The Edge of the Universe

V

Two weeks later

Anakin's POV

Clones were rushing around and shouting orders at each other, ships were leaving and I had finished debriefing the 501st. Naboo had been attacked by an army of over a million droids, the sith were obviously trying to stop the Republic signing a treaty with the Kashyyyk Wookies. We had about 50 clones in the 501st and there were around 60 clones in Plo Koon's squadron. Heavy, Echo, Fives, Cutup and Coric all cheered when I told them Plo Koon's squadron would be joining us in Naboo, I hadn't planned it but it worked out all the same. They had all spotted the snobby stuck up soldiers that bragged that they were the best when they were in training and they had already shared glares.

"Gold Squadron we need to go," I commanded.

A group of ten clones followed me to the fighters as the rest of the 501st moved to the gunships, the Gold Squadron were the clones that did the air attacks with me. None of Rex's close men were in the airstrike team but that meant I had 6 reliable sources on the ground to lead the rest of the 501st while I was in the air.

Kamino had also sent around 500 hundred clones that didn't have a rank or a General to help, they were mainly on the ground but we were getting some of them in the air. We got into the fighters and I quickly explained the tactics to Plo Koon's air squadron and the clones that didn't have a General. Plo Koon was leading the ground attack so he didn't have time to debrief his air strike team.

"Okay let's move out, remember to take evasive action as soon as we get there," I said into the comm and I jumped into my fighter.

Majority of the gunships were already fighting on Naboo but we followed the remaining ones down onto the planet. Bolts of red and blue were being shot from different ends of the fields and droid parts and some clones bodies were lying on the ground already.

The fighters all split up and we began firing at the droids on the ground as well as the fighters on the opposing side.

"Alright guys, keep the comms on and help each other out," I said flicking a few switches.

"Roger that," came the replies.

I banked right and spun underneath a fighter before shooting another one, it exploded and I flew through the smoke and looked around for my next target. I shot a few droids on the ground before dodging a few bullets from an enemy fighter, I caught a glimpse of Plo Koon's bright blue lightsaber in the front lines amongst the clones. The 501st's armour had blue stripes and they were on the right side whereas Plo Koon's squadron had green stripes and they were next to the 501st. The clones with no general were at the back and their armour was just plain white.

"I've got a tail!" someone shouted in the comms.

I tore my eyes away from the ground fight and scanned the area, I saw a fighter streak past me with a black one on its tail. I turned around and pressed the buttons on the controls of my fighter. Green bolts shot towards the black fighter and hit its mark.

"Thanks, General Skywalker," the relieved Clone said.

"Don't sweat about it," I replied.

It quickly grew dark and it was hard to see in the sky and I nearly crashed into other fighters and opposing fighters as I flew.

"501st how are we doing?" I asked into the comm.

"Good sir, we've lost 2 men so far," someone replied.

"You guys think you can go on for the rest of the night?" I asked.

A chorus of (yes sir)s ran through the comm and I commanded the neutral air strike team and Plo Koon's airstrike team to land and get some rest but keep their comms on if I needed to call them back.

Majority of the fighter squad fell back and there were only 9 fighters left in the air including mine. I switched the comm channel over to Rex and I heard him finish shouting an order at someone.

"Have some of the 501st drop back to rest so we can rotate the cycle," I commanded.

"Sir are you sure you have enough fighters in the air?" he asked.

"Yes, it's the 501st airstrike team, they won't let me down,"

"Right sir, I'll make some of my men drop back and some of the neutrals," Rex said.

"Good job Rex, may the force be with you,"

"You too General,"

I switched my channel back over to the fighters and continued to take down some of the enemy fighters when Plo Koon contacted me through his comm.

"What's the 501st doing?" he asked me.

"Some of them are dropping back so we can rotate the cycle tomorrow morning, I suggest you should do the same. Some of the neutrals are dropping back as well," I explained.

"Right, how are things going up there?"

"Pretty good, it's hard to see but we'll be fine,"

Plo Koon switches his channel back and so did I, I looked at the ground and saw that a lot of clones had dropped back but they were holding off the droids pretty well. The neutrals had now moved in the middle between the 501st and Plo Koon's squadron and I imagined that Plo Koon had something to do with that.

I noticed a sense of foreboding in the force and I looked up and against the inky black sky, I saw a squad of bombers coming towards us.

"Gold Squadron bombers straight ahead, those men down there are counting on us. Don't let them get any further," I commanded.

All the fighters headed in the same direction and laser bolts shot out of all the fighters and they shot towards the bombers, there were 5 of them but I knew from experience that they had at least a hundred bombs on them. I took out the one in front of me and it exploded in the air raining shrapnel on the droids below, I flew through the smoke and circled around and tried to shoot another one from behind but missed.

Two other bombers blew up and we lost one clone in the process, we still had two more bombers to deal with and they were getting closer towards to our side. I managed to take another one down, the bombers were also being used as a trap. Black fighters flew behind us and took down 2 other people.

"We need to get the last bomber right now," I exclaimed tensely into the comm.

A few more of our fighters were shot down and the black fighters behind us were getting closer.

"Skywalker the bomber is almost above us!" Plo Koon shouted through the comm.

"I know I'm working on it! Watch out for the shrapnel," I shouted.

I fired but a shot from an enemy fighter behind me hit my wing, I struggled to keep my fighter steady but I kept firing at the bomber.

The bombs dropped from the bottom and one of the fighters flew underneath it and the bombs hit the fighter exploding immediately. Another fighter on our side shot the bomber and it exploded in the air, I flew through the smoke and looked at the exploded fighter.

"What was his name?" I asked.

"Ringo," replied someone sadly.

"We'll put him on the mural when we get back, make sure to remind me at the end of this," I said.

"Thank you General," the same clone said.

The mural at the Jedi Temple was a wall with many shelves on it, one shelf for each squadron with a General. If a clone gives there life by doing something that the General thinks was good then their helmets are put on the shelf with a small plaque with there name on it.

"This war is going on for too long," A clone groaned over the comm.

"Something tells me this fight is going to go on for too long as well," another added.