Chapter 77 - The Lost Fleet [2/3] (1/2)
Part 5
Republica 500
Coruscant
Anakin nodded stiffly to the squad leader of the Riot Police unit stationed at his wife's floor to keep reporters and other crazies away and got a cold acknowledgment in reply. Skywalker wondered if he'll ever see the day when most people he met wouldn't hold his action on Geonosis against him. Personally, he deemed the odds quite low.
Skywalker got into the apartment he now openly shared with Padme and dragged himself to the fresher before discarding his clothes and getting under a fan of hot water. The training regiment instituted by Obi-Wan to get him into shape was running Anakin ragged. At least he had leave to go home in the evening, which was heaven after his imprisonment.
Skywalker smiled when he heard the front door open. A moment later he was able to sense Padme's presence. The anger and resignation radiating from her wiped the smile off his face. Anakin finished his bath ASAP, got a robe from a nearby cupboard and went to see his wife.
”Tough day, love?” Skywalker asked when he entered the living room.
Padme had collapsed on the couch and just ġrȯȧnėd something unintelligible. Anakin went to sit next to his wife and pulled her into a hug. Her very presence made the stress and frustration which were his constant companions for months subdue.
”I'm not fine.” Padme grumbled. ”We finally got news from home a frigate made it to a holonet transmitter in Hutt space. The fleet was forced to go under the planetary shield. Multiple landing sites were confirmed before the connection was cut.”
”I'm sorry. I should be there.” Anakin grumbled.
”I need you here.” Padme mumbled.
”General Typho should have things handled. Everything I've been cleared to see indicates that the army is well trained considering how new it is and its very well equipped. There are a lot of Clones on Naboo too.” Anakin tried to reassure his wife.
He pulled her closer and began running a hand through her hair in an attempt to calm her down.
”Everything feels wrong!” Padme grumbled. ”We're peaceful people! We shouldn't be training armies and building war machines!” Padme shook with the outrage she felt.
”I know. Believe me, I know how wrong this whole madness feels.” Anakin muttered.
”That's what my mind says.” Padme whispered. A tear formed in the corners of her eyes. ”It's no longer what I feel.” Her words were a harsh whisper.
Anakin nodded numbly. The anger rising in Padme's ċhėst was like a beacon that called to him.
”Peace!” A hollow laughter escaped her lips. ”What did it get us?! Two invasions and a poisoned world!”
Skywalker could practically taste his wife's indignation. Every word she uttered, every admission made her anger burn hotter.
”Padme, what happened on Naboo isn't your fault.” Anakin said.
”Isn't it? I was the Queen and did nothing but utter hollow protests before running away to beg the Senate for help. We all know how that turned out! Now I'm Senator and it took another invasion and the Separatists using a bio-weapon on Naboo to open my eyes! How isn't it my fault!?” Padme snapped.
”All you did was to stand up for your principles, love. That's something I admire in you, not something to be blamed for.” Anakin did his best to calm down his wife.
”Tell that to all the people who died from the Blue Shadow! Tell it to everyone who will die fighting off another invasion!” Padme raged.
”I will.” Anakin simply nodded.
”I can't go on like this, Anakin.” Padme muttered quietly. ”I can't go on and keep telling people that there must be peace. That this war has to end in anything but the destruction of the Separatists.” Her face hardened. ”I want them to pay for all they did to my people. To us. To me...” Padme admitted.
Skywalker held her tighter and felt her anger mingle with mortification at that confession. There was something in her expression, in the emotions she radiated that made him shiver and swell with dėsɨrė.
”I understand.” Anakin whispered back. ”I know how you feel, my love. I feel the same way. There is a part of me that needs to make the Separatists pay for all the pain they caused you. I need to make sure they won't be able to hurt you nor anyone else ever again… Those emotions go against everything I've been taught as a Jedi.” Skywalker smiled sadly. ”I don't really care. You're what matters, my love. I'll do everything in my power to make the Separatist pay for everything.”
Padme gazed in his eyes and smiled. There was no need to say anything else. They had an understanding, a pact. All the mortification and shame Padme felt melted away. They were replaced by determination and vindication. Her anger cooled down a bit and slowly turned into another kind of heat.
