turning his attention to Obi-Wan. "What happened to you Master?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Obi-Wan said. Anakin chuckled softly before he started to lead Zelina away.

"Where are they?" he asked her softly. Zelina shook her head, scanning the square before she spotted the two familiarly clad troopers. She nodded in their direction.

"Over there," she said tiredly. Anakin tightened his grip on her at her tone, gazing at her in concern.

"What did you do, try to take on the entire Geonosian force yourself?" he asked seriously.

"It felt like it," she grumbled before she sighed and leaned into him. "We'll be fine now...we're good..."

They reached Cruiser first, who was lying there in extensive pain, sloppily bandaged with pitiful supplies. The medic was currently tending to and focused on Geno. Zelina painfully kneeled beside Cruiser with Anakin's help, putting a hand on Cruiser's shoulder.

"How are you holding up Captain?" she asked him tiredly.

"I should be asking you that General; how's the leg?"

Zelina shrugged. "It hurts, but that's to be expected. You haven't answered my question Captain."

Cruiser leaned his head against the crate he was propped against with a groan. "I don't think I'm gonna make it General."

Zelina's eyes hardened. "How about you take off that helmet, look me in the eyes, and then say that to me Captain."

"Are you serious General?"

"Dead serious."

Cruiser sighed, but did as he was asked, taking off the helmet. When he met Zelina's eyes however, he couldn't repeat what he said. Zelina smiled faintly and clapped him on the back. "You'll be all right Captain; you're not getting away from me that easily Cruiser."

Cruiser laughed slightly. "Yes ma'am."

The medic approached her at that moment. "General."

Zelina's eyes flickered over to Geno. "How is he?"

The medic sighed. "He's not going to make it."

Zelina felt a jolt go through her, but she kept her face impassive. "How long does he have?"

"Not long."

Zelina sighed, already moving to get up on her knees. Anakin leaned down and helped her up, holding on tightly before he silently led her over to Geno. The trooper didn't look good at all. Zelina did her best not to grimace as Anakin helped her down beside Geno, though this time Anakin kept a hand on her shoulder.

The trooper's breathing was labored as she kneeled beside him. The man's helmet was removed, showing the badly burned half of his face. Geno cracked an eye open, watching her wearily.

"You all...all right General?" Geno asked slowly.

"I'm fine Geno...and call me Zelina," she responded softly, one hand on his shoulder.

"I'm...not going to make it...am I?" Geno asked.

Zelina didn't see the point in lying. "No."

Geno nodded slowly. "The...reinforcements came?"

Zelina nodded exuberantly. "Yeah, they came..."

"My death is...going to have a purpose...it has a meaning...right?"

Zelina stiffened at his question, and she could sense Anakin had stiffened as well. It was a question that Zelina had asked herself several times; did the troopers' deaths have any meaning in this war?

"Yes...it does...you helped protect this entire task force, and you risked your life to save Cruiser and me...it does have meaning...when fighting for freedom, no death is meaningless," Zelina said, her voice firm.

Geno nodded. "Thank...you General."

"Of course Geno."

Geno grimaced, twisting in pain for a moment. "Will...will you...stay here with me...?"

Zelina nodded, taking Geno's hand in hers. "Of course Trooper."

"Thank you General..."

"Anytime."

She stayed right there with him as his breathing continued to slow, Anakin standing beside her with a hand on her shoulder, Geno's hand grasped tightly in hers. Eventually, Geno's eyes drooped shut, his hand went slack in Zelina's, and his head drooped to his chest.

Zelina bit back the emotion that rose up in her, gently placing his hand over his abdomen and bowing her head. She took a few deep breaths before she tried to stand on her own. She hissed, her injured leg collapsing under her. Anakin caught her before she could hit the ground, helping her up. Before she could dodge the attempt, Anakin leaned over and checked her leg, finally seeing the shrapnel jammed in her thigh.

"You need a medic," he said immediately, getting a better grasp on her and forcing her to put more of her weight on him.

"Yeah, I probably do," she said wearily.

"Why didn't you get one earlier?" Anakin asked somewhat furiously.

Zelina shrugged. "There was other things going on...and I had to check on them first. Besides, our mission isn't over yet; we need to take out that shield generator."

"There's no we about it. You're sitting this one out, you're in no shape to be carrying out an attack."

