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Chapter Text

Chapter 1. 

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away there was a girl who loved clones very much. 

Well, she was more a woman than a girl and she loved more than clones in the Star Wars. But those clone troopers always stayed very close to her heart. Those men who were introduced to them via the animated show, who despite sharing the same face managed to have completely different personalities made Agni fall in love with them  so  easily. Their kinship and their bravery always made her speechless.

She loved Jedi too, especially Obi-wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker and Plo Koon. She adored Ashoka - she watched that fierce togruta grow from small, snippy padawan to capable commander to steadfast Jedi (she did feel that parental pride at seeing her grow)

She enjoyed it, she loved Clone Wars since the first episode - that show raised her already present love of Star Wars to a new level. 

She watched that show many times, especially when things in her life turned sideways. 

When Agni was barely twenty-two she started having severe headaches accompanied by drowsiness seemingly without any reason. She ignored them and tried to drown them with painkillers (not a smart move) until she seized in the middle of the day and was rushed to the nearest hospital. After hundreds of tests, MRI and CT scans she learned the reason for her ' not so innocent' headaches. 

Malignant brain tumour. 

Agni never had any health problems, she was healthy and happy and she had so many plans for her life so when she learned her diagnosis she laughed. She cackled right into her doctor's face and she laughed until her laughter turned into wretched sobs. 

She did have the whole breakdown that day, she wasn't ashamed to admit that (it was more than one). It took her some time to calm down enough to hear what more doctor wanted to say. Agni couldn't remember the whole thing her doctor said but she realised enough - she was dying and there wasn't much they could do. 

They started treatment fast, radiation and chemotherapy to shrink the tumour until they could operate. And it took a toll on Agni. She spent most of her time in the hospital room and it was the Clone Wars that helped her to survive the pain, nausea and weakness of the body. 

It helped her to take her mind off her incoming death. So when Agni started to dream she didn't think anything too unusual - since childhood, she always dreamed very vividly and in time she had many lucid dreams. She dreamed about the start of Clone Wars. The Battles of Geonosis, Christopsis, Teth, Ryloth and many others she witnessed in her dreams. 

The more her condition worsened the more time she spent in and out of consciousness the more she dreamed. 

It was as if she was in Clone Wars. She saw the different planets, different clones, different battlefields. Each day she jumped to different battalions and planets and generals like Commander Ponds and Neyo with Master Windu or Master Yoda and Commander Thire

She spent more time with General Ayla Secura with Commander Bly and the whole 327th Star Corps. Agni saw how close the Twi'lek Jedi was to her commander. She loved to see how well and in tandem Bly and Ayla fought leading their troops into battle.

Agni wasn't ashamed to admit loving to see the 104th Battalion with their father Master Plo Koon. Commander Wolffe was one of her favourites and seeing Wolfpack's kinship with Kel Dor master was something special. Maybe it was her being alone for so long, but seeing Master Plo Koon showing his clones troopers such care and love made her really wish to be part of the Wolfpack. 

But most of her dreams happened with the 501st Legion and 212th Battalions. She followed Commander Cody and Obi-Wan to many of their missions. And where there was Kenobi, Skywalker always followed and with him the whole 501st legion with Captain Rex and Ashoka at the front.
And how she loved them. Cody, Rex, Waxer, Boil, Echo, Fives, Hardcase, Kix, Jesse, Appo, Tup and even Hevy were with them. 

It may sound stupid but she couldn't help but feel such a deep connection with them, - she laughed, she cried and she suffered with them.

During one of her dreams, Agni learned she could sometimes control her dreams. It was as if she had Force abilities. During the battles, she could sometimes help the clones by batting away the clankers or pushing clones from the line of fire. And even if her movements were still sluggish she did try to help them.  And sometimes, when she was close to any of her troopers it was as if they could see her They looked right at her and for a few moments they looked as if they could see her standing right in front of them ( what she didn't know was that they could see her in those moments. Scared the kriff out of Rex first time when the five clankers advancing him were smashed into the wall and he turned to see a ghost-like woman standing on his left. After the battle he willingly went to medbay to check himself for concussion.)

Those moments were her favourites, and it made her want to do more to help them. So even if it was unbearably hard she did try to save those troopers. Sometimes she was successful and sometimes she wasn't. But Agni tried and tried again.

Months passed and both wars continued. And while the Republic was gaining victories on battlefields, Agni was losing her battle in the hospital bed. During one of her more lucid moments, she heard doctors telling her no treatment was working. And that day, for the last time in that life, she cried alone in her room. She was always alone in that room. There was no one to visit her or say goodbyes to.  And it was only a few days later when Agni said her own goodbyes to life. It was early hours of the morning, the sun was just starting to rise when Agni smiled for the last time before closing her eyes not realising that during her last moments, she wasn't alone (and that she will never be alone again)

The Force itself smiled and leaned forward to lay a kiss on the woman's forehead. 

'Come, little one, everyone is waiting for you.'  

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away something was happening.

It was Grandmaster Yoda who felt it first, in all his 900 years old he honed his ability to feel all life force around him. After all these years he could feel life force even at the ends of the galaxies. He was familiar with every species and how they felt in the force so when something unfamiliar and strange appeared in the Force it didn't take long for the green Jedi to feel notice it. At first, even for a skilled Jedi Master like him was challenging to pinpoint exact locations but after a few moments, the Grandmaster of the Jedi Order felt the origins of this strange phenomenon. 

Planet of Lothal always had a deep connection to the Jedi Order and the light side of the Force. 

But Master Yoda knew he wasn't the only one who felt this disturbance. 

On the other side of the war-torn galaxy both Knight Skywalker and Master Kenobi felt it too aboard The Resolute. Once again they had joined the mission and they shared the flagship. They were leaving one of the Outer Rim planets after another of their many battles with Separatists and they felt like they were punched right into the chest by the Force.  It was as if Force  screamed at them to do something. Theymust hurryhurryhurryhurry

Both Master and former padawan looked at each other with confusion and worry colouring their force-bond before loud peeping of their private holo-comm snapped them back to reality.

Anakin turned on the holocomm and a small blue-tinged figure of Grandmaster Yoda appeared. Grandmaster looked worried and it made Anakin feel uneasy after seeing such an experienced Jedi Master show such emotions. 

"Master Yoda," Obi-Wan greeted the legendary Jedi Master with a bow of his head. Anakin followed his Master's example but stayed silent unconsciously stroking his chest where the worst of the pain remained while the Force was still yelling at him to do something and MOVEQUICKNOW

"Movement in the force felt I did," Grandmaster spoke "To Lothal must you go"

Obi-Wan hummed in consideration, his hand stroking his chin. He could feel the strong pull towards Lothal, yes. But why. That was the question. 

"Do we have any idea what just happened and why?" he asked already calculating how many troopers they must go. Do they prepare for a rescue mission? Battle? 

"There is someone on Lothal. Someone calling us," Ankin spoke for the first time his eyes closed in concentration. He felt Force practically  tugging  him forward "I don't think is something bad but we must hurry," 

He turned away from the holo-comms already yelling orders to put the ship towards Outer Rim planet. Obi-Wan was left with the green Jedi alone. 

Yoda hummed in agreement and thumped his wooden stick into the ground. 

"Master?" Stewjoni Jedi Master spoke. "What do you feel?" 

Yoda stayed for a couple of seconds, for the first time in a long time he didn't know what he felt. But he was hopeful, for the first time in years Grandmaster of the Jedi Order felt hopeful. 

"To know what it was, I do not," he spoke after few moments "Shatterpoints of the force I feel but darkness sense I do not. Go to the Lothal you must," Obi-Wan hummed in agreement, curious at the forceful pull he could feel, it wasn't like something he ever felt before.

"As you wish, master. We will keep you updated," he bowed his head again and with that holo-comm turned off. 

Obi-Wan was left alone, he could feel tiredness seeping deep into his bones. For months, battle after battle he felt more and more exhausted. He hoped that on Lothal something good waited for them, but knowing their luck?  He missed those times were Jedi's only job was to deal with petty politicians. 

"Master Obi-Wan!" Ashoka's voice rang from the entrance. He turned to face their padawan. Jedi Master's face instantly softened at seeing the young togruta. In the months they knew her she grew a lot, not only physically - her lekku were longer and montrals more pronounced than they were when she was assigned to Anakin. But their Ashoka grew as the Jedi and commander. He couldn't help but feel fondness and pride at seeing how much she progressed. 

"Yes, little one?" he put one of his hands on her orange shoulder. Despite the cooler temperature of the ship, Ashoka never felt the need to put on more clothes. 

"I felt this..." she rubbed one of her montrals. Ashoka didn't know what exactly she felt but knew it was important. Even without seeing her master running and barking orders. To see Anakin running always meant something important was happening. "...something in the force. And I saw master running away. What was that?" 

She looked at her other master in question. Obi-Wan always knew the answers. She was her master-to-go when she had any questions. Not that Skyguy didn't know! He did! But Obi-Wan knew more. He liked how Obi-Wan explained things to her. 

"What you felt was a disturbance in the force. Disruption or anomaly in the currents of the Force. It's not inherently good or evil it just announces to everyone who listens that something important is happening in the galaxy. In our case, something important happened in Lothal," Obi-Wan explained while leading their padawan towards the main deck. Both 501st and 212th troopers were already preparing for the destination. 

"You mean, it was felt not only by us but also by the Sith?" Ashoka asked with a frown on her face. The last thing they needed was Count Dooku or Ventress waiting for them in the Lothal. 

"Exactly" Obi-Wan confirmed with a slight smile tugging at his lips. "Which means?" 

"We should expect them to feel this disturbance and try to investigate it too." She continued, her mind already calculating the best plans. "We should bring enough troopers to secure the perimeter and especially a safe exit if we're going into some kind of temple. Of course, we have to make sure it's not a trap and we have a backup plan." 

Obi-Wan fully smiled at the Ashoka. He was really proud of her. 

"Well done, Ashoka" he complimented and watched her lekku turn an even deeper shade of blue. She ducked her head to hide a smile. "Go find Anakin and help him prepare Twilight. We're close"

She nodded her head and quickly turned on her heel with a quick "thank you, Master". 

Obi-Wan watched her retreating form, shaking his head when she almost crashed into an armoured trooper who was heading in the opposite direction. 

She still had so much to learn, their padawan. 

Chapter Text

Chapter 2. 

They were flying through the grasslands and mountains of Lothal for the last hour without many problems, of course, if you don't count Cody's underbreath's complaints about his precious  Twilight  status and his flying skills. Anakin was an excellent pilot - thank you very much and his  Twilight  was in top-notch condition considering her age and the battles she saw. Well, no, maybe not a top-notch condition but she was  flying alright. 

"So Skyguy," his co-pilot and padawan Ashoka spoke and he hummed in answer not taking his eyes off the horizon. Even after all these years of not living in Tatooine, he was still amazed by seeing so much greenery on the planet. He didn't want to remember that sandy hell site or even think about it. 

In the far far distance, he could already see the dark grey rock formations sprawled as far as he could see.  The pulling in his chest only intensified. He still felt Force practically yelling at him to move quicker. Gee, he  was  trying. 

"Do you know why we're here?" 

No, he didn't. They were practically flying blind. He sometimes really hated the vagueness of the Force. 

"To check out the disturbance, my little padawan," he calmly answered while internally smirking after hearing his padawan grit her teeth in annoyance at his vague answer. 

Sometimes he just loved being master. 

"You're annoying, you know that right?" she muttered after playfully barring her teeth at him in her togrutan fashion. To be fair, it took him some time to get used to those sharp canines. Especially after seeing her use those sharpies to devour thimiar on the field.

"Imagine how  I  feel after spending so much time with him." Captain Rex interrupted them while walking into the cockpit. He was already decked in his armour with only his blue and white helmet tucked under the arm. Anakin turned his glare at his captain. 

He liked Echo, Jesse and Five more than Rex now.  Unfortunately, Rex was immune to his glares by now and he just patted his general on the shoulder. 

Through the Force, he felt his master coming up to stand right behind him. Obi-Wan put both his hands on his former padawan's shoulders, his fingers gently tapping some kind of rhyme on the leather of his armour. Anakin couldn't help but feel some of his anxiety leave him. He gently tugged their bond and slightly smiled when he felt  affectionpeacecalm  returned. He loved his master. 

"Now, now. There's no need to be that mean," his accented voice reached his ears and he couldn't help but feel a smug smile creep in. Obi-Wan was always on his side. "And even then, you have absolutely nothing on me. I was his master for  years ,"

His smug smile vanished. Scratch that, he didn't love Obi-Wan right now. Ashoka and Rex burst into laughter and he could sense amusement from other of his troops. 

"Traitors, all of you," he sulked. See if they will receive a smooth landing now. Even if he loved seeing them so at ease to joke. Even if it was at his expense. Anakin felt Obi-Wan's fingers slightly squeeze his shoulder in apology. 

"Don't worry, General," Fives yelled from the main deck, leaning over Echo, "We will help you to hide their bodies," 

"Yeah, general! We got your back," Jesse agreed. Echo laughed and aimed a swift punch to the Fives's armoured belly for intruding into his space, making the trooper fall back into his seat.

Yeah, he liked his troopers more than his padawan, master and captain combined. 

It was good that were almost ready to land near the entrance of the mountains. And if Anakin landed  Twilight  with more force on one side where his master and captain were standing, well, the terrain on Lothal was rough. He quickly shut down the main engines of the freighter leaving Ashoka to finish the rest of it. He patted his captain on the shoulder while moving past him, completely ignoring Rex's grumblings after the clone captain leaned down to pick up his fallen helmet. 

He also ignored Commander Cody's curses in  mando'a  aimed at him - he felt the 212th battalion commander's glare at the back of his head. He willed himself to keep walking. 

He's going to move back to Tatooine before he will admit to anybody that Commander Cod  terrified  a bit scared him  

It didn't help that Cody really couldn't stand him. 

"Anakin," his master lectured and Anakin shrugged his shoulders not even trying to hide his smug grin. 

"It's not easy to smoothly land a freighter with an inexperienced co-pilot," he also ignored offended 'hey' from his padawan. 

They departed  Twilight  without any more words and fell into formation without any commands. 

Anakin and Obi-Wan walked at the front with Ashoka between them. Both Commander Cody and Captain Rex flanked their generals from both sides with Echo, Fives and Jesse shadowing them from the back.

Two other larty's filled with both 501st and 212th troopers stayed behind  Twilight  to secure the perimeter. Hardcase and Hevy mockingly saluted them on their way while Waxer, Boil, and Tup stood straight unsuccessfully hiding Wooley who shuffled cards for their next game. 

It was a small trek to reach the entrance to the mountains. But with every step all three of the Jedi could feel the pull getting stronger. Especially Obi-Wan and Anakin. 

Even the clones, while not being force-sensitive were aware that someone was calling them. Rex once again remembered that ghost-like woman he saw during one of his first battles. After the fight was done, he gathered the courage to speak to Cody about it and while he expected mockery from his  vod  he didn't expect the commander to reassure him he wasn't alone - they all saw her, again and again. 

There was an unspoken agreement among the clones to not speak about her out loud in the places where they could be overheard by nat-borns or the Jedi, so they came up with the name for her -  vod'ika . Not that they didn't trust their Jedi - they did. They trusted the Jedi with their lives. But her? Their  vod'ika  became a secret, a story whispered among their brothers during the hard nights in the fields. Even on those battles they didn't see her they still felt comfort at knowing they were not alone - that their lives mattered for one more person. 

