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by eefkinnie

by eefkinnie

"We're all going to die one day, Rex, it's inevitable." -Natalia Schulter, Jedi Knight to Clone Captain Rex

"I'm sure you would love to just kill me now, but you and I both know that I'm too important to your rebellion to be killed, not even you could be so foolish, Grievous." Natalia said while pointing her lightsaber at the droid, "You may be a droid but we both know you're not THAT stupid." Natalia said with a smirk. Yet inside her was an enormous amount of fear, she was practically staring death in the face and insulting him. "I wouldn't be so bold." Grievous said angrily as he pulled four lightsabers, "I've been trained in your Jedi arts by Count Dooku." Grievous said while pointing all four lightsabers at her, "You may have been, yes. But your fighting is sloppy." Natalia said while putting herself into a Soresu stance, she and Obi-Wan were two of the best Form III fighters in the Order, and she was ready to take Grievous down. Battle droids started to form around Grievous, but he held them back, "No, I will take the Jedi on my own." Grievous said boldly, "Your move." Natalia said with a smirk. Grievous took the first swing, swinging all four sabres at Natalia, she blocked the attack quite easily as she pushed him forward.

She used the Force to push all of the battle droids back and walked over to General Grievous and used the Force to lift him in the air by his throat. "Until next time, Grievous." Natalia said as she threw the droid and jumped into the hangar and ran over to her fighter that R4 and Anakin brought to the hangar, "Was that you lifting Grievous into the air?" Anakin asked through his comlink, "Yes, that was me." Natalia said as she jumped into her fighter. "Wow, okay. Anyway, I have sent a droid to set charges in the reactor, he should be ready by now. Limo are you ready?" Anakin asked, "Of course, sir. Just tell me when to set them off." Limo said, "Set them off now!" Anakin yelled. Natalia and Anakin flew out of the hangar and watched the main reactor blow up, "That was another successful mission." Natalia said while sighing, Anakin was silent for a moment as they got into their hyperdrive rings. "Grievous is a nasty droid." Natalia said suddenly, "Yeah, I know. I'm just surprised you got out of there alive." Anakin said, obviously trembling. "I'm strong with the Force and I'm skilled in Form III, I'm just so tired of everyone underestimating me." Natalia said while sighing. Anakin didn't say anything as they entered hyperspace. Natalia watched the stars zoom past and contemplated the meaning of this war. "I can't help this awful energy." Natalia complained, she watched the ship hover beside Skywalker's flagship, "Rex, we're here, you can close the hangar shields." Natalia said through her comlink.

Her fighter touched the ground and she jumped out and pulled out R4, "General, are you alright? You look terrible." Rex said, his voice edged with concern, "I'm fine, Captain." Natalia said rather angrily, Rex looked at her in confusion as she walked past him. "General, what's wrong with General Schulter?" Rex asked Anakin, but he shrugged. "I don't know. Something happened on that cruiser and she doesn't want to talk about it." Anakin said while staring at her, she was still walking as she closed herself off to anyone that came near her, he could sense her fear and confusion, as well as her conflict. "Natalia." Anakin whispered, she looked at him, her eyes became dark and tired. Yoda walked up to her and gave her a look of concern but she walked past him and hugged herself, Mace and Yoda watched her walk away from them. Anakin ran up to Mace and Yoda and watched her walk away. "Is she going to leave?" Anakin asked, "Know we don't. Failed her we have." Yoda said. Anakin looked at Yoda and back at Natalia, she had disappeared. "Contact Obi-Wan we must." Yoda continued, "Going down the dark path she might be." Yoda finished, Yoda and Anakin looked down in shame as they realised the probability of losing a strong Jedi.

"I'm going to talk to her." Anakin said suddenly, but Yoda grabbed his wrist, "Talk to her you must not. Give her time we must." Yoda said sternly, Anakin nodded, he watched Obi-Wan's fighter land in the hangar after his mission on Ryloth, "What's going on?" Obi-Wan asked as he eyed Yoda suspiciously, "Master, you may need to talk to Natalia." Anakin said, he looked at him confusion, "Going down a dark, painful path young Natalia is." Yoda said, Obi-Wan's eyes widened as he ran in the direction Natalia went. Anakin sighed and went to find Rex.

Meanwhile, Obi-Wan was searching frantically for Natalia, "Master Kenobi! Master Schulter told me she's gone to Coruscant to talk to the Chancellor, he's the one who helps her when she's angry apparently." Caleb told Obi-Wan, he sighed in relief knowing where she was. "Okay, I'm going to go find her, wait here until I bring your master back." Obi-Wan told Caleb before he ran to the hangar. He jumped into his fighter and started his course to Coruscant. "I'm going to find you, Natalia. And I'm not letting you leave." Obi-Wan told himself.

Meanwhile, on Coruscant, Natalia and Chancellor Palpatine were in his office, having a meaningful conversation. "I don't know what to do. I've lost all trust and hope in the Jedi Order, it's almost like they all underestimate me like I'm a little kid." Natalia ranted, Palpatine nodded and looked at Natalia meaningfully, "Young Natalia, the longer you're around the more you realise the people you've trusted your whole lives aren't the ones who are right." Palpatine told her, "Sometimes you need to do what you feel is right." Palpatine said, Natalia nodded and pondered the thought, she had never completely agreed with the Jedi Order, but she knows she would never fall down to the dark side, but she's tired of blindly following the Jedi. It's like she's balancing herself on a fragile line. "I think I know what you're talking about now, thanks, Chancellor. I know what I must do now." Natalia said while getting up. "And what is that, my dear?" Palpatine asked with a warm smile.

"I think it's time I left the Jedi Order."