𝗙𝗔𝗨𝗟𝗧𝗦 | anakin skywalker

✰ 35: sister

After a long day of training, Obi-Wan and Akya got their sleep and set course the next morning for Miranae, a small moon near the inner core of the galaxy that housed one of the Separatists' crucial fuel posts— after a long battle, Obi-Wan and Akya finally decided that taking the facility wasn't a viable option, and them and the 212th battalion armed the place with explosives and set fire to them all as they kept their distance, watching the place go to pieces.  Their mission was successful, one way or another, and it was a small victory for the Republic, rendering the use of a specific hyperspace lane useless for the Seps.

Unlike this victory, much of the Clone Wars hadn't been the same way for the Grand Army of the Republic.  They'd gone through losses, too, including many Jedi Generals and thousands of clones.  The Separatists may not have cared about their own army.  They could always produce more.  The Republic could too, but these were men. They were laying down their lives, because it was all they knew how to do.  Akya had made it her goal to make connections with as many of them as possible.

When Anakin and Akya got married, the Clone Wars had been going on for about a year.  Now, 24 months into the war, things seemed to be at a balance, and both sides were doing whatever they could to tip it in their favor.  It was becoming exhausting, but no one knew how long this war would go on.  This was all Akya had ever known as a Jedi.  For her, peace was boring.  Peace meant she sat in the Temple, training herself for her next test.  At least war was real.  At least she got to see the galaxy.  Even if it was being destroyed.

"What are you gonna do when all this is over, Commander?"

"What?" the Padawan said, shaking herself awake.  She, her Master, and the 212th rode back on a cruiser to Coruscant after a short mission to Ganthel, where Separatists had tried (and failed) to invade one of the Republic's military factories on the planet.  Akya looked beside her to find Double, waiting for her answer.

"When the war is over?" he said. "What are you going to do?"  He looked ahead, elbow on his knee, chin in his hands.

Akya put her head against the wall of the ship, leaning back.  Her real answer was that she'd like to leave the Jedi Order and spend eternity with Anakin— start a family, perhaps.  But that wasn't something she really knew how to do.  "I don't know," she said.

"War is all I've ever known," said Double, mimicking her movements by leaning against the wall as well.  "What will we do when the war is over?  Me and my brothers?"

Akya finally turned to face him. "Double, I wouldn't let anything like that happen to you," she told him.  "Yes, perhaps you were made to be a soldier.  But that is not all you are.  You are more than that.  I know you're a romantic.  I know you write poetry before you go to bed every night in a notebook gifted to you on Life Day.  I know these things because you're my friend.  And I care about you."

Double smiled at the Padawan.  "Not friends," he said.  "You're my sister."

It was Akya's turn to grin. "Thank you," she said. He offered his hand and she took it.

"Both of us, children of war," he said to her. They shook on it.

It was true. Like the clones, war was all Akya had ever known. But war was thrilling. What would she be without war? Nothing, perhaps. Not even a Jedi.

"Children of war," she repeated.

"But seriously, Commander. What are you going to do?"

Akya sighed, smiling. "I really don't know, Double. Become a Jedi Knight, hopefully."

"I'd like to travel."

"Would you?" asked Akya, intrigued.

"Peacefully," he dreamed. "Not like we do now. I want to see things. Get to know people. Write about it."

"Well, then, I can't wait to read what you write."

"Thank you, Akya."

"For what? I didn't do anything."

"Just for being as kind as you are."

"It comes naturally," she chuckled. She then glanced around. "Hey, where's Commander Cody?"

"Right," said Double, nodding. "He came in here earlier to tell you that he and Obi-Wan were going to contact the Jedi Temple. You were sleeping— he said he couldn't wake you."

"So they went ahead with the briefing?"

Double nodded.

"Alright," she said, standing. "I should probably go see them."

"Have fun," Double commented sarcastically.

Akya chuckled. "I'll try."

— ★ ✰ ☆ —

"Alright. Thank you, Master."

"May the Force be with you, Master Kenobi." The hologram of Mace Windu nodded to Obi-Wan, then faded off of the hologram-table.

"Akya," her master greeted as she walked away from the doors into the bridge. "How was your sleep?"

"Restful, Master," she replied. "How was the meeting?"

"Standard," he shrugged. "We're being sent out again."

"What?" said Akya. To her knowledge, the next place they would be going was back to Coruscant for a couple of days, not on another assignment. "Where?"

"We're docking with General Skywalker's ship, then being sent out to Kisorix to sort out an insurgency there," said Commander Cody.

Akya scrunched her brows. She'd never even heard of the planet, and didn't have the slightest idea where it was located. "Kisorix?"

"It's a planet in the Inner Core," began Obi-Wan. "Mostly human and Twi'Lek, lots of cities and forests. They're very neutral."

Akya's questions were still not answered. "So then why are we going there?"

"A weapons factory there was attacked, and we don't know why," he explained. "But according to our intel, the perpetrator is planning to do it again. They suspect the Separatists. We have to go there and stop it."

"You said they were peaceful. Why are there weapons factories on the planet?"

Obi-Wan held up a finger. "I didn't say they were peaceful, I said they were neutral," he corrected. "They've got one of the largest planetary armies in the galaxy. It's how they've stayed neutral for so long— they don't need any help fighting their battles."

"Then why do they need our help? The droids can't possibly be that difficult for such a large army to overtake."

"There weren't any droids. Something happened there that's rather unexplainable," said Obi-Wan. "We have footage of an explosion that decimated an entire wing of the building, vaporizing everything and everyone inside. And it came from outside— meaning it was the Separatists. It took one blast."

"One blast and half a factory goes up in flames?"

Obi-Wan nodded.

"We think the Separatists are simply testing this weapon on a neutral planet," added Cody. "We need to find out what this weapon is and how to destroy it, perhaps get rid of it all together. We know there's a Separatist General on the planet, and General Windu suspects it's who engineered the device."

"So we go there, help the people, and destroy this thing."

Obi-Wan nodded again. "The planet's ruler has also told us that if our attempts are successful, they will consider joining the Republic."

"That's good," she said. "Consider is good."

"Agreed," said Obi-Wan. "Feedback, are we ready to make the jump?"

One of the clones sitting near a navi-computer spun to face Master Kenobi. "Yes, sir."

"Good. Let's get going."

a.n.:

little bit of a boring chapter.  But also!! double!!! omg i love my guy double he's just so perfect.  every Jedi needs a clone bestie.

don't forget to vote!!

molly