"Droids!" Saw shouted in warning at the sight of a battalion approaching.

"Take cover!" Rex ordered as they began shooting at us. Obi Wan and I flipped back with a blast before us and ignited our sabers, standing protectively to deflect blasts. They were quickly overpowering us and we had to take cover. I jumped to the side, crashing into Rex as I took cover beside him. With a quick apology we focused on the attack at hand.

"It appears the training is over." Obi Wan commented.

"I'll take the left flank if you take the right." Anakin started making battle plans on the spot.

"No, Anakin. We can only protect them. We cannot fight this war for them." Obi Wan reminded. "There are too many. But Anakin, Ahsoka, Lyra, and I can hold them off while you get your people out of here." He told Steela the instructions.

"You didn't teach us to run." She reminded him with determination. "Saw, use your disruptors to take out the droids." Steela ordered out.

"I'm on it. Ready disruptors. On my mark. Now!" They threw explosives underneath the incoming droids.

"What is that?" One droid asked.

"It looks like an explosive."

"How can you te—" the bombs blew up underneath them, cutting them off.

"Not bad." Anakin commented proudly.

"That is only the first wave." Obi Wan reminded everyone. Everything began to blow up around us as a tank entered the field, destroying everything.

"Take cover!" Rex shouted, pulling me down from deflecting shots. My back rested against the box while I awaited my next orders, breathing heavy from the intensity of battle.

"We'll handle this." Obi Wan told Steela.

"No, I will." She stated sternly. "Duck!" She pointed her sniper in the direction of Obi Wan and Anakin as she shot the gates open for the animals to run out.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Ahsoka called out to Lux and Saw as they ran towards the tank.

"What you taught us." Lux answers with a proud smirk. Both men used their training and delivered the bombs to their hatches, Ahsoka using the force to save them from the blast as the explosion went off.

"Looks like that's the end of this battle" Rex commented, standing up and offering me a hand. I took his hand, pulling myself to my feet as I dusted off my robes.

"We, uh, need to clean you up." Steela helped Lux to stand after the battle had ended.

"I like it. Now you look more like a soldier than a politician." Saw commented.

"Well, maybe a good politician needs to get dirty now and then." Steela said next.

"Take confidence from this victory. But rest assured, there will be more droids coming now that they know your position." Obi Wan started to the group of rebels we had all gathered around.

"It doesn't matter. You're ready now. We are going to take the fight to the droids. You don't have to hide in the jungle any longer." Anakin cheered to them.

"Droids were a bit dim, more so than I imagined." Saw noted.

"They make up for it in numbers. They're designed to overwhelm." I explained their purpose to Saw who underestimated the droid army.

"But they're not designed to deal with our approach." Anakin added.

"We hit them where they least expect it. And before they realize what happened—"Lux started.

"We fade in with the rest of the population." Steela continued for him.

"Exactly." Anakin said.

"We need a plan to get inside the city." Ahsoka pointed out our next step.

"I have an idea." Lux spoke up.

~~~

I sat on the back of our cargo carrier, my hood covering my identity from the droids we were approaching. The entry to the city was shielded and blocked off by droids, preventing us from getting into the main city.

"Halt." We were stopped by the battle droids upon attempted entry. "What were you doing outside of the city gates?"

"Hunting. We've been trekking for days." Lux answered, already having his own story made up.

"Did you register before your excursion?"

"No, but most of our time is spent in the bush, collecting our traps. We come to the city to sell. You can't get thrip larva like this in Iziz. Only the biggest trees on the other side of Onderon." Lux continued to explain in detail, knowing the droids wouldn't care.

"Hey, listen, we need to deliver all of this in time for supper." Steela grew impatient with the droid.

"Hmm. Are you scanning anything?" Droid one asked the other.

"It's hard to tell with so much organic matter." Droid two answers.

"Come on! Our merchants are waiting inside. Can you hurry it up?" Another female rebel asked from Obi Wan and Anakins carrier behind ours.

"Let them through."

"Roger, roger."

"Not a bad start. But now the hard work begins." Anakin told us quietly as we entered the city shield.

"You must find recruits and choose your targets wisely." Obi Wan instructed.

"They'll be looking for us." Steela noted.

"We should split up." Lux suggested.

"Regroup after nightfall. I'll alert our brothers." Saw agreed, moving back to tell everyone who was hidden away under the tarps.

"We'll make sure you have the supplies you need." Anakin said as Lux and a few other jumped off.

"Rex and I will take care of that." I said, Rex appearing beside me from his hiding place under the tarp.

"Good luck." Lux looked to the two girls.

"You too." Steela and Ahsoka repsonded at the same time before looking at each other with confusion.

"Shall we?" Rex hopped off of the cart and offered me a hand.

"Let's go" I jumped off on my own and lead us through the city.

~~~

Sneaking around the streets with the rebels we had reached a door to an old building. Rex knocked on the door as I kept watch with the others who had joined us on todays missions. The door was opened and the rebels entered first, Rex and I going in last to make sure we weren't caught.

"Your success will not go unnoticed." Anakin started to congratulate the group, all of us taking off our hoods and sitting in the small room, people cheering at their small victory's of the day.

"I agree, but we need to be mindful of public perception. What was your observation, Padawan?" Obi Wan asked Ahsoka for her opinion.

"The people were fearful, Master." Ahsoka explained her findings.

