When Stars Align

Chapter 13 - Obi-Wan

Author's Note: I... wanted to give a forewarning that the ending is pretty bitter-sweet. They will definitely have a happy ending down the road, though it's gonna be a long time, but I did the best I could in a way that felt natural. 

~ Rivana Rita

Anakin Force-shoves them back once the doors open, drawing his lightsaber. Ahsoka jumps at him, and he shoves her blade aside, alternating between fighting her and trying to stop the stormtroopers. There's so many, though.

Even with everyone they have, there's – they're being overwhelmed. It's a good thing Anakin already ordered the evacuation.

"I'm not fighting because I want a win," Anakin tells her, "I'm fighting because it's what I believe in, because it's the right thing to do, and because I have hope."

"Hope is for children," Ahsoka snarls.

"We are children." He's twenty-three. That is basically still a child. The entire rebellion is hardly older than that. They've picked up a lot of clones, the oldest of which are technically seventeen. They have some older members, but hardly. And Anakin has found very few Jedi.

Anakin doesn't give much to his fight with Ahsoka. They fall back behind the next barrier, and Anakin feels a little bad when Wrecker gleefully sets off the explosives they rigged outside. He doesn't want Ahsoka to be hurt in the crossfire, but there's nothing they can do to help her if she won't let them.

Anakin's gaze catches Echo amidst the chaos, and he hates to do this, but he already knows he has to. "Echo," Anakin tells him, "Take Fives and – go with Hunter when you leave. We'll cover you."

"This will be dangerous," he argues, "I've stayed with you through all of this."

"That's an order," Anakin replies firmly, because the only thing Echo never argues with is direct orders, "They're your family, too. I'll be along, but I have the feeling I'll get caught up a while."

He doesn't like it much, but it's what it is.

Kolara comes up beside him, still holding her knife. There's a barely veiled worry in her blue eyes, but she's still every bit as determined as ever. They'll stick together, fight to the end, whether he likes it or not, and for them, that's just the way they always are and will be.

Anakin would do anything to protect her, and she him, and he understands that. She lost her entire planet. They trust each other with anything, and no matter how hard this would be, they're not afraid to go in together.

Rex steps up next to him. He's staying, too, even if Anakin would rather tell him to leave. They always do their best together. He and Rex know each other better than anyone else ever could – they fought and grew up together, and when they broke down, they were always with each other.

Artoo rolls up beside Kolara, beeping, as if in silent agreement of Anakin's thoughts.

Anakin knows something will happen, though he's not certain what. All he knows is that the fewer people with him on the Twilight, the better.

***

They make it out of their base, just barely, but they've made it. Anakin senses something's... happening, changing and the Force is tense around them. Even after getting off Jabi'im, the space fighting is hard. Twilight gives cover as much as it can, as does the Marauder, but they make the hyperspace jump at the soonest opportunity. Cody was on there, too, and Anakin feels an almost unreasonable level of relief at he, Echo, and Fives being safe.

Considering their luck so far, the past few days, Anakin is hardly surprised when the ship jolts violently.

"We're going down," Kolara yelps.