Star Wars: From the Clone Wars to Starfaring Heroes

311 - A cup of turbid wine to urge you to return
Boas Sector, Lohopa Galaxy.

Lohopa 2 was once a shining jewel in the expanding star system.

It lies across the bustling Harlin trade corridor, not only accumulating enormous wealth through mineral exports, but also serving as a trade hub connecting the Trelin Star Region with the western star region. Caravans from all directions converge here, and at its peak, the planet's population reached as many as 800 million.

Every inch of progress in the defensive battle was clearly visible, yet all that remained was devastation.

The former prosperity has long since turned to ashes, and the sprawling mining complex has become a cratered ruin, completely blocked by fragments of war machines.

The smelter, which once provided a continuous source of energy for the Republic's shipyard, now has its towers collapsed into twisted piles of scrap iron, and its conveyor belts completely buried by concrete fragments and scorching slag.

City?

It was all reduced to ruins.

What about people?

Most of the civilians who did not have time to evacuate were forcibly pushed to the front lines.

Anakin pursed his lips, shifting his gaze from the cratered ruins to the fire zone.

Trench and fortifications spread across the land like a spider web, winding around the remaining industrial strongholds. The positions of the Republic and the separatist forces were intertwined, and in the no-man's-land in the middle, mud was piled with the remains of weapons and the corpses of soldiers.

An entire division was once wiped out by artillery fire here, leaving not even a complete skeleton.

This is the strategy of the separatist general Horn Ambigine: a war of attrition from start to finish.

Soldiers often didn't die from the blaster's fire, but from drowning in the mud in the trenches.

The same position was repeatedly ravaged by artillery fire, and both sides could lose thousands of lives for a few meters of land.

A war without end.

Here, the so-called "southern front" and the "overall situation of confronting the separatist alliance" have become empty talk.

Those grand strategies and ingenious maneuvers spanning light-years are utterly meaningless on the scorched earth of Lohopa 2.

For those who are alive, the only thought is to hold on until they see the faint sunrise the next day.

This is not the place where the legendary battlefield of this "chosen one" was set.

The swift and decisive Battle of Pelmian, the lightning landings at the beginning of the war, the repeated victories in the Battle of Hydean that were repeatedly praised on the radio... which one wasn't exhilarating?
But now, Anakin Skywalker is finally standing in this muddy trench.

It has been raining for weeks without stopping.

The bottom of the trench was filled with water, and unknown filth floated in the dark sewage. If the soldiers' feet were soaked in it for a long time, their skin would rot and rot, emitting a foul stench.

Everywhere I looked, there was only exhaustion.

The clone soldiers hunched over against the trench wall, their helmets obscuring their faces but unable to hide the weariness emanating from their bodies.

Some even fell asleep leaning against the wall, their weapons still clutched tightly in their hands.

The officers stared at the tactical screens, their eyes bloodshot like spider webs, making even blinking a struggle.

This was not the war he was familiar with.

There was no exhilarating rush of the charge, no jubilant cheers after victory, only agonizing torment, enduring until someone fell, and then someone else took their place.

Suddenly, the sound of mud splashing and heavy footsteps approached.

The clone commander, Apo, stood before him. The blue paint that once represented the 501st Legion on his armor was now completely covered in mud, making the markings illegible.

"General." Apo raised his hand to stand at attention and salute, his movements were standard, but his voice was unmistakably hoarse.

Anakin's voice was also a little hoarse: "Is there good news, Commander?"

“Perhaps, sir.” Apo took a portable holographic projector from his waist and handed it over. “The fleet just sent in the latest intelligence: the separatist Fourth Fleet is withdrawing.”

Anakin frowned as he took the device, activated the holographic projection with his fingertip, and immediately shook his head after seeing the content: "Impossible."

In the blue light, the figure of Admiral Yularen appeared.

He wore a crisp Republic Navy uniform, its folds sharply contrasting with Anakin's muddy appearance.