Anakin smiled and leaned forward to capture Padme's lips in a searing kiss, which she returned eagerly.
=RK=
Industrial district
Sundari
Mandalore
The droid armies paid in fields of war-machines turned into scrap and rivers of oil for their achievement, however they did it. The defenses were breached and the enemy began shuttling troops into the city. There were rumors about an armored force being ȧssembled up seal the breach, however Aria didn't put much trust in that idea. While the new and inexperienced Mandalorian armored formations did well when on the defense, they were mauled badly by air strikes and Separatist armored thrusts. Astra was well aware of that fact – Omega squad was sent more than once to take care of enemy infantry dropped behind the front lines, so she saw firsthand how the armored formations performed.
On the other hand, most of the Basilisks were kept in reserve until a good opportunity to use them decisively appeared. At least that's what the rumor mill said according to Dev. For all Astra knew, the war-droids might have attacked and been crushed already.
”Omega, we're up!” Niner shouted. ”The AA in the industrial district is being suppressed and the clankers are landing all over the place. We're moving ahead of Fifth Sundari regiment to slow down the enemy. Heavy reinforcements are twenty minutes behind us.”
”So much for getting a bit of shuteye.” Atin grumbled.
”We got four hours off yesterday… I think.” Aria frowned. The last few days were already blurring together.
”Get on the LAAT!” Niner snapped and followed his own order.
Aria and Omega squad piled into the transport and it shot in the air before diving to street level. It was joined by five more LAATs loaded to the brim with heavy armed and even more pissed off Mandalorians.
No one bothered sealing the side doors, which let Aria have a great view of the part of Sundari they were flying over. The streets below were blocked by makeshift barricades with the odd strong point properly built by combat engineers. The buildings on the both sides were being turned into fortresses by platoons of Mandalorian warriors.
Soon enough the QRF Omega was attached to reached the contested zone. Harsh sunlight poured through the breach in the dome giving the industrial area a haunting beauty which was broken by the flashes of firefights and explosions. Separatist ȧssault transports and gunships were busy shooting up the defense perimeter surrounding the area around the breach, while others dashed in different directions to drop Commando droids behind the defenders.
”Hold on, we're almost at the LZ!” The pilot shouted. The LAAT accelerated even faster for a few seconds before getting to a jarring stop next to a wall surrounding a row of warehouse.
”GO!” Niner shouted and jumped off the transport.
Nearby Mandalorians in heavy armor with jet-packs were simply hurling themselves off the LAATs before flying at the nearest enemies. In moments heavy fighting erupted at the both flanks of the LZ.
Aria shouldered the carbine she carried for mid-range work and to preserve her strength and scanned the area. Omega had was covered by the wall for the time being and there were no clankers in sight.
”Aria, you're getting over first. Draw the enemy's attention. We're five seconds behind you.” Niner ordered.
The Sith in training nodded, put her gun on the magnetic clamp on her back and got her lightsaber before simply using the Force to jump over the wall. A droid tried go shoot her while she was descending, however she was able to deflect its fire. The clanker was still attempting to gun her down when the Clone used grappling hooks to scale the wall and shot the droid before getting on the other side.
”Right flank!” Niner ordered.
Atin and Aria moved to secure the corner of the closest warehouse and the rest of Omega followed. A Mandalorian flew above them and sent two missiles somewhere behind the next warehouse before diving away from a gunship that attempted to nail him. The Separatist machine froze in midair when a quartet of red beams speared through it, then in promptly blew up. Aria glanced up and grinned when a Basilisk flew overhead searching for other targets.
A minute later Omega was sneaking up to the closest firefight. Two squads of Mandalorians in painted Clone armor had dug in into the front of a warehouse and were ducking it with a platoon of SB and Commando droids. The most of the machines were taking cover behind a ragged line of destroyed armor – both CIS hover-tanks and GAR provided walkers.
”Throw smoke and we're flanking them before some of their friends turn up. Aria, you're on point. Fi, get on a higher ground and provide support. The rest form up on me.” Niner ordered.
Less than a minute later it was all over. The defenders gave out ragged cheers, however the Clones were already sprinting towards the next engagement.
It was going to be another long day for Omega squad.