Chapter Text
You begin preparations for your search and rescue mission on the ice planet of Jegzo with Skywalker’s 501st, only to be confronted by the memories of watching your last battalion fall.
“Just make sure to keep an eye on our boys out there, Tara,” Master Skywalker smirks, crossing his arms. “They tend to get into trouble.”
You incline your head and smile as Ahsoka puts a hand on her hip and their blue hologram fluctuates briefly.
“Well, master, you’re usually the one to get them into that trouble. I think they’ll be fine.”
Anakin shoots her an incredulous look and scoffs before turning back to you. You almost miss the muffled, “quiet, Snips,” and smile again at these two’s odd relationship. You can sense the fondness Skywalker holds for his padawan even though they’re lightyears away. The same fondness you had once felt towards your master.
“This mission is different. You’re heading dangerously close to Separatist space, and the Chancellor’s worried about Senator Chuchi not checking in. You’ll have to be careful.”
“Not to worry, Master Skywalker. The Council has advised me to be as quick as possible on this mission. We’ll be in and out.” Your chest tightens just a bit, but you manage to keep your voice as steady as always as you think about the maps of Jegzo you’ve spent hours poring over.
Tundras, planet-wide blizzards, the screams... It will be difficult to locate the Pantoran senator...even more difficult to ignore the memories of the last time you were on a planet like this one.
“Just watch out for them. They’re good troopers,” Anakin says quietly, his tone serious again.
“It will be done, Master.” You bow and your dark braid slides over your shoulder.
“Senator Chuchi is a friend. I hope you wreak havoc on Jegzo getting her back,” Ahsoka grins. “We’ll all be back on Coruscant before you know it, Master Tara. Wish us luck.”
The padawan taps her temple with two fingers and salutes you as you’ve seen Anakin do throughout the years. “Oh! And tell Fives I’ll be waiting for his headcount. Those clankers don’t stand a chance.”
“Good luck, Ahsoka,” you chuckle lightly, even though you’re not sure you believe in such a thing, “and may the Force be with you.”
There’s no stopping the brief flutter in your stomach as the hologram disappears and you’re left alone in the conference room. The quiet hum of hyperspace outside the Venator fills your being and your tattooed fingers curl around the rim of the holotable for a moment.
It’s been a while since you’ve lead a battalion of clones like this. It had taken weeks--months--after recovering from your last mission for you to hear their voices and not have something inside you crack.
The cries of your men still echo in your mind at night, Rais’ pleading for you to leave him... but it’s passing now--something Master Yoda has helped you overcome and something time will continue to heal.
There’s a senator to locate now.
Still, the sound of the door sliding open and the unique force energy of the clone officer who enters makes you jump slightly.
He stands at attention. “General, fifteen minutes to Jegzo. Gunships are ready and waiting, sir.”
“Very good, officer. Conduct a planetary bio-scan the moment we enter the planet’s orbit. I want to have the results by the time we reach the surface.”
“Yes, General.” He nods curtly and you follow him out to the bridge, where clones move and work in their stations, preparing for the drop from hyperspace.
Your presence on the bridge has a few glancing your way, including Admiral Yularen, who stands rigidly with his hands folded behind his back.
“Keep an eye out for Separatist movement while we’re on the planet, Admiral. We don’t need a full-fledged attack to commence before we’ve even located Senator Chuchi.”
“Understood, General Ohvala. I'll be ready should the Separatists get any ideas.” He raises his eyebrows and tips his head back before adding, “Skywalker’s troops are effective... when they’re not throwing themselves into danger.”
“So I’ve heard,” you reply, wondering briefly how he and Master Skywalker had managed to work together with such contrasting personalities.
By the time you change into your gray parka and thicker Jedi robes, it’s time to go. You feel the gentle pull of the ship as you approach the hangar bay, meaning you’ve dropped out of hyperspace. You pull on a pair of gloves after securing your braid in a tight bun.
As promised, the three gunships you had requested have been prepped and are ready for take-off as you approach. Captain Rex of the 501st is waiting for you, helmet tucked neatly under his arm and blonde hair standing out just as you remember.
For some reason, Ahsoka’s story of pushing him off the wall on Geonosis comes to mind, and you smile warmly in greeting.
“General!” Rex salutes quickly, falling into stride beside you as the main hangar doors begin to open above. You wonder if he remembers the brief exchange you had shared with him and his company on Coruscant over a year ago. You were a padawan then, barely having earned your last tattoos.
“Are you ready for the mission, Captain?” you question, stepping onto the gunship and taking your place among the bustling group of men. Clearly, some of them haven’t worn their subzero gear in a while. “I’m surprised you’re all in one piece after hearing of some of the antics Skywalker’s pulled over the last few months.”