Rex was brought back to reality when Ashoka crouched low with her lightsabers ignited. Her masters followed, already used to her predatory instincts.

All five of the troopers pulled out their blasters but it was only a few seconds later when they were surrounded by at least five  gigantic  wolves who seemingly came out of nowhere. 

"Is that..." Anakin started his eyes not leaving wolves of various shades of gray who were running around their group in circles. Their own golden eyes did not leave them for not even a second. 

"Loth-wolves." Obi-Wan finished, his face full of amazement. He lowered his lightsaber from the favoured Soresu stance with clones following him. "I can't believe it. They are supposed to be extinct," 

"Well, they don't look extinct to me" Jesse murmured nervously shifting his position. Clankers and commando droids? He knew how to kill them. But those gigantic, over two meters tall wolves? Yeah, long necks didn't prepare them for that in Kamino.

"Extinct?," the silver-light wolf snarled at the Master Jedi making the men jump at hearing  kriffing  wolves speak. Echo missed clankers - they were simple. "Foolish  Jedi , worry about your own extinction rather than ours, "

Anakin snarled back a curse drawing silver's wolf attention from Obi-Wan and making two of the darker wolves bare their teeth at the Hero with no fear. 

"Did they just  kriffing  speak or I'm losing it?" Fives whisper-yelled after watching one of the lighter wolves moving a step closer to him. He swore, that the kriffing wolf looked  amused.

"We should devour them, Deka," the darkest grey, almost black one growled. Ashoka twirled her lightsabers and hissed back at the wolves with her fangs bared. 

"No!," the same lightest, almost silver wolf barked while baring her teeth at others, "They came for her!" 

Obi-Wan turned off his blue lightsaber completely, clipping it to his belt with reluctant Ashoka following him. Jedi Master slowly lifted his hand and crossed one over his chest while bowing his head in greeting. 

"Forgive me, my fellow guardians, we're the members of the Jedi Order." he introduced himself and pointed at Ashoka and Anakin who very reluctantly turned off his lightsaber "This is our men. We came to investigate the disturbance of the Force, we mean no harm."

Anakin who was still glaring at the massive wolves took a step closer. His dark glare was accompanied by his arms crossed across his chest. He didn't like being that vulnerable in front of the. 

"Who is 'her' you're talking about?" he demanded and received raised hackles and growls from the wolves surrounding them.

Obi-Wan placed his on Anakin's prosthetic arm to calm him down. It was ridiculous both Anakin and Ashoka acted even more feral than usual. 

"Foolish Jedi, do not know why they came for!" the black one mocked them and she turned to face her companions "We should keep her as our own."

One of the grey ones snarled and turned her golden eyes to the clones. Cody met her stare back. He wasn't impressed. 

"She told us, that brothers sharing the same face will come," So-called Deka explained to her other packmates looking down at the armoured clones. Clones looked at each other and shrugged. 

For a few seconds, it was as if wolves communicated with each other silently until they suddenly broke their circle and three of them sprinted towards the entrance to the rock spires.  The silver one turned back to them and moved her head for them to follow. 

"We will take you for what you came here," she spoke almost gently and waited until Obi-Wan took the lead of their company and started to follow the wolves with the rest of the wolves shadowing them 

It was a maze of rock formations but Deka skillfully led them through it until they reached a cave wall with ancient paintings of the Lothal people following Loth-wolves. Obi-Wan couldn't help but stop for a moment to stare at the painting. A look of amazement crossed his face. 

How many centuries ago it was carved? It was fascinating, he couldn't wait to learn more about it. He let others pass him making the last of the group. Cody put his hand on his general shoulder and nudged him towards the entrance of the cave in order not to get lost from the group. 

But it wasn't a simple cave they walked in - it was the den of the wolves. Inside of it, they saw not only the same wolves who ambushed them but also a few others. They could see even some puppies curiously peeking their noses from between their mother's legs. It even made Ashoka forget her previous aggression towards the wolves after seeing the smaller puppies. She fought the urge to just go there and cuddle them. 

As if sensing her wish Rex clamped his hand around her arm preventing togruta from walking away while the other one was already secured around Echo's armour preventing the trooper from wandering away. 

Rex knew both Echo's and Ashoka's obsessions with small animals and he wasn't playing around. He wasn't really in the mood to fill out the mission protocol about accidental limb dismemberment by the native wildlife

Deka led them to the heart of the den and then she stopped turning again to face them. There, in the crudely made nest was a woman, with one of the biggest loth-wolves offering his white fur as pillow. She looked half-dead and only a slow rise of her chest was any indication that she was alive.

Both Anakin and Obi-Wan looked at each other in surprise, both feeling force-pull - apparently, she was the reason for their impromptu trip to Lothal.  

"We found her, two sunsets ago near the stones, she was barely awake," Deka spoke gently nudging the woman's hand with her snout. When she spoke next there was both desperation and demand clear in her voice. "You  must  save her," 

Obi-Wan took a careful step towards a woman, making the white wolf lift his head - his intelligent golden eyes following every Jedi master's move. Not sensing any ill will from the creature Obi-Wan reached to touch one woman's visible cheek feeling her cold and slightly clammy skin under his palm. 

Despite the warmth from the white wolf under her, he felt her shiver. He tried to feel what was ailing her with the Force. While not a healer, he still knew the basics of it. He beckoned Ashoka closer, young togruta spent more time with Healer Che than most younglings. Their padawan grabbed the woman's hand and closed her eyes in concentration. 

Obi-Wan himself concentrated on the healing force coursing through his body. Dehydration, malnutrition and exhaustion, were just a few of the things plaguing her. 

"Obi-Wan, how's she?" Anakin asked moving close to look over the older master's shoulder. Even from afar, he could see that she wasn't well. If not her shallow breathing he would argue she was already dead. 

"She's very weak. We need to bring her to the Kix, as soon as possible, and then to the healer." Ashoka looked back at her master, her eyes full of worry for this strange woman, she still held her hand noticing how frail it felt. 

"Ashoka is right," Obi-Wank agreed putting his hand back to the woman's cheek. Noticing slight improvement after their basic healing session. He knew that it won't be enough but it was a bit more promising to see some colour in her cheeks. 

At the feeling of his warm hand on her cheek woman slightly whined and turned towards it, exposing her whole face to both Jedi and clone troopers. 

Cody and Rex couldn't believe what they were seeing. Both stunned they turned to each other the same eyes mirrored the same surprise they felt. 

They knew her - it was  her . It was their  vod'ika , the one who always stood with their men and tied to protect them, who tended their fallen and nursed their injured.  Most of the clone troopers of the Republic knew or at least heard of her. From the hushed whispers in the back, both first-in-commands could tell that Jesse, Echo and Fives also recognized her.  And how could they not? Even if she  did  look different, no longer looking transparent and ghostlike, she was  her  - their  vod'ika . 

She was now like them, solid and real. And here. She was  here . 

Their  vod'ika  slowly opened her eyes. She blinked slowly a few times letting her vision focus. At first, she looked at the Obi-Wan, who was closest to her. Confusion was clear on her face, and then she turned to Anakin and blinked owlishly at the 501st's general.

  "Oh fuck me," she slowly murmured, her voice rough with unuse. "Is this hell or heaven?"

Chapter Text

Chapter 3

When she was a child, just shy of nine years old, her tabby named Queenie died. Well, she was hit by the neighbour's old car but in the end she died and it was the first time Agni was faced with the concept of death. Her mom explained that she would never see Queenie again and that everyone dies sooner or latter (even that mean neighbour? Yes Agni, even Mrs Atkins). 

After that, she became interested in death. Mind you, not in some morbid way but in the innocent way of the child. She still couldn't wrap her little head around the fact that something just dies and disappears. Why? And where do they go after that? There were too many questions for little Agni, so she went to the one person who knew every answer - her grandpa. Later she was told that grandpa wasn't really her grandpa, but just her mama's boss, but to nine-year-old Agni, he was the best grandpa and her absolute favourite person in the whole world. 

"Grandpa, what is it like to die?" she would ask, arranging her small body on grandpa's lap in his office. And yeah, maybe she was getting a bit too big for sitting in his lap but if grandpa didn't say anything neither would she.

She loved her grandpa for many things, but what she liked the most was the way the white-bearded would always look at her like she was something important. Agni loved how grandpa always answered every one of her questions with the same seriousness he would deal with his colleagues. 

"No one really knows, my bright flame, but I believe it's like falling asleep. Slowly and then all at once," 

"Like when you stroke my hair and I fall asleep very fast?" she asked putting her head on her grandpa's shoulder. The man in question chuckled deeply and Agni could feel his chest vibrating with laughter. She smiled when she felt his heavy hand on her head. 

"Yes, Agni, exactly like that. Such a smart girl," Her cheeks reddened at the compliment. She was her grandpa's smart girl.

That sounded nice, Agni always loved it when someone (but especially her grandpa) would stroke her hair. And if dying was like that, she wasn't afraid then. She closed her eyes and hummed contently.  Dying would be nice then, just like falling asleep in grandpa's arms.

and it was. 

When Agni died in her hospital bed it was just like he promised. She fell asleep and she dreamed again, she dreamed of the stars, of the massive wolves. She was healthy and well and most importantly she wasn't alone.  She ran with wolves, she heard them howl and she let her human voice join them too. 

Under the bright stars, surrounded by the warm bodies of her wolves, she laughed and she  lived  again.  One of the oldest wolves (her name was Deka, and Agni loved her silver fur) told her that they were coming for her. Agni leaned her forehead against hers in a loving gesture feeling so light and so at peace but also so sad. She knew soon it would change. She clenched her eyes tightly shut, desperate to not let out any of her tears. 

"But I don't want to leave," she murmured, her fingers clenching the soft fur of Deka. "Please, don't make me leave,"

Agni could feel the rest of the pack coming closer and wrapping themselves around her. Despite the sorrow, she could feel lightness from them.

"As our path leaves us here,  yours will lead you to the stars," Deka spoke, her voice heavy with wisdom. "We must all follow our paths in the Force," 

Agni knew that, but she still wished to stay. 

She could feel the pull, the millions and millions of star-like lights calling her across the galaxy. 

"You do feel them, my bright one?" Deka asked again and Agni hummed in agreement. She could feel them, the millions and millions of stars like lights calling her across the galaxy. "Then you must go," 

Agni opened her eyes to meet the golden ones. She knew she would leave them soon, but not now. Now she was here, encircled by her wolves, their bodies entwined with each other. Now she was with them, all safe and healthy under the cover of the night sky. That night she was theirs, and they were hers. They were one. She wished to stay like that forever. 

Because it was like grandpa said, dying was peaceful; 

But waking up was a major  bitch . 

She wasn't supposed to wake up. The first thing she felt was pain. Agni was familiar with pain, she lived with it for so long so it wasn't the worst part. The worst part was the ever-present exhaustion she felt lingering in every cell of her body.

Agni hated it, hated it, hated it. 

She wanted to go back, she didn't want  this . 

Please, please, please. She had enough of it.  

Please .

And then she felt warm. It was as if someone listened to her. 

Not the uncomfortable warmth you could feel sticking to the back of your neck, but warmth like a hug. Like being hugged, she could feel it spreading through every part of her body. 

And it was better, so much better. 

While pain and the everlasting exhaustion still remained, they were as if pushed to the background. 

Once again she could breathe freely. 

Once again Agni could open her eyes. 

Agni was pleasantly surprised, her eyes weren't blinded by the bright light and instead, it took only a few blinks to focus her vision to see she was in some kind of cave. Agni unconsciously nuzzled her face into the hand against her cheek. It was warm and so welcoming against her chilled skin. Hand moved slightly away and she petulently turned her head in search of it.  

Agni couldn't remember the last time another person touched her so gently. 

Wait. Another person?

She tried to focus her vision enough to look at the hand cradling her face. It was a beautiful hand followed by an even more beautiful face. 

She looked again at the man in front of her, at his gentle blue eyes, auburn hair and well-kept beard of the same colour. 

Ha , he looked like Obi-Wan Kenobi. 

Lucky her. 

She unwillingly turned her head away from the Kenobi-looking angel...

...to another angel. 

If the first one was looking like Obi-Wan then this one looked like Anakin Skywalker. From dark blonde curls, and golden-tanned skin to a scar crossing his right eye, it was Anakin Skywalker. 

"Oh, fuck me," she murmured closing her eyes again and scrunching her face to remember and make sense of  what the fuck  was happening. Albeit unsuccessfully, she only could feel one of her familiar headaches returning "Is this hell or heaven?" 

Agni didn't really know which one would be a better option. 

"Apologies, my dear, I don't think I understand what you mean by that," the Kenobi-looking angel spoke and Agni almost swooned at hearing that accent and being called 'my dear'.  

"I'm surrounded by someone looking like fucking Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker from Star Wars so excuse me if I'm not sure if seeing both of you means I either died and went to heaven or end up in hell to be punished for my sins," she answered honestly without much care and ignoring some cough-covered-laughs from the back. 

"I like her, Skyguy," the not-so-unfamiliar voice spoke and she felt someone squeeze her fingers. Agni didn't even realise that her hand was held by someone but she squeezed the fingers back. Ashoka grinned at her and changed her mind against freeing her hand. It was nice to hold someone's hand. Someone not actively dying at least. 

"Well, you have great taste," Agni murmured finally opening her eyes and turning her head towards the voice. From her montrals to her blue-and-white striped lekku she was Ashoka Tano.

Ahsoka Tano the togrutan padawan. Togruta. She looked so realistic, her lekku and montrals looked so lifelike. Her orange face looked so natural and real. But she looked so young. And the smile Ashoka bestowed on Agni made her seem even younger. Despite knowing how well Ashoka can fight and protect herself, Agni couldn't help but feel protective of her.

"I'm afraid, I  am Obi-Wan Kenobi, but I don't know about being 'fucking' and this is Anakin Skywalker," the Kenobi-looking man chuckled. "While I do not know what Star Wars are, I can assure you we're real and so are you," 

Agni focused her eyes on him. He really looked like Obi-Wan Kenobi. 

Obi-Wan Kenobi from the Star Wars. Star Wars is a fictional world.

They were not cosplayers, not actors, they were real. 

They felt real and she felt real and she could even feel pain and it wasn't like her previous dreams. She could feel pain. Oh god. Agni tried pinching herself as hard as she could again. Oh god.

She wasn't dreaming. She wasn't dreaming. She wasn't dreaming. 

She could feel the beginning of her panic settle deep into her stomach, worsening her already quite severe headaches. 

They were real. Real. Real. Ashoka was real, togruta's were real. And lightsabers. She saw their lightsabers. It was real. And the wolves. It was real too. Anakin was real too and Obi-Wan, holy shit he was real. She was in some parallel universe where Jedi were real. She died and she somehow ended up in the Star Wars universe. 

Someone leaned closer and enveloped her face in their hands making her look straight at their face. No, no, no, no

"Breathe, you must breathe," Anakin instructed firmly but gently making Agni realize she was starting to hyperventilate. She tried to follow his commands but panic had its claws too deep in her. In desperation she put her own hands on top of his, instantly feeling the difference between his prosthetic and the flesh one. "Focus. Look at me, just at me," 

She tried, she really tried but it was so hard. It took her a few seconds (it seemed like hours) until she could focus on the stormy blue eyes of Anakin. 