The admiral's gaze swept over Anakin's disheveled appearance, but he said nothing more, his tone remaining calm: "General Skywalker, the 'Aurora' task force has just sent back confirmation from the front lines that the Separatist Fourth Fleet is retreating along the Rimma-Harlin hyperspace route, seemingly intending to abandon the disputed planet Lohopa II and retreat towards Rimwoz to consolidate its rear defensive outposts."

Anakin was completely stunned.

Will Horn Ambijine retreat?

He had fought for many years and had seen many commanders of separatist forces. Some were shrewd and calculating, some were ruthless and cold-blooded, and some harbored twisted ideals. But Horn Ambigine was different.

This person is more like a symbol, a terrifying legend.

His image cannot be found on the holographic network; his name is only occasionally mentioned in the last communications of the fallen commander.

His name loomed like a persistent shadow in the surrender letter of the fallen fortress.

His fleet rarely spoke, only bringing sudden death, as if it wouldn't stop until it had razed the entire core of the Republic to the ground.

The fate of Lohopa II is the best proof of this. The 501st Legion fought valiantly for every factory block, every trench, and every abandoned smelter, but the separatist forces would immediately turn the entire area into scorched earth with heavy artillery once they lost ground.

This is not war at all; it is pure destructive desire.

Anakin clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white.

He did not ignore the suffering in the outer regions; he knew why he was fighting, even though the original intentions of the Republic's leaders had long been distorted by power.

But this senseless slaughter... from Eliadu to Dela IV, hundreds of millions perished in the flames, and all traces of civilization were completely erased.

What is the purpose of all this?
Is it all just to make Horn Ambigine the most terrifying monster in the galaxy?
The Jedi doctrine taught him restraint, patience, and discipline, saying that lightsabers are weapons of protection, not instruments of execution.

But can those doctrines still bind a butcher whose hands are stained with blood?
“But the intelligence has been verified three times, and the movements of the separatist fleet have indeed undergone a major change.” Yularen’s expression remained calm, but his tone carried an undeniable certainty. “This is a fact, not speculation, General.”

Anakin still couldn't believe it.

After months of bloody fighting, with corpses strewn across the battlefield and both sides paying a heavy price, how could they possibly retreat suddenly?

There must be something wrong here.

"Are the separatist fleets on orbit still engaged in combat with us?" His gaze was fixed on Yularen in the holographic projection.

“Yes…” Yularen’s words were cut off when the communication was suddenly interrupted, the holographic projection vanished instantly, leaving only the crackling of electrical noise.

Apo's expression changed drastically: "General, is it signal interference?"

The piercing air raid siren suddenly tore through the tranquility of the trenches, its sharp blare causing a painful ache in the eardrums.

Anakin's Jedi instincts exploded instantly, his body reacting before his brain could process them...

"Air raid! Take cover!"

Before the words were even finished, a deafening explosion shook the entire trench, and chunks of dirt and concrete rained down from the overhead supports, striking the armor with dull thuds.

Suddenly, the sky lit up with a bright orange-red flame. Anakin shoved aside two clone soldiers who were too slow to react, and then climbed up the ladder in the trench wall to his firing position.

The distant horizon had become a wall of fire.

The mass accelerator shells from the separatist forces, trailing scorching flames, pierced through the rain and rained down on the Republic's positions.

A series of deafening explosions erupted at the point of impact, instantly engulfing the entire Republic's artillery position in flames. The screams of soldiers mingled with the roar of artillery fire, clearly audible even from several kilometers away.

"Anti-artillery units! Adjust parameters and counterattack immediately!" Anakin roared into the communicator, his voice trembling with rage.

Moments later, the Republic's artillery finally roared in response.

The AT-TE walker's main cannon also adjusted its angle and unleashed suppressive fire on the enemy lines, with explosive shells exploding into black splashes in the mud.

"Attention, soldiers! Prepare for ground assault!" Anakin drew his blaster from his waist, his sharp gaze sweeping across the soldiers in the trenches. "Drive those separatists back to their homeland!"

The trenches instantly erupted in excitement.

The clone soldier gripped his blaster, stood up, and pressed himself against the trench wall, ready to charge at any moment.

But at that moment, several shells from the separatist forces suddenly landed in the trench.

