Star Wars: This War, Page 2

they were comrades and Anakin was not his superior. Anakin liked it this way. More comfortable for everyone involved. Anakin lacked the elitism some other jedi had. Maybe it was because he hadn't been in the temple as long as some of the others. He remembered what it was like to be around common people.

  "I'm just remembering," Anakin said clearing his throat, "a certain Captain who maybe had too much drinking and shouting. What could possibly have made you think taking off all of your clothes was a good idea?"

  Rex, a flush rising in his cheeks, busied himself with his food and smiled back at Anakin. "It's what you need," he said making it a ultimatum and not a suggestion. "Does wonders from the soul."

  Ahsoka pushed in next to Rex and put her tray down on the table. She sighed.

  "What took so long Snips?" Anakin asked taking another piece of steak and placing it in his mouth.

  "Those droids always are trying to give me meat," Ahsoka said. "I don't want it and they always try to push it on me. I just spent five minute trying to explain that I didn't want it."

  Anakin smiled. Little things which taught patience were important to the jedi. This was his chance to impart some knowledge to the padawan who had been thrust upon him.

  "Patience," Anakin said, somehow sounding like Obi-wan, "is the cornerstone of a jedi's training. Impatience leads us..."

  "To the dark side," Ahsoka finished exasperatedly. "I know master."

  Anakin smiled again. The same comments came out of his mouth not too long ago. Now he knew what Obi-wan felt like. Although, to Anakin, it wasn't so much a slap in the face as it was to Obi-wan. Anakin always felt like Obi-wan was taking everything he said personally. He never meant to hurt his master's feelings. He knew he had though. Many, many times.

  "I'm just teaching you what you need to know," Anakin said and took a sip of his stimcaf. "It's something you need to hear or I wouldn't have said it."

  Ahsoka continued eating, staying very quiet. Rex smiled across the table at Anakin. He knew how it was to train soldiers and this was just another chance for him to given Anakin trouble. Anakin returned the smile with a sort of sarcasm and then returned to eating. It was peaceful, although there were many forks and spoons clattering against plates all around him. Peaceful in the middle of war.

  Anakin's eyes defocused and he found himself thinking. Taken back to when he and Padme had been alone on Naboo. Peaceful. That was truly peaceful. There was no war. They were just there and she was the total universe at that moment.

  "Sir?" Rex questioned. "Getting one of those feelings?"

  Rex didn't know what they were called, but sometimes jedi were far away and lost in their own thoughts. They were elsewhere. Rex didn't know if they were in the present or the past. They just had this look on their faces. He knew not to disturb them very often, but the klaxons sounding all through the ship were a good reason to disturb the general.

  Anakin shook his head and the sounds of men scurrying to get to their stations flooded back to him and knocked him out of his reminiscent state. The smile, which he knew was there, faded quickly from his lips and Anakin became all business.

  "Ahsoka," Anakin said and rushed to stand spilling his stimcaf all over his tray. "With me. Rex?"

  "Yes, sir?" Rex snapped back to being the perfect soldier.

  "I'll meet you on the bridge," Anakin said and sprinted out to the main corridor.

  The Strategy

  Kenobi felt his former padawan rushing to the bridge before the door opened. The swirl through the force was noticeable as Anakin's mind began to rush through all the possibilities. Obi-wan had grown used to the states of Anakin's emotions although he preferred Anakin not have them at all. There was something about Anakin which wouldn't let him be emotionless. Maybe it was his continued attachment to the mother he had left and lost.

  "Master," Anakin said as he slid into place next to his former master. He wasn't even breathing hard. Anakin knew how to use his body to the peak performance. Many workouts in the jedi temple had made it so he was in the fittest shape possible for a jedi. "Why the red alert?"

  Obi-wan turned methodically towards the holographic display which displayed the two cruisers of the Republic in shimmering blue along with the system and all the outlying planets and moons. "This," Obi-wan said stabbing his finger into the blue glow of the display. "There are two Separatist cruisers hiding behind that planet."

  Anakin screwed up his face and looked at the display. He didn't see anything. Maybe Obi-wan was starting to get space sickness. Being at war made people do some strange things and they had been fighting rather hard lately. Maybe it was merely exhaustion which was plaguing his former master. Saying anything now would only cause trouble. Ahsoka was close by and showing any doubt in another jedi would only cause her to doubt another jedi. He didn't want her to doubt command when her time came.