"That's good, you're doing great. Now breath. Inhale and exhale," 

He exaggerated his own breathing making it easier for her to follow. She could feel the soft leather of his glove. Inhale. But even despite the leather she could feel the hardness of his metal fingers underneath. Exhale. Anakin eyes seemed even more blue up close. Inhale and exhale. 

It felt like hours before she could feel some of her control returning and feel her panic settle. Feeling exhausted and in still pain, Agni dropped her forehead to rest against Anakin's shoulder. Was it inappropriate? Probably. But did she care? Not really.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled, her voice muffled by the dark leathery armour of his shoulder. She felt him chuckle lightly and shake his head with silent 'it's okay'.  

"See? We're not that bad to be considered nightmare material or at least, I'm not that bad, I don't know about Ashoka or Obi-Wan," Anakin laughed making Agni almost smile into the Jedi Knight's shoulder. "You seem to know our names and I'm feeling a bit at a disadvantage right now, my lady"

Agni lifted her head and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. 

"I'm Agni Hedase," she bowed her head in a slight greeting. Ashoka beamed at her, returning her slight bow with one of her own. Obi-Wan smiled gently at her, pulling her hand into his and laying a chaste kiss on the back of it making Agni almost blush at the act. Well okay, she did blush. Deeply and unflatteringly.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Agni Hedase, we've been looking for you."

Shock filled her features. They were? 

Anakin shrugged his shoulders and offered her one of his crooked smiles. 

"Yeah, you've caused one hell of a rift in the Force. You're lucky we were first to find you and not the seppies," 

"You felt me in the Force?" Agni asked looking from Anakin to Obi-Wan to Ashoka. All three of them nodded. Shit.

"And probably every other Force-wielder too," Ashoka added quickly standing up from her crouched position while quickly brushing dirt from her leggings. Double shit. "That's why we should probably move,"

"Ashoka is right. Can you stand, Agni?" Obi-Wan asked already extending his hand to help the woman up. Agni didn't trust her legs, she felt too in pain and too exhausted but she tried to stand up anyways. Only to almost instantly fall. Her knees buckled under the pressure and if not for Obi-Wan's arms she would have fallen back on the hard rock ground, instead, she fell right into the Jedi Master's arms. Right into the extremely handsome Jedi Master's arms. Auburn-haired Jedi gently caught her around her waist, feeling her getting flustered through the Force. "Hello there, I will take that as no"

Without any more words, he scooped her legs up, making her yelp in surprise and making her embarrassment even worse. Obi-Wan easily moved her so he could carry her in a bridal way as if she weighed nothing. He just rolled his eyes at seeing Anakin's smug smile and he chose not to acknowledge emotions he could feel colouring their bond. Now it wasn't the time, Anakin. 

"General, sir, we're not alone anymore," a deeply familiar voice interrupted them and Agni gasped at seeing Commander Cody approaching them. While he was still wearing his helmet she could easily recognize him not only from the orange armour of 212th he was wearing but also by the way the commander carried himself. "Seppies were seen entering the planet. My boys intercepted most of them but a couple of ships managed to land. We must go,  now ."

Shit. 

Chapter Text

chapter 4.

After the announcement, they moved fast. 

He knew the basics about Lothal. Lothal wasn't a planet of any economic or political importance, with the whole planet being far away from many prominent hyperlanes. It was clear that separatists with Sith at the front also sensed Agni's created disturbance in the force and decided to investigate.

But it was clear - they came for Agni, they came for their  vod'ika  and it wasn't something Cody or any of his brothers would take lightly. 

When his general approached him with the new destination set to Lothal he expected some kind of ancient Jedi or Sith relic and not to come face to face with the one to whom they owed so many lives. Cody wasn't one of the first who witnessed her. Actually, he was one of the last commanders who saw her. 

Stories from his injured troopers about the strange woman who kept saving and protecting them reached the commander first. He wasn't too proud to admit that he didn't believe them at first - Cody always considered himself a fairly logical person. 

Of course, he never said that out loud - he let his men believe what they wanted if it made them easier to bear the war they were fighting and dying in. Cody wasn't cruel. 

But then more and more whispers reached him and even his fellow commanders cautiously approached him and only then he started to believe them. Neyo spoke about a woman who warned him about the ambush they almost got caught in. Bly and Bacara told him a story about how that woman - their  vod'ika  - stood between him and his men and commando droids. Monnk and Grey told him how their  vod'ika  helped and brought so many of their brothers back from the battlefield. 

Ponds and Wolffe shared their own stories about how close they were to death until she appeared and directed enemy blasters (or lightsabers in Wolfee's case) away from them.

But it wasn't until he was caught in a tight spot, separated from his general and outnumbered by the army of droids. 

Cody was a capable fighter - he was sure of his training, but even the greatest training didn't mean much compared to the sheer number of the enemy surrounding him.  Cody accepted the fact that it was over for him. Didnt mean he was going to give up, oh no, he was going to go out with his blasters blazing. This was their way. 

And then she appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, protecting his flank and keeping clankers and their blasters away. And it was she who held his weight from collapsing after he took a nasty shot to the thigh and smashed the advancing droid into the ground. She put her own unarmored body between blaster shots and himself not letting any more of the shots hit him.

 Only when the coast was clear, and he was left standing in the circle of destroyed droids she offered a quick smile and disappeared in the same way she appeared. When General Kenobi finally found him - half collapsed on the destroyed droid - he looked stunned and almost alarmed to see the carnage surrounding him. Cody opened his mouth to tell him about her but blood loss caught up with him first. And after the battle, it didn't seem right to bring her up to his Jedi General. 

Cody's trust was a hard thing to earn and an even harder thing to keep and this woman, this strange girl who appeared from nowhere kept saving and helping them managed to earn it. 

Without even speaking a word, she managed to craft her space into his brother's lives and hearts, earning herself the most precious thing clones could offer - their trust and kinship.  With time, with every saved and mourned man (war was still a war, and many of them died) she managed to earn the name clones whispered to each other in adoration and respect -  vod'ika. 

Their dearest sister. 

And now it was up to them to do what she was doing them for so long. To protect her and Cody will be damned - no droid will come even close to her. 

He knew his brothers from 501st shared his determination. 

It was a known fact - Jedi were their biggest weapons against droids and with General Kenobi holding their precious  vod'ika  in his arms it left them both quite defenceless. There was no hesitation in him when he moved forward towards his general.

"Let me carry her, sir. With all the seppies you will need your hands free," his logic was flawless. General Kenobi was more useful side by side with Skywalker using their lightsabers. 

And besides, he preferred having his general with a weapon in his hands. 

Cody saw his general unconsciously tightening his hold on the woman looking almost reluctant to let go and it was only after receiving a nod from Agni he transferred her to him. Vod'ika-Agni rewarded him with one of her smiles and very willingly went to his arms with a silent but  oh-so-fond  whisper of his name. He was glad for his helmet hiding his face. 

He felt a hand landing on his shoulder pad and he turned to see Rex.  Even with his helmet on, Cody knew Rex well enough to know what he was thinking. 

With a final nod, the captain of the 501st and his men surrounded Cody, forming a protective shield around them. 

The message was clear - if you wanted their  vod'ika  you would have to get through them first and they were tough bastards to kill.

Yeah, he knew his brothers well. 

The wolf led them to different tunnels than the ones they came from and soon they were out in the open. S un was setting and it was getting dark and more cold. While Cody was glad for the cover of dark making them less noticeable it also made him cautious about all the enemies they also couldn't see. 

Cody felt Agni burrowing deeper into his arms, both hiding herself from the chilliness of the weather and making herself look smaller. Her face pressed against the white of his armour looked more ashen and gaunt than it had before.  Cody was worried, with every minute Agni looked worse to wear as if the healing she received from his Jedi was only temporary. Cody noticed Obi-Wan turning every few minutes to look back at Agni, he caught his general look and could see the same worry reflecting in the blue eyes of his general. 

They both shared the same thought - they must move quickly. 

They could already see their ship in the distance when the first blaster shot whizzed right past Anakin's shoulder after the Jedi Knight ducked to avoid it while igniting his lightsaber and skillfully deflecting the second shot just seconds after. 

"Cody, go! We will cover you," Obi-Wan shouted spinning his lightsaber and reflecting shots at the advancing droids in an almost lazy fashion. Cody knew he was sitting duck with his arms occupied and while he hated it, he understood the reason. He would give the same order to his mean. Even if he didn't like it. 

"Snips, you too," Anakin added sweeping his arm wide and taking down at least five of the B1's. Ashoka turned to her master ready to argue. "Go,"

"I can fight," she fiercely stated while vaulting in the air and masterfully slicing clanker in two to prove her point. 

"I know, Snips," he answered looking down at his padawan, his lightsaber moving without him needing to look at it. Ashoka was a fierce and skilled fighter even at a young age. "That's why I need you with Cody to take Agni to ship safely"

Determination filled togruta's face and she gave a curt nod, quickly jumping towards 212th's commander covering his retreat from any stray blaster shots. Cody was running towards the ship with Ashoka following him keeping a few steps behind for safety.  Ashoka felt concern brewing in her stomach at seeing Agni in Cody's arms looking weaker and barely conscious. How she wished she paid more attention to Healer Che's teachings. 

"Sir!" Waxer greeted meeting them in the middle, Boil and troopers from 501st following them. Despite the severe situation at hand, Cody let out a sigh of relief at seeing his men.

"Get the medic," he ordered passing his soldiers towards the Twilight. 

"Where's Kix?," Ashoka asked urgently, her eyes darting across troopers in orange and blue for familiar armour of 501st Medic.

"Cody?" a soft, almost inaudible voice reached Cody and he looked down at the woman in his arms. Agni was peering up at him through half-closed eyes. Her sickly pale face frowned in worry "Are you hurt?" 

Warmth filled his body. She was worried, but not for herself but for him - an expendable clone. 

"No,  vod'ika ," he spoke in uncharacteristic gentleness ignoring the lump at the back of his throat. He extremely gently touched his helmet against her forehead. "I'm unhurt,"

"That's good then," she slurred sounding relieved and closed her eyes. 

"Commander Cody!," a voice interrupted and he swiftly looked up to meet the familiar face of the 501st medic. Kix was marching towards him, medkit slung over his shoulder and his eyes already examining him. Kix's eyes landed on the woman in his arms and astonishment coloured his face. "Is that...?"

Cody nodded urgently passing the semi-unconscious woman into the arms of the medic. 

He trusted Kix's medical skills but still, he was reluctant to leave their  vod'ika , but he had his duty.  He needed to come back to his general and make sure they were safe.

Kix recognized their  vod'ika . 

Blast, almost every clone knew of her. But him being a medic he saw her more often than others, crouched over the injured or fallen troopers. Offering help or sometimes just comfort to his brothers without asking anything in return.  Quickly Kix laid vod'ika on the medbay's bed, skillfully untangling her fingers from his armour when she unconciously latched into him. Kix turned on the medisensors to see what was wrong with her while already preparing the hypospray and his medkit. 

Fluids, healing and rejuvenating stim packs, bacta and med scans again. Kix kept meticulously working but his mind was racing with questions. 

"Kix, is this really her? The rumours are true?" a voice from the entrance asked him and the medic lifted his head to look at Hardace, Hevy and Tuo anxiously crowding the entrance. He quickly scanned them for visible injuries and after finding none he nodded.  Hevy and Hardcase looked at each other in disbelief. Hevy was the first one to step towards, his eyes not leaving  vod'ika's  unconscious body. 

Hevy was one of the first clones saved by their  vod'ika . Nobody expected him to return, not after his sacrifice and Hevy still didn't know how exactly he remained alive and practically unhurt but he remembered  her  and how she remained with him amid the flames and droids. 

And now she was here too. 

"What's wrong with her?" Tup voiced his eyes not leaving  vod'ika . All three of them were starting to crowd his patient and Kix could feel his eye twitch in annoyance. 

He understood them, he really did. But she was now his patient and he took his patient's privacy seriously. Especially his unconscious female patient's privacy. 

"Now, do any of you require medical attention? If not then there's three people too many in this medbay," he stated moving to stand between his brothers and his patient, successfully blocking her from their eyes. Hardcase lifted his head in defiance but Kix stared him back. 

He didn't have time for this, his patient needed him.

"If you want to help her, go find the generals. The sooner we leave this planet the better," 

Both Tup and Hevy turned on their heel and marched with newfound determination. 

Only Hardcase remained. 

Hardcase looked down at the woman lying on the white bed with scanners surrounding her. She did look different but still, it was  her . 

Their  vod'ika.  

Kix stared at his tough-skinned brother, noticing how his eyes slightly softened looking at the woman. Even if it lasted only for a second. 

"Take good care of her, Kix," he spoke firmly with his head held proudly. "She's one of ours now," 

Kix let a slight smile slip out. He turned to look down at  vod'ika . He was glad to see that she was starting to look better. 

"Yeah, Hardcase. One of ours," he offered the swift nod to the trooper in front of him, "Now get the hell out of my medbay,"

Chapter Text

Chapter 5

She was getting tired of waking up.

But more she was tired of waking up in pain with every part of her body panging with aches. 

Agni really wanted to just go back to the sweet nothingness of being unconscious. But luck wasn't on her side today.

Agni blinked her eyes open but after being assaulted by the bright artificial light she closed them back with a hoarse groan leaving her irritated throat while making Kix jump from the chair he was resting on. 

He quickly grabbed the control panel and made the lights dimmer. Kix turned back towards the girl on the bed. 

"There, it's going be better now," he said sitting back, his eyes not leaving her form. At hearing a weirdly familiar voice Agni half-opened one of her eyes and after finding the lights agreeable she fully blinked them open, taking the view of the room and the only person in it. "How do you feel? Any dizziness? Pain?" the man asked, his eyes scanning her form for any undetected ailment. 

Agni shook her head, while yes, she was in pain but no more than usual. She was used to having this level of pain and managing to function normally. 

Brown eyes met her own and she stared at the man sitting in one of the seemingly uncomfortable metal chairs on her left. 

The first thing she noticed was how  painfully  familiar his face was. 

But at the same time, he looked also so different. He looked  real. 

Oh god, he looked real. 

And his armour. Agni could recognize anywhere the achingly familiar white and blue armour of the 501st Legion. She looked back at his oh-so-familiar person and he after meeting her look straight-on slightly tilted his head in question, revealing the tattoos on the side of his bald head. 

Series of words written in foreign Aurebesh. 

But Agni knew what those words meant.  A good droid is a dead one. She recognized him and she knew who he was and he was right in front of her. 

Oh shit, she knew him. 

"Kix? Kix, is that you?" she asked, ignoring how raspy her voice sounded. The medic of 501st offered her a small but welcoming smile while passing her a shiny metal cup with a straw in it. Agni wrapped her fingers around the cold metal and after seeing the water sloshing inside of it she took a big sip, groaning at feeling cool liquid pleasantly sliding down her throat. 

Kix tried to hide the surprise of their  vod'ika  knowing his name. He never told her that, nor did somebody call him by his name with her being around him. But he couldn't help but feel warmth blossoming in his chest at hearing her call him by his chosen name.

"Yeah, it's me," he answered after the second. He noticed how tight she clenched the metal cup between her hands. Kix fought the urge to reach out. 

"Is this-' she started but stopped for a second to swallow the lump in her throat. She could feel desperate tears burning her eyes. "Is this real or not?"

Kix tilted his head in question. He wasn't sure what she was asking. 