The soldier let out a piercing scream as the explosion instantly engulfed his bunker, tossing him into the air like a rag doll.

Further along the defensive line, the entire trench collapsed inward with a deafening roar, swallowing up an entire squad.

"General!"

Anakin turned around at the sound of the voice and saw Commander Apo rushing to his side through the mud, his combat uniform covered in dust. "We still haven't been able to re-establish contact with Admiral Yularen. The scan shows that the 'Open Ring' fleet intercepted the enemy in orbit, but some still managed to slip through."

The Jedi general looked up at the sky shrouded in thick gray clouds, his heart sinking. "They're not here to evacuate their ground troops, are they?"

Apo shook his head: "It seems we're about to launch a ground offensive."

"Just as I thought," Anakin muttered to himself.

Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly realized that the battlefield had fallen into an eerie silence.

The roar of artillery fire abruptly ceased, and the intertwined lines of fire suddenly stopped.

All that remained were the crackling of distant flames, the groaning of collapsing metal, and the heavy, suppressed breathing of the soldiers.

It was as if the war had been paused at this heartbreaking moment.

But then, the earth began to tremble.

At first, there was only a slight tremor, and an unnatural rumbling sound came from the depths of the mud, spreading out along the ripples in the craters and puddles.

The tremors grew stronger and stronger, causing the reinforced walls of the fortifications to sway precariously, and scattered debris and empty shell casings bounced on the ground.

Then, the voice came through the air.

At first it was a distant shriek, which gradually became piercing, turning into a mechanical wail that sliced ​​through the air like a sharp blade.

The sound drowned out the distant explosions and pierced the static noise of the battlefield... like a weeping angel descending from the sky.

Like countless soldiers, Anakin instinctively looked up abruptly.

Through the smoke-filled sky, past the swirling storm clouds and battlefield debris, a flash of artificial lightning streaked across the horizon, penetrating the atmosphere and outlining the black silhouette of the landing warship.

The clouds tore apart.

The blinding searchlights pierced the storm like spears, shooting straight into the trenches and bathing the entire battlefield in a ghastly white beam.

A deep, resonant bugle call came from high above.

Anakin had already lunged towards the bunker.

"Everyone lie down!"

The SPHA-T heavy artillery turret and AT-TE walking machine hurriedly turned their muzzles to point at the sky, the servo motors humming desperately as the gunners frantically adjusted the firing angle.

But in the very next second—

Hell descended from the heavens.

The first wave of orbital fire tore through the clouds like a meteor shower, hurtling in with red and blue trails of flame.

Turbo lasers, dense missiles, and hypersonic projectiles rained down, instantly leveling large swaths of trenches.

The shockwave tore the earth apart.

The ground twisted and cracked, and mud and broken concrete were thrown into the air.

An explosion occurred a few meters away from Anakin, with flying dirt and shrapnel grazing his cheek.

Screams echoed all around.

On the left, an AT-TE was hit directly, and the occupants instantly disappeared into the flames.

The communication channel was filled with wails.

In the chaos, Anakin struggled to his feet, panting heavily.

He squinted at the blinding searchlight, his heart pounding and his brain racing.

He risked peeking out from behind the breastwork and felt the earth tremble, realizing that the separatist infantry and armored forces had begun to approach the defensive line.

The 501st Legion was completely suppressed and had no chance to fight back.

If this continues, we'll all be sitting ducks!
He turned to where Apo had been, about to order air support, when he saw the clone commander watching him through the glowing T-shaped goggles, reading his expression.

Apo habitually raised his hand to the side of his helmet, preparing to connect to the communicator.

The ground directly in front of him suddenly exploded, and the Jedi General was thrown back into the trench by the shockwave.

He fell backward, staring at the sky, his eyes filled with the blinding lights that revealed their location.

He raised his hand to shield his eyes from the light and looked around. He saw the soldiers rushing to their bunkers and huddling under the thin makeshift shelters.

That little bit of shelter from the rain is barely enough to withstand a thousand-pound shell.

“We must break out,” Anakin nodded his thanks, futilely dusting off his robes. “If we stay here, all the Separatist infantry will find when they arrive are corpses.”

