Across the Stars [Star Wars|Anakin Skywalker]

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The clones readied their weapons as the doors opened even more, droid feet were visible now, "Get ready, they're coming in." Natalia yelled while turning her lightsaber on. "Here they come!" Rex yelled, the droids started shooting at the clones, Natalia deflected as many shots as she could, "Focus your fire on the Jedi!" One of the droid commanders shouted, "Hold the line." Rex said as the battle droids increased their firepower. More clones were being shot down as the battle continued, "With the amount of clones you're losing you won't be able to hold the line for long." Natalia told Rex, but he didn't listen as he continued shooting down clankers.

"Watch your aim!" Rex yelled as spider droids revealed themselves, the clones increased their attack as more droids came in. "Take care of what's left of the clones, I'll go after Skywalker." Ventress told the droids as most of the clones were killed, Natalia was hiding with Rex when she heard the voice. "Roger roger." The mindless droid said, "Seal the main gate and all of the portals, let nothing escape this castle." Ventress said, suddenly Rex started to move, and grow impatient with the droids, "Rex, no." Natalia said, but he grabbed his blaster and aimed it at Ventress, "Rex!" Natalia said a little louder, "Roger roger." The droid said, Rex shot the droid and aimed at Ventress, shooting at her, sadly she had lightsabers and deflected his shots.

Ventress pulled Rex's blaster from his hand with the Force, Natalia being barely conscious could do nothing but watch. Suddenly Ventress had Rex in a Force choke, Natalia could hear Rex choking, so she got up and turned her lightsaber on, Ventress released Rex from the choke and started choking Natalia instead, she dropped her lightsaber and Rex scooped it up. "Where's Skywalker, clone?" The woman asked, choking Rex again, "I don't talk to Separatist... scum." Rex said before the woman released him while smiling, "You will contact Skywalker, now." Ventress said while waving her hand in front of Rex's face, "No! Rex don't listen to her!" Natalia yelled, a droid shot her in the leg, she fell to the ground and tried to grab her lightsaber, but a droid stomped on her hand, shattering the bones in it. 

"I will contact Skywalker now." Rex said, the Sith smiled as she watched him contact Anakin. "Anakin, come in." Rex said, Natalia shouted at him to stop again but this time the droid shot her in the shoulder, "No!" She screamed, "What is your location?" Rex asked, Anakin didn't answer, Natalia sighed in relief as she realised that Anakin knew what was happening, "Hey, Ventress, just so you know the clones don't call us Jedi by our names, they call us by our ranks." Natalia said while laughing at her, "Shut up Jedi scum!" Ventress said angrily, Natalia rolled her eyes as she held onto her bleeding shoulder with her good hand. 

Ventress walked away from the two and toward the droids, "Mistress I must inform you that Republic reinforcements have arrived." The droid said, "We must hurry." Ventress said, "Roger roger." The droid said as they watched two rollers come in, "Thank the makers, we're saved." Natalia said to Rex, he nodded and crawled to Natalia to help her, "Are you okay, General?" Rex asked, Natalia nodded, "I'll be okay, Captain. When we get back on the cruiser I should be fine." Natalia said, but Rex shook his head, "Let me help you here, I'll splint your hand." Rex said as he took out some bandages and a straight splint, "This is going to hurt a lot, General. You ready?" Rex asked, Natalia nodded her head as she looked away from her hand, Natalia hissed in pain as Rex bandaged her hand, it was like a fiery explosion went off in her hand. "There, on the Republic cruiser you should get the proper medical attention there, that's the best I can do." Rex said, "Thanks, Captain." Natalia said, Rex helped her get off of the ground. Suddenly droids rounded them up and took them outside. 

"Keep your hands up!" The droid yelled at Natalia, who was struggling to keep her bad hand on her head, "Rex, come in, Rex!" Anakin said through Rex's comlink, Natalia sighed as the droids came closer, "Did you hear that?" The droid asked, "It came from the prisoners!" The other droid said. "Lemme show you how it works, clanker." Rex said, the droid leant in closer to see how it works, suddenly Rex punched the droid in the head, causing its head to spin around. Rex grabbed the droid's blaster and shot other droids with it, more clones did the same as Rex and were soon all equipped with blasters. "Here, Natalia! I've got your lightsaber!" Rex said as he threw her lightsaber at her, "Thanks, Rex!" Natalia said as she turned it on, her yellow blade slicing through more droids.

"Captain Rex, respond!" Anakin yelled through the comlink, "Sorry, General. We're pinned down in the courtyard." Rex said through the comlink, "Do you need help?" Anakin asked, Rex didn't answer as he shot down more droids, "I'll take that as a yes, stand by, we're on our way. Skywalker out." Anakin said again. Rex jumped from the high ground he was on and caught up with another clone, Natalia following behind closely, "We can't hold out for much longer, sir. Where's General Skywalker?" The clone asked, "He'll be here soon, trooper. We have General Schulter with us, we'll be fine for now." Rex said while blasting more droids. They were pinned down at all sides.

"I may be a Jedi, but I can't take all of these droids by myself. There's too many." Natalia said as she continued defending the clones from blasts, "General Skywalker should be here at any moment, we won't be alone for long." Rex said. 

"This is it." Rex said, Natalia looked at him in confusion, "Scrap 'em!" Rex yelled, "Oh my god." Natalia said while laughing and destroying droids. "These droids are getting harder to get rid of." Natalia said, "Tell me something I don't know!" Rex yelled over the blasting. "Surrender Republic clones!" One of the droids said, "We've got you outnumbered!" Rex yelled, Natalia sighed and counted the droids, "Wait, what? One two-" One of the droids started counting but was cut off by a blast from a gunship, Rex looked up at the fighter that destroyed the droids and saw Obi-Wan jump out of his fighter, "Finally." Natalia said as she ran up to him, the two ran to the leftover droids and sliced them, freeing the clones. Soon more clones came and began blasting droids.

"Finally, the tide seems to be turning in our favour." Natalia said while slicing droids, "You're welcome." Obi-Wan said. "Where's Skywalker?" Obi-Wan asked Rex, "I believe he's still in the castle, sir." Rex said while blasting more droids. "Keep the droids occupied, I'll go find him." Obi-Wan said as he ran into the castle, "Aren't you going with him, General?" Rex asked, but Natalia shook her head, "I'm staying with you, Rex." Natalia said, Rex shrugged and continued shooting droids. 

"I guess General Skywalker isn't going to show up." Rex said as he shot another droid, "Knowing Anakin, he probably forgot about us, we'll have to fight this one on our own." Natalia said. Rex sighed and continued shooting, "Captain Rex, it's General Skywalker." Anakin finally said through the comlink, "Yes sir?" Rex asked, "Rex, we won't be able to help you." Anakin said, his voice lowering. Natalia could sense Rex's hurt, "Don't worry about us, General. We'll be alright." Rex said, he looked up to see Anakin's shuttle fly overhead, Natalia sighed and looked at the ground, "The mission always comes first, sir." Rex continued. 

Natalia grunted and threw a rock at Anakin's shuttle as he flew past, "We're screwed." Natalia said while deflecting more blasts. "This is what us clones are bred for, we're expendable, we can be replaced easily." Rex said. "Not to me Rex! You may be cloned and numbered, but you're my friend Rex, and a living being comes first in my books." Natalia said while crossing her arms, "Thanks, General, but I wouldn't suggest getting too attached to us, we're all going to die one day." Rex said, Natalia sighed.

"Every one of us is going to die one day or the other, Rex. It's inevitable."