Ahsoka Tano - Undeserving

4

Ahsoka awoke quickly with a jolt, eyes wide and mind immediately on high alert. This was how she began waking up recently, but there were worse ways; at least she was alert and ready to go immediately.

She rolled off of her bed onto the floor, her feet catching her from the bunk a few feet off the ground. The girl grabbed her two lightsabers and hooked them onto her belt before slipping her boots on and heading out of the room, sticking to the side of the hall as several troopers both Krell's and Skywalker's alike passed through it as well.

While Ahsoka walked she stretched out her arms, feeling sore from the day before. After their briefing and planning Krell had pushed her to her limits in a sparring session, leaving a few unsightly lightsaber scorch marks on her abdomen and one on her leg behind her tights. They hurt but they were important because they helped her get used to pain, her master had declared.

One trooper bumped into her, and based on his blue markings on his armor he was one of Skywalker's. "Oh, sorry Youngling." He immediately piped up cheerfully with half a piece of food in his mouth. Ahsoka blinked, surprised. Troopers actually interacted with their commanding officers in Skywalker's battalion in an informal way?

She gave him a subdued smile, feeling an unexpected but not unwelcome warm feeling as he smiled back and kept walking. The smile lingered but immediately vanished as she saw her master, replaced by her familiar feelings of apprehension around him. "Good morning, Master." She greeted immediately, bowing slightly.

"Ah, Padawan. I was beginning to think you'd never wake." Krell responded, his voice tinged with anger. Ahsoka flushed red in shame and took her place next to him while Anakin resisted the urge to glance their way after overhearing the general's harsh remark.

Captain Rex approached the two generals on the bridge with a salute. "Generals, our troops are all loaded and ready to dispatch as soon as we enter the atmosphere."

"Very good Rex." Anakin declared, taking Ahsoka by surprise for the second time that morning. Rex? He had a name? "Admiral, bring us into the atmosphere."

"I suggest we wait until we observe the space around the planet's atmosphere, young Skywalker." Krell declared, the same annoyance as when he chided his padawan present in his tone. "We are unaware of the enemy presence in the planetary orbit."

Ahsoka glanced up and saw Skywalker flush just the slightest, a hint of anger in his eyes. Whether it was at himself for making a rookie mistake in front of Krell or at Krell for admonishing him for it, it didn't last long. It faded almost as quickly as it appeared, with him giving a firm nod of seemingly gratitude. "Of course, Master. My mistake."

But his last admission seemed steely, sharp. Skywalker turned to his captain quickly, apparently eager to change the subject of what had just happened. "Rex, go back with the troops and tell them to be ready for takeoff soon. I'll keep you updated."

"That goes for my troopers as well, Captain." Krell added on. "Alert my captain to these updates as well."

"Yes Sir." Rex turned and exited the bridge, a scowl on his face. Why did he have to be in charge of both battalions? Couldn't Krell just talk to his captain himself like any self-respecting general and not make Rex an errand boy?

Meanwhile, Ahsoka clasped her hands behind her back, eyes wide as the Venator dropped out of hyperspace. Algeroth looked about as she'd expected from afar: green and brown earthy tones signifying thick plant growth.

A moment of peace ensued before Krell's eyes went wide as well and he gripped the edge of the bridge's control panel tightly. "Well Skywalker, it looks like we have a Separatist dreadnought ahead."