Shadows of the Force [Captain Rex x F!OC]

The mission had been precarious from the start.

We were sent to destroy a Separatist weapons depot on the outskirts of a barren, rocky planet—a fortress carved into jagged cliffs, shielded by layers of droid defenses. Intelligence suggested a small garrison, nothing the 501st couldn't handle. It was supposed to be a textbook infiltration and demolition, over before the sun dipped below the sharp horizon.

But intelligence had been wrong.

We hadn't even reached the depot when the first shots rang out.

"Ambush!" one of the clones shouted, his voice sharp and urgent through the comms.

Droids poured from the ridges above, their blaster fire cutting through the canyon like jagged shards of light. The narrow pass we had relied on for cover turned into a deathtrap. Waves of droids pressed in, boxing us in with mechanical precision.

Anakin's voice broke through the chaos. "Everyone, fall back to rally point three! Regroup!"

I deflected a bolt aimed too close for comfort and began to move with the others, retreating under the relentless barrage. Around me, the clones moved in practiced sync, covering each other as they withdrew. I followed their rhythm, letting the Force guide my movements, though the storm within me grew heavier with each step.

Then I saw them.

Five clones, cut off from the main group, huddled behind a crumbling outcropping. One was injured, barely moving, while the others fired in desperate bursts to hold back the droids. They wouldn't make it.

"No," I muttered under my breath, my steps faltering.

The Force pulsed, heavy with their fear and pain. Leaving them behind wasn't an option—not for me.

"Stella, fall back!" Anakin's voice came sharp and commanding through the comm. "That's an order!"

I hesitated, caught between the weight of his command and the sight before me. The injured trooper glanced in my direction, struggling to lift his blaster.

They weren't just soldiers. They were people. Brothers.

My grip on my lightsaber tightened, and I turned back, sprinting toward them.

The world blurred into a haze of frantic movement. I deflected bolts with one hand while dragging the injured trooper onto my shoulder with the other. The rest of his squad fought valiantly, covering me as we moved back toward the rally point.

Relief hit me like a wave when we finally crossed into relative safety. The clones I'd saved joined the others, helping their wounded brother onto a stretcher. Their quiet words of gratitude echoed distantly in my ears as I leaned against a boulder, trying to catch my breath.

The relief was short-lived.

"Stella!"

I turned, my stomach sinking at the sight of Anakin approaching. His expression was a storm cloud, fury and concern battling for dominance. The set of his jaw made it clear I wasn't escaping this unscathed.

"What were you thinking?" he demanded, his voice low and sharp.

I opened my mouth to respond, but he cut me off.

"You disobeyed a direct order." His tone was like a blade. "I told you to fall back, and you ignored me. Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?"

"They would've died," I said quickly, the words spilling out. "I couldn't just leave them—"

"And what if you had died?" His frustration boiled over, but there was something deeper in his eyes. "Do you think sacrificing yourself would've helped them? Or us?"