Star Wars The Clone Wars: Forgotten Stories of the 501st

Chapter 2: "Whenever you gamble my friend, eventually you lose"

Anakin quickly flew to the Venator platforms where dozens of capital starships were waiting.

Anakin: "I guess the chancellor is not taking any chances with this recovery mission"

A clone engineer was soon heard by Anakin on his communication channel

Clone Engineer: "General Skywalker please direct your starship to the Resolute Venator and proceed to the Hanger bay interior, they're waiting for you sir"

Anakin: "Copy that trooper"

Anakin flew to the main Star Destroyer that led the fleet at the center of the hanger bay platforms. The exterior bay doors of the Venator slowly slid open revealing dozens of hangers dwelling within the massive battleship.

Anakin soon spotted some familiar faces at the last hanger, recognizing them almost instantaneously.

As he landed, an enthusiastic voice soon cried out with delight.

Ahsoka: "Master!"

Ahsoka quickly sprinted towards her master to greet him

Anakin: "Hey Snips! So are ready to commence the mission?"

Ahsoka: "Almost, Master Windu, Master Kenobi, and Captain Rex have been looking at battle charts for hours now, I could only tolerate a half hour of it, so I took the liberty of preparing and equipping one of the ARC-170 starfighters a trooper was having difficulty with."

*Anakin chuckled* 

Anakin: "Well at least we know now that my endless talk of repairing ships is more entertaining than the talk of military analytics"

Ahsoka: "Very funny master"

Ahsoka then noticed a familiar blue astromech droid approaching from her masters starfighter.

Ahsoka: "Hey R2!"

*Beeps of happiness and excitement*

Ahsoka then went to one knee to greet the droid, patting and caressing the shiny metallic shell that covered it.

Ahsoka: "It really wouldn't be a mission without you two would it? I don't think there's a better astromech out there to get you out of a bad situation in the heat of battle."

Anakin: "I can say on various occasions that R2 has saved my hide more than once"

R2 then let out a confident sequence of beeps and swayed in an oscillating manner that caused both master and apprentice to laugh in amusement.

Captain Rex: "General Skywalker!"

Both Ahsoka and Anakin made a quick 180 degree turn to face the clone Captain.

Anakin: "Good to see you again Rex!"

Captain Rex: "You too sir, now if you don't mind, I think Master Kenobi and Master Windu are waiting with Admiral Yularen to disembark and set course for Mygeeto, and I think they would to have a word with you before doing so".

Anakin: "No problem Rex, after you".

The three then proceeded through the long halls of the Venator, sprawling with clones making the necessary preparations and modifications to their weapons and armor before being deployed into battle.

Anakin stared intently at each clone situated in their quarters and barracks as they passed. Judging by the severity and importance of the mission, the separatists would be no doubt prepared to repel any attempt at the Republic retrieving the DNA sequence they had stolen. With that thought in mind, Anakin arrived to a bittersweet conclusion: Many of these men would not be returning to these barracks again once the battle has concluded.