Star Wars: From the Clone Wars to Starfaring Heroes

Chapter 18 - This is War

Christopher's Approach, Christopher Galaxy.

Savarin sector.

Anakin was never good at waiting, but war was on, and war often involves a great deal of waiting.

Waiting for the right moment, waiting... waiting...

He resisted the urge to pace on the bridge of the "Vanguard," his knees locked, his feet firmly planted on the metal deck.

After all, for soldiers, nothing is more demoralizing than seeing their commander lose control in the slightest.

All of this is just an illusion.

Anakin knew, and they knew too.

Whether it's a Jedi or not, no one can truly control the situation.

However, self-deception can provide some comfort.

The "Resolute" was gone, the "Dauntless" was gone, and the 501st Corps was also halved.

Gade, Corrick, Denal, Rex... they're all gone.

Anakin stared at the murderer, at the Separatist fleet that bound Christopher Sith like a noose.

Hidden among those "Generosity-class" warships was the mastermind behind at least two of his crushing defeats.

Anakin knew it was definitely the same person who did it; no one in this galaxy would use that kind of tactic.

The worst part is that he should have realized this much sooner.

He should have disobeyed Obi-Wan's orders and piloted the stealth frigate to attack the enemy's rear...

Their deaths weighed heavily on his heart.

He could truly feel the departure of each victim.

On the surface of a planet hundreds of thousands of kilometers away, he could feel their pain, fear, and despair so clearly.

This was the biggest loss Anakin suffered in his command career, almost completely destroying him.

If he were still the same naive young man from the Battle of Jabim, he would probably have lost his mind long ago.

But he is no longer one.

He is now a mature man, a Jedi Knight, with his own command authority.

And that is war.

He has to maintain his image and be responsible to his subordinates.

Although he desperately wanted to jump into a starfighter and launch a direct attack on the separatists...

However, if he needs his clone soldiers to return to the battlefield without complaint, he must do better.

This is a military officer's duty.

This is what everyone expects of him.

Anakin glared at the void, imprinting every enemy ship in his mind, as if he could pinpoint the enemy with sheer willpower.

"General, General Yularen requests your presence in the operations room."

“I’ll go right away, Rex.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, Anakin cursed himself inwardly.

He could feel the bridge fall into silence instantly, a silence that felt like a slime covering his skin.

All the officers, whether clone soldiers or others, pretended not to hear and hurriedly buried themselves in fiddling with their equipment.

He could hear the background buzzing sound that was usually masked, the sound of the various hardware that kept the spaceship running, but now it was exceptionally clear.

"Clone Commander CC-119, sir."

The clone soldier did not show any signs of being offended despite being called by the wrong name.

Anakin took a silent breath. "Excuse me, soldier, what's your name?"

“Apo, sir,” the soldier replied.

“Apo…” Anakin murmured. He remembered the name. “From Project Alpha?”

“Yes, sir.” Anakin turned around and nodded respectfully. “See what Yularen wants with me.”

As they walked through the crew's work area, Anakin tried to hide his discomfort, attempting to ignore the unfamiliar figure beside him, while hoping that his steps wouldn't give him away.

Anakin knew this was unfair to Po; Po, suddenly becoming the clone commander of the badly damaged 501st Army, was bound to have a tough time.

Thousands of his brothers sacrificed their lives, and Apo himself must have jumped several ranks to fill the command void left by their sacrifice.

But Rex's presence was too familiar to Anakin to ignore; his steadfast and reliable companionship was something he missed dearly, as if he had lost his right and left hands.

Fortunately, the road wasn't long.

The blast door hissed open, revealing a dimly lit operations room. In a holographic projection, nearly a dozen Jedi and an equal number of generals were gathered around a large holographic display table. Yularen quietly signaled that they had arrived, while Apo quietly retreated to the side to observe.

Rex would never do that, but it's clear that Apo isn't quite sure how to adapt to his new position.

Moreover, comparing him to Rex is inherently unfair.

"Anakin, it's so good that you could come."

Obi-Wan tried to use his usual humorous tone, which he always did when Anakin was late, but this time it sounded somewhat forced.

Anakin was too weak to respond, but he politely called out, "Master."

Obi-Wan is no longer his master, but the word still slips out of his mouth.

The former mentor crossed his arms, relaxed his shoulders, and gave a small, reassuring smile.

Another holographic projection appeared with a flicker, and the silhouette of Master Luminara Anduli gradually took shape.

A new marker appears on a planned positioning indicator projected onto a nearby transparent drawing board, right at the edge of the galaxy.

That was Master Andoli's special forces.

This Jedi master was always taciturn, exuding an introspective and somewhat melancholic aura.

He gave a perfunctory greeting to the Jedi present.

Anakin narrowed his eyes, guessing that something had gone wrong with her mission.

It seems he's not the only one who's not in good shape today.

But this thought did not make him feel any better.

“Master Anduli,” Mace Andu said gruffly, “report on your mission.”

Master Onduli's expression was serious, and the tattoos on his face distorted. "This is a trap set by the separatists. We were lured to Teth, and Asagi Ventress ambushed my fleet on track. We lost a cruiser."

Ventress.

Upon hearing that name, his eyes stung.

"And what was the result of the mission?"

“The young Huttite, Rota, has been safely returned to his father,” Master Anduli said. “Jabba’s demands were harsh, but I secured a favorable outcome for the Republic, and we have obtained permission to enter the Hutt space.”

A group of professional officers wore satisfied smiles, while the Jedi remained relatively reserved.

This is undoubtedly good news, as everyone knows.

By mastering the outer ring hyperspace route, the Republic Army's previously excessively extended supply lines can be effectively shortened by half.

“You seem to have something on your mind,” Master Yoda noticed. “You have suffered a great loss, which should be more than just one cruiser.”

“…My apprentice, Paris Orpheus, gave her life to save the Little Hutts,” Master Anduli said slowly. “I didn’t see her final moments, but I intend to return to Teth and settle this matter.”

The atmosphere quickly became heavy.

Anakin knew that this was war, and sacrifice was the price each of them had to pay when necessary.

For Barris Orpheus, this moment came too soon, but her sacrifice may have already tilted the tide of the war steadily in their favor.

What more could a soldier ask for?

But Orpheus isn't an ordinary soldier, is he?
Anakin couldn't imagine what it would feel like to lose an apprentice.

Soldiers are different; they know that their work is always accompanied by death.

But a young apprentice?

A child?
……

(End of this chapter)