Just like Anakin Skywalker, who always charged into battle alongside the ordinary soldiers and repeatedly broke through desperate situations, the Clone Troopers not only forgave his recklessness but held him in the highest esteem.
Moreover, the Jedi were originally skilled in reconnaissance and sabotage—small-scale operations—rather than large-scale battles on the main battlefield.
The Force and lightsaber techniques could be most effectively utilized in this close-quarters combat.
Failing to use this "advantage" would be the real foolishness.
"Ahsoka!"
Ahsoka immediately ran over, a glimmer of anticipation in her eyes.
"Want to go for a 'walk'?" Solo raised an eyebrow, his tone deliberately casual.
At that moment, the gunboat they were in was being tossed by the fierce winds. Ahsoka stood beside Solo, staring at the howling blizzard outside the cabin door.
The battle raging below and ahead was completely obscured by the swirling snow, nothing visible at all.
"How can we possibly see our target in this blizzard?" Ahsoka couldn't help but complain, her voice tinged with frustration.
Solo turned and shrugged. "The pilots have radar and thermal imaging. They should be able to find their way."
He paused, then changed the subject. "But we have a better way... Let's try sensing life signals through the Force."
Ahsoka immediately closed her eyes, focused, and, following the methods taught at the Jedi Temple, channeled the Force into invisible ripples that spread outward.
At first, she could only sense the Clone Trooper and Solo nearby. As her perception extended, faint "light points" representing life signals appeared at the edges of her awareness. Further out, hundreds of light points clustered together—enemy robot forces and the besieged Allied Forces.
"Wow! Amazing!" Ahsoka rejoiced inwardly. "I've never done this well in the Temple. Before, it took so much effort just to sense the signals of my groupmates. Does this mean I've gotten stronger?"
Just then, some distant light points suddenly went out, and faint ripples of pain and fear radiated through the Force.
These emotions pierced Ahsoka's consciousness like needles, making her shudder violently and her heart clench.
This was her first time experiencing such a shock. Panic seized her, making it nearly impossible to breathe.
Just as she was about to collapse, a warm hand rested on her shoulder.
Solo's presence through the Force, steady and reassuring, pulled her out of her fear.
Ahsoka's eyes snapped open, her breath coming in ragged gasps. She looked at Solo, her voice trembling. "Master... what was that... It was so terrifying..."
Solo gently stroked her hair, his voice calm yet resonant with strength. "You felt the death of living beings, Ahsoka. The Force is the energy field that creates all life. It surrounds and permeates us, allowing us to sense both life and death. Is this the first time you've experienced it so clearly?"
"Yes..." Ahsoka shivered, hugging herself tightly. "No one in the Temple ever told me that death in the Force would feel like this... so agonizing."
"They haven't taught you many things," Solo said, closing his eyes, his voice low. "But this is something they should have. The fear you experienced just now won't inherently draw you to the Dark Side. However, without guidance, such trials can easily crush those with weak wills."
Solo's words acted like a calming balm, bringing Ahsoka a measure of peace.
She hesitated, then asked, "Master, have you... always been able to feel this?"
The moment the words left her lips, she realized what a foolish question it was.
Having experienced so many battles, how could Solo not have felt this?
"Yes," Solo replied, nodding without hesitation.
"Then... how do you endure it?" Ahsoka pressed, her eyes filled with confusion.
"I can't give you specific advice," Solo said, his voice serious as he opened his eyes. "You just have to learn to control your emotions, and then... try to get used to it."
"Get used to it? How can anyone get used to something like this?!" Ahsoka raised her voice, her tone defiant.
She simply couldn't understand how anyone could become accustomed to the pain of death.
Solo merely shrugged, offering no explanation. Instead, he changed the subject: "War is no game. On the battlefield, many lives will be lost, sometimes in the most brutal ways. As my deputy, you'll have to send soldiers into battle, facing death, and sometimes... even order them on missions where survival is impossible. You can't let emotions cloud your judgment. Otherwise, it will affect your decisions and ultimately lead to more casualties."
Ahsoka fell silent. After a long pause, she whispered, "Then why is there war? Master, can't it be avoided? We're Jedi, guardians of peace and balance. Shouldn't we stop all this?"
Solo gazed into her innocent eyes and sighed softly, his voice tinged with weariness. "Ahsoka, intelligent life has been waging war for tens of thousands of years, and it will continue to do so in the future. The reasons for conflict change—resource scarcity, religious differences, racial hatred—but the fundamental nature of war remains constant."
"But we're Jedi..." Ahsoka began to protest, but Solo cut her off.
"We're almost at our objective." His tone turned resolute. "Focus on preparing for battle. We'll discuss war later... some things can't be explained in just a few words."
Ahsoka nodded reluctantly, her heart filled with confusion. This was the first time Solo had ever dodged her question. What did "can't be explained in just a few words" really mean?
***
Meanwhile, on the bridge of LH-1740, Kamanal Maruk was furious.
"Governor, unauthorized individuals have boarded the ship. The number is being verified," the Tactical Droid's electronic voice reported impassively.
"Bantha poodoo!" Maruk cursed, pounding the armrest of the Captain's Throne in frustration. "Send robots to eliminate them immediately! Deploy the Destroyer Droids! You brainless tin can!"
After his outburst, Maruk slumped back into his chair, his face pale.
The situation had deteriorated to a critical point.
Three Republic Hailfire-class assault ships had arrived and effortlessly swept aside the orbital fleet. After their ground forces landed, they launched a broad-front offensive, forcing Maruk to commit all his robot units to defense.
Just then, enemy saboteurs crippled the anti-aircraft cannon network—some units were destroyed, others cut off from power.
Even worse, a Republic warship took advantage of the chaos to land in the area Maruk had sealed off for allied forces. To make matters worse, the enemy now held air superiority!
What surprised Maruk was that the Republic was actually deploying captured robots in combat. Though their numbers were small and posed no immediate threat, this "fighting to sustain the fight" strategy earned him a grudging admiration.
But admiration aside, Maruk knew that if he couldn't hold out much longer, his fate would be the same as that "failed colleague."
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