Clouded by the Dark Side

Chapter 44 - Darkness on Umbara

Author's Note: The next chapter is going to cover where Anakin and Aniya were called off to. :D That's something I really thought the Clone Wars should have covered, so we decided to fit in something about that here. =D 

~ Tirana Sorki

Aniya Skywalker

The battle is already raging on the dark surface of Umbara as the gunship I'm riding in touches down. I can see Anakin's ship landing a distance away. I jump out of the gunship and ignite my lightsaber, taking off towards the enemy fire. Alema and the 502nd is right behind me. I hear the engines whirring behind us as the ships take off again.

Explosions rip through the ground around us as we continue to advance. I peer through the darkness, trying to determine where the tanks shooting at us are. I don't see anything. They're probably concealed behind the strange, red-colored trees that cover the surface of the planet. The Umbarans are good at blending in, I'll give them that.

"Look, it's just a vine. Keep moving, Hardcase," I hear one of the clones calling, promptly followed by a bunch of exclamations and shooting.

Turning, I see one of the clones being swung around in the air by a long tentacle that's wrapped around his waist. Deflecting away a few more blaster bolts, I dart over to get a closer look at the thing. A multi-tentacled creature that seems intent on eating him. Another arm catches ahold of one of the clones and it brings him down, right towards its wide-open mouth.

I throw my lightsaber at the tentacle. It cuts straight through it, and I immediately catch the falling clone with the Force, lowering him to the ground a safe distance away from the creature. The same moment, Fives throws a bomb into the creature's mouth, and it explodes. The thing's tentacles fall limply to the ground, releasing the other clone.

Time to get back to the battle. I turn and take off running again, deflecting blaster bolts as I go. We need to hurry. There's a battle to win.

***

As the explosions from the air support begin to die down, I spot a shuttle descending through the darkness towards us. Alema steps up to my side, going completely tense.

"It's Krell," I realize, exchanging a glance with Anakin. Needless to say, all of us were less than happy when we ended up being sent to Umbara since Krell was already here fighting. Despite what happened with Alema, and the rumors of how he treats his own clones, he's been sent out to the front lines again. The Jedi are getting too short on generals to not allow him back on the front. Besides, he's extremely effective even if his casualty rates are insane.

He's been fighting the space battle the entire time since we were here, and I've been really hoping we'll be able to avoid any interactions. So much for that.

"That's... not a good thing."

The shuttle lands a short distance away in front of us, and the four-armed being steps off.

"Master Krell," Anakin stiffly acknowledges as he approaches us. His expression remains mostly unchanged as he looks between my twin and I, and our padawans. Something feels... off. I don't know if it's my imagination because I'm so on edge or not, but I don't want to take the risk.

"Why are you here?" I demand.

"The Council has ordered both of you back to Coruscant," responds Krell, "Effective immediately."

"What?!" I exclaim. There's no way I am going to be running off to Coruscant and abandoning my men here!

"Why?!" Anakin demands incredulously.

"I'm afraid a request was made by the Supreme Chancellor and the Council obliged," Krell answers, "That is all they would tell me."

"Well, we can't leave our men," retorts Anakin.