General in Training [ Star Wars ]

xii

Riona stood in the bridge, looking out the large windows as they approached the planet of Pamarthe, frowning upon seeing the Separatist blockade. Taking a deep breath, she'd closed her eyes and rested her hands behind her back, slowly slipping into a meditative state. Using the force, she reached down to the planet and felt for any familiar presences, brows furrowing somewhat. She'd begun to grow worried, until she felt a strong presence reaching out and pulling at her. Gasping out, her eyes shot open and her heart raced, the woman placing a hand on her chest in an attempt to slow it down.

"Are you alright, sir?" One of the bridge techs had asked, looking up at her in concern.

"Y-Yes, um, I'm fine. I apologize for the distraction." She gave him a small nod, then quickly turned on her heel and rushed out. Her mind was so focused on the feeling of being pulled that she wasn't watching where she was going, running right into an armored chest. "Oh maker, I'm so sorry, trooper. I was too wrapped up in my thoughts, and didn't pay attention."

"It's alright, General. I was coming to look for you, anyway." He'd spoken in a reassuring tone, hands on her shoulders where he'd caught her so she wouldn't fall. As he lightly tapped his fingers to a rhythm on her shoulder blades, she'd looked up at him, grinning as she felt his familiar force signature.

"Hardcase, you look good. I like the tattoos, but I could do without the shaved head." She hummed, reaching up and lightly tracing the tattooed line across the side of his head.

"If I didn't have it shaved, you couldn't do that." He chuckled, dropping his hands to his sides. "Now come on, General Kenobi says he wants to see you in the armory."

"He could have commed me." She raised an eyebrow, following her old cadet down the corridors of the large ship.

"He was going to, but I offered to come get you. I'd been standing in one place for so long, I thought I was going to explode. This trooper thing is hard, being a cadet under you was more fun. You were way more lenient." He'd rambled on the entire way, and Riona couldn't help but smile. She'd missed him, despite how much he'd frustrated her back on Kamino when he wouldn't pay attention.

"Ah, there you are." Obi-wan hummed, arms crossed as the two entered the armory.

"You wanted to see me, master?" She'd stepped forward, Hardcase standing at attention as best he could manage by the door.

"Yes, now, don't get upset with me. I'm only the messenger, but, Plo has requested that you wear armor." He'd held out two shoulder plates, the woman frowning somewhat.

"He wants me to wear what?"

"Armor, Riona. He wants you to wear armor, and I suggest you do as he asks." He gave her a look, knowing full well that the duo has always had more of a father-daughter dynamic than master-padawan.

"Fine, but I'm only wearing pieces, like you two do." She huffed, taking the pieces of armor from him and putting them on. Obi-wan had handed the pieces to her, and soon enough she'd had on a chest plate, boots, and her arms were covered along with the shoulder plates. As she adjusted the armor on her chest, she realized just how glad she was to have smaller breasts, seeing as she could wear the piece comfortably.

"Now you no longer appear as a general in training, but as a general in combat." The older Jedi smiled, Hardcase nodding and grinning in agreement.

"You two are ridiculous."

——»»»»☆««««——

Standing in a gunship beside Captain Rex, she remained quiet, the two already having briefed the troopers on board the cruiser before they'd left. She gripped the handle above her head, the ride slowly becoming rough as they entered the atmosphere of the planet. As the pull she'd felt earlier returned, she took in a slow, deep breath, eyes closing momentarily. The doors of the gunship creaked and slid open, Riona soon opening her eyes to look out, hearing a few of the troopers let out 'woah's. She couldn't imagine they'd been on a planet like this, the islands tropical and covered in thin layers of mist. The trees were tall and everything past the beaches were lush and green, the village that she could see made up of huts constructed from the resources found around the island.

"This is your home world?" Rex mumbled, looking over at the woman, who simply nodded, eyes trained on the ocean below. "It's beautiful here."

"Too bad it's about to be ruined." She murmured, shifting to roll her shoulders and stretch a little, soon calling out a loud "You boys ready?"

"Yes, sir!" They'd all responded, and as soon as the gunship was close enough to the ground, everyone jumped out. The moment her feet collided with the distantly familiar soil, the pull in her chest became stronger. Shaking it off as best she could, she'd turned towards the troopers, the men already looking to her for instructions.

"Let's get into groups and scout the island, Generals Kenobi and Koon are doing the same in other parts of the planet. The flora is dense, and some fauna can be aggressive. Do not engage unless you absolutely have to, because I promise you, they can and will rip you apart. If you run into natives, contact me, and let them know that you're here with Riona Orion. Got it?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Good, now move out and be safe, boys. I don't wanna lose any men on this mission." She hummed, the large group breaking into smaller ones. "Rex, Hardcase, I want you two with me."

"I can't believe you'd think you could go off without me." Rex teased, the woman rolling her eyes as she began to walk.

"Come along, Captain. Don't make me regret sending good old Ani off." She hummed, waving a hand at the man. They'd walked for what felt like hours, due to Hardcase's inability to keep quiet for more than five seconds, before they'd reached a beach on the edge of the island. Riona threw an arm up, stopping the troopers from getting any closer to the water.

"What's the matter, general? Afraid of a little water?" Hardcase teased, earning a harsh 'shush' from the woman.

"Watch the ocean closely, track the movements under the water." She whispered, Rex using his binoculars to get a closer look.

"There's something mechanical under there." He mumbled, causing the other trooper to look at him.

"So, you think she's right about the water attack?"

"We need to contact General Fisto, quickly. They don't know we've made contact yet." Riona mumbled, grabbing the troopers by the hand and dragging them back into the jungle. Using the comlink on her arm, she'd contacted the other two Jedi on the planet. "Masters Kenobi and Plo Koon, two of my men and I have discovered Separatist machinery under the waters of the planet."

"What's our move, Riona?" Plo Koon asked almost immediately, the woman chewing at her lip in thought.

"They didn't seem to notice us on the beach. Contact your troopers and stay together, as deep into the jungles as you can. Between the mist and vegetation, we should all be well hidden. Contact Kit, and we will wait until he arrives to make our new battle plan."

"Sounds fine with me. Cody and I have yet to find any battle droids, but we haven't reached the village. I'm afraid that fact might change once we do." Obi-wan sighed, causing the woman to look at Rex and Hardcase.

"I hate to say that I agree with you, master."