"A full-scale counterattack?" Apo's tone was emotionless. "The entire front is moving simultaneously?"

Anakin nodded: "Have the AT-TEs cross the trenches first to provide covering fire, followed by the infantry, and keep the SPHA guns aimed at the warship."

Apo raised his hand again and pressed the communicator. "This is Commander Apo. Launch a counterattack immediately! All soldiers, listen up! Walkers, advance!"

Heavy mechanical roars echoed from the trenches as the walking machine began to advance, wobbling and whirring, its servo motors humming as its thick legs gripped the breastwork and began to climb.

The first AT-TE rolled over the trench walls, the metal screeching as it rubbed against the fortified positions.

The main turret slowly rotated, locking onto the burning armored target of the separatist forces in the distance.

"Fire!"

Plasma beams erupted from the main cannon, precisely striking a charging enemy vehicle and blasting it into a shower of flames and twisted metal.

The Force hissed in Anakin's ears.

Apo shouted at the top of his lungs, "Charge! Charge! Charge!"

A sharp whistle blew, and the first wave of soldiers rushed up the ladders to the trenches and leaped over the breastwork.

Anakin followed closely behind, his military boots slamming heavily onto the land ravaged by artillery fire.

The ground resembled a flowing sea of ​​mud, littered with wreckage, craters filled with viscous venom, and rusty metal skeletons were everywhere.

The Republic's defenses unleashed a barrage of explosive beams, the red and blue flashes illuminating the entire battlefield.

Anakin glanced around.

Before them surged a massive crowd, a torrent of steel and flesh rushing into the artillery fire. The rousing battle cries were swallowed up by the roar of the walking machines and the continuous barrage of artillery fire.

Even in dire straits, the army soldiers did not need further mobilization, as the warships of the separatist forces hung overhead like avenging gods.

"General!"

Anakin shook his head.

"Walk."

His blue lightsaber ignited with a hum, transforming into a dazzling torch.

The "fearless hero" plunged into the melee, weaving through a hail of bullets, dodging running soldiers, and slicing through the barbed wire in front of him with a single sword stroke.

The explosive beam roared past, and tracer bullets flew in all directions. The air was filled with the smell of gunpowder and ozone from the firing of ion cannons.

Ahead, the separatist forces' defensive line began to fight back.

On the right, a small squad of charging soldiers was hit by a plasma beam, their armor shattering instantly.

On the left, another AT-TE was hit directly; flames engulfed the wreckage, and the crew disappeared without a trace.

Anakin's Force surged through his body, sharpening his instincts and guiding him to dodge left and right, while also causing him to duck to avoid another whistling shell.

The next explosion created a deep crater right in front of him.

He leaped forward down the crater slope, his military boots slipping in the mud.

Above, the sky was torn apart once again.

That damned warship started firing again.

But the firepower has been reduced.

Because the battle lines between the Republic and the separatist forces have become intertwined.

Anakin spat.

In this endless twilight, not only do day and night merge, but even the hours and seconds seem to be kneaded into one.

He leaned against the slippery shell crater wall, panting, watching the soldiers charge around the edge of the crater.

"Keep going! Don't stop!" he heard Apo shouting from afar.

The Jedi general struggled to his feet, found a foothold at the edge of the crater, leaped over a twisted support beam, and landed in the middle of a group of advancing clone troop.

Tracer bullets pierced the fog, and red and blue beams of light danced as the 501st Legion tore through the enemy lines.

Anakin parried the relentless barrage of energy beams while struggling to make out the enemy's defensive lines through the perpetual fog of the battlefield.

A bolt of lightning ripped through the night sky; the black silhouette of an AAT was turning toward them, its heavy turret slowly lowering.

Even though we only saw silhouettes, that was enough for the Jedi.

He stretched out his free hand, and the Force surged through his body like adrenaline.

The AAT's turret was suddenly twisted to one side and slammed into the mud with a loud thud, emitting a sharp, metallic screech.

The next second, a Republic missile struck the side of the tank, detonating the fuel tank.

A fireball shot into the sky, and in an instant, the dense smoke that enveloped Lohopa II was briefly dispelled.