"Real," he slowly answered and reached toward her, letting his hand wrap around hers. She flinched and for a second Kix thought she was going to pull away but then she twisted her hand, intertwining their fingers together, squeezing it. 

Kix squeezed their hands back offering her a smile.

"It's real for us," he added. Agni bit back a sob, closing her eyes hard to keep tears at bay. With her lips trembling she still managed to give a brittle smile. 

"You're real? You're with me?" she whispered with a trembling voice. 

Kix hesitated only for a second before he lifted their entwined hands towards his face in the way he used to do with his brothers after they had one of the reoccurring nightmares. He put one of her hands across his cheek and the other against the pulse point in his neck. 

"I'm here  vod'ika , I'm real, you can feel me. We're both here and we're okay," he whispered leaning forward to rest his forehead against her. Agni sagged against Kix as if her whole strength deserted her. "It's okay, I got you. You're okay, it's not a dream. You're here with me."

Kix willingly supported her weight and he was willing to continue to do this as long as she needed it. 

They stayed like that for some time until the hiss of the door opening made Agni jump apart from the medic making her hit her back against the metal wall. She grimaced at the pain, gently rubbing her sore back. Kix stood straight, positioning himself right between her and the doors with a hard look aimed at the six of his brothers anxiously standing in the doorway. 

Two of them were elbowing each other for more space until Hardcase shoved Fives forward making the trooper crash on the hard floor, right at the Kix's feet, making him throw some  very unsavoury  curses in  mando'a  at the Hardcase who was standing as smug as he could. 

"What's the meaning of this?" Kix demanded with his arms crossed across his broad chest. 

"C'mon Kix, you can't hog  vod'ika  all for yourself" Fives echoed still lying on the floor, not even trying to get up. Tup and Hevy who were standing at the back eagerly nodded. 

"Yeah, we want to meet her too,," Hardcase exclaimed mirroring the medic's position. Kix only raised an eyebrow at the hyperactive trooper.

"Especially knowing that it was us-," Jesse started gesturing at himself, Echo and Fives "-who found her," 

"Facts," Echo agreed. 

The soft chuckle interrupted their planned speech. Agni practically beamed at hearing the clones explain themselves to the medic. 

"How long you were standing behind that door and practising your little speech?" she asked them after Kix turned sideways to allow Agni to look at the clones at the doorway. Her heart clenched in happiness and affection at seeing her boys all well and alive.

They were  here . 

She could recognize Echo, Fives, Hardcase and Jesse who were standing at the front. 

"For at least 10 minutes," a voice from the back reached her as Tup, who she could recognize from the teardrop tattoo under his eye, sheepishly scratched the back of his head. 

Agni laughed at the answer, her smile bright and genuine. She invited her clones closer despite Kix's disapproving look still aimed at the other men. 

Echo was the first to move closer to her. 

"Hello, my name is-," he started to introduce himself but Agni interrupted him,

"Echo," she finished for him, then turned towards the man with 5's tattoo on his head and goatee "You're Fives." 

She turned to the trooper with geometrical tattoos on his face "That's Hardcase"

Agni then turned towards the trooper with the Republic crest tattooed on his head with Tup right beside him "You're Jesse and Tup," 

She then turned towards the last man. His standard clone trooper armour was decorated with blue paint in a pattern Agni couldn't recognize. She lifted her eyes up to see his face. He was clean-shaven, proudly showing his tattoo on the lower jaw. 

Tattoo she  could  recognize. 

Agni felt as if someone punched the breath out of her lungs. 

But it was impossible? 

"It can't be," she whispered so quietly, her eyes not leaving his face. Hevy's face. Due to tears, it was getting blurry so Agni roughly wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.  She wanted, no, needed to see him. " It can't be "

"Well, I will try not to take offence that you don't know my name,  vod'ika . But just this once. I'm Hevy," he said offering her an impish smile, receiving a weak and watery smile from his vod'ika. 

" Hevy ," his name was breathed in such an affectionate manner that it made Hevy himself blink back the tears. No one  ever  apart from his   batchmates seemed so relieved to see him. 

The next thing he knew the body of his  vod'ika  crashed right into his arms making him stumble back and almost fall back on his behind.  Agni clung to the trooper with all her might, her face buried deep into the Hevy's neck. The grievous sob escaped her throat and she wrapped her arms even more tight around his neck. 

Hevy returned her embrace with the same fierceness. 

"How is it possible?," she whispered into his neck and Hevy rocked her side to side, one of his hands holding the back of her head and the other gently stroking her back. 

"You saved me, vod'ika," he whispered into her hair, hiding the tears stinging the corner of his eyes "You protected me and you saved me," 

Another sob, but this time different, no longer anguished but relieved, escaped her throat. Relief flooded her body. Half laugh half sob escaped her throat, making her clutch the man in her arms even harder. 

"You're alive," she murmured like a mantra to him and to herself. "You're alive"

"Because of you," Hevy told her, looking at his brothers over her head. He caught their looks, "You saved so many of us. Because of you, many of our brothers came back,"

"Because of me?" she parroted leaning back to see Hevy's face. Confusion was clear on her face. She couldn't understand how because she didn't do anything for them. Right?

Hevy slowly nodded, his calloused fingers brushing Agni's tears away with uncharacteristic gentleness

"You do remember, right? All those battles where you helped us?" Hardcase asked and Agni turned to face him. Shock coloured her tear-stained face. 

She did remember it, but she thought it was only a dream. It it wasn't?

"I thought it was only the dream," she echoed her thoughts. Clone troopers exchanged looks with each other. Hardcase shook his head at her.  They didn't know that, they never really questioned how she appeared to them and from where. What mattered to them was that she was there and she helped. 

"No, no. It was real," Echo answered. His battle-worn fingers gently but firmly squeezed her shoulder, grounding her. 

All of this wasn't the dream? All the time she witnessed the battles, tried to protect them, and comforted their injured brothers. It was real?

"I told you,  vod'ika , it was always real for us," Kix added offering her gentle smile. 

She sat down hard on the bed, Tup who remained silent for the whole time joined her too. The youngest trooper almost shyly offered his hand and Agni took it, squeezing it tightly. 

Suddenly her body stiffened with realisation. 

All of her dreams were real. Her dreams were real

All the battles she saw, all the carnage she witnessed it was real. 

The dread filled her.  All the troopers she didn't save, all of the men who died. They were all real. And she thought it was only a dream, she didn't take it seriously. She could have done more if only she knew she could have done more. 

It was all her fault, she could have done more for them and she could have helped them more. 

"I'm sorry," it all she could whisper, the guilt seizing her throat, making her struggle with every breath she took. Agni didn't know to whom she was apologizing. To the men in the room for their loss of brothers? To the fallen clones, she didn't save? " I'm so sorry ," 

She didn't see the clone trooper's surprised face at hearing her apologies. They didn't know what she was apologizing for. For them, she had nothing to apologize for.  But here she was, pleading for forgiveness for the crimes she hadn't committed. 

"For what you are apologizing?" Fives took a hesitant step forward, crouching down to be at her eye level. "You have nothing to be sorry for,"

All of the men nodded in agreement to Fives.

Agni lifted her head. Her eyes, still full of sorrow met the soldier's eyes. In his brown one, she could see nothing but gentleness. It made her feel even more guilty. 

"I wish I could have done more to help you. If... If only I knew better, I would... I would have done more," she answered, lowering her eyes. She couldn't brave herself to face disappointment in her clone's eyes, she was sure they were holding for her. 

"No, no no, stop it,  vod'ika.  Please look at me, look at me," Fives fiercely stated, waiting patiently until Agni lifted her head. "It's not your fault. You have nothing to be sorry for," 

"Fives is right. It's not your fault. You saved so many of us, you helped us without asking anything in return," Tup spoke squeezing her hand even tighter. He will not have her blaming herself for something completely out of her control. 

"But I could have done more," she explained, looking from Fives to Tup. 

"You did more than enough," Jesse stated. His voice was firm, leaving no room for arguments. "But you must remember, that we're a soldier of the Republic and we're at war. We're created for war. To fight and die if necessary for the good of the Republic. We all must do our duty,"

With the next words, Jesse's voice softened as he looked at her. 

"But we're so grateful for you. And you did so much for us already. Not only do you protect us from blasters but you also care for us. I don't know why you decided that, but we're so thankful and privileged to have you with us,  vod'ika . Please don't ever feel guilty for it."

"Why do you call me that?" she asked them. She remembered from before that even Cody called her that few times.

"Vod'ika?" Echo asked and Agni nodded. She knew it was a  mando'a  word but she couldn't remember the meaning of it. 

"It's because you're our  vod'ika ." Fives answered. Hevy rolled his eyes. 

"It's a word from the  mando'a  language.  Vod  means sibling - either brother or sister." Hevy started to explain. "And the ending means little, something treasured. So, little sister or little treasured sister." 

Agni was speechless. She looked at the other clones waiting for them to correct Hevy or do something, but they only nodded. 

"But I'm not?" she tried to defend herself, not feeling worthy of such a revered title. 

"Why? Because you're not a clone like us?" Hardcase asked crouching down to meet her face to face "Or that you don't carry a blaster and wear armour?" 

She didn't have the answer.

"Without gaining anything, you stood with us." Hardcase continued, slightly tilting her chin so she was looking right at him. "You protected us, you saved us. To you, we were not just expendable pawns," 

"You're not expendable. Not to me," she told them, voice firm and steadfast. 

"Well, that's good to hear, vod'ika. But I'm still feeling a bit left out," Fives spoke while standing up from his crouched position. He extended his arms to the sides. Agni tilted her head in confusion. Hevy rolled his eyes at his batchmate, used to his antics. "Hevy received a hug from you for being alive. I think I require one as well," 

Agni laughed out loud, her voice finally so much lighter. Without any hesitation she jumped into Fives arms, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. ARC trooper wrapped his own arms around her waist and twirled her around making Agni squeal in surprise.

"You idiot, don't do that. You will make her dizzy," Kix admonished Fives once he set her right on her feet both still giggling.

Agni reached for the medic and yanked him right into their hug. Fives soon pulled Hardcase and Jesse who joined them grumpily, Echo joined on his own wrapping himself close to her. Agni reached for Tup and Hevy drawing them into their group hug.  It was messy, slightly uncomfortable with their rigid armour but it was also so perfect. Agni closed her eyes, surrounded by her boys from all sides, feeling so safe and light. 

The determination filled her body. She knew what she had to do now. While she didn't know it was possible or how she appeared here she knew what she had to do now. 

She will save her clones. She will not let Palpatine have them and use them for his own gain. 

She didn't have a plan yet, she didn't know how she will do it.  But Darth Sidious will fall before touching them.  Or she will die trying, but unfortunately for the Sith Lord, the death didn't really stick with her the first time. 

So watch out, Palpatine. Your time is coming. 

Chapter Text

Chapter 6

Agni knew Star Destroyers were one of the largest ships in the whole Star Wars universe. But it was one thing to know that tidbit of information and another thing to be in one of them and see the sheer magnitude of the vessel from inside. 

And it completely different thing to feel a panic attack coming while she was standing frozen in front of the massive metallic door for the last 5 minutes. 

Agni took a deep another deep breath, feeling the anxiety twirling in her stomach. She closed her eyes and leaned to rest her forehead against the cool surface of the metallic door in front of her. 

She didn't know what was waiting for her on the other side of the door. Well, no, it wasn't true. She knew that both Kenobi and Skywalker waited on the other side of the door wanting to talk with her. After they send two of the not-that-familiar 501st troopers to the medbay to check on her and pass the message that they wish to speak to her if she is well enough. Making Kix spend at least twenty minutes grumbling about how she should stay in the medbay and not traipse around the ship. Agni liked Kix and as a fellow medic she understood his job and all the risks but she had already spent enough time between white walls on the hospital bed and she wanted to get  out.  As soon as possible. 

And besides, she was on  The Resolute  - she wanted to see all of it. And it wasn't like she had a fangirl moment when Jesse told her they were on the infamous  The Resolute  (that was a lie that she will never admit). 

So after having a well-argued discussion with the medic, they agreed that she could only get out of the medbay if he would accompany her and if she felt any kind of illness or weakness she would inform the medic as soon as it happened. 

Agni was glad that the medbay wasn't that far away from the tactical room, because it was almost pathetic how slowly she moved and how out of breath she felt. For God's sake, she used to be a paramedic - running up to the 10th floor with all the gear and then performing a few rounds of CPR used to be nothing for her. And now she was almost panting after the simple walk. She hated her condition. It was one of the many things cancer took from her.

Agni felt a heavy hand fall on her upper back, gently moving in circular movements. She tilted her head towards the medic leaning over her and offered him a small, but reassuring smile. At least she hoped it was reassuring.  

"I told you, you shouldn't have left medbay," Kix stated stepping closer towards the girl, his eyes scanning her form carefully. She still needed to rest in his medbay and not wander around the ship and he was ready to rip into both General Skywalker and Kenobi for making her get up. Agni waved him away. It didn't make Kix worry any less. 

Their vod'ika was as stubborn as a barnacle. He already realised that she would be one of his hardest patients in the line with his generals. 

Agni straightened up, pulling her wayward but at least finally clean hair into a messy bun. Using a sonic shower was a bizarre experience and while she still preferred to use water for her showers it was better than nothing and combined with the spare clothes Hardcase provided she almost felt like a human again. 

"I'm alright, Kix," she answered gently meeting the medic's eyes. Kix wasn't impressed. "Just a bit out of breath. But it's normal, with time I will be better," 

Kix still looked sceptical but after a few moments of staring her down, he punched a few switches on the keypad making the door open with a hydraulic hiss. 

While Agni was still unsure how well the Jedi would take her explanation and what they would do with her she had no other choice but to step into the room and see it herself. 

It was a big room and the first thing she noticed was a massive holoprojector in the middle of the room surrounded by seats around it. 

More to the left there were a few tables with holopads and other unrecognizable things lying on them. She could even see a couple of the droids tinkering around. She was already fascinated by them and couldn't wait for the moment she could see them up close. Especially she couldn't wait to meet up with the infamous R2-D2

"Ah! Agni, it's so good to see you. Are you well?" A softly accented voice reached and she turned to face Obi-Wan Kenobi making his way towards her with a gentle smile on his bearded face. Agni couldn't help but notice how handsome he looked while smiling. 

Behind him, she could see the dark-dressed form of Anakin Skywalker with his arms crossed on his chest menacingly standing near Ashoka who was mirroring her master's pose but with a wide smile crossing her face. Captain Rex and Commander Cody were both standing shoulder to shoulder with their helmets tucked under their arms. 

She turned back towards Obi-Wan who was standing in front of her with his hands clasped behind his back. Agni couldn't help but gift him one of her small but genuine smiles. 

"I'm well enough, Master Kenobi," she said, offering enough respect towards esteemed Jedi. Obi-Wan laughed and waved her away.

"Just Obi-Wan, my dear," he said gesturing her towards one of the seats. Agni ignored the giddy feeling plaguing her after hearing Jedi Master call her 'my dear' "Please, sit. I know you must still be exhausted,"

Before she could politely reject the offer, Kix who was already glued to her side gently but firmly pushed towards the closest of the seats, remaining to stand behind her himself. 

She turned towards Anakin who was staring at her with a puzzled look on his face while Ashoka was practically jumping on her feet next to him in excitement,. 

Obi-Wan took a seat in front of her. 

"Well, we-" Obi-Wan started but was quite rudely interrupted by Anakin. 

