I'm seated in the drop ship, the hum of its engines a steady vibration beneath my feet as I pour over the battle reports. The chaos of Geonosis hums in the background, the orange hue of the planet's surface swirling outside the window. My brow furrows, eyes tracing the report, when the door hisses open and Captain Rex steps in, his armor dusted with the fine sand of the planet. His helmet is tucked under his arm, and his familiar, steely expression greets me.

"General," he says, his voice gravelly but respectful.

I glance up from the datapad, nodding at him. "Hey, Rex. What's the news? Have Anakin and Obi-Wan found that infernal Poggle yet?"

Rex shakes his head, his face set with that calm resolve I've come to rely on. "No, not yet," he admits, his voice betraying the strain of the battle. "But Master Luminara is on a speeder with her clone captain. They're tracking Poggle. Don't worry, General," he adds, his eyes softening just a fraction. "Anakin sent me to get you inside one of the cruisers. There's a sandstorm brewing, and it's coming in fast."

The news lands with a familiar weight in my gut. I rise, stretching my legs stiff from hours in the cramped drop ship. My mind, however, is already ahead—wondering where Anakin is, if he's okay. I can almost feel him through our bond, a distant but steady presence. But the battlefield is unpredictable, and the sands of Geonosis are more than just physical—there's a weight to this place, a darkness lurking beneath the surface.

-

I stride into the cockpit, the steady hum of the ship's systems barely masking the tension in the air. Anakin is already there, standing alongside General Mundi and Obi-Wan, both of whom are focused intently on a holographic map of this cursed planet, Geonosis. The shifting sands and hostile landscape glow in ghostly blue hues as tactical data scrolls across the display.

"Has Luminara called in yet?" I ask, my voice cutting through the low murmur of their conversation.

Obi-Wan glances up, his expression as composed as ever, though there's a subtle strain around his eyes. "Not yet," he replies, his tone measured. "We're still waiting for word. The storm might be interfering with communication."

Anakin looks at me then, his brow furrowed, clearly frustrated by the lack of updates. I can sense his impatience, the subtle pull of worry that he's trying to mask. He doesn't like waiting—never has. His hand clenches at his side, fingers tapping absently against the hilt of his lightsaber.

The hologram flickers to life, its image stuttering as the sandstorm interferes with the signal. Master Luminara's form appears, her face partially obscured by the static, but the relief in General Mundi's voice is unmistakable.

"Master Luminara," he greets, the tension visibly easing from his posture.

"Greetings," she responds, though her voice is weak, distorted by the interference. It sounds like she's standing in the heart of the storm itself, or somewhere even more isolated.

Anakin leans forward, resting his hands on the edge of the holotable, eyes narrowing in concern. "Where are you? Should we come to get you?" His tone, though calm, betrays the worry simmering beneath his usual bravado.

Luminara shakes her head, attempting a reassuring smile. "No, Skywalker. I'll be fine."

Suddenly, the transmission is interrupted by a loud blast, and Luminara flinches. "Wait a minute..." she trails off, her form flickering before the transmission abruptly cuts out.

A cold silence fills the cockpit. I feel my pulse quicken, a gnawing sense of dread settling in. I glance at the others, my fellow Jedi, each of us sharing the same thought without saying a word.

"Something attacked her," I whisper, the words barely escaping my lips.

Obi-Wan nods solemnly, his gaze sharpening. Anakin's jaw tightens, fists clenching at his sides. We all know what this means. We're running out of time.

-

"What do you mean we can't go get her?" Anakin hisses, his frustration spilling over as he glares at Master Mundi, who remains infuriatingly calm.

"We have to wait out the storm, young Skywalker," Mundi responds, his voice even and unbothered by Anakin's tone. "And don't use that tone with me."

Anakin's hands ball into fists, his gaze smoldering with barely-contained anger. "She's out there, in danger! We can't just sit here—"

"We don't have a choice," Obi-Wan interrupts, his voice firm but more measured. "The storm will tear apart any attempt to fly in there. We'd lose more than just Luminara."

Anakin shakes his head, pacing back and forth, the tension radiating from him in waves. I can feel the frustration rising in him, and I step closer, placing a hand on his arm, hoping to calm him even if just a little.

"We'll get her back," I whisper softly, meeting his eyes. But I can feel it too—how wrong it feels to just sit and wait.

Mundi holds his ground. "Patience, Skywalker. It's not something you enjoy, but it's what we must rely on now."

Anakin exhales sharply, pulling away from me, his anger simmering just below the surface. "Patience won't save her," he mutters under his breath.

Mundi doesn't respond, but the tension in the room is thick enough to cut through, each of us waiting for the storm to pass—and hoping it won't be too late.

I blink, an idea suddenly forming. "Hey, what about if I go out there alone? Then I don't have to worry about any clones or you getting hurt," I suggest, the thought hitting me before I fully process it.

Obi-Wan stares at me like I've sprouted two heads. "That's even worse. You'll get killed, Mira." His tone is incredulous, as if I've just suggested something entirely reckless—which, maybe I have.

I shake my head stubbornly. "I have my dragon form, remember? I'm not human. I can handle the storm."

Anakin stops pacing, his gaze flicking between me and Obi-Wan, uncertain but intrigued. "Mira, you can't go out there alone—"

"Exactly!" Obi-Wan cuts in, crossing his arms. "The storm is lethal. Dragon or not, you'd be flying blind, and we can't risk losing you too."

"I'm not suggesting we all sit around and do nothing," I argue. "But I can fly faster, stronger than any ship through those winds. I'll be fine."

Mundi shakes his head. "This isn't a question of strength, it's about the storm's unpredictability. You wouldn't even see the dangers until it's too late."

"I'm not human, remember?" I say again, standing my ground. "I can survive things none of you can. We can't just sit here and wait while Luminara is in danger!"

Anakin clenches his fists again, clearly torn between wanting to charge out and the logic of waiting. "She's right, Obi-Wan. She's not human. She can make it through."

Obi-Wan shakes his head, clearly frustrated but thinking it over. "This is insane..."

But I can see the idea settling in the room.

I smile softly, reaching out to pull both my friends into a close embrace. "I love you guys, but I need to do this—for Master Luminara, for this planet."

Anakin's arms tighten around me, and I can feel Obi-Wan's reluctant acceptance in the way he rests his hand on my back, even though he doesn't like it. I step back, my eyes lingering on them both for a moment, then bow slightly. This is my decision, my path, and I know it's the right one.

Without another word, I turn and head out of the cockpit, determined to face whatever awaits me in the storm.