The scene he witnessed in that instant was deeply imprinted in Anakin's memory, and even after the flames died down and thick smoke once again enveloped the battlefield, the image remained burning in his mind.

The people in front of us are not machines.

They are all living, breathing people.

Skakoans wearing pressure suits are arriving in droves.

The long crowns of the Kooriva assault troops sway as they charge.

The Sallust people, clad in reinforced outer armor, are as tall as giants.

Green faces twisted into roaring Ishtib riflemen, their deep battle cries drowned out by the sound of artillery fire.

There were also the Andeans, Bis, Dag, Slui, Tritonites, Nosorians...

The power of the entire southern arm of the outer ring of the Milky Way converged into a torrent that pressed down on the Republic.

Anakin instinctively gripped his lightsaber tighter.

This is the war of Horn Ambigine.

He already knew, but he refused to believe it.

This is not a battle against a soulless machine.

This is the cry from the outer ring road.

Those forgotten, abandoned, and deprived worlds, those planets neglected by the republic for generations.

This was the freedom that Count Dooku had promised them.

A war that forged their anger, suffering, and long-suppressed resentment into a sharp blade, aimed straight at the throat of the Republic.

However, they were working for the "grave killers".

Anakin took a deep breath, trying to dispel these thoughts and force himself to see the person in front of him as an enemy, not a fellow countryman.

They all participated in the crimes of the "grave killers".

He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, he saw the vibrant colors of the enemy ranks, the hastily drawn emblems of their home planet on their armor, and the battle flags flying high.

These men and women may obey Ambigine's orders, but they are not fighting for him.

They fought for their homeland, for those simple signs held high above their heads.

For family, for clan, for the future.

Anakin is a Jedi.

The citizens of the Milky Way are not his enemies.

Just then, another clone soldier rushed to Apo's side, his identity revealed by the bulky communication booster on his back... Ince.

"New orders, Commander!"

Apo didn't budge an inch: "Is it Jularen's? Or Esterházy's?"

"It was sent directly from Coruscant!"

This statement captivated everyone who could hear it, including Anakin.

While parrying the energy beams, he couldn't help but listen intently.

"Forward to my device!"

"Right away, sir!"

Apo hid behind the wreckage of a fallen AT-RT, put away his carbine, and raised his hand to press against his helmet.

At first, everything seemed unchanged. But at that moment, even without the Jedi's senses, Anakin could see that Po's lips were pressed into a straight line behind his helmet.

The clone commander slowly lowered his hand, as if stalling for time, and then turned to him.

“Sir,” Apo suddenly grabbed his carbine, “now, behind us is the Republic, in front of us are the Separatists… do you see yourself as a soldier, or a Jedi?”

“We’ve discussed this, Commander,” Anakin said, downplaying his confusion, “and now is neither the right time nor the proper occasion.”

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw more clones approaching them, almost forming a protective circle around him.

"I hope you don't mind, sir!"

Soldiers, or Jedi?
Anakin felt that neither was quite similar.

Standing here, fighting a bloody battle, he resembles more of a soldier than a desperate warrior.

Anakin was a top-notch pilot, a genius mechanic, and an efficient frontline commander.

He is a “fearless hero,” a general of the 501st Legion, and a soldier of the Galactic Republic.

But why does the energy beam that I deflect back always miss the target?
Logically, when blocking an explosive beam, it should accurately bounce back to the shooter, which is an efficient tactic that combines offense and defense.

He used this move with remarkable fluidity when fighting against the robot army in the past.

But at this moment, the energy beam he deflected mostly just created clouds of mud and mist.

Perhaps it's because Anakin Skywalker was also the son of Smy Skywalker, an apprentice of Qui-Gon Jinn, a close friend of Obi-Wan Kenobi, and the mentor of Ahsoka Tano?

Perhaps it's because he's a member of the Jedi Order, the "chosen one" of prophecy.

The war forced him to choose between two identities.

But Anakin Skywalker couldn't do that.

Unlike those older masters, he spent far more time as a Jedi than as a soldier.

Unlike the young apprentices, who only experienced the meaning of Jedi in the flames of war.