"Who are you?" he questioned harshly, making Obi-Wan admonish him with soft 'Ah-nakin'. Only looking at his former master Anakin's gaze a tad bit softened. 

Agni contemplated the best way to answer that question. 

"I'm Agni Hedase, I'm 23 years old. I'm from planet Earth and I used to paramedic until I died and appeared on Lothal - or at least I think it was Lothal," she decided to stick with the hard truth. She saw both Anakin and Obi-Wan exchange looks with each other. 

"Died?" Ashoka asked, shock clear on her face. Agni shrugged. She had mourned her life months ago. That's what dying for months gets you. 

"Yeah, shit happens,"   

For a moment there was a dead silence. 

"What in the kriffin hell," Anakin exclaimed, his frown replaced by genuine confusion and shock. It was almost funny to see them react in this way. Agni tried to prevent the smile from escaping.

"Could...could you explain that more clearly, Agni?" Obi-Wan for the first time sounded unsure. Agni nodded. 

"I was sick for a long time, and I was actively dying for most of the time. There was no healing for me and one day I simply died. And the next thing I remember is waking up in Lothal," she explained, hearing how insane it sounded. But it was the truth and she wasn't stupid enough to lie in front of the Jedi who could tell if she was telling the truth. 

"It's impossible," Anakin said, combing a hand through his curls in frustration. "You must be confused,"

Agni glared at the golden-haired Jedi. 

"Says the man who uses a light sword and can move things with his mind," she snarked back, offering him a saccharine smile. Rex coughed to cover his laugh. 

"You said you're from Planet Earth, right?" Obi-Wan asked and Agni turned back towards Jedi Master. "I'm afraid I do not know about this planet. In which quadrant it is? Is it in Outer Rim?"

"It's in a galaxy far far away," she answered semi-enjoying how she could mess with them. But she also had a heart. Agni sighed deeply. "Listen, I don't know how and why I appeared in this galaxy. But I know that I died and I'm here now," she said looking at the three Jedi in front of her. Obi-Wan slowly nodded, his face still unsure. Jedi Master leaned a bit closer, his blue eyes meeting hers. 

"In the cave, you seemed to recognize us but you were having problems believing we were real," he stated, his voice calm and even. Agni anxiously twirled her fingers. She could feel one of Kix's hands clutching her shoulder in reassuring matter. 

"Because you're not," she simply said, not daring to look up.

"We're not what?" Anakin asked. She looked up to face a Jedi Knight. 

"Real," it was a simple answer, "At least not in my galaxy. There's no Republic or Jedi, there's no Sith or Sepparatists and there's no Force. It's simply all stories made up by some person with vivid imagination,"

"Stories?," Anakin exclaimed running his hands through his hair in frustration. He laughed, but it was a bitter sound. Anakin started to pace around the room. There was an air of anger clouding him. "We're just stories? All of it? The war and...and all that we suffered? All the people we lost? It's all just stories for you something to laugh and then forget?" 

He turned his back to her and Agni fought the urge to comfort him even if she didn't know what to say. But it was Obi-Wan who went to Anakin first. The older Jedi Master laid his hand on the taller's jedi shoulder and leaned closer to murmur something to Anakin. It was too silent for her to hear but whatever he said it helped - even from the distance she could see some of the tension and anger melt from Anakin's shoulder. 

"To some, you may have been just simple stories. But for me? You were so much more," she started, her voice silent but firm. Anakin slightly angled his head towards her but his body remained with his back turned towards her. 

She looked at the Ashoka, then turned to the Obi-Wan and then finally looked at Rex and Cody who stayed silent during the whole debate. Rex offered her a slight smile while Cody nodded at her. 

"You were everything to me, during my darkest times you were the only thing I had that helped me," 

She took a deep breath. Her resolve and determination to help them strengthened.  

"And now, it's the time for me to repay the debt by helping you" she finished. Anakin turned to face her, shock evident on his face. 

Obi-Wan sighed deeply. 

"You know how the war will end, right?," he asked realising that Agni must know the ending of their story and if she decided to help them then things ended not favourably for them. The older Jedi Master looked at the woman in front of her. "We lost, didn't we?"

The guilt and sadness colouring Agni's face was his answer. His shoulder slumped in defeat, he felt so much older than he was at that moment. 

"Yes," 

Silence settled around us. Agni could practically taste the dread and horror tainting the air. 

"But it's not written in stone. It is possible to change the future," she said hopefully while thinking of Hevy and the other clones she did manage to save. She read so many stories about the dangers of changing the future but then why she was put into this world if not to change it? 

"It's dangerous things to mess with the future," Obi-Wan cautiously said running a hand through his hair. Anakin scoffed at him. 

"Obi-Wan, if what she says it's true then we lost a war. All of it was for nothing, I don't think that it could be any worse," he spoke leaning against the holopad. Ashoka nodded, standing right beside him. 

"But you already changed things," Kix spoke for the first time ignoring all the eyes turned on him. He was still shaken from learning that they'd lost the war but he knew that their vod'ika wasn't there without reason. She already managed to change the fate of many of his brothers without actually being there. From what he learned about her she was nothing but determined. 

"What do you mean, Kix?' Ashoka asked, confusion colouring her face. Agni looked from Ashoka to Obi-Wan to Anakin who were all sharing the same confused look. They didn't know about her. Her clones haven't told them about her. 

She turned to Rex and Cody because she really thought they shared her existence with their generals. Especially knowing how close they were. 

"They don't know?," she asked pointing at the Jedi Masters. Rex sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. Cody pointedly ignored her look. 

Fuck . 

"Don't know what? I'm getting real tired of being left in the dark," a dark look crossed Anakin's face as he looked from between the newcomer and his captain. Yes, he did notice that both his men and Commander Cody seemed to recognize Agni - he could feel their emotions from the Force and he never felt such protectiveness coming from them aimed not at one of their own. But he waited for his captain to come to him on his own accord. 

"When I was dying, I used to have dreams about the battles. Every day for months I was on the battlefield with you all. Different battalions, different planets but I was there," she started to say, not wanting to remember all of the carnage she witnessed or failed to prevent. A brittle laugh escaped her "Well, I thought I was dreaming, so I decided to do something about it. I always was quite good at lucid dreaming, so I started to involve myself directly in the battles to try save some of the troopers," 

"Vod'ika.. I mean Agni was with us during the bloodiest of battles, sir. She helped us and she managed to save many of our men. Commanders Ponds and Wolffe personally owe their lives to her as many others. Myself included, sir" Rex explained, looking at the Agni with such pride in his eyes. Rex knew that it was wrong of them to hide such information from their generals but for her, he was ready to take any punishment. 

"She became known among us. Every commander knew her and most of the soldiers at least heard of her." Cody added his voice firm and steady. Agni was shocked, she never realised how big of an impact she left in her clone's lives. 

Cody turned towards his general 

"Sir, do you remember the battle of Ryloth when we became separated in those blasted jungles? And then you found me?" Obi-Wan nodded. He remembered that battle well, after they got separated he thought he would never see his commander again but then he found him, in the middle of destroyed droids - too many for him to destroy alone. But at that time it wasn't the right time to question it. "It was her who saved me," 

"And you didn't think to inform us? Any of the Jedi?," Anakin asked both Rex and Cody. He couldn't help but feel slightly betrayed by Rex. He was his second-in-command, Anakin told his captain everything but it seems Rex didn't hold him in the same regard. 

"At first we didn't think she was real," Rex answered truthfully. "And then, how would you start with that conversation? 'Hey, general, we casually see some strange lady who saves our lives? But how was your day?' That's how earn a one-way ticket back to Kamino," 

Agni snorted at that, covering her laugh with a well-placed cough. The last thing she wanted was to be glared at by the Chosen One. 

"But why didn't any of us see her?" Ashoka asked Rex while pointing at the Agni. She also felt hurt by Rex's secret. She thought they were close. 

"You didn't need me," Agni answered truthfully. She loved the Jedi (some more than others) but they didn't need her help. It was clones, who were outnumbered and sometimes outmatched. To her, not one of the clone troopers was expendable. 

"Still, we should have known about her," Obi-Wan said, his voice laced with slight disappointment at his commander. Cody swiftly nodded, he knew his mistake - he should have informed his general as soon as it happened but the other side of him had no regrets for keeping her secret.

"General Koon knew about Agni," Cody added, remembering how Wolffe admitted to telling his general after Agni saved him, and how General Koon saw their  vod'ika  himself.

After hearing her favourite Jedi Master's name Agni couldn't help but smile. Master Plo Koon was the only Jedi who saw her during her dreams, and she adored every moment she managed to interact with the Wolf Leader. 

"Master Plo Koon?" Ashoka's excited voice reached and she smiled at the young togruta. She knew of the younger padawans' deep connection to the Kel Dor master.

Obi-Wan hummed. Member of the High Jedi Council knew of Agni's presence but decided to withhold the information from the rest of the council. He trusted the Jedi Master, but it was unusual for one of them to keep such information secret. But knowing Kel Dor Jedi, Obi-Wan knew it was for good reason. 

"And I'm betting half of my credits, General Secura knows too," Rex added. Both Cody and Kix snorted out loud. They both knew how close Commander Bly was to his General. Even Anakin managed to smirk at hearing it. Commanders Bly and Aayla's relationship was an open secret known by most of the Jedi. Anakin was sure even members of the Jedi Council knew but decided to turn a blind eye to it. 

Obi-Wan turned to the Agni who was sitting once again, nervously twirling her hands. Agni was an enigma. Obi-Wan always managed to get a good read about every person he met on his travels.

Everyone except her. 

Every living person has a Force signature surrounding them and you can always get so much invaluable information from that signature if you know how to look at it. But her?  Her signature was almost non-existent. If the Jedi Master were blind he wouldn't be able to tell she was there at all. It was like she was untethered to this galaxy.

He couldn't wait to introduce her to his fellow Jedi council members.

The hiss of the door turned his attention from the Agni towards one of the ensigns of The Resolute. 

"General Skywalker, General Kenobi," a uniformed officer greeted both generals respectfully. "We're reaching Coruscant's atmosphere. Preparing for landing," 

Agni swallowed deeply. 

Fuck.

Chapter Text

Chapter 7

Coruscant was the city of billions of lights. In all her years and travels she hadn't seen anything like it. As far as her human eyes could see, Agni could see millions and millions of glittering and shining buildings spanning across the horizon of the city of lights. They were flying low enough for Agni to see the deeper levels of the Coruscant city, still dotted with bright lights. Even in the lower levels of the glistening city, she could see thousands of moving dots, going from one building to another in almost perfect lines. As they flew closer Agni saw it wasn't just mere dots or some lights flying and following some invisible lines - it was space cars, moving one after another without any collisions.

They were flying cars. They had flying cars! 

The wonder and giddiness filled her body and Agni couldn't help but reach towards her bare arm to pinch herself, to be sure she wasn't dreaming again. After feeling only a sharp sting and no signs of waking up she let a laugh full of amazement escape her lips. Agni leaned even closer toward the glass to see more of the city until she was almost touching the window with her forehead. 

She was really  here . 

She was here, in Coruscant. In the capital of the Republic.  She was in Coruscant!

She couldn't believe it. 

"The city that never sleeps," a voice from beside spoke to Agni and she jumped in surprise, accidentally banging her head against the glass. Hard. 

The sharp pain blossomed through her forehead and she silently cursed in pain while turning to the person who scared her. 

"Oh  fuck .. kriff ... sorry! I didn't mean to scare you!," Anakin exclaimed his eyes wide as he unsurely moved towards her, his hand held in surrender as if she was one step away from attacking him (okay maybe she was because it  hurt )

Agni's hand gently massaged the sore spot, trying to offer the Jedi Knight a reassuring smile but delivering more like a grimace. "Are you, okay?" 

"I should put a bell on you or something," Agni told the golden-haired Jedi, trying to hide her embarrassment. It's not like every day you bang your head against the glass in front of the famous Jedi. Famous  pretty  Jedi 

Anakin chuckled, one of his hands nervously combing through his honey-colored curls, making it even more messy than it was before. 

"Yeah, but you should see Ashoka. She is  pro  at sneaking behind you - even with the Force she managed to scare the kriff out of me a few times," he said leaning against the glass wall, despite the words his voice was proud. Then a worried look crossed his face again "But really, are you okay?" 

Agni waved the Jedi's worries away. She survived worse. 

"Don't worry, Master Jedi," she said slightly bowing her head in modicum of respect. "I've had worse than a bump on my head.  Honestly , the only thing that was wounded was my pride," 

The Hero with no fear  laughed out loud. His laugh was free and genuine, in the artificial light of Coruscant Anakin looked almost angelic with his golden curls framing his face and the bright smile crossing his face. 

Agni couldn't believe that  any  man could be this beautiful. 

"Anakin," Jedi said once he stopped laughing, but even then his smile remained. Still as bright as it was genuine. "You must call me, Anakin." 

"Anakin," she repeated his name. She couldn't help but return his smile with one of her own. "Only if you call me Agni," 

Anakin solemnly nodded at her, as if they were both agreeing on an extremely important thing. Agni couldn't help but chuckle at seeing his serious face. 

"But you mustn't worry,  my lady . Your shameful defeat by the glass window will remain a secret. I assure you," he mockingly said in an accent similar to that of Obi-Wan, or at least the faux version of it. 

"My defeat?," Agni gasped, one of her hands against her chest in the faux offence. "Must I remind you, that it was your fault for startling me? You must take back your slander!" 

For the second there was silence until both of them burst into laughing at their little act. Anakin was amazed by how easy it was to laugh with her, especially during this war when smiles and moments like that were few and far between. He really missed that. 

The comfortable silence spread between them as Agni looked through the window at the lights of Coruscant while Anakin was staring at her. 

"But are you alright, Agni?" he once again asked noticing her forlorn look as she gazed at the city. This time they both knew he wasn't talking about her head. 

Agni sighed, her eyes not leaving the view.

"Yes?...No... I don't know," she admitted to both him and herself. She didn't have time to stomach her new reality, nor she did have the time to properly mourn the life she lost. But she knew, that sooner and later she will have to deal with it. She just wanted to postpone it as much as she could. Even if she knew it wasn't a healthy or smart decision. 

"I'm okay but also I'm not? Does that make sense? I'm glad to be here, I am. I really am. But I also wish I was still back home," she laughed, but her voice was void of any of her previous joy "Yeah, I know I hadn't the best of lives but..." 

"But it was your life, even if it wasn't perfect it was yours," he finished for her and Agni turned towards the Jedi Knight surprised. She nodded, feeling a slight kinship with the Jedi. She knew that while nobody could truly understand her situation, she knew that Anakin lost his home and the the dearest person to him. They were similar in that. At that moment Agni couldn't help but feel a bit less alone.

"I may not know how exactly you feel but. I know how hard it can be, to leave everything you had and be pulled into an unfamiliar place," he continued his voice while gentle but also  so  sad. 

Anakin kept his eyes locked on the horizon and it was Agni's turn to stare at the Jedi. Anakin turned to face her, his eyes boring into hers with intensity. "And sometimes you will be so homesick you will want to die and there's nothing to do about it except endure it but even in those moments you need to remind yourself that you're not alone, no matter what your mind tries to tell you."

Once again Agni could feel her eyes start to burn with unshed tears. She stubbornly blinked them away not willing herself to cry in front of the Jedi.  Again 

"There are people who are so grateful you're here.  Hells , you already managed to carve your place in the hearts of many of our men," he continued, noticing her eyes glistening more and more with every word he said and how relentlessly she tried to suppress the tears from coming. Only knowing her for a day he noticed her stubbornness. 

