36

677 9 1
                                    

"You earn your troops trust and loyalty, you just don't blindly demand it because of your Jedi rank." -Natalia Schulter, Jedi Knight

--

"Rex, what's going on? Why is the alarm going off?" Natalia asked over the screeching of the alarm, "We're being evacuated for some reason." Rex said as he continued to run. Natalia automatically knew what was happening. "Skywalker." She said under her breath. She ran up to the bridge to see Anakin making preparations. "I'm gonna stay here with you." Natalia insisted.

"What?! No!" Anakin said while shaking his head, but she laughed. "We'll get alone time in the escape pod." Natalia said while winking. Anakin thought about this for a moment, "Okay. You can stay." Anakin finally said, Natalia laughed as she walked up to Anakin as he contacted the Separatist commander.

"Skywalker. What a pleasant surprise, are you finally speaking your terms of surrender?" The commander asked. "No, but I have a gift for you." Anakin said, the commander looked confused so Natalia cleared it up for him. "We mean you can have our ship. It's our gift to you." Natalia said, "Sir, their ship is coming dangerously close." One of the droids said.

"Schulter! You'll pay for this treachery!" The commander screamed through the comlink. "Good luck evacuating quick enough." Natalia said with a wink as she cut off the transmission, "Okay, let's go." Natalia said as she and Anakin ran to the pods, they jettisoned one just in time for the ship to collide with the droid control station. "That was beautiful." Natalia said as she pressed herself against the window to witness the fiery explosion, flames and smoke came from the structure as it cracked and crumbled.

"Now, where were we?" Anakin asked as he grabbed her hand, they were both kissing and didn't even notice they were being boarded by one of the clones gunships. "Um, Generals?" Rex asked as he went to check on them. The two stopped and looked at Rex and blushed. "This didn't happen, Captain." Natalia said as she got up and hurried past Rex, Anakin was still standing in the pod, clearly embarrassed.

"Sorry for interrupting that." Rex apologised. Anakin shrugged and went to find Natalia. "That mission was a clear success, good job Ahsoka." Natalia said while giving her a fist bump, "You're a natural born leader." She continued. "Thanks, Master. You, Rex, and Skyguy have taught me everything I know." Ahsoka said with a big smile, Natalia returned the smile and looked at Anakin, her smile broadened as they made eye contact. "Looks like we continue our raid on Ryloth I guess." Natalia said while putting her hands on her hips. 

"I'll go with Master Kenobi, you'll stay here Anakin." Natalia said as she hurried off to find Obi-Wan. "I guess you'll be coming with my squadron for this one?" Obi-Wan asked, Natalia nodded and boarded the gunship. 

"Okay, when we land we'll have our landing zone for the ground assault forces." Mace Windu said over the engines. "Okay, clones listen up, we have to retake this city BUT we cannot damage the Twi'lek's home." Obi-Wan said, "We need to do this very carefully, we'll only equip you with blaster's and droid poppers." Commander Cody finished for him. "General! We're getting heavy fire! It's penetrating our shield!" Commander Ponds yelled from the cockpit. "Obi-Wan, you and Natalia are to take out those cannons so larger transports can land." Mace said, Natalia and Obi-Wan nodded and watched the gunship land. "Let's go let's go!" Natalia started yelling as the troops started heading out to Nabat.

Suddenly droid gunners began their attack, pinning them down on the outskirts of Nabat. "Waxer! Boil! We'll use the droid poppers!" Obi-Wan yelled over the blasts, Waxer and Boil got out their poppers and rolled them towards the droids, they went off and deactivated them. "What's going to happen now, Obi-Wan?" Natalia asked. "Okay, what's going to happen is Cody, Wooley, Waxer, and Boil will go and scout ahead, see what the Separatists have planned." Obi-Wan said, "Yes, General." All four clones said as they ran toward Nabat. 

Soon Cody came into contact with Obi-Wan with results. "General, they have Twi'lek hostages at the cannon's location." Cody said. "Thank you, Commander. Come back as soon as possible." Obi-Wan said while sighing, he turned off the hologram and looked at Natalia. "This is not good, they're using them as shields obviously." Natalia said, "This sure does complicate things." Obi-Wan replied, "I'll contact Windu." He finished. "Master Windu, there are Twi'leks being held prisoner at the cannon's location, I believe they are being used as some sort of shield. This makes things very difficult but not impossible. I propose we disable those cannons." Obi-Wan told Mace, "That sounds like the only thing we can do for now, carry on." Mace Windu said before turning the hologram off. 

"Master! Watch out!" Natalia yelled as a huge beast came towards them, "Gutkurrs!" Obi-Wan yelled as he did a somersault away from one. "Master! There's an alleyway over there! Maybe try to lure them there!" Natalia suggested. Obi-Wan nodded and the two used the Force to lure the gutkurrs into the alleyway, one of the clones was about to shoot one but Cody denied it. "Up there Cody!" Natalia yelled as she pointed to the bridge above the alleyway. Cody shot it down and Obi-Wan and Natalia jumped out of the alleyway just in time. 

"Nice one Obi-Wan." Natalia said. Suddenly two clones came out of a hatch in the road, and Waxer was holding a Twi'lek. "Obi-Wan, she's so cute." Natalia said while looking at the young girl. The two walked up to the young girl, Obi-Wan crouched down and started speaking with her, "Nu nala quinjon wilo?" Obi-Wan asked, the girl nodded and started leading them to the city, "Okay, Cody, you and your men will have to create a diversion while I free the prisoners." Obi-Wan instructed. "Yes, General." Cody said before walking away to instruct his troops. 

Natalia, Obi-Wan, Waxer, and Boil freed the prisoners while Cody and his troops were firing at the cannons. Obi-Wan jumped into a cannon with Natalia, Waxer, and Boil and they soon destroy the other cannons, but it was soon shot down. The four went flying and landed on the ground, Numa came running up to Obi-Wan and Natalia, trying to help the best she could. 

TX-20 was in the AAT that destroyed their cannon and he started laughing at them.

"You've lost, Jedi." TX-20 taunted, Obi-Wan held Numa tightly, knowing that if he even tries to move he'll be blasted to bits. But luckily the Twi'leks were all free. They ran toward the droid and started to rip it apart, "Does not compute, does not compute." TX-20 said over and over again. Natalia covered Numa's eyes with her hand, trying to keep her innocent mind from watching the slaughter. "Look, Master! It's the Acclamator!" Natalia said as she pointed to a large cruiser landing. "Finally, reinforcements." Obi-Wan said with a sigh. "Good job on your victory you two, but the next objective is going to be much harder." Mace Windu said, "What's the next objective, Master?" Natalia asked. "We have to retake the main city of Lessu if we want to liberate this planet." Mace Windu said. "Then we should be off." Natalia suggested, Obi-Wan and Mace Windu agreed.

"Goodbye, young one. We'll meet again." Natalia said to Numa, she crouched down to Numa's eye level and to her surprise, Numa hugged her, Natalia lifter her up and gave her to her uncle, Waxer and Boil said their goodbyes as well. "Nerra! Nerra!" Numa kept saying, Natalia smiled at her. "What's that she keeps calling us, General?" Waxer asked Obi-Wan. 

"Nerra, it means brother."

Across the Stars [Star Wars|Anakin Skywalker]Where stories live. Discover now