He has too many identities.

Anakin Skywalker... he's just Anakin Skywalker.

“I am the Jedi General, Commander,” Anakin Skywalker finally spoke. “I am your Jedi General.”

The surrounding soldiers fell into a long silence.

Finally, Apo let out a sharp breath: "Understood, General."

There was a barely perceptible hint of regret in his voice, "I'm sorry, sir... but military orders are absolute."

As soon as he finished speaking, he raised his explosive rapid-fire gun.

The world spun around in an instant.

Anakin sensed the sharp tearing sensation within the Force, a warning he received even before his eyesight gave it a chance.

The killing intent swept across the battlefield like a shockwave.

He instinctively assumed a defensive stance, trying to turn around, shift to the side, and use his lightsaber to block and deflect the energy beam... but the attacks came from all directions.

His men, the brothers of the 501st Legion, were pointing their guns at him.

Their faceplates were pitch black, and the energy beams they fired were precise and unwavering.

It was as if he was born to be an enemy, not a comrade-in-arms.

Anakin staggered backward, desperately parrying as a stray bullet grazed his shoulder armor, the burning sensation piercing through his cloak.

His mind was in complete chaos, and he was utterly unable to comprehend what was happening before him.

Military orders are absolute.

What command?
Execute your own commander?

Or is it specifically targeting me?
Who gave the order?!
Anakin's breathing quickened, anger and confusion churning within him.

"Po!"

He yelled as he spun around to avoid a fatal blow, his lightsaber weaving a blue light barrier in front of him. "Apo! Stop! What are you doing?!"

"Sorry, sir." Apo's blaster was still firing energy beams at high speed, the barrel glowing red from overheating, but his tone remained calm.

Anakin suddenly exerted his strength, using the Force to leap forward.

His footwork was instinctive and fluid, but his mind was blocked out of all distractions, leaving only the instinct for survival.

A lightsaber swept low, slicing through a rifle, sparks flying.

He kicked a clone soldier, sending him crashing into two people behind him.

But they kept coming in.

Anakin lost his sense of time.

Minutes and seconds merged into a chaotic mess.

The battle lines were already faltering due to the chaos within his legions, and now that the command system had completely collapsed, the Republican soldiers began to retreat in disarray.

How long did he fight?

It felt like hours had passed, or perhaps only a few minutes.

Suddenly, everything came to an abrupt stop.

There were no more whistling beams of explosive energy in the air.

Anakin's chest heaved violently, his whole body ached, and he was overwhelmed by pain and exhaustion.

He still gripped his lightsaber tightly, but had lost his target.

He looked down and saw clone soldiers everywhere on the battlefield.

Upon seeing Apo collapsed on the ground, he immediately rushed over and roughly ripped off his helmet.

A voice is screaming in my heart.

He was about to kill you!
Rex is gone; we can't lose Apo too.

……

Is he still your friend?

Anakin reached out and felt his pulse.

Apo is still alive, but he's in a coma.

Fortunately, there's still a chance to get the answer.

He breathed a sigh of relief, his gaze sweeping over the other fallen figures.

During the fight, he held back his strength, but some people were still hit by stray bullets or injured by the approaching separatist soldiers...

The world seemed to fall into a deathly silence.

There were no bursts of energy gunfire, no explosions, no shouts of orders, only the distant roar of artillery, the low hum of engines, and the muffled thud of military boots sinking into the mud.

He looked up, his vision blurred by the rain.

In the shadows, countless figures emerged on the burning horizon.

Their armor was covered in mud and rain, and their weapons, though not raised, were poised to strike.

Nearby, Lohopa soldiers gathered in twos and threes, like moths drawn to the blue light of the lightsabers.

Anakin watched their terrified, trembling backs and forced himself to stand up.

Two field medics rushed toward the fallen clone soldier.

Even after witnessing this infighting, they only offered silent assistance.

He took another deep breath, stepped forward, and mentally counted the number of remaining soldiers.

There's only one regiment left.

They must be surrounded and isolated.

The rain stopped.

If it was dusk before, it has now completely fallen into night.