"And if you, ever need someone to remind you that, Agni, I'm just one holo call away," 

The next thing the  Chosen One  of the Jedi Order knew he had Agni in his arms after she flung herself right into his chest, wrapping her arms tight around his waist and burying her face into his leather tunic. 

For a second, he froze - too surprised to act, but then slowly he wrapped his arms around her bringing her even deeper into the hug. 

Anakin was always affectionate - he knew that it came from his dear mother, who always offered her love with hugs and cuddles. And even now, after all these years, Anakin was constantly craving physical contact.  And while his fellow Jedi were quite reserved, but not in any way lacking, in their affection, he always craved more. 

The Jedi Knight was pleasantly surprised and elated to see another person so open with their affection. 

Even from the few hours, he stayed with Agni, he already noticed how open in her emotions and especially physical affection she was with the clones - from friendly hugs to playful yet endearing forehead touches - to her touching people she liked came as easy as breathing. 

"Thank you, Anakin," she murmured, her voice muffled by his robes. Anakin just squeezed her even tighter against his chest, putting his chin on top of her head and closing his eyes just for a moment trying to savor the warmth of having another person in his arms. 

He's not going to admit that he needed that hug maybe even more than she did. 

"Anytime,  my lady ," he softly whispered against her hair. 

The Force itself sang around them. 

The Resolute landed a bit outside the Republic Military Base in the landing pad made exclusively for Star Destroyers. Once again Agni was blown away by the sheer size of the starship after she departed the vessel with only Obi-Wan and Cody. 

She turned to look back after not seeing neither Ashoka nor Anakin or Rex or any of the 501st troopers following them. 

Obi-Wan turned back to the Agni after noticing that she stopped walking with them. He could easily tell who she was looking for and Obi-Wan could easily understand her and how she felt. 

"They will join us soon, don't worry Agni," he said stepping closer to the woman and offering her a gentle smile. For once he was glad they were not on The Negotiator - and it was Anakin's job, not his, to complete landing protocols. "After reaching every spaceport, there are specific protocols we must follow to ensure proper maintenance of the starship. We never know, how soon we're going to be called back to action, so it's extremely important to be restocked and have the ship ready to go at minute," 

Agni nodded, understanding dawning on her face.

"To be prepared is half the victory," she said and Obi-Wan nodded in agreement. It was the same thing they do with their ambulances after they go back to the station - restocking all the supplies and making sure everything was in place was one of the most vital parts of their job. A tedious job, but an important one.

"And we're for once lucky we're not on the Negotiator - General Kenobi could be a real slave driver with those protocols," Cody chipped in while casually scrolling through some kind of datapad in his hands, not even deigning to lift his eyes from the gadget and completely missing the deadpanned look aimed at him from his general. 

"Thank you, Cody, for your invaluable input," Obi-Wan said, his voice dry as Tattooine's sand as he looked at his commander and Agni snorted out loud, barely managing to mask her laugh with a cough. 

"Anytime, sir," Cody cheerfully answered looking at the Agni for a moment to wink at her. Obi-Wan sighed deeply. Then a smirk crossed his lips. 

"Then, why don't you join Captain Rex and Anakin with their protocols as you were always so efficient with them? While I will take Agni to the Jedi Temple myself," Obi-Wan said, gently steering giggling Agni towards speeders and leaving the 212th commander gobsmacked.

"Bye, Cody! Have fun and I will see you later," she laughed, waving at the clone commander with a bright smile until they turned the corner and she couldn't see him anymore. 

She turned to face Obi-Wan, who was already looking at her with a slight smile blossoming on his lips. At meeting her eyes he raised an eyebrow in question. 

"Well played, Obi-Wan Kenobi," she said in faux-seriousness with only her grin betraying her. 

"Thank you, my dear," Jedi Master said slightly bowing his head in thanks after rewarding her with a satisfied smile. "Say, Agni, have you ever rode a speeder?

Agni's face dropped all the smiles making Obi-Wan laugh out loud at her apprehensive expression. 

"Oh, don't worry, Agni. It's better that your first time is with me rather than Anakin," he said while putting his hand on the small of her back and gently guiding the woman forward to the speeder landing pad where only two of the speeder bikes were standing. 

Despite her anxiety for riding a speeder Agni couldn't help but snort out loud at the way Obi-Wan phrased the sentence.

She just couldn't keep her mouth shut. 

"Yeah, you're going to be gentle during my first time?" Agni batted her lashes at the Jedi, teasing the auburn-haired general. 

She really needed to shut up. 

It took Obi-Wan a good second to realize what she was implying, but never say that Obi-Wan was above some flirty teasing. 

He smirked, tilting his head slightly to the side while rather coyly looking her up and down. 

"Your wish is my command, darling. I can do it in every way you want," he purred, leaning his back against the closest speeder bike. Now it was Agni, who was left speechless. She really hoped to fluster the Jedi but what she didn't take into consideration was what major flirt Obi-Wan was.  Agni couldn't help but flush at hearing his voice low and enticing. It was her fangirl dream to hear Obi-Wan Kenobi speak to her like that. 

Dream she wasn't prepared to face. 

"But I'm afraid, we don't have much time for pleasure." he continued, looking almost apologetic to say it. Obi-Wan moved sideways showing her the speeder he picked. "We must go, dear one," 

It did look somewhat like the motorcycle they had on Earth if their motorcycles didn't have wheels and despite her experience of riding motorcycles in her spare time, Agni wasn't much motivated to climb on this one. Not that she had much of a choice. 

"But first, take this," Agni turned her head from the speeder to the Jedi Master and was met with the most glorious view of Obi-Wan disrobing. 

Only his brown robe, but Agni couldn't help but feel her inner fangirl go crazy at seeing the famous Jedi shedding his iconic robe and leaving him in his sandy tunic covered by the white Republic Jedi armor.

Agni always loved their armor in the first seasons of Clone Wars. 

Obi-Wan held his robe towards her, gentlemanly offering his help to put it on. Agni without questions let him put his robe around her shoulders. Instantly, she felt warm from the soft material engulfing her body.  She lifted her head to look right at the Obi-Wan, noticing how close he was standing to her. 

"Thank you, Obi-Wan, you're always so kind," she said, covering his hands, who was fixing her robe collar, with her own hands making the Jedi lift his eyes to meet hers. 

His eyes were the most beautiful blue color, like summer sky and they were gentle,  oh so  gentle but also so sad. 

Infinite sadness.  She remembered that line. She knew she couldn't take his sadness away, what he suffered in the past was what made him the Jedi he was now.  But she pleaded for anyone who was listening above to help her prevent the suffering that was waiting for them in the future. 

It was maybe a selfish wish, but she didn't want any more of the sorrows to cloud his eyes. 

As if hearing her thoughts Obi-Wan offered her a gentle, but sad smile, lifting their joined hands and laying a chaste kiss on her knuckles. 

"My pleasure, Agni," he answered, stepping away but still holding her hand. He led her closer towards the speeder and without any hesitation mounted the bike, tugging her gently forward in a clear sign for her to follow him. 

It was less graceful than Obi-Wan's, especially with the long robe flowing against her legs but she managed to sit on the passenger seat behind him.  She was unsure where to put her hands when Obi-Wan turned the speeder bike and Agni felt the vibration of the engine moving through her body. In the hand, she decided on the safest variant and wrapped her arms around Obi-Wan's waist. 

"Good girl," Jedi cheekily said, turning his head back to look at the Agni. 

"Shut up, just drive," she said hiding her burning cheeks against Obi-Wan's back. She won't be mocked for what 'good girl' in Obi-Wan's voice did to her. 

The Jedi in question just laughed and leaned forward readying himself to move.

If Agni thought riding a speeder was going to feel like riding a motorcycle then she was wrong.  It was nothing like that. The major thing that made it different was that they were high in the  fucking  air.  Agni wasn't squeamish about heights in any way, but being hundreds of meters high in the air when the only thing holding her from splattering on the ground was her tight hold on to Obi-Wan - wasn't the most pleasant experience.

At least at first.

But she couldn't deny it - the Coruscant high in the air was even more mesmerizing than seeing it from the window of the starship.  At least the upper Coruscant, where bright lights from the luxurious buildings and skyscrapers illuminated their way as they flew towards the Jedi Temple. After realizing that Obi-Wan was a really attentive and safe driver, she felt herself relaxing. Agni leaned closer to the Jedi, gently resting her head on Obi-Wan's shoulder as she looked at the beautiful view of the city in front of her. 

"It's beautiful," she said softly, not expecting Obi-Wan to hear. Jedi slightly turned his head towards her and hummed in agreement. 

"Doesn't make you question why it's called the Jewel of the Core Worlds, right?" Obi-Wan asked and Agni laughed, nodding against his shoulder. 

"Soon we're going fly through Senate District," he said and Agni felt the dread simmering deep inside her stomach. She knew what and most importantly who resided in Senate District. "You could see Galactic Justice Center, Galactic Museum, and..." 

"Senate building," she finished for him and Obi-Wan nodded. She could recognize the Galactic Senate's building even from afar. Agni didn't realize that she tightened her hold on Obi-Wan until he asked her if she was alright. 

"I'm fine. I just really despise politicians," she admitted, her eyes still glued on the Senate building as if she could see Palpatine sitting there. 

Obi-Wan laughed at her answer. 

"Me too, my dear. Me too," 

She really despised Palpatine. 

The Jedi Temple was a marvelous building. She couldn't help but stop to admire the thousands of years old architecture right in front of her. While she wished she could see the main entrance with the statues of Warrior and Sage Masters protecting the entrance she was also glad to see the other part of the Temple from where they landed with their speeder. \

She closed her eyes for a second and took a deep breath. Despite the heavy weather of the Coruscant city and the dread she felt from seeing the Senate building Agni could easily feel the light and peaceful presence of the ancient Jedi Temple. It was like stepping into a warm home after spending hours in the cold. She smiled, basking in the feeling. Not noticing Obi-Wan gazing at her with a gentle look and a fond smile marking his face. 

"You can feel it," it wasn't the question, more like a statement and Agni nodded. She didn't how and why, but she could feel the temple and with more prodding, she could even feel people inside of it. Even with her eyes closed she could see those lights, it was like looking up in the dark sky of night and seeing thousands of stars littering the sky. And now it was as if she could feel each of the stars. 

"I never felt like this before," she said finally turning towards the Jedi who was staring at her with his hands crossed. At seeing Obi-Wan's smile aimed at her she slightly furrowed her brows and tilted her head in question. One of her hands moved towards her face. "Do I have something on my face?"

Obi-Wan chuckled and shook his head. 

"You look like a Jedi," he said and she grinned at the Jedi while twirling her brown robe around her, loving how it swooshed around her legs. 

"It's only because of the robe," she said happily, feeling pleased for being compared to the Jedi. "Which you're not gonna get back, sorry. I love it too much," 

"Don't worry, I have others. And Cody has even more of them tucked somewhere in the ship," he said, nonchalantly waving his hand. "But it's not because of the robe. You  feel  like the Jedi should - light and warm especially in the view of the Temple. It's refreshing, especially in wartime like now. "

She didn't know how to properly respond to it. It was more than simple compliment, especially coming from Obi-Wan Kenobi - the truest Jedi there ever was.  She never imagined herself as the Jedi, especially a good Jedi. Agni always held herself too prideful and too impatient to even try to see herself as the peacekeeper of the Force. 

"I will take that as a compliment," she said slightly bowing her head in respect to the Jedi Master.

Obi-Wan chuckled lightly, putting a hand on top of her shoulder and gently yet steadily guiding her towards the entrance manned by two masked Jedi Temple Guards who swiftly bowed their heads to the Obi-Wan before moving to let them pass. 

Once they were inside the temple she was even more amazed by the architecture of the ancient building. All she could see was a high ceiling, arched high above their heads with statues and sculptures paving their way. 

"This is, the shortest way to the High Council Chamber," Obi-Wan explained as they moved forward, nodding at the other Jedi Masters and Knight as they met them on their way.  Soon they were standing in front of the massive, double doors separating them from the High Council Chamber. 

Obi-Wan lifted his hand, to push the door open but before he could Agni grabbed his hand, stopping it. 

"Wait...please," she said, fear and anxiety clouding her voice. "Just give me a second, please," 

Obi-Wan lowered his hand and fully turned to Agni, noticing how her fear and anxiety were just rolling in waves. Her eyes were wide and terrified. He was sure, even his fellow council members could feel her fear. 

"Agni? What's wrong?" he asked gently, pulling his hands on her shoulders to ground her. Obi-Wan was confused. 

"I'm scared," she admitted, lowering her head, "I'm scared that I will fail or I will change things for the worse. And I'm afraid that the Council won't believe me and I will be left alone with my knowledge," 

For a moment Obi-Wan stayed silent, then ever so gently he lifted Agni's chin so she was looking right at him. 

"But aren't we all share the same fear? Aren't we all fear the future, failure, and everything in between? But the most important thing is not to let the fear control us or to define us." Obi-Wan spoke, his wise words reaching me and I could feel some of my anxiety disappearing. "That's what it is to be a Jedi. We feel fear like everyone else, but we do what needs to be done anyway because we trust the Force. We don't let our fear turn into anger, which leads to hate and ends in suffering. We don't let fear turn us to the dark side,"

His words didn't make her fear disappear. it was still here, coiled right around her heart. But she won't let that fear control her. 

She knew she wasn't alone, not anymore. 

"And I'm a Council Member too," Obi-Wan continued, offering her small smile. "And you already convinced me, so you've already done part of the job,"

She chuckled, reaching to squeeze his hand on her shoulder in thanks. 

"Sorry, you needed to see it," she said, feeling some part of the same from having an outburst like that. Obi-Wan just waved his hand nonchalantly. 

"Don't worry, I'm used to," he said extending his hand towards the double door like before. He turned his head towards the Agni waiting for the confirmation. 

After receiving a small nod from the woman he pushed with the Force, making the massive door open. 

Agni took a deep breath. 

Here we go. 

Chapter Text

Chapter 8

Agni never felt this nervous in her life as she walked into the famous Jedi High Council Chamber. But if Agni was good at one thing it was hiding how anxious she really was when it really mattered. 

Like right now. 

With her head up and her hands tightly crossed behind her back she stepped into the main chamber where the twelve, mostly occupied seats formed almost a full circle, even if she could feel the anxiety writhing deep in her stomach she tried to ignore it to look presentable to the esteemed Council. 

Her inner fangirl was screeching at the realization that she was in the freaking Jedi Council chamber. Of course, she did her best, to hide her nervousness mixed with joyful excitement. 

Who wouldn't be excited to be in her place, especially with Obi-Wan standing  just right beside her  when he was just a few centimeters away from her?  If only she would  slightly  move her hand to the right she would be able to touch the famous Jedi.

But she won't because she was an adult with some self-restraint (barely). 

She shook her head, hiding her smile at the thoughts of Obi-Wan Kenobi, and looked straight ahead. Right in front of her, the smallest seat was occupied by the  oh-so-familiar  form of the green, goblin-esque Master Yoda. 

Agni stared at the Grandmaster with something akin to shock and amazement and Yoda unflinchingly stared back, his large pointed ears slightly twitching in curiosity. At braving his unblinking eyes, Agni physically fought the urge to crisscross her eyes or do something else ridiculous. 

