His Guiding Star (Obi-Wan Kenobi)

Chapter Nineteen

Meanwhile, Viola was in the midst of battle, leading the 501st in an attack on the ring space station in Ringo Vinda's orbit with the help of Jedi Masters Tiplar and Tiplee. Since Anakin was busy, she had been chosen to lead the 501st for the time being.

It would be a learning opportunity for her, Yoda reasoned, her being first in command for once. It was a huge responsibility, but the Grandmaster trusted her implicitly. For this mission, she chose not to use her signature Makashi form, since it had been developed for lightsaber on lightsaber combat. Instead, she took after Obi-Wan and used Soresu against the droid army.

She imagined she was an odd sort of leader, not one the 501st was used to. Unlike Anakin, she was not matter-of-fact or bossy, but considered by many to be too fragile for war.

Phase Two of the plan, and they were so close...until Viola heard Tiplee cry out for her sister. Her heart sunk, but she kept fighting though her mind was now elsewhere. She knew instantly what had happened. Whatever that vision was about, the one she'd mentioned to Yoda...it was happening so much sooner than she'd expected it to. She would not deny the terror she felt in that moment, to know that all might be lost before she could even try to fix it, the Jedi Order falling through her fingers like sand.

She knew everything was lost when Tiplee ran to her sister's side, predictably forfeiting her position. Typical, that her first mission as a General would go wrong.

"Destroyers!" One of the clones called out, warning them of the army of droidekas rolling in, plus a few more. Viola reached out to the Force with her mind, her orange lightsaber a blur in front of her eyes.

Fall back.

She kept deflecting blaster bolts back at the droids, slowly retreating along with the clones, eventually reaching the place where Fives was holding Tup's body.

"Keep him safe until we're back at base." She never raised her voice, the tone of it quiet but grave, no harsh command. And yet Fives nodded, gathering Tup in his arms as they fell back from the fight. Viola would put that to his obedience rather than her good leadership though.

They moved back to the ship, watching the doors close in front of them. Safe at last, though not for long, Viola thought gravely. She padded quietly over to where Tiplee was kneeling over Tiplar's dead body, her head lowered in grief.

"Why?" she asked her softly. "Why would he do this?"

Viola sighed, purple eyes fixed on the fallen Jedi Master, calculating how much Tiplee would want to know. Yoda had asked her to keep quiet about what she'd seen, just for a little while, until they worked things out. And indeed, Viola sensed that if she told Tiplee her vision, it would not help her grief.

"I'll find out," she promised her instead, turning away to her own soldiers. "Is he okay, Rex?"

"I'm not sure, General," the captain responded with a sigh of his own. "It seems like he just snapped." He knelt down, placing a hand on Tup's shoulder. "Tup, can you hear me?"

Tup raised his head immediately.

"Yes, Captain."

"What happened?"

Tup frowned. "What do you mean?"

Rex shoved him back with enough force to send Viola flying, had it been her in Tup's place. Wait...why was she thinking that?

"Do you have any idea what you've done?"

"Good soldiers follow orders," Tup responded, his eyes darting around the place. Viola would have thought he'd been drugged, had she not known any better. "Good soldiers follow orders. Good soldiers follow orders."