The Only She- A Star Wars Fanfiction [COMPLETED]

Oh Joy! More Storming

-Oak's POV-

     It was 06:00 when the troops were lined up for battle.  The fog had mostly burned away overnight, leaving just damp ground and humid air.

     Oak marched into position and watched General Skywalker come out, talking urgently into his com-link.  "Yes, I need troops in position now," he said, agitated.  A small voice came over the com and he relaxed.  "All right.  We'll lead the ground assault."

     Oak leaned to his right quickly, and whispered  "Where's Dawn?" to Blast.  He nodded a few rows up, and Dawn hardly even believed what he saw.  

     Her armor was scrubbed clean of graffiti, she stood ramrod straight at attention, and she had cut her hair into a bob around her head and dyed it dark brown/black.  (Like Sabine's in the episode where she infiltrates the academy in Rebels)  He was so caught up in it, he almost missed General Skywalker's order.

     "All right, troops," he began.  "The storm's burned away, but we have no reinforcements to spare.  General Kenobi's troops are already engaging the Separatist reinforcements so they can't get through.  This is the best shot we're going to get."

     They split up in orderly groups, traveling through the cover of tall, leafy trees as they crept closer and closer to the base.

     "I don't know and I don't want to know why Dawn seems to know about the meeting," came General Skywalker's voice from behind Oak, who jumped.  His eyes went wide, but the General just turned on his com and spoke to all the troops.

     "The base is heavily protected, with huge walls, so we need to get in through the roof.  It's designed so only a few troops can get inside at a time, but we're not aiming to get inside.  We need to draw all troops onto the roof to take them down.  We have tanks coming around the back to create a distraction while we repel up the walls."

     As if on cue, the sound of huge explosions and metal crashing came from behind the fort.  Most droid watch(men? Do droids have genders?) went to go investigate, and marksmen took out the rest.

     "Now!" commanded General Skywalker.  They all rushed from all sides, shooting grappling cords through the air like snakes.  As he rapelled up the wall, Oak finally caught Dawn out of the corner of his eye.  She was rapelling up the far end, carefully keeping in line with the troopers next to her.

     And then the droids were back.

     "We've been spotted!" yelled Commander Tano. (Speaker of the obvious)  Red blasts rained down around them, and Oak felt a kind of irrational panic set in.  He shook his head, focusing on his target even as his chest acked for the cords that were shot down, not sure if his comrades could survive the fall.

-Dawn's POV-

     The sound of blasters came from above.  Startled, Dawn almost pushed off the wall and swung up to the roof (because, you know, reactions) before she remembered her promise.

     She closed her eyes tightly, navigated the wall blindly as she tried to ignore the thumps and crashes of armor hitting the ground below.

     Don't do anything, she told herself firmly.  They might be OK.  You made a promise.  Act normal.  You made a promise.  Act normal.  You made a promise!

     She was glad she had her helmet on, because she was already holding back tears by the time most of the troops reached the top.  They spread out, surging into enemy lines.  Dawn ran forward just like everyone else, concentrating her heartbreak on the droids.

     Battle raged around her, but she saw far too many red bullets, soldiered on through to many shouts of pain.  Eventually, it fell into a blind rhythm.  Shoot.  Move.  Shoot.  Blink back tears.  Move.

     There was nothing else to do.

     She knew they were to outnumbered.  They were soon pushed back against the wall.  To many troopers were missing the ranks.  At this point, it didn't matter how many droids were shot down, how well they fought.  Eventually, they would be pushed over the side by sheer numbers.

    She was so distracted, she barely noticed a red shot coming in from the side before Ahsoka came out of nowhere and sliced it away.  She barely acknowledged it, shooting and shooting, until Ahsoka pulled her aside, behind the lines where a few wounded were recovering.

     Dawn dimly registered her whole Squad behind there, gesturing to her frantically.  "Dawn, thank goodness," yelled Oak over the noise.  "We need your help."

     "Well you're going to have to ask someone else," Dawn said shortly, taking off her helmet.  She heard gasps, her eyes were puffy from crying and she was battered and bruised to the core.  She looked up, and collapsed to the ground.

     Noise seemed to fade.  "WHAT WAS I THINKING?" she screamed.  "I'm no soldier... I can't... I can't."  Everyone was dying and it was her fault.  She was supposed to be a soldier.  She couldn't even fight in one battle.

     "Dawn, no," said Ahsoka firmly, lifting Dawn by her shoulders.  "We need you!  These droids, they know everything about our fighting style somehow, troopers and Jedi.  I don't know what's going on, but you're the only wild card.  You know I wouldn't ask if it wasn't completely necessary."

     Dawn was about to say no, but she thought about it.  Who am I doing this for?  she asked herself.  I made a promise, to protect who?  Me?  Why am I fighting for myself if I could be fighting for them?  This wasn't a time to cry for everyone she'd lost, this was a battle.

     Shakily, she stood.  "I'll do it," she replied.

     Ahsoka nodded, as if this was what she'd expected all along.  "Good," she said.  "Now here's the plan."

     Dun dun duuuuuun!  Cliffhanger!  Def. not a humour chapter, but y'know.  OK, I won't waste anymore of your time.  On to the next chapter!

May the Force be with you,

Jedi Master Swift