Adult with self-restraint, remember? 

On Master Yoda's right sat Master Mace Windu with an everpresent frown marring his face. She always admired the senior council member and how he always did his best to protect not only the clone troopers under his command but also all of the others who he had contact with.  And while yes, she was totally intimidated  by Master Windu. Agni respected the man with all her heart. (But from far away)  

She turned her gaze to the seat beside the revered Jedi Master and was pleasantly surprised to see Master Plo Koon occupying one of the council seats.  Agni couldn't help but feel the delight of seeing Master Koon on Coruscant and she offered a shy but affectionate smile to her favorite Jedi - the only Jedi she actually met during one of her dreams. 

"Welcome to the Coruscant and the Jedi Temple,  little one ," he spoke in his usual deep voice due to the breathing mask he was wearing and lifted one of his clawed hands, putting it across his chest in greeting. Agni copied the greeting without waiting for any second. 

Sue her for being excited to see her favorite  father figure  Jedi. 

Master Plo Koon was pleased to see the young woman who saved his commander not only once but twice and the one his boys practically adopted as one of their own. And while he only saw her two or three times, he couldn't help but feel glad when she was finally here with them and he was no longer bound to secrecy.  He couldn't help but long to see joy on his wolfpacks' faces after he will accompany her to meet up with them. 

"Tell them what you told us, Agni," Obi-Wan spoke from beside her and she almost jumped, momentarily forgetting the Jedi Master was still standing next to her. 

Obi-Wan nodded to her in reassurance, his hand squeezing her shoulder as he passed to take his seat on the empty chair near the brown-skinned Jedi Master, whom Agni could recognize as Depa Billaba, former padawan of the Mace Windu and the Master of Caleb Dume.  

You must run! Run, Caleb!  A voice echoed in her mind from memory and Agni visibly flinched as if she was slapped from the memory. Not wanting to even  think  about her horrible death for a second she turned away from the female Master Jedi. Leaving the practitioner of the Vapaad form confused. And curious. 

"You can begin now," Master Windu spoke and while his tone was polite Agni could hear the undertone of impatience laced in it. 

She swallowed once, her hands clenching and unclenching behind her back. 

Agni wasn't sure how much she could tell them, before inevitably changing the course of the future. She didn't live under the rock - Agni knew the butterfly effect and she had read stories about it. But on the other hand, how can she just be there and do nothing? That wasn't in her nature. 

"Hello, hmm... I'm Agni and kind of know your whole future?" she started her statement sounding more like a question. A dumb one. 

Even to her ears, she sounded stupid. 

Apparently, eloquence wasn't in her nature too.  Great job, Agni

Her eyes shifted from the holographic form of skeptical-looking Ki Adi Mundi to the gentle yet curious eyes of Shaak Ti. The togruta Jedi Master was sitting with her hands clasped daintily on her lap, at meeting Agni's eyes she slightly moved her lips into a reassuring and gentle smile, one of her hands moving in the universal sign of ' keep going'. 

Agni, once again, felt like she was back to her elementary school performance after she forgot her line and looked at her teacher for help. 

"I know how the war ends...," she tried again. Cringing again at her lack of eloquence. Agni let her eyes scan the rest of the council members. 

Saesee Tiin. Oppo Rancisis. Agen Kolar. Kit Fisto. Adi Gallia. She witnessed them all sitting in their designated spots, some of them offering only their holographical forms. But also Agni saw their deaths. 

Their gruesome, unfair deaths. 

And younglings.  oh god, the younglings.  All the children. Dead. Slaughtered. Right on these floors. 

 "...and how most of you will die and how most of the Jedi Order is wiped out,"

Agni clenched her hands tighter, feeling her nails digging into her palm painfully but she welcomed the pain, for it helped to take her mind off their deaths. Of  all  their deaths. 

For a moment there was silence until voices exploded all in one. 

"Preposterous!"

"How it can be possible?" 

"Force visions?" 

"It can't be possible. How can an entire order be wiped out?" 

"How does she know?"

"She must be lying," 

The sharp sound of wood meeting marble floors reached her making her jump. Agni looked at Master Yoda, who was using his wooden staff to gather the attention of other Jedi council members. It took only seconds for the whole chamber to silence themselves, their attention turned to the Grandmaster of the Jedi Order, waiting for the old Jedi to speak. 

"Let her finish telling the story, we must.," his voice while quiet was firm. Even without raising his voice, Master Yoda commanded the whole chamber to calm down. Even Agni could feel the wisdom and rightful authority coming from the green Jedi.  

Master Yoda turned to face Agni. Thumping his wooden staff to the ground again. "Start from the beginning, you shall. Hmmm" 

She nodded her head in thanks to the Grandmaster.  

"Okay...I'm from Planet Earth, a planet in a completely different universe where there's no Jedi or the Republic or Sith. There are no lightsabers and there's no Force. All of it was just...stories." Agni started her explanation only pausing for a second, her eyes flying from one to another of the Jedi, who were listening to her in silence. Agni noticed a few of the Jedi exchanging looks full of disbelief with one another.  

"All of your lives, your battles, your victories, and your deaths are written and passed to us as fictional stories. Or at least I thought it was fictional," she ended the story with a bitter laugh. Because, how one explain to someone that their whole life was fictional? Created by someone for entertainment.  

Agni kept her eyes locked into the familiar blue eyes of Obi-Wan, finding comfort in the auburn-haired Jedi. Obi-Wan rewarded her with a gentle but also encouraging smile. "I know how and why  Clone Wars  started and I know how it will end." she swallowed once, trying to keep all of the most heartbreaking memories at bay. It wasn't time for that. " I saw all of it ." 

Hushed whispers rippled through the chamber at her revelation. Every Force-sensitive being in the chamber could feel the heartbreak following her last sentence.

Force-itself colored herself with sadness. 

Agni shook her head as if physically trying to get rid of the mental images of Anak - no Darth Vader storming the Temple and Order 66 and the fall of everything she held dear. 

She couldn't bear to see it again, especially not now when she was  right here. 

"So we lost the war," Master Kit Fisto stated, his head tentacles seemingly wilting of their own volition as if mirroring Jedi's emotions. The ever-smiling Nautolan Jedi was serious, his brown furrowed. "Why? What was the cause of it? How did we fail? Because so far we're eradicating the droids,"

Agni shook her head. Letting her own eyes meet the black orbs of the Nautolan. She didn't let herself remember how the green Jedi fell to Sidious lightsabers. 

"It wasn't one wrong move or bad decision that made you lose. No matter how well you fought and strategized, no matter how well your men fought there was no chance of victory for the Republic and the Jedi," she started slowly, trying to pick the right words. It was difficult thing to say, that the war they fought and died in was only created to wipe their order out. 

She wasn't brave enough to face the horrified looks of the Jedi. 

"Because the whole conflict was manufactured for you to get pulled into the war and be wiped out so the Galactic Empire could rise from the ashes of the Republic. It was years and years of careful manipulation from the Sith Lord on both sides that made your victory simply impossible."

"Then how could we be so blind?," Mace Windu spat out, his face darkened by the frown marring his face. Yoda reached his three-fingered claw towards the dark-skinned Jedi in a calming manner. But even the grandmaster's eyes were full of sadness and grief for the things written in their future. 

"To not fall into anger or despair, we must," he said quietly, his voice serene and full of wisdom. Master Windu nodded, closing his eyes for a second to meditate on his emotions. 

"You say that Republic fell? It can not be possible." Adi Gallia spoke for the first time during the whole session. The famous Jedi diplomat could not believe that the great, everlasting Galactic Republic could just simply be destroyed by one Sith. For thousands of years, despite the hundreds of the Sith efforts Republic prevailed. "Galactic Republic stood for over twenty-five thousand years..."

"...and it was destroyed in decades," Agni stated, her voice sharper, carrying more bite than she intended as she stared at the Tholothian Jedi meeting her eyes unflinchingly. "It was destroyed and in its place, the Galactic Empire rose with the Sith Emperor leading it at the front,"

Agni turned away from Adi Gallia, who was still staring at the Agni in disbelief and growing horror, to face the other Jedi.

Her head tilted and eyes fierce.

"The future is dark for all of us. It's full of darkness betrayal and death. And I know that death is part of nature but  not like this . It wasn't anything natural." she said, her voice firm carrying across the chamber and making every Jedi look at her and listen. "They started to call it  The Great Jedi Purge and it was fitting when every Jedi, no matter how old or young was hunted and slaughtered on the orders of the Sith Emperor until less than a hundred remained."

A bitter laugh escaped her lips, twisting her once pleasant face into something brutal. Sharp. The Jedi couldn't help but flinch at her tone. It was as if Force herself embodied her making them feel everything she felt. 

"Younglings, padawans, knights, and masters. All were cut down, all were brutally murdered during the darkest times of the Republic." Agni continued, her voice seemingly detached but eyes sharp. 

It was as if they could feel the pain of the cut-down Jedi, screaming at them from the Force and then disappearing one by one.  Force was unflinchingly letting them imagine and experience the horror and the coldness of feeling their fellow Jedi being killed in masses. Genocided one by one. 

Yoda clenched his chest in anguish, feeling the heavy loss of the fallen Jedi. No one was left unaffected. Even the ones, who appeared in their holographical forms felt the same despair and pain even millions of kilometers away. "The last of the younglings were massacred in this very chamber we're standing right now." 

It was as if they could see and feel the terror of the younglings as they fell one by one. Alone and in fear. As if it was happening right here and right now. Someone sobbed nearby. Horrified gasps rippled through the chamber. Obi-Wan felt sick. 

Mace clenched the armrest of his council seat so tightly he could feel the wood almost giving up from the force. He was an experienced Jedi, he had seen horrible things in all his years as a Jedi, but he had  never  felt terror as deep and real as he felt now.  And even he knew, deep in his mind, that it was only an echo of the one in the future. In the future, he will do anything to prevent it. 

Agni closed her eyes, and she tried to avoid looking at the horrified and pained faces of the Jedi after they learned the gruesome future of their Order.  

"And it wasn't only the Jedi who suffered," she continued, her voice frailer, losing the sharp bitterness and leaving only aching heartbreak in its wake as she thought about her beloved clones. 

Powerless. Brainwashed. Having no choice but to obey.

"Clones troopers, who fought for us all, who died for the Republic were suffering too. Their own free will was ripped cruelly away from them, made to do unspeakable things without any choice." 

A silent yet heartbreaking sob escaped Master Shaak Ti's throat as she clapped her mouth shut. Her clones, her men, her children. She was a Jedi Master - she knew what were attachments and how dangerous they could be. And she acted with the clones accordingly. But still, she loved them. She gave part of herself to every clone she trained and oversaw. Her heart grieved for every one of her children  clones when they were killed. Her heart worried for every batch she sent to the cruel arms of war, but she still let them go as it was the way of the Jedi. 

Master Plo Koon mirrored togruta's emotions. Feeling care and love and pain for his sons men and all the clone's troopers stationed in the galaxy. He knew the war was cruel. He knew war just takes and takes and takes without giving anything back except pain. But it was the reality of the life they were living and he accepted that a long time ago, and so did his men. They knew their purpose and duty to defend and protect the Republic and its people. But to hear, that their will, the thing that made them so special, was taken away from them? It was almost unbearable. 

"And you can say, that it's the will of the Force or something that needs to happen, or that you can't change the future because it's too dangerous to meddle. And maybe you're right. But I  refuse  to accept it. I refuse to see it happen again, especially when I have the knowledge to prevent it from happening." Agni could feel angry tears burning her eyes, threatening to escape their prison but she ignored them. With the back of her hand, she roughly wiped a few that managed to roll down her cheeks. 

She will not crumble now. She stood straighter, tilting her head up as if in defiance. 

"I will die before I let it happen. And maybe I will fail, but at least I will face the death with knowledge that I tried to change it." Agni took a deep breath, her voice less steady but still firm with determination. 

"I know that I'm nothing compared to you all. I'm no Jedi wielding the lightsaber and using the Force. I'm no senator with political prowess able to change the minds of the millions with only my words. And I'm not even a skillful fighter. I'm just a simple medic, from a simple planet with not many defining qualities," She looked at one and each of the Jedi. 

Now she knew why she was put here. About what purpose her lovely Deka was telling her. Agni could feel determination and strength fill her body, pushing away the pain and anger.  It was as if she could feel her beloved wolves with her. Deka's strength was hers now. 

"And I would wish to have your help and your support. But know this, I will do it myself if I have to. I will fail by myself if that's the will of the Force. Because I refuse to stand idle and do nothing." 

For a second there was silence, her chest heaving from her speech. 

Agni looked from one Jedi to another, waiting for them to speak. She was ready to hear their reprimands and warnings. But as she said to them with or without their approval she will act. Alone or with them.  

In the corner of her mind, she could fear whisperings, that she would never be alone as the Force was with her.  

"We thank you, for your shared knowledge, young one," Saesee Tiin spoke, his voice controlled, Agni still could hear the shakiness left by her future telling.  The Force itself aided her with her story, letting all of the Jedi councilmembers taste the future held for them. 

Agni tilted her head in defiance, waiting for the 'but' she knew was coming. "I can imagine that it wasn't easy for you," 

"I agree with Master Tiin, you showed us your resolve but I must ask you a question," Depa Billaba continued, looking at the young woman in front of her.

She was also shaken by the future and by what she felt. Depa couldn't help but think about her young padawan, the youngest one she ever took. Still basically a youngling. Her heart would break if someone happened to the little boy who managed to carve a space with his mischievous yet gentle soul. 

"Why do this all? If we understand correctly, you're not from this galaxy. You owe no loyalty to either the Republic or the Jedi Order. Why would you risk all that you have for a small chance of success?" 

Agni blinked once in surprise. Then a chuckle escaped, full of bittersweet heartache. 

It was such an easy question, with such a simple answer. 

"Why?" she repeated the question and Master Billaba nodded waiting for the answer. Agni chuckled again, her eyes full of sadness but also of love for everything good in this galaxy. "Because I love you all" 

"I loved all the stories about Jedi and this galaxy since the first time I heard them as a child. I loved stories about you all in every step of my life. Your adventures, your courage, and your compassion followed me in every step of my life until the very end. My heart was always full of all of the adventures about the Jedi, the clones, and everything in between." 

She smiled at every Jedi in the room. She could see their astonishment, fully bared to the world, not hidden between the mask of detachment. 

She wanted to laugh at seeing their faces - she could tell that nobody expected her answer but it was true. Since childhood she adored stories about Jedi and even before she saw Clone Wars, she loved the Star Wars world with all her heart. It may be childish of her, but it was true. 

"And if I have a chance, even a small one, to protect what I consider dear to me how I could not try?" Agni smiled at Master Billaba, and even if her eyes were filled with unshed tears her smile was gentle. Soft. Genuine. "It is the most natural thing in the world to protect what you hold close to your heart." 

Chapter Text

Chapter 9

Heavy doors slammed behind her, leaving Agni seemingly all alone in the empty hallway. Agni felt her shoulders sag in weariness and she let her head fall back against the door she leaned against. Agni welcomed the pain the movement brought her once the back of her head hit the door.

She sighed deeply, closing her eyes for a moment just to get her bearings back.

The Council will seek you out once the decision is made.  

That was all they said to her after a few moments of heavy silence that followed the end of her speech. It was clear dismissal on her part, she was smart enough to realize that. As she was ushered gently yet firmly from the Chambers, only the reassuring smile from both Obi-Wan and surprisingly Shaak Ti made her believe she hadn't messed everything up completely. She couldn't help but feel at least a bit hopeful, believing or at least deluding herself into thinking she managed to persuade at least a few of the council members. 

