Mistaken Identity || Star Wars Fanfic

The Earth Trembles

Anakin lay in his bed, trembling as he was gripped by a nightmare. Outside, the storm battered the building, thunder shaking the very walls. Each flash of lightning painted a different horror behind his eyelids: his mother, chained and lifeless; the Tusken Raiders, faces twisted in pain and terror as he slaughtered them; and then, piles of bodies—Jedi corpses strewn across the temple floor. The vision flashed again, revealing his wife, crying as she gave birth, and yet... he wasn't there, why wasn't he there?. He screamed, finally waking up, chest heaving, covered in sweat. For a moment, he was lost—until he recognized his quarters. He forced himself to take a breath, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed and planting his feet on the cold metal floor.

The nightmares were getting worse, gnawing at his sleep, and he knew why. This planet, Jabiim—it was a death pit, drenched in the blood of its people. The darkness clung to it, a stain that seeped into his mind, unshakable for a Force-sensitive like him. He wanted to fight, wanted to do his duty, but he also yearned to leave, to be anywhere but here. Anakin stood up, his breaths still heavy, and went to the sink. He splashed water on his face, the chill sharp against his skin, and wiped away the sweat that clung to his bare torso. He put on his clothes, one piece at a time, quickly buckling his belt and fastening his robes. He clipped his lightsaber to his belt, the metal hilt reassuring against his hip. Then, without another word, he left his quarters, heading toward the command center. The halls were mostly empty; only a few clone troopers were posted, saluting him as he passed. Anakin gave them a nod, but his mind was elsewhere.

The building's gaps let the night seep in—dim and heavy, clouded by the storm that raged on. Most of the base was asleep; this was one of those rare quiet moments. When he reached the command center, he found Kass, alone, poking at some food, staring into nothing. She didn't notice him until he sat across from her, and then she only managed a nod when he asked if she was okay.

"Is Mak doing better?" Anakin asked.

Kass looked caught off guard, her fingers nervously tapping the table. She wiped her eyes before responding, her voice low. "He's doing better. I meant to thank you for helping him off the field... we've lost too many lately." She bowed her head, the formality almost painful to watch.

"I'm glad he's okay," Anakin replied. But he could sense something in her tone, something deeper. He squinted, piecing it together. "Kass... are you and Mak...?"

Her eyes widened, her whole body going stiff. It was obvious, the rush of emotions that surged from her before she could stop them, clear as day to him. Anakin leaned in. "It's okay," he said. "I won't tell anyone."

"Thank you..." Kass whispered, a wave of relief washing over her face. She was vulnerable, and he couldn't judge her for that. He knew what it meant to be trapped by love, to have it burrow so deep inside that it was all you could think about.

"When we're together... it feels like the world isn't ending," Kass murmured. "The nightmares... they aren't so bad."

Anakin nodded slowly. "I understand. But the others won't. Keep it more secretive."

"We won't need to," Kass said, shaking her head. "Mak and I... we decided to leave the Order if we survive this. We won't need to hide anymore. And we won't have to fight."

A frown pulled at Anakin's mouth, but he smothered it before she could see. The idea of leaving the fight—it felt wrong to him, cowardly even. He had a wife too, but here he was, fighting for the Republic, for something bigger than himself. "The Republic needs you, both of you," he said, his voice insistent. "Think of the millions more who will die if the war drags on. The Jedi... we're the linchpins of this fight. The Republic needs every single one of us."