Star Wars One-Shots

Star of Death (Part 2)

Author's Note: This IS the end, yes. :) More details about the future of the universe are at the end. 

~ Amina Gila

They go over the details of how to destroy the Death Star while they're on the way to Raxus, but nothing quite prepared Anakin for the sheer size of the thing when they come out of hyperspace in front of it.

Obi-Wan opens a line of communication between them and the command on the Death Star. Jedi Master Masana Tide appears on the hologram. Jedi Master Prosset Dibs is behind her.

"What is the meaning of this?" Tide demands.

"Orders from the Council," Obi-Wan replies, "Of which you are aware."

"This is treason," she warns, eyes narrowing, "Stand down."

The sheer stubborn resistance in their tones takes Anakin entirely by surprise. No one talks back to the Council like that. That's not what they do.

"You need to stand down," Obi-Wan says tersely, "This is your last warning."

"We choose to stand with the Republic," she replies, flippantly.

"It's also your last warning," Prosset Dibs interjects, "Your hubris shall be your undoing."

What kind of threat is that, coming from a fellow Jedi resisting the Council? They'll have to fight, but it's not just anyone. They're fighting other Jedi. That's not... it's hard to believe how far things have fallen since the start of the war. They're fighting their own here, and he doesn't understand why they're not standing down. It's not the Jedi way. Nor is any of this, though.

There's no time to think about it, though. It's time for battle.

Anakin and Ahsoka take off, scrambling for their fighters with a group of the 501st as they fly down for the Death Star. Obi-Wan's following with a group of his own clones.

Vulture droids launch from the Death Star's hangar moments later, circling in on them.

Anakin fires on the vulture droids, taking them down as fast as he can, but they need to move in because the droids aren't going to stop coming. There are thousands of them on the battle station. The Republic doesn't have the forces for this. And if this thing powers up, it could take out their entire cruiser. Would the Jedi really do that? He doesn't think they would, but when they're already fighting back, and especially after what Krell did, he doesn't have much hope they won't.

He cuts his way past the first wave of vulture droids, finally diving down for the surface. The laser guns that cover the sides of the Death Star activate the moment he's close enough and start firing too. He spins his fighter out of the way of the constant laser fire, feeling the lives of the clones disappearing into the Force, as always. It never stops. The war is supposed to be over, but now they're fighting each other. Is the fighting really about to end?

Anakin presses his attack anyway, diving down further despite the occasional blast that skims off the shields of his fighter. Behind him, he sees a couple other Jedi fighters coming in – but they're the ones from the Death Star and they're killing the clones, shooting them down as though there's nothing to it.

Often it feels like none of the other Jedi even care about the clones as people the way Anakin does, but it's never been this blatant before, aside from Krell.

It makes him sick and angry at once, and he dives down quickly, for the exhaust port.

One of the Jedi's fighters swoops in behind him, ready to shoot him down.