The Perfect Jedi • Anakin Skywalker

Ch 31: Poppy Lakose

I looked at Obi-Wan who was staring at the star charts.

"You should call Poppy down here" he said. "You can't keep pawning her off on other Masters."

"I'm not trying to" I said.

"You cannot lie to me, I know you better than that" he said.

I held up my arm.

"Poppy, down in the war room, now" I said.

"Yes, master" she responded.

Minutes later she walked in. I pressed the button on the side of the console as the charts changed.

"We have intel that Grievous will be visiting the planet Geonosis" Obi-Wan said.

"Not Geonosis" I said. "I hate that place."

"Oh c'mon, you captured Poggle there" he said.

"Yeah and he escaped" I said. "Moving on, I presume it is only you and I going?"

"Anakin was actually supposed to accompany you but the Chancellor felt a meeting between the two was necessary" he said.

"Of course" I said rolling my eyes. "We all love the Chancellor."

We walked to the hangar as both Obi-Wan and my troops waited by the shuttles.

"Commander Cody" I said.

"General Organa" he said.

I smiled walking towards Gree. I got onto the shuttle as Poppy stood beside me.

"Heard you had fun with Anakin and the 501st?" I said.

"That's an over exaggeration" Gree said.

The shuttles took off as we got to the cruiser.

"So you're from Ryloth?" I asked.

"I heard you were there to help my people when they needed food and medical supplies" she said.

"I was just air support. I didn't really do any heavy lifting on the ground like my master" I said.

"My old master spoke very highly of you" she said. "He had me watch some of your instruction videos. He said he only got the pleasure of fighting with you once but it was something he'd never forget."

"I'm nothing special" I said.

"Maybe not to you" she said. "I heard you're from Alderaan? What was it like?"

I smiled turning to my side expecting to see Cal but seeing Poppy instead.

"What was Alderaan like?" He asked.

"I don't remember it much but I've been there a couple times since I was rescued from there" I said. "It's a very beautiful place. I'd like to take you there sometime, I think you'd like it."

He smiled, nodding.

"I wish I could remember where I was from" he said.

"I'll help you figure it out, after this war" I said.

My smile quickly vanished, realizing for a split second I forgot that he was gone. Realizing, that I had lied, I never got to help him figure out his true identity. For Cal the war was over as he was gone, but for me it was far from.

"Master?" Poppy said.

"Alderaan is a very beautiful place" I said. "It's a place I never wish to return."

"I hope one day to return home to Ryloth" she said. "Whenever this war ends."

"Whenever this war ends" I repeated.

I walked to the bridge as she followed closesly behind.

"I never got to formally give my condolences for Cal" she said.

Hearing her say his name made me stop in my tracks.

"I never met him but the two of you were known around the galaxy" she said.

"Commander Gree is waiting for us on the bridge" I said continuing on.

Obi-Wan met us on the bridge as we went into hyperspace. Several minutes later we hopped out, being met with Grievous and a fleet of Separatists ships.

"All right, Lakose, it's time to show what you're made of" Gree said.

I turned around to Poppy, nodding my head as she ran out of the bridge. I put my hands behind my back as moments later Poppy's ship along with men from my troop followed behind.

"You put little no faith in her" Obi-Wan said.

"I don't want to hear it" I said.

"Just be mindful" he said. "She's still young, very impressionable."

I looked down, hearing screams.

"I've been hit!"

I looked back up seeing one of the ships blow up.

"Get out of there!" I said.

"I can make it to his ship" Poppy said. "I got this."

"What are you doing!" I said.

I watched as she neared Grievous ship. I ran out of the bridge, jumping into my fighter as I got to the hangar.

"I never wanted another padawan" I muttered.

I flew off the hangar as Separatists ships began shooting at me. I maneuvered my way around them, blasting them to bits. I saw Poppy had a torpedo on her tail as I shot it.

"Get back to the cruiser, now!" I yelled.

I watched her fly back to the cruiser as I did the same. I was almost to the cruiser when one of my wings got hit.

"I've been hit!" I said. "Coming in hot!"

I aimed for the hangar as I tried to make the landing soft. I crashed into one of the walls as smoke blinded my sight. I jumped out of my fighter, seeing the painting Cal had drawn was now covered in debris. Gree ran over with Buzz and Grey.

"Are you alright, sir?" Buzz asked.

"I'm fine" I said. "I want this fighter salvaged. Do your best."

Grey nodded as Gree and I walked towards Poppy.

"You could've gotten yourself killed!" I said.

"I had it under control" she said.

"Clearly you did not" I said. "Did you forget that you are the padawan? You do not make up your own orders."

"Luna, it was a mistake" Obi-Wan said.

"A mistake that Cal would've never made" I said.

I walked out of the hangar as Gree followed me out.

"What's the new plan, sir?" He asked.

"Get Mace and Master Yoda on a transmission" I said.

He nodded as I sighed. I waited a couple moments before making my way to Poppy's quarters. I knocked on the door as it opened. I walked in sitting beside her.

"I'm sorry" I said. "I don't mean to be this way towards you. I'm still learning to cope with the loss. And it turns into anger."

"I watched my master get killed" she said. "General Grievous killed him, he was no match for him."

"Looks like we have something in common" I said. "This war tends to bring out the worst in people. I always believed that I was a caring, compassionate Jedi but nowadays I feel that is far from wrong."

"Do you think the Jedi should be involved in the war?" She asked.

"It doesn't matter what I think. It matters that we are involved and need to protect the galaxy" I said.

I looked over to her, smiling as she did the same.