Innocence - Cpt. Rex

| TWENTY-NINE |

         ANYA WATCHED WITH PRIDE AS POGGLE WAS LOADED ABOARD A PRISON TRANSPORT. Obi-Wan stood behind her with a supportive hand on her shoulder while Anakin was mouthing off about how he did the majority of the work in the capture. Neither of them paid much attention to Anakin though.

For years, Anya strived to be a peace keeper, a person who maintained justice and nothing made her feel like she was fulfilling her job more than capturing a criminal. She got that feeling when she saw the face of every clone she saved after a battle, but with that came a guilt of the men that she couldn't save.

That big fat zero on her casualty list was no longer there. That only made the padawan even more relived to finally be leaving the hellacious planet of Geonosis. Although she did not look forward to the nights ahead as they traveled back to Coruscant. Already her poor excuse of a sleep pattern was ruined by the fighting, she could only imagine what horrors her subconscious would make her relive when she was asleep.

"Did you really get captured by the Geonosian Queen?" Ahsoka asked the older girl, her new friend Barriss trailing close behind. "Anakin said he had to rescue you."

"Of course he did." Anya muttered, sending a playful glare at Anakin who smugly smirked back at her. "Hey, I'm just calling it as it is. I rescued you."

"I would tell you not to let that get to your head, but I am afraid that it is too late." Anya quipped back, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I think my confidence is well founded, after all I basically saved your life." Anakin puffed out his chest even more.

"Oh please, do you know how many times I have saved you!" Anya threw her hands out.

"Yeah, right." Anakin scoffed. "Name one time you saved me."

"That time when we were teenagers and you convinced me to sneak out to go to-"

"Okay, okay." Anakin rushed out, pressing his hands against Anya's mouth while eyeing Ahsoka and Barriss. "I get it. We're even. No need to continue the story."

Ahsoka and Barriss swiveled their heads between the older Jedi all while Anya smirked triumphantly under Anakin's hand.

As Poggle stepped onto the ship, Master Mundi stepped off, eyeing the Separatist leader as he did. "I'm afraid we have a complication." The Jedi said.

"Don't we always." Anakin muttered, his hand still on Anya's mouth. In retaliation Anya pinched on Anakin's arm. With a yelp, he jumped away and spun towards her. Anya quickly  took shelter from his death glare behind Obi-Wan who simply rolled his eyes

"I've just received a distress signal from our forces on Dantooine. Master Windu's defenses held, but at a great cost to his men." Master Mundi went on.

It seems a lot of battles as of late are coming at a great loss. Anya thought to herself as she fiddled with her piercings.

"They need medical supplies immediately. We can obtain these supplies at the medical station near Ord Cestus."

"We're delivering Poggle to Coruscant and Cestus is not exactly on the way." Anakin declared.

"The Republic must begin debriefing Poggle right away if we're to get useful intelligence from him." Master Undili pointed out to which Anya nodded along in agreement.

"Master, I suggest we let our Padawans handle the supply mission." Anakin said, playful squeezing the younger Padawans shoulders. He turned to Anya as an evil smirk stretched over his face.

"What?"

Before Anya could process what was happening, Anakin had her trapped in a headlock and was painfully grinding his knuckles into her skull.