"Anakin—"

"Don't Anakin me; you're staying behind and getting treated for your injuries. Trooper, get me the medic," Anakin said, breaking off to give an order to a nearby trooper. The man saluted and scampered off, in search of the medic as Anakin set her down somewhere else by a crate away from the other three, who were watching them curiously. His hands hovered over her thigh. "Let me see it."

"If you pull that thing out Anakin, I will impale you with my lightsaber," she warned him.

Anakin's lips quirked upwards. "Sure you will."

"I mean it."

The medic arrived, kneeling beside the pair. "You asked for me General?"

"Yes, she needs immediate medical attention," Anakin said. "She's got a piece of shrapnel stuck in her thigh on top of everything else. I...need to go talk to the other Generals..." he added slowly, seeming loath to leave her side. Zelina waved him off.

"Go on ahead and save the day without me, I'll be fine, I'll behave," she said tiredly, leaning her head against the crate. "I'll still be here when you return."

Anakin sighed. "You better be."

Zelina chuckled a little. "I'm pretty sure this isn't fatal," she said with a chuckle. "I'll be fine; go on."

Reluctantly, Anakin turned and returned to the others who were all crowded around Obi-Wan's crate. Zelina turned to the medic.

"All right doc, be honest, how bad is it?" she asked with a small smile.

*****************************************

To say she was embarrassed was an understatement.

Zelina was being carried onto the gunship on a makeshift stretcher, about to be taken off-planet for some extensive medical treatment she was apparently in dire need of. She was in a worse shape than Obi-Wan apparently, according to their field medic. Despite her injuries, Zelina was sitting up slightly in the stretcher since she didn't want to lie down like she was dying. Beside her, Anakin was helping Obi-Wan to the gunship while two troopers carried her stretchers.

"So Master, what was your total?" Zelina heard Ahsoka say somewhere off to her right.

"Not now Ahsoka," Anakin said with a small sigh. It was definitely doing a number on him to see two of his friends being taken away on a gunship for medical treatment for serious wounds.

"Come on...are you afraid you lost this time?" Ahsoka jeered. Zelina snickered from her spot on the stretcher.

"Force forbid Anakin lose a competition. Oh the horror!" Zelina laughed.

"It's nice to know your humor wasn't damaged," Anakin said sarcastically. With a roll of his eyes before he turned to Ahsoka slightly and spoke in a slightly sharp tone. "Fine. Fifty-five, that's my count. And you?"

Zelina saw Ahsoka smirk and started laughing, eyes watering with mirth as Anakin gave her a strange look.

"Sixty," Ahsoka said in a peppy voice as Anakin loaded Obi-Wan onto the ship. Anakin shifted to stand beside Zelina's stretcher. "Looks like I won."

"Yeah...but I called in the air strike. Tie!" he said, apparently quite pleased with himself for his quick call.

Zelina chuckled at him. "You just can't stand to lose, can you Anakin?"

"You're impossible," Ahsoka said with a roll of her eyes.

"I'll never understand how you can simplify these battles into some kind of game," Obi-Wan said, leaning into a trooper for support. Anakin sighed, squeezing Zelina's hand tightly before he stepped off of the gunship.

"Well...take care of yourselves," he said sincerely, giving Zelina a pointed look. "I expect to see all three of you back here by the time I've destroyed the main factory."

Zelina gave him a mock salute. "Yes sir General," she said teasingly with a small laugh.

"We shall do our best," Obi-Wan told him with an assuring nod.

"Sixty-five Skywalker," Mundi suddenly said.

"Um...sorry?" Anakin asked, genuinely confused.

"My total; sixty-five. So what do I win?"

Zelina was staring at Mundi as if he had grown an extra head, and Anakin seemed at a genuine loss of words for a moment, looking at Obi-Wan both dumbfounded and surprised. Obi-Wan simply smiled slightly. Finally, Anakin gathered his wits once more.

"My everlasting respect Master Mundi," Anakin said, bowing his head in a gesture of respect.

"Oh," Mundi said, sounding a little bit like he had been expecting something a little more than that.

"That is a gift Anakin rarely bestows, I assure you," Obi-Wan said, earning a nod from Anakin.

"And one that tends to keep on giving," Zelina added.

With that, the doors slid shut, and the gunship whisked them away where they could all get the medical treatment that they all needed before returning back to the battlefield.