  "Don't see anything," Anakin finally said looking more closely and rubbing his chin thoughtfully. There was a stubble rising there. He hadn't shaved in days. If he didn't watch out, he would start to look like Obi-wan. Anakin peered into the display and was nose to nose with the shimmering blue holograms of the two cruisers which represented the Republic. Still he didn't even see a blip which would indicate enemy ships.

  "You don't see it, but do you feel it?" Obi-wan asked looking at his former padawan with eyes that suggested Anakin should've thought of this himself. Obi-wan was starting to lose patience with the constant reminders he had to give Anakin. He was no longer Anakin's master, but felt like he had to keep training him. Anakin felt the exasperation from his former master.

  Anakin stopped and regarded his master carefully. He knew that look and that feeling. He'd had it cast upon him many times during their training sessions at the temple. The look indicated Obi-wan wished Anakin would just try a little harder to be more like a jedi. He never wanted to disappoint Obi-wan, but still, Anakin was not thinking before he spoke. He didn't want to be a typical jedi. He cleared his throat trying to smooth over what he had missed.

  Reaching out, eyes closed and body at rest, Anakin asked the force to tell him what was behind the planet which shone on the display. It was hard to pinpoint the droids because they were not truly alive. Yes, they had thoughts, but not like humans. they were programmed. Sometimes the force wasn't always clear about exactly where they were. So Anakin had learned to look for the space which represented nothing, a lack of anything living. Pushing around in the force, he passed the planet, in his mind, and there laying in wait were two cruisers. They were not yet moving towards the Republic ships and Anakin didn't note any warming of laser batteries or engines.

  "I don't think they've found us yet," Anakin said, opening his eyes and looking at Obi-wan. "They aren't moving towards us."

  Obi-wan nodded thoughtfully. "Strategy?" he asked and looked at both Ahsoka and Anakin. The padawan had as much to say in this matter as anyone else, Obi-wan believed. How else would she learn to be a jedi who could lead? He had always taught Anakin by letting him make decisions. He saw no reason to discontinue this with Anakin's padawan.

  "I say we consult with Rex and Cody and see what they suggest," Anakin said. He didn't like to make such tactical decisions without asking the Captain to help guide him in the best combat information. Although Rex didn't hold all the answers, Anakin knew he wanted what was best for the men and Anakin wanted the same thing. Jedi had always been taught to seek the council of those who knew better than they did. That is where Rex came in and Anakin knew he wanted to minimize casualties and maximize the hit on the Seps. He wanted everyone to be able to go home, no matter what that meant to the individual.

  "Commander Cody is already on his way to the bridge," Obi-wan stated. "I assume Rex is also on his way?"

  "Yes master," Ahsoka chimed in. She was not afraid to speak her mind in front of the older master, something Anakin admired in his padawan. Fearlessness, which he hoped would not lead to foolishness. Although, he was sure there would be many mistakes along the way. All padawans were gun
g ho at one point in their lives.

  "Thank you padawan," Obi-wan said and then chided Anakin with a smile. He was happy to finally have something to get back at Anakin with. He had always told the Chosen One that one day he would get a padawan and he would see what it was like. It looked like paybacks were on the way. Obi-wan raised his eyebrows in a questioning look.

  "Don't ask me," Anakin said. "She has a mind of her own. Maybe we are a good pair after all."

  Obi-wan stifled a laugh. To say that Anakin had a mind of his own, was an understatement. The boy was stubborn beyond reproach. If you wanted Anakin to climb a wall just tell him you didn't want him to touch the wall. He'd be over it before you could blink. It seemed Ahsoka had the same mentality. She would be a treat for Anakin as she got older. He would have gray hair before she became a knight.

  "Generals," Rex said as he approached the group of jedi followed closely by Commander Cody. They had their helmets on and they stood board straight. Their filtered voices rang through the command center. "What is the status?"

  "Seems there are two Sep cruisers hiding behind this planet," Anakin said pointing towards the display. His finger stabbing into the hologram. "They haven't powered up or acted like they've seen us yet. Any ideas?"

  Rex fiddled with the blaster on his hip. It was a nervous habit he