The touch was gentle but firm, a warm hand cupping my cheek, pulling me out of the suffocating darkness of my nightmares. My eyes flew open, red and raw from lack of sleep, and I found myself staring directly into Anakin's piercing blue ones. They were like twin oceans, deep and endless, filled with concern and something softer, something that made my chest ache. His face was close, his features softened by the dim light filtering through the room, his brow furrowed as he studied me.

"Hey, take it easy, baby," he murmured, his voice low and soothing, like a balm to my frayed nerves. He leaned in, pressing a tender kiss to my forehead, his lips warm against my skin. The gesture was so intimate, so protective, that it made my breath hitch. I hadn't even realized I'd been holding it until I exhaled sharply, my chest rising and falling as I tried to steady myself.

His hand stayed on my face, his thumb brushing lightly over my cheekbone, wiping away a tear I hadn't realized had fallen. "I heard you whimpering," he said, his voice barely above a whisper, as if he were afraid speaking too loudly might shatter me. "Are you alright?"

I wanted to say yes, to nod and force a smile and tell him it was just a bad dream, nothing more. But the words caught in my throat. My heart was still racing, the remnants of the nightmares clinging to me like shadows, refusing to let go. I could still feel the cold water pulling me under, the endless corridors closing in, the hollow-eyed reflection in the mirror. And now, here he was, Anakin, my anchor in the storm, his presence both calming and overwhelming.

"I... I don't know," I finally managed to whisper, my voice trembling. My hands reached up, clutching at the fabric of his shirt, as if holding onto him could keep the nightmares at bay. "It was so real, Anakin. I couldn't escape it. I couldn't wake up."

His expression softened even more, if that were possible, and he shifted closer, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me into his chest. I could feel the steady rhythm of his heartbeat against my ear, a stark contrast to the frantic pounding of my own. "You're safe now," he murmured, his lips brushing against the top of my head. "I've got you. Nothing's going to hurt you."

I wanted to believe him. I wanted to let his words wash over me and chase away the lingering fear. But the nightmares had felt so real, so tangible, that it was hard to shake the feeling that they were more than just dreams. Still, with Anakin holding me, his warmth seeping into my skin, his presence a shield against the darkness, I felt a small measure of peace.

"Stay with me," I whispered, my voice barely audible. "Just for a little while."

He didn't hesitate. "Always," he said, his arms tightening around me. "I'm not going anywhere."

And as I lay there, wrapped in his embrace, the nightmares began to fade, replaced by the steady sound of his breathing and the comforting weight of his arms around me. For the first time that night, I felt like I could breathe again.

SCENEBREAK

The morning light spilled into the hangar, casting long, golden streaks across the polished floors and gleaming ships. The air was thick with the hum of engines and the faint scent of oil and metal, a familiar backdrop to the chaos of war. Anakin and I walked side by side, our boots echoing against the durasteel floor. His presence was steady, grounding, a stark contrast to the unease that still lingered in my chest from the nightmares. His hand brushed against mine briefly, a silent reassurance, before we stepped into the bustling command center.

Rex and his platoon were already there, their white and blue armor catching the light as they stood in formation. The clones were a well-oiled machine, their movements precise and disciplined, but even they seemed tense, their helmets tilted slightly as they exchanged quiet words. Ahsoka stood near the holotable, her montrals catching the light as she turned to face us. Her expression was serious, but a small, relieved smile tugged at the corners of her lips when she saw us.

"Good, you're here," she said, her voice carrying a note of urgency. She motioned toward the holotable, where a flickering blue hologram of the predator we had encountered the night before rotated slowly. Its grotesque form was frozen in mid-snarl, its mandibles spread wide, its claws extended. Even in hologram form, it was unnerving, a reminder of the terror we had faced. "We need to see if you really killed that thing," Ahsoka continued, her eyes narrowing as she studied the image, "and how it even entered this galaxy."

Anakin crossed his arms, his brow furrowing as he stepped closer to the holotable. His blue eyes scanned the hologram, his jaw tightening as he took in the details. "It took a ship," he said, his voice tinged with frustration. "What else? These things aren't exactly known for their subtlety."

Ahsoka shot him a look, her lekku twitching slightly. "It's not that simple, Master," she replied, her tone firm but not unkind. "We've scanned the area where you encountered it, and there's no sign of a ship. No debris, no energy signatures, nothing. It's like it just... appeared."

I felt a chill run down my spine at her words. The idea of the predator materializing out of thin air was unsettling, to say the least. I stepped closer to the holotable, my eyes fixed on the hologram. "We definitely killed it," I said, my voice steady despite the knot of anxiety in my stomach. "I saw it go down. But if there's no ship, then how did it get here?"

Anakin's frown deepened, and he leaned forward, resting his hands on the edge of the holotable. "There has to be something we're missing," he muttered, his gaze flicking over the data streaming across the screen. "These things don't just show up without a reason. Maybe it wasn't alone. Maybe there's more of them."

Rex stepped forward, his helmet tucked under his arm, his expression grim. "If there are more of them, we need to find them before they start causing trouble," he said, his voice low and steady. "We've already lost enough men to these kriffing things."

Ahsoka nodded, her arms crossing over her chest as she turned back to the hologram. "Agreed. But first, we need to figure out how it got here. If it didn't come by ship, then there's only one other possibility." She paused, her eyes meeting mine, and I felt a cold knot form in the pit of my stomach.

"You think someone brought it here," I said, the words leaving my mouth before I could stop them. The room fell silent, the weight of the implication hanging heavy in the air. If someone had brought the predator into this galaxy, then we weren't just dealing with a rogue alien. We were dealing with something far more dangerous—someone with the knowledge and resources to transport a creature like that across galaxies.

Anakin straightened, his expression darkening. "If that's the case," he said, his voice low and dangerous, "then we've got a bigger problem on our hands."

Ahsoka nodded, her gaze hardening. "We need to find out who's behind this, and fast. Before more of those things show up."

The room erupted into a flurry of activity as Rex barked orders to his men, Ahsoka began pulling up star maps and transmission logs, and Anakin started pacing, his mind already racing through possibilities. I stood there for a moment, my eyes still fixed on the hologram of the predator, its lifeless form a stark reminder of the danger we were facing. But as I looked around at the people in the room—Anakin, Ahsoka, Rex, the clones—I felt a flicker of hope. We had faced impossible odds before, and we had always come out on top. This time would be no different.

Whatever—or whoever—had brought that predator into our galaxy was about to find out just how dangerous we could be.