It's Commander Tano, Not Padawan

Chapter 15

Ahsoka relished the metallic hiss of her saber slashing into the droid army, the Force flowing through her as she leapt on the back of a spider droid. Ramming a green blade into its body, she instinctually noted her Master's blue, aggressive attack paired with the Mikkian Jedi with him.

Rex seemed to be fairing quite well. His deadly, warrior body hitting target after target, droids falling under his precision.

A clone voice shouted aloud amongst the chaos, directing the men. "Don't fall back! Push forward!" Though unable to completely be certain which clone it was, she would have placed her bets on Fives.

The machine crackled and rumbled under her and she growled appreciatively in the back of her throat.

Kriff, I've missed this.

Ahsoka knew, logically, the euphoria she felt in battle wasn't healthy. Wasn't Jedi. Even in her own mind, it diminished, to a certain degree, the horrors of war, but the high was indescribable.

Whenever she meditated, her justification was that the beings dying under her hand were preprogrammed machines of war – metal and unliving before she had even touched them – who would gleefully kill her or her troopers if she gave them a chance.

Over the din, her montrals picked up on another, singular voice. "Tup, hey, this is not the time to freeze up. Pull it together. We're almost to the finish line. Come on!"

Up until both groups had met up, Ahsoka attempted to stay next to Tup as best she could while still leading the attack. However, once the combined battled began, she had no legitimate reason to stay at his side.

But the moment Ahsoka was sure the spider under her hand was completely dead, she sprang off, landing on the durasteel floor beneath her.

Swiping at incoming droids, the Togruta evaded bolts as the ARC's voice rang out again, drawing her attention back to the clone she had promised to be watching in the first place.

"Hey, Tup!"

The 'something' the Force had been trying to tell her about, the hum that had dimmed as she fought, revived with a vengeance.

Shrieking within her, Ahsoka became hyperaware of a recognizable Force signature behind her.

Not the friendly, familiar presence that she was used to, but the mutated, disformed version of what Tup should have felt like in the Force plane.

Turning around, slowly, afraid to greet the sight that had the Force in such uproar, Ahsoka met those typically loyal golden-brown eyes.

Then flicked down to the dull black blaster barrel leveled mercilessly at her head.

Something bad indeed.

Without a second of hesitation, Ahsoka retracted her shoto in the same instant she whipped her hand toward the clone, pushing him back with such power the Commander was worried that she might have been too harsh.

A roar emanated from Five's 501st blue helmet as, simultaneously, his brother landed at his feet and a Republic blaster bolt shot towards her.

"Tup, no!"

Everything was moving too fast and not fast enough.

Ahsoka dodged, but she was too late.

Thumping against the crate behind her, she stumbled back, gripping her cauterized side. Her other lightsaber extinguishing as it fell from her hand.

Karking hell, I'm going to get some real armor after this.

She slumped further down, lekku flopping awkwardly in her strange position.