Eclipse

Chapter 7- Battle on Utapau

  "Get on with it Anakin. We haven't got all day." Obi-Wan chided playfully, crossing his arms and adding an eye roll to interrupt his prattling apprentice. Anakin stood amongst the 501st and the 212th Legion of clone troopers whose esteemed reputations were nearly as venerated as the Jedi Generals they so loyally served. The younger of the two Generals shot his friend a sharp glance, mirroring his older partner now, but unlike his older companion, the younger was sulking like a child who was denied the chance to stay up later. 

"I still think my plan is better." The former apprentice protested, slapping a button on the holoprojector displaying the plan to turn into a clean sweep of the area. 

Obi-Wan cocked a brow of challenge. Anakin had made that abundantly clear, the announcement was unnecessary. "Your plan included no strategy. Just barge through security guns ablazing! My plan is a carefully constructed scheme where I face Grievous, you and the men will take the droids and liberate the locals." Then he faced the clones, gesturing to first Anakin's, then his own scheme. "Which do you all think is less reckless?" 

The man was met with silence, amused looks on Rex and Cody's faces. Captain and commander shared a glance as their two admirable generals debated freely.  

"It's dangerous to face that coughing clanker alone! He'll kill you easily!" 

"While I try not to take that insult the wrong way, let me remind you Padawan, that this is mild considering your history! You don't have a leg to stand on!"

"If you fight Grievous alone, neither will you!"

"I'll be fine Anakin, I've dealt with him before-"

"And you were forced to flee!"

"I prefer the term escape with caution."

Rex and Cody exchanged a sardonic smirk, re-mapping out master Kenobi's plot with a few others while they simultaneously listened to the jesting banter of the two Jedi. 

"- But then I'll have to run across the battlefield, breaking my kriffing neck to save your life for the tenth time!" Anakin cried, throwing his arms up in exasperation. 

"How many times must I drill this into your thick skull, my apprentice, that business on Cato Neimoidia doesn't count because you're the reason I needed to be rescued!" 

"The point is I saved your life."

"No, the point is your strategy is ridiculous!"

"No, the real point is your plan is consumed with flaws!"

"No, the true point is, the force is telling me that if we go through with your foolhardy scheme we'll wind up as the next headline. Kenobi and Skywalker, shot dead due to the Chosen one's reckless course of action." He empathized, spreading his arms wide as if spelling out the caption in the sky.

"Ahem, Skywalker and Kenobi."

"What does it matter!? You'll be dead either way!" 

"So will you if you go after Grievous alone!" Anakin retorted, pointing at his master.

The two Jedi then indulged in an intense stare down with both too proud to glance away. Both were mirror images of the defensive posture, their glares cold as ice with the fondness for one another piercing through with a warmth no clone found fathom. 

"Generals, I really hate to interrupt this because it's extremely entertaining, but I believe we should get going before we all make the next headline." Commander Cody smiled lightheartedly, waiting for his superiors to stop acting like younglings so they could move onto the plan.