Obi-Wan, Shaak Ti, and Plo Koon - those Jedi masters were her best hope. But despite the hope she felt, Agni still carried the doubts inside her that she hadn't told the council enough for them to decide in her favor. Because Agni knew, that even despite her passion and willingness to do it on her own she was just a simple no-one in the vast galaxy and she knew there wasn't much she could do to change things simply on her own. 

Even her knowledge of the future felt worthless if she didn't have anyone who would believe her and would side with her. Her voice wasn't loud enough to reach the ears of the people with the power to change things. 

It was a dangerous time to be alone in the galaxy and Agni had no skills of her own to hold her ground against the dangers of this galaxy. 

Agni was smart enough to realize that as soon she will start making ripples in the waters (and she will do that, with or without the support of the Council) blasters will be aimed at her with no hesitance to pull the trigger. 

She knew  exactly  against whom she stood and who manipulated all the chess pieces on the board.

Palpatine was a dangerous man and while Agni hoped, that at least for now, her existence was unknown to the Palpatine she wasn't stupid enough to delude herself into thinking that the Sith Lord would remain unaware of her presence.

Hells, Agni was sure he already felt her presence in the Force as all the other sensitives in the known Galaxy and it would be child's play for the Sith Lord to add the missing pieces together and come to the conclusion that Agni was the potential threat. Palpatine planned his galaxy domination for too long and too hard to let  anyone  throw any proverbial wrenches into his plans (and she was  oh-so-ready  to do that)

So that's why it was  vital  for her to gather the support of the Jedi. And the best way to get the help you need is to convince them that they need her too.  

And that was the hardest part. 

Another sigh escaped Agni's mouth and she stayed still. Leaning against the very same door that divided her from the twelve people who were  literally  holding her life in their hands and debating what to do with it.

Fun times.

"Was the meeting so awful?" the voice asked from her left and to her embarrassment she quite literally  jumped  at seeing both Skywalker and Tano standing a few meters away from her. Anakin was casually leaning against the column with his hands crossed against his broad chest with a smirk aimed her way. His padawan was practically jumping in one place, unsuccessfully trying to contain the cheerful grin marking her face. 

Agni mentally cursed herself for being too engrossed in her thoughts about Jedi Council, Sith, and well -  everything  - to notice two figures making their way towards her. 

A voice inside her head, too similar to Cody's, told her she would long dead on the battlefield for keeping an eye on her surroundings. She ignored it, letting her lips curl into an easy grin aimed at the Jedi Knight and his young padawan. 

"I've had worse," she answered, shrugging casually and making her way toward the pair. 

Anakin watched her every move with a lazy grin.

"Are you sure? They can be  sooooo  dull," Ashoka intervened, tilting her head sideways in question, her blue eyes sparkling with youthfulness. 

Agni simply nodded, biting back a frown. 

That meeting was  anything  but dull.

"You never hear safety regulations meetings at my work," she answered togruta, remembering how painfully tedious those meetings used to be - especially if they happened after exhausting shifts. And they always  happened after them. 

At mentioning her job, Ahsoka perked up and even Anakin curiously tilted his head. She knew what the next question would be even before young togruta could even ask.

"What work you used to do?" Ashoka asked then she pouted adorably. Agni felt the overwhelming urge to pinch her cheeks. But she didn't. Barely. "I feel like we don't know anything about you and you know too much about us. That's not fair,"

She was just too adorable but like 'she-can-rip-your-hand-off-and-beat-you-with-it' adorable.

"I'm a paramedic," she answered honestly, the pride she felt about her job was clear in her voice. She loves her job. Well, she  loved  her job before she became too sick and then, well,  died . "Well, at least I was one,"

"So like Kix? That's so cool!" delight and awe was clear in her voice. The famous Ashoka of the Jedi Order was amazed by her simple, earth job? Well, that really stroked her ego.   

Ashoka turned to her Master with a wide grin.  

"Hear that, Skyguy? We should totally have her with us she could be like Kix and it would be  soooo  awesome,"

If there was one thing crystal clear about Anakin, it was how much he cared and adored his padawan. Everyone would be able to tell that after taking just  one  glance at him as he looked down at the Ashoka.  Agni could not help but think that the fondness and care for his padawan on Anakin's face made the golden-haired general even more beautiful than she thought it was ever possible. And softer. 

He was simply  beautiful. 

Agni tried to fight the urge to squeal about it like a schoolgirl with a crush. 

"You're alright, Snips," he drawled, agreeing with Ashoka and making the togruta beam at him in delight. 

Then Anakin looked right back at her. Agni's breath hitched after meeting the stormy blue eyes of his and she  tried  to ignore the strange pull she was starting to feel. "It would be  amazing  to have her,"

Agni's heart  did not  skip a beat at hearing his words said in that particular tone. She could bet her ass he didn't really mean the same thing Ashoka meant. Or maybe she was just too delusional.  She nervously laughed, trying not to attract any attention to her flushed cheeks (she failed that, because Anakin grinned at her, not hiding the pride at making her flush - he couldn't help but wish for Obi-Wan to be here). 

"Well, I'm not as cool as Kix, I'm afraid," she spoke instead, putting her weight from one leg to another and willing her cheeks to come back to their normal color. "I'm not an army medic. I'm not really trained for war but for more like civilian emergencies. So sorry to disappoint you,"

Anakin laughed, waving his hand in the air in a nonchalant manner.

"And Jedi were not trained for the war or leading Republic armies to the battles," Anakin said pushing himself from the column with ease, falling into step with her and gently yet firmly guiding her away from the Council Chambers. 

To where? She didn't know (a small part of her would let him take her anywhere). 

Ashoka sidestepped her to stand on the other side of Agni while offering her cheeky grin. 

"Yeah, and look at us now! Commanders and generals," she said, extending her palm towards Anakin just above Agni's head.  Anakin grinned, smacking his own hand against hers in a high-five.  Then he halted for a moment, his arm awkwardly hanging in the air until he semi-casually dropped it to wrap it around Agni's shoulders. He waited with bated breath, for the slightest discomfort or unease coming from Agni but instead, he was pleasantly surprised by how willingly she moved and relaxed against him (and how nice it was to hold her.) He let out a breath he was holding, pulling the young woman even closer to him. Anakin couldn't stop a giddy smile from crossing his face, especially when Agni albeit cautiously wrapped her own hand around his waist.

He also, very successfully, ignored the Ashoka's eye-roll aimed at him.

Agni only laughed out loud to the delight of both Master and Padawan, easily letting the duo lead her away.

"Did the meeting last abnormally long or did you manage to finish all the safety protocols on The Resolute that fast? Because Obi-Wan told me that you two going to take a while." she randomly asked Anakin as they walked through the semi-empty hallways. Ahsoka snorted out loud and Anakin sheepishly rubbed the back of his head with his free hand.

She looked from Ashoka to Anakin, waiting for one of them to fill her out what was that funny.

"Nah, Commander Yularen let us go," Anakin answered, aiming a swift glare at Ashoka who snorted again.

"Yeah and not like Commander Yularen kicked Anakin out of the ship as soon as it landed for pulling the shit he did near Cato Neimoidia," she mock-whispered leaning closer to Agni, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

Agni was instantly interested in learning more.

Anakin gasped in offense. 

"Oh c'mon, Yularen likes me and my plans," Anakin declared in all seriousness and Agni hid her smile behind her hand. Ashoka lifted one of her eyebrows, well the white striped skin above her head to be precise. 

"He despises your plans," she deadpanned. "He still hasn't forgiven you for that time when you used  The Resolute  like bumping car against seppies,"

A wistful look crossed Anakin's face and he laughed as if remembering a fond memory. And in his case he did.

"It was a good plan," he said simply, shrugging his shoulder.

"It was shit plan," Ashoka stated at the same time while crossing her hands across her chest. "I mean it worked, but it was still the shitty plan,"

Anakin gasped, even putting his not-occupied hand against his chest in faux offense as he stared at his padawan. 

Agni couldn't help but giggle, her eyes moving from Anakin to Ashoka, clearly enjoying their banters and for a second forgetting the dreaded council meeting and her fate hanging by the thread in their Council chambers.

"Yeah, I'm searching for a new padawan," he stated seriously turning to look down at the woman under his arm Agni lifted one of her eyebrows in question, not even deigning to hide her grin from the Jedi Knight. And at that moment Anakin decided Agni looked even more beautiful when she smiled at him like that. 

Ashoka rolled her eyes at both of them, not hiding the grin tugging at her lips. She always loved their banters and how free she could always act in his presence.

"As if you could find someone who would manage to deal with you and your half-assed plans," she stated, swiftly taking Agni's hand in her own and tugging the human woman from under Anakin's arm. Agni laughed out loud, easily letting the young togruta manhandle her until they were walking side by side with their hands linked, steps ahead of Anakin and ignoring his offended 'hey'. 

"C'mon Agni let me take you to the cantina, I'm starving and I'm craving a nerfsteak sandwich," she explained while dragging the slightly confused Agni with her. Ashoka kept chattering about different foods served at the cantina and how everything served there was better than the rations they had on the ship.  Agni turned back to look at Anakin who was trailing behind the girls with quite a sour look on his face but it melted away once their eyes met and Agni gave him one of her smiles with wordlessly mouthed 'sorry'.

Agni laughed again, as she listened to Anakin's story from one of their more interesting missions, especially those when Obi-Wan was also involved. The smile hadn't left her face since the moment they sat down in the back of the cantina after grabbing their trays of food. It was different than she expected, only now she could realize how little she actually knew about all of them - movies and shows did nothing to tell them about the shenanigans the disasters lineage got themselves involved. All of the stories she heard, from both Ashoka and Anakin, were unfamiliar to her, and that made it even more entertaining to listen to. 

"...and that's how I, due to  someone's  miscommunication," Anakin spoke aiming a pointed glare at Ashoka, who just ducked her head. "almost got exchanged to a marriage with Botajef leader."

Agni laughed again, burying her face into her hands - at least pretending to hide her smile, even if her shoulder shook from laughter. 

"I said, I'm sorry, Master," Ashoka said exasperatedly, stabbing a piece of meat with her fork. "It wasn't my fault that they interpreted my words as a marriage offer," 

Agni snorted out loud, in return receiving one of Anakin's glares - even if she could see the smile pulling at his lips. 

"You would have made a beautiful blushing bride, Anakin," she said in all the seriousness she could muster. Which wasn't much, because she still kept giggling at the image. 

Anakin shrugged. 

"You're not wrong, I'm a real prize," he said casually, lifting his glass of  something she wasn't really sure. She was still confused by all the foreign food and drinks they served here. 

Anakin opened his mouth to say something but before he could a beeping noise from his wrist interrupted him. He narrowed his eyes at the comlink, but once he recognized Obi-Wan's personal frequency his face relaxed.

But Agni, on the other hand, stiffened. Anxiety, she thought she got rid of, returning with full force. She knew what that call meant. The Council made their decision. 

"...yes, Obi-Wan, see you in the click," Anakin said loud enough for Agni to get out of her head and realize she missed the whole call between Obi-Wan and Anakin. 

She swallowed once. 

The whole atmosphere cardinally changed after the call from Obi-Wan. Agni couldn't help but feel the same anxiety creeping back in and she clenched her hands into fists, trying her best to reign it in. She almost jumped from her seat when she felt a warm hand lying on top of hers.  Agni looked up to meet the warm eyes of Ashoka peering down at her. The smile on togruta's face was reassuring and warm, and Agni couldn't help but try to match it with one of her own.

"It's going be alright, Agni," she said softly, her hand squeezing her fingers. "No matter what, remember, you still have us, right Master?"

Ashoka turned to look at the Anakin who solemnly nodded in agreement to his padawan.

Agni nodded once, her throat too clogged down to even try to voice her gratefulness.

"Ashoka is right, Agni. Despite what the council says, you have all three of us and the whole 501st to stand with you. You're not alone, "

You're not alone. You're not alone. You're not alone.

"Yeah," she agreed, her voice while weak but so grateful. "I'm not alone,"

Maybe one day she could truly believe it.

For the second time that day Agni was standing against the Jedi Council. 

At least this time instead of twelve there were only seven - the ones who were staying in Coruscant at this moment, there were no holographic forms of Jedi, and that made Agni feel at least a tiny bit better.  She won't lie and say she wasn't glad to see that Masters Obi-Wan, Plo Koon, Shaak Ti, and Fisto were the ones who stood in the room, not counting Windu, Yoda, and Billaba. 

"The council came to the decision regarding what you told us earlier," Mace Windu started and Agni stood straighter, crossing her slightly shaking hands behind her back in an attempt to hide her nervousness from the Jedi. Even if she realized that as the skillful Jedi they could just feel her emotions. 

As if reading her mind, Shaak Ti nodded and for the second time that day offered her a gentle smile. 

"Help you with anything you need, we will," Yoda said in his usual manner and Agni wanted to cry, she felt her shoulders sagging as if the heavy weight was lifted. And it was. 

They will help her. They will help her. They will help her. They will help her. They will help her. They will help her. They will help her. 

She wanted to laugh and cry. 

"You will?" she still needed to ask. To make sure, she was hearing it correctly. Her voice was silent and careful as she looked at each and every one of their faces, noticing the reassuring smiles and nods that offered her way. She still needed to hear it again. 

"For a long time, we could feel the dark side getting stronger. Engulfing the galaxy step by step despite our best efforts to stop it." Depa Billaba started, her voice steady and firm. But even then Agni would feel the edge of sadness deeply laced in it. "We can feel it here, in Coruscant, and despite everything, we can't stop it from spreading and poisoning everything in its path," 

"As you said, the dark times are coming for us all," Shaak Ti continued, her face serene but also determined. "And then the Force sent us you. We would be foolish not to accept your help, which was freely offered." 

"Tell us, little one. How can we stop the darkness? How can we help you?" Plo Koon asked her and she smiled at him, not even hiding how tearful her smile was. 

The relieved sob escaped her throat and she could breathe freely once again. 

And she told them everything about the clones and the inhibitor chips implanted in their brains. How in the future they will be forced to do unspeakable things against their will. 

Even if she kept the Darth Sidious identity secret she told the Jedi how he was the mastermind behind everything. But most importantly she told them that it was possible to save the clones and remove the chips from her beloved clones. She told them everything she could think that would help them and even if she tried not to linger on their horrified faces she could feel their horror through the Force. The whole chamber was permeated in it.

But with every word she spoke, something else filled the room. 

Determination and hope that they can change the future. 

"...the most important part is we must be careful not to give any indication to Sidious that we know about chips and that we're removing them," she spoke, not trying to even think what would happen if Palpatine realized what was happening under his nose. 

"We start with the battalions we have right here in Coruscant," Mace Windu spoke firmly. Agni nodded. "Then we move towards the other corps and battalions outside Coruscant. We sent small, inconspicuous teams so as not to raise any suspicion. We keep communication about it strictly in person,"

"We must start with the highest-ranking officers. Clone Commander Marshalls and then we go down the line to commanders and captains and everyone in between. We must cut the direct line between Sidious and our commanders," she explained, thinking that it was Cody, the marshall commander, who received the direct order from Darth Sidious. 

It was a smart and efficient move on Palapatine's part. 

And the one that will make him lose. 

May the Force be with her.