That gets a few chuckles from the men and they all seem to turn towards you a bit to listen.
“Always, sir. General Skywalker’s informed us you’ve got quite the reputation among the Seppies, taking on Gunray and all.”
“A reputation? That’s news to my ears,” you joke lightly, playing off the Force energy you feel on the ship. The gunship doors slide closed and you reach up for a handle as it lifts off. “Let’s just hope we don’t run into any of those while we’re down there.”
Rex looks at you for a moment, something sad in his amber eyes, and you don’t miss the brief glace he exchanges with the trooper to your right. As he pulls on his helmet and adjusts his thermal gear, you turn expectantly towards the other trooper.
The symbol of the Galactic Republic is tattooed across his face and his head is shaved.
Jesse, you feel the name come to your memory. But not wanting to let on that you stayed up studying their files, you simply ask, “Trooper?”
“CT-5597. Jesse, ma’am. Your men were some of the best to come out of Kamino. We’re sorry to hear about what happened, General.”
You blink in surprise, comforted to a small degree by how firm the man’s condolences are. The Force shifts around you, and you manage a small smile in thanks. Rex looks down at his feet for a moment before gripping the overhanging handle above him a little tighter.
Perhaps he had been friends with Rais or Fuse or any of my 500th, you think fondly. Perhaps they all had.
It’s a quick ride down to the drop zone. Immediately upon entering the planet’s atmosphere, the gunships depressurize and cold wind slips through to you.
“We always get the fun planets, boys,” another clone behind you calls. He has his helmet between his arm and hip and you notice the number five tattooed on his temple.
“Fives, isn’t it?”
He looks at you, surprised, and an embarrassed flush reaches his ears. You gesture towards his tattoo.
“Yes, General.”
“The Commander wanted me to tell you to have a headcount by the end of this.”
A sly smile flashes across his face and he slips on his helmet as the doors slide open and the men push out into the light snowfall.
“I’ll make sure I do.” He raises his blaster as if to prove the point.
You take a sharp breath and pull on your hood, touching your lightsaber hilt instinctively as you also step out into the storm.
“Any news, Admiral?” you say close to your comm.
“Bio-scan complete, General Ohvala. Readings seem normal. No large signatures outside the charted civilizations. Occasional fluctuations about three miles south of your location in what seems to be a small range of mountains.”
“Copy that.”
“Be advised that there’s a storm moving in from the north. It will hit your present location at 0600.”
“Noted, Admiral,” you call loud enough that Rex can hear over the wind. You motion him over and he leans in to listen. “We’ll head towards those mountains. If we don’t have the senator by then, we’ll try to find cover and have the gunships move out so they don’t get caught in the storm. Ohvala out.”
Rex nods in acknowledgment and relays the coordinates on his comm. The cold bites at your cheeks and whips your dark robes around your ankles as you walk towards the troopers. It’s too hard to make out the markings on their gear, so you rely on their force signatures to tell them apart.
They gather around you to receive further instruction and suddenly, three years being a Jedi Knight doesn’t feel like much time at all.
“Rex, Fives, Jesse, Echo, you’ll come with me to those mountains. I want a squadron to head east towards the village and report any findings or sign of Senator Chuchi. The rest of you will stay with the gunships and wait for my comm. Stay alert and make sure to check in. Remember, we’re on the edge of Separatist space. Anything could happen.”
The men glance at each other and you realize you had called them by their names. Well, it’s obvious now that you had studied their holoimages. Being a Jedi meant being thorough, Master Koth had always said.
You clench your teeth and feel your skin flush a slightly darker shade of green.
“You heard her, men. Echo, Fives, Jesse, you’re with me--”
The rest of Rex’s words are drowned out by the ringing in your ears and the strange and sudden pull in the Force. You gaze into the stormy horizon, eyes narrowing as you try to see through the expanse of pure white tundra ahead. Life forms? A warning? You close your eyes in an attempt to clear your mind and determine what it is, but it goes quiet again.
“General, there are too many of them! We’re surrounded--gahh!”
“Rais, state your location! Your location!”
“We need a medic, Swarm is down! I can’t see anything! Kriff, Tara, we’re not going to make it! I can’t see anything!”
You open your eyes when you feel someone approaching. It’s Captain Rex, but you can barely make out what he’s saying.
“Captain?”
“I said, what’s Senator Chuchi doing all the way out here? This is a long way from Pantora.”
“Republic business. This planet is neutral in the war. She was hoping to change that.”
A brief pause, and then,
“Are you alright, General Ohvala?”
“Just fine. Let’s get moving before that storm comes in.”