Across the Stars [Star Wars|Anakin Skywalker]

76: Returned But Still Gone

Natalia walked into her quarters, everything that belonged to her was still there, even the clone helmets from her dead men and her lightsaber. "I can't believe you kept my lightsaber." Natalia said. She grabbed it and held it, her fingertips touched the metal, it felt cold. "I thought it was protocol to destroy a fallen Jedi's lightsaber." Natalia said, "You were never a fallen Jedi, Natalia, you simply just walked away. And frankly I don't blame you, some people need a break." Anakin said while crossing his arms, Natalia nodded in agreement. "I love you, Anakin. I'm sorry I left you." Natalia said as she put her lightsaber down, she walked into Anakin and simply stood there, she didn't talk or hug him, she just wanted to feel close to him again. Anakin wrapped his arms around her and they stood like that for a while. Eventually Anakin had to let her go, he gave her a quick kiss and rushed out of the room, Natalia forgot the war was still a thing. Natalia sat down on her cot and looked at her lightsaber, none of this felt right anymore. She looked at the scribes she had in her room, the old Jedi artifacts she held so dearly meant nothing to her anymore. The Temple didn't feel like home to her at all, none of this did. She looked around at the memories of her dead men, the helmets she kept to remember her troops, she always did wonder why she did the things she did, why she formed attachments so easily, she could hear voices echoing down the hallway, she put down the helmet she was holding and curled up in a ball. It was so simple but she knew she couldn't stay anymore, a part of her wondered why she even came back.

"Natalia?" Obi-Wan asked, "Oh, hi." Natalia responded, she got up and greeted her former master. "I see you're making yourself at home again?" Obi-Wan asked, Natalia nodded. "We have to go to the cruiser, are you up to it?" He asked, Natalia nodded. "Plus I have a mission for us." He said excitedly, Natalia laughed at Obi-Wan's constant enthusiasm. "Where are we going?" Natalia asked, "Onderon." He replied. Natalia thought for a moment where Onderon was, then she remembered. "That place? Why are we going there? Last time I checked they're allied with the Separatists." Natalia said, Obi-Wan nodded. "It is, but there's a band of rebels that have hope. It's only a spark of hope but they need the Jedi to turn that spark into a flame." Obi-Wan explained, Natalia nodded in understanding. "I'm in, couldn't hurt to help a few rebels in need." Natalia said but Obi-Wan shook his head, "We can't help them, we're only there to supervise them and to train them." He said, "Ahh." Natalia replied with a slight eye roll. "I missed quite a lot, didn't I?" She asked, Obi-Wan nodded. "Quite a lot, including I had to shave my beard and disguise myself as a bounty hunter." Obi-Wan said with a quiet laugh, "You must have looked disgusting." She teased, but Obi-Wan squinted his eyes, "I kind of missed not having facial hair, ya know, back in my Padawan days." Obi-Wan said, Natalia rolled her eyes, "No, Obi-Wan, you'll scare the Younglings." Natalia said, Obi-Wan looked at her with a fake shocked expression but laughed with her.

"General Schulter, good to have ya back." Rex said as he saluted her, Natalia smiled at him. "It's good to see you, Captain." She said. Rex sighed as they boarded the gunship, but it was a relieved sigh. Natalia thought about going back on the front lines again, about the fighting and the many losses her legion faces. In all honesty she hated the war, she thought it was useless and not worth the many deaths. It gave her a migraine every time she thought of it, but she had to keep fighting it, they all did. "We're reaching the cruiser now." The pilot said, Natalia sighed as they entered Skywalker's flagship. "Let's do this." She said as she got out of her gunship, only Rex, Anakin, Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, and Natalia were going, so it didn't look like a whole battalion was occupying Onderon. The team got onto a transport shuttle and headed to Onderon, "And the Council has authorized this?" Natalia asked Anakin, "Of course they did, we wouldn't be here if they didn't." Anakin replied, "Mhm." Was all Natalia said. They reached the drop zone and the docking ramp lowered. "Go go go!" Rex yelled. They jumped out of the shuttle and landed gracefully on the forest floor, they watched as their transport sped away.

Natalia and the other Jedi raised their hoods and pressed forward. Anakin started peering around corners suspiciously as he looked for the rebels. Natalia walked forward and ran into somebody, "Stay where you are!" A female shouted at them, they were surrounded. "Identify yourselves!" She shouted, Anakin and Natalia lowered their hoods and looked at the girl. "It's alright, we're friends." He said with a smile, the smile that made Natalia's heart skip a beat. "Jedi!" The girl said, her voice was full of hope, like she was relieved to see them. Ahsoka jumped from a nearby tree and introduced herself, "I'm Commander Tano, we're here to help you take back your planet." Ahsoka said, the girl smiled at her. "My name's Steela, I'll guide you to our secret base." Steela said, they walked down a path and to their base, where other rebels were awaiting their arrival. "Hm, a bit rough around the edges, wouldn't you say?" Obi-Wan asked, "That's why I brought Rex here." Anakin said, "I'm not exactly what you would call shiny, sir. But... I can work with them." Rex said, Natalia smirked at him, "I know I can work with them." Natalia said while clutching her prosthetic fist. "General Skywalker." A young man said, "At your service, this is General Kenobi, General Schulter, Commander Tano, and Captain Rex." Anakin introduced the team.

"We're looking forward to taking a fight to those scrapping droids."