The ranks of the separatist forces were deathly silent, like a tomb.

They slowly parted to make way, without orders or unnecessary movements, only the sound of armor rubbing together and the fluttering of cloaks and flags in the wind.

A figure emerged from it.

“I’ve come to take the head of the ‘Fearless Hero,’” the man said, his gaze sweeping over the disheveled Anakin. “But you don’t look like one at all.”

Horn Ambigine.

Perhaps it was the Force whispering, or perhaps the voice was too familiar.

Anakin did not immediately have the urge to draw his sword.

He didn't look like a monstrous creature with blue faces and fangs; he was just an ordinary person.

Shorter and more robust than Anakin, the gray edges of his Confederate uniform peeked out from under his heavy overcoat.

His hair was gray, his eyes were sunken, and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes were etched with the marks of time.

"Surrender, Jedi General?" Horn Ambigine pulled a metal flask from his coat and examined Anakin's miserable state.

Anakin gripped his lightsaber tightly: "I should kill you."

"Many people want to kill me." The gravedigger took a swig of wine and groaned.

Anakin did not respond to this gesture of goodwill, but instead asked, "You came to Lohopa in person? What is it about this planet that you have ravaged so badly that you still think about it when you retreat?"

Ambigine shrugged: "I want to get rid of one of the Republic's best generals."

"what about now?"

The man pointed at the fallen clone soldier: "It seems the Republic no longer considers you one of their own, let alone an outstanding general."

Anakin looked back.

Lohopa soldiers and other skirmishers were looking at him through the dented visor.

They did not take action.

Does this order only apply to clone troop units?

Horn Ambigine seemed to know more about the inside story than he did...

"What will Lohopa 2 look like after all this is over?"

Anakin herded his lightsaber back into its sheath with a hiss.

“I will raze its city,” the Grave Slayer answered crisply. “I will spit salt in the fields, poison the veins, and do everything in my power to ensure that even if the Core World reclaims this place, it won’t be able to profit from it for at least a century. Then… I will leave.”

Anakin gritted his teeth, suppressing his rage.

Homes can be rebuilt, but the dead will never return.

He then asked, "And what about these people?"

“If you surrender, we will detain everyone,” the other party replied simply. “We will then negotiate the release with the nearest receiving agency.”

"You're still taking prisoners?" Anakin questioned, his pride compelling him to express his defiance.

"I am only referring to active-duty combat personnel."

"So the civilians of Eliyadu and Dela are also considered 'active combatants'?" Anakin asked sarcastically. "So you can sleep at night?"

Ambigune met his gaze expressionlessly: "Jedi, do I look like someone who can sleep peacefully? Do you think this war is the limit of horror? War has been my profession since I was still in my mother's womb."

Anakin chuckled and turned to the soldiers, asking, "Who is the supreme commander here?"

A Lohopa soldier with damaged armor limped forward.

"Do you accept the Separatist forces' terms?" the Jedi asked. "You will lose your home, but you will survive."

The Lohopa soldier glanced around at his companions and nodded blankly.

His eyes were lifeless.

Anakin felt only a feeble will to survive within the Force, nothing more.

He turned back to face the gravedigger: "What about the fleet?"

"Order your general to retreat, and the matter will be settled."

Anakin's thoughts drifted to the mysterious execution order.

Did Jularen receive it too?

What was his reaction?
"Let me contact him."

Horn Ambigine nodded in acknowledgment, and a tall Hatch soldier stepped forward.

One of the creature's six arms was dragging a clone soldier's corpse, with a communication booster attached to the body.

Anakin activated the communicator, adjusted the knobs, and entered the Pioneer address before the antenna finally extended.

“Hello?” Anakin leaned back, feeling the cold mud seep into his robes. “This is Anakin Skywalker, contacting the Pioneer…”

“Skywalker!” Yularen’s voice suddenly rang out.

There was no holographic projection.

“Yularen,” Anakin greeted, “it’s so good to hear your voice.”

"General Skywalker, we have just received an order..."

“I know,” Anakin interrupted, “Apo almost killed me just now.”

There was silence.

