A Heart Full of Stars ★ Obi-Wan Kenobi

Chapter 30

Koral had always been convinced that leading a life without attachments was unrealistic. Whether it was an object, a place, an idea or even a person... No one could avoid developing, at some point in their lives, a secret and impenetrable obsession. For some, forming an attachment was what saved them from their darkness. For others, it was what destroyed them. For Koral, it was a bit of both.

The Clone Wars had been going on for over three years. A conflict that had led to the destruction of so many cities, the devastation of entire regions, the slaughter of innocent people... But the end was approaching. Koral could see it in the troop movements and in Palpatine's unabashed glee when informed of the separatists' continuing defeats. But she knew nothing of the Sith's plans, as he only told her the few details, she needed in order to complete her missions. She knew she was not the true apprentice Palpatine was looking for. She knew she was just a pawn in the Sith's game, meant to be sacrificed for a greater cause. But there was nothing she could do about it, no matter how much she pretended, she didn't have the rage in her and she never would.

Yet she didn't have the qualities of a Jedi master either. Somewhere in the chaos of the battlefield, she had left behind the serenity taught by the Jedi code. With each loss, among her soldiers, among her friends, that she had suffered, she had given up a piece of her mind. The war had made her forget all sense of security and left her disoriented in the abyss, influenced by both Sith and Jedi.

All she had left were the words of the Jedi code, which she repeated to herself over and over as she relentlessly attacked her enemies. It is said that on a battlefield there is no room for desolation, for sorrow, for regret. It is said that peace can only be won on the battlefield, that there is no nobler death than that in the name of the republic, that to kill for a worthy cause is an honourable thing. It is said that on the battlefield, feelings disappear, thoughts vanish.

None of this was true.

It was in these moments that Koral's mind was most agitated. She could feel the adrenaline coursing through her body, keeping the fear from paralyzing her. Mines were exploding all around her, lasers were flying, debris was piling up on the ground. Still, she managed to avoid every danger and the Republic army advanced little by little. One by one she slaughtered the droids, fatigue seemed to have no effect on her, just as her enemies could do nothing to stop her.

Suddenly, Koral felt her comlink vibrate in her pocket. With a sweep of her lightsaber, she took out two more droids, and found a quiet place to look at her message. She kept her Jedi comlink on her belt, but she felt the vibration against her thigh, in her trousers pocket. She hated it when Palpatine contacted her during her missions for the Jedi Order.

Koral opened the device and the old man's hologram appeared.

-I'm in the middle of a battle, it better be important," she said with an exaggerated look.

-Very important, yes," the Sith replied. The Separatists must retain Abafar.

Koral had to restrain herself from venting all her hatred on Palpatine. It was he who, a few days earlier, had asked her to take Abafar on behalf of the Republic. She had already lost many men in the name of this cause, to give up was inconceivable. But she said nothing of this.

-How am I supposed to do that, Master?

-I trust you to find a solution.

Without adding anything, he hung up. This wasn't the first time he'd put Koral in this kind of embarrassing situation, and she suspected it was an unhealthy way to test her loyalty.

In the distance, she saw a clone collapse after being hit by a laser shot. Joining the Separatists while her own army sacrificed itself to take Abafar? She refused to even consider it. She would slaughter every droid that crossed her path, and on her way back to Coruscant, she would finally decapitate the damn Sith that was ruining her life.