"Indeed. Judging from the reactions I saw today, I'm afraid they will mistake your intentions." Obi Wan stroked his beard in thought.

"We need to do more damage. A few dozen broken-down droids will do little to free Onderon." Saw started strongly.

"The people need to believe we can succeed. Without their support, our efforts are meaningless." Steela continued.

"If they're afraid, they won't support us. We need to assure them of our intentions." Lux said after, protesting the idea of fighting to gain respect.

"I don't understand. Why are they afraid?" Saw questioned in confusion.

"They're afraid we're not strong enough to win. We need to earn their trust." Steela answered for him.

"You'll have plenty of time to earn their trust. All of you are going to be very busy." Anakin nodded for Rex to continue.

"Today was only a taste. You'll get your chance." Rex told them proudly.

"In the meantime, make the most of your victories. Welcome and learn from them." I continued for him with a smile to the group.

"Perhaps if we hit something big, gave a show of strength, they will overcome their fear and join us." Lux stood with his idea, presenting it to the rebels.

"Do you have something in mind?" Ahsoka raised a brow at him.

"I know the perfect target." He stated.

~~~

"I think they're ready to give the 501 some competition." Anakin smirked to Rex, our group walking out into the street with our hoods up to hide our faces from the public eye.

"Let's not get carried away, General, though these rebels have impressed me." Rex admitted, the group of us standing in a circle as we discussed the mission.

"We will share the developments with the Jedi Council. Ahsoka will remain here as an advisor. Monitor them and report back with their progress." Obi Wan explained everyone's roles.

"Will Lyra be staying as well?" Ahsoka asked shyly, not wanting to handle the pressure alone.

"Sorry Ahsoka, but I have another mission to attend to by the councils request" I sighed, feeling bad for leaving her in a time of need.

"Are you up for it, Snips? Or would you like to return to Coruscant?" Anakin asked knowing something was up with her and Lux.

"No, Master. I want to stay." She told him with a study nod.

"Good. We should continue to provide supplies and credits, but they must learn to operate on their own. Their survival depends on it." Obi Wan reminded.

"Yes, Master." She nodded.

"Remember your purpose." Anakin told her as the four of us walked away and left Ahsoka with the rebels.

~~~

"Show those droids what we're worth." One rebel cheered as they gathered back at the base and commed us after their successful first mission.

"We must celebrate." Steela told them proudly with a cheer.

"With pleasure." Saw picked her up and spun her around while I noted the saddened face on Lux.

"Come here, you handsome senator." Steela hugged him next and Ahsoka looked away, unable to watch the pair interact.

"Steela is a born leader." Rex commented to us as we watched her interactions with the others.

"And quite courageous, I hear." Obi Wan added.

"Ahsoka, remember what I told you about staying focused." Anakin scolded slightly from beside me.

"I can't help it, Master." His Padawan sighed.

"I understand."

"You do?"

"I do. But try to remember, always put purpose ahead of your feelings." Anakin reminded her his lessons.

"This latest development will surely get Count Dooku's attention. He will respond harshly." Obi Wan started to tell the group.

"They will stop at nothing to find you. You must adapt and continue to confront them in order to liberate Onderon." I continued for him.

"We will." Saw stated.

"And we shall win." Steela added.

"In that, I have no doubt." Obi Wan smiled.

"Now you must rally the people. You will need their support. Your ability to influence them will also determine your capacity to represent them not only on the battlefield but off of it against your enemies, even within your own ranks. Your commitment will inspire others. Your conviction will lead to victory." Anakin told them all what to do next to continue to their goal.

"After tonight's efforts, the people will be ready to follow. You will need a leader for them to rally behind." Kenobi instructed.

With those final words Ahsoka cut out of the transmission, leaving the rest of us to talk to each other for a moment.

"Lyra, how is the war effort on Jeddah?" Obi Wan questioned me with interest.

"It's going slowly" I shrugged back. Just then an explosion sounded off nearby, blowing out the system.

"Lyra?" Anakin called out when I cut out.

"She'll report back soon, she's strong" Kenobi reminded, feeling that I wasn't dead yet.

I stood to my feet with a huff, head ringing as my troopers ran into battle.

"Yeah, slowly" I laughed at my words earlier to describe the state of Jeddah. Igniting my sabers I had ran into battle, helping the city as best I could.

~~~

"How did the mission on Onderon go?" I caught up with Ahsoka in the hallway as I was on my way to give a report to the council about my own mission I had been sent on.

"We successfully took back the city" she reported with a sadness in her tone.

"Come here" I pulled Ahsoka off to the side and sat down. "Sit" I patted the seat next to me. "What really happened?"

"We lost Steela" she sighed.

"This war has taken so many life's, but we must know that as each one matters, we honour their death and move on with what they would have wanted" I gave her my best advice.

"Wow you're almost as wise as Master Yoda" she chuckled lightly.

"That's what happens when you become a Jedi knight" I laughed back, nudging her gently.

"What happened to you?" She nodded towards the cut on my forehead that had a butterfly stitch over it.

"You know, got caught in an explosion while trying to protect a city from a separatist attack" I shrugged calmly as though it was normal, but with this war we both knew it truly was a normal day.

"Better not let Rex see it" she smirked over at me. I shook my head at her, standing up and claiming I had to leave to meet the council.

..................................................

Question of the day: what did you think of Steela?