“But none of that matters now,” he continued slowly. “The battle is lost, and I’ve decided to surrender and save the rest. I don’t know what that order was all about, nor do I know what you and the fleet are planning… but if my advice is still useful, I suggest you withdraw from this system. Don’t let the ‘Open Ring’ fleet fall into enemy hands.”

“I understand,” General Yularen said. “I trust your judgment. Do you need me to arrange the evacuation?”

"I have been captured."

“So this is part of the surrender terms,” Yularen sighed, immediately understanding. “Well, sir. Good luck, and hopefully we’ll meet again if fate allows.”

Anakin cut off the communications and looked up at Ambigine: "You must evacuate everyone on the planet before you begin the bombing."

"can."

Anakin removed his lightsaber and raised it above his head.

At the same time, the sound of clashing equipment rang out around them as thousands of Lohopa people removed their helmets and laid down their weapons.

Separatist soldiers began the cleanup almost immediately.

Anakin collapsed to the ground, his hands sinking into the mud.

Years of fighting spirit vanished in an instant.

At that moment, a bright silver flash caught his eye.

Ambigine was standing in front of him, handing him a wine jug.

Anakin took the flask and drank it all in one gulp. The warm liquid slid down his throat, making him feel, for the first time in months, that his entire body was enveloped in a hazy, comfortable warmth.

"I miss Padmé."

He murmured quietly.

"I had no idea there were women in the Jedi."

Ambikini exclaimed in surprise from the side.

"She's my wife."

"You are the 'chosen one'."

"Yes, everyone says I am."

"But you have a wife."

"Yes."

“Family makes you feel grounded,” Horn Ambigien nodded, clearly agreeing. “It’s essential.”

The sight was truly peculiar: a Jedi Knight and a Separatist general sharing warm wine on a patch of scorched earth.

The scene was so absurd that Anakin wanted to laugh; he even felt they were about to have a long, heart-to-heart talk.

The atmosphere was indeed suitable.

“Grave Slayer, do you have family?” Anakin suddenly asked.

In the past, he might have thought of killing this person, but now that thought had vanished with the rain.

“No,” the separatist general took back the wine jug, “but once all this is over, I’m thinking of adopting a child. I need to have something to do after I retire.”

Anakin simply couldn't imagine what a war criminal's retirement life would be like, let alone what child would want to acknowledge the biggest executioner in the entire galaxy as their father.

“I’m really worried about that child,” Anakin whispered, then added, “You…you make it sound like the war is about to end.”

Ambigine stared at him.

Anakin looked back at him, his eyes widening.

Wait... really?

Is the war about to end?

A strange feeling rose from his abdomen, surged up his chest, and warmed his heart.

"Otherwise, why do you think I withdrew the fleet?" Ambigine retorted. "Isn't it because the war is nearing its end?"

Anakin's breathing became rapid.

Is the war... coming to an end?
"Jedi, do you have a home?" Ambigeen asked gruffly.

“Home…?” Anakin repeated, “What home?”

"So we can take you back."

"Oh."

Anakin responded blankly.

He had never thought about this question.

Anakin Skywalker was a slave, sold from one planet to another, and remained so even after becoming a Jedi.

Because of his upbringing, his home has never been on a certain planet, in a certain world, or in a mountain cabin.

His home was neither the huts of Tatooine nor the grand halls of the Jedi Temple.

His home was once his mother's haven, and a place of Obi-Wan's guidance and companionship.

Anakin Skywalker's home was always the place he cared about, the place he held dear.

But his mother had passed away, and Obi-Wan was no longer his master.

So where is his home now?
Only one person comes to mind.

Padme Amidala.

Padmé's embrace, her gentle hugs, her soft whispers that always soothed his mind, and her warm smile that always dispelled his anxiety.

How is she now?

Is she okay?

Is she worried about him?

Countless questions flooded his mind, but he only knew one answer.

Naboo.

The war... is really coming to an end, isn't it?
This hell on earth no longer needs him.

So perhaps... perhaps...

"Have."

Anakin Skywalker, just Anakin Skywalker, not a soldier, not a Jedi general.

"I want to go home."

(End of this chapter)