'Ello, peoples of the earth!

First of all, I would like to wish all my readers a very merry Christmas! I hope this is an okay present. :)

Second, I would like to say how nice it will be to write about Kira again. I didn't realize how much I missed writing her story until Christmas came and fits of nostalgia overtook me. So yeah!

By the way, I actually have a plan for updating consistently this time. Hopefully that makes y'all happy.

So, without further ado, I present the first chapter of I Know Places. I hope y'all enjoy. :)

The air was thick with the smells of blood and smoke. Blasters were shot in the distance, gunning down clone troopers and turning droids to scrap metal. Every so often, a cloud of dust was created as a bomb went off.

This was war.

Currently, one Jedi Padawan lay on top of an uneven rock bridge, ready to release a surprise attack. She could sense the tension in her troopers, who were ready and awaiting her signal. She focused her macrobinoculars on the droid squadrons coming their way to track their progress.

Clone Commander Cody of the 212th Battalion was at her side. "Commander Narro," he addressed her, "Should we begin the attack?"

"For the last time, Cody, it's Kira," Kira Narro replied, not taking her eyes from the macrobinoculars. "And no. We need to be patient and wait for them to come to us."

"Sir, I really think-"

"Cody." Kira removed her eyes from the macrobinoculars and turned to look at the commander. "Trust me on this. Have I ever let you down before?"

Cody cracked a smile at that. "Yes."

"Ah, ah! Bomis Korri IV doesn't count, remember?"

"Then other than that, no."

"Thought so." Kira turned back to the macrobinoculars. The droids were nearly in place, but the soldiers' frustration was screaming through the Force. "Steady, troops! It won't be long," she called. The men closest to her nodded to acknowledge her statement.

Kira finally attached the macrobinoculars to her belt and unhooked her lightsaber, watching the droids move closer to the bridge. "On my mark," she reminded her troops. She counted down in her head. Three...two...one...

Kira gave the signal.

With that, chaos broke loose. Blue laser bolts fired toward the droids on the ground, sending them into confusion for a few moments. The clones took the opportunity to gain better cover, and Kira took the chance to ignite her lightsaber and jump to the ground.

The presence of a Jedi focused the droids' attention on Kira, leaving them unprotected from the clones hiding in the rocks above. It was relatively easy for her to deflect the lasers headed for her as she cut down the droids in her way. Good thing they didn't send commando droids, she thought. She silently thanked the Force for that fact.

Soon enough, Kira and the clones had destroyed the entire platoon of droids. Cody made his way to the young commander. "Should I tell the men to move out?" he asked her.

Kira nodded. "Don't go too far, though. Remember, we have to keep their attention on us while General Kenobi and his men take out the droid foundry."

Cody sighed. "You would think Poggle would've learned his lesson after last time."

That got a half smile from Kira. "That's the only thing I can give the Separatists credit for. They're rather persistent, even in foolish endeavors." She gestured to the troops climbing down the rocks. "Now let's go before they catch us in the open."

A chorus of "Sir, yes, sir!" was the reply.

A few hours later, Kira and her troops faced the largest, most difficult droid squadron of the mission. Smoke from the battle clouded Kira's vision, so she was forced to rely on the Force to help her fight off the arriving droids. Geonosian troops had also begun to arrive, and their lasers were much harder to avoid than the droids'.

"They just don't stop coming!" a trooper yelled out.

"You said it," Kira replied through gritted teeth as she cut down more droids. She briefly closed her eyes and called on the Force to crush the nearby droids and render them useless. The clones covered her during this little interlude.

A loud crash startled them all, and Kira turned around just in time to see the foundry explode. She had just enough time to process that the mission had been accomplished before she saw one of the towers falling toward her and the squad. "Fall back! FALL BACK!" she screamed, already running for cover after her men.

Most of the troops made it to the cover of the rocks. Some were caught in the dust cloud resulting from the collision of the tower with the ground, but Kira heard no bones breaking or skulls caving in. She breathed a sigh of relief, which Cody heard, as he was hiding beside her. "All right, Commander?" he asked.

Kira nodded and brushed some hair away from her eyes. "Fine, yeah," she assured him with the biggest smile she could muster.

He knew her too well and placed a hand on her shoulder. "We're soldiers, Kira. We know the risks of our occupation."

"That doesn't mean I don't care if the soldiers die," Kira told Cody, shielding her eyes when some dust from the cloud made its way under the rock outcropping where they were hiding. "They're men, human beings, and you and your brothers are important to each other. You're important to me, too."

Cody gave Kira a sad but grateful smile. "I wish all my brothers had a commander who cared so much."

Kira coughed a little, blushing at the compliment as she peered out. "The coast is clear. Let's regroup."

Cody followed the young Commander into the open, where troops were beginning to gather. Kira kept her eyes peeled for any stray droids or Geonosian bugs. "Any news from the General?" she asked.

One of the men shook his head. "There's been no word from General Kenobi, Commander. As far as we know, we are still to meet him at the rendezvous."

In war, no news is good news, and Kira knew that, but she couldn't help being worried for Obi-Wan. "All right then, men. Let's move out."

Immediately the soldiers started marching. They stayed together, but there was no doubt in Kira's mind that the men were excited to be leaving the battlefield to get some rest, nourishment, and some much needed free time.

She knew because she felt the same way. War exhausted her, and battles made her feel drained and weary. Sure, there was the exhilaration of arriving on a new world that she'd never seen before and the pleased feeling that came with a won battle. However, it certainly wasn't that great when they found the new worlds torn apart and beaten by war, and the pleasure of winning ebbed away when the news of a comrade's death reached her ears.

Kira was looking forward to the day when she - and the clones - would get to return home for good.

By the time Kira and her squad reached the rendezvous point, transports were already touching down on the landing zone. There was a medical transport as well, there to see to the needs of any who were injured. There were a few major injuries among Kira's squad, but the men would be stabilized within hours. One of the clone pilots handed Kira a holopad on which the battle report was loaded.

Voices in the distance startled Kira from reading, and she looked up from the holopad to see her Master's squadron. Obi-Wan was in the lead, his face slightly bruised.

Kira nearly threw the holopad into Cody's hands in her rush to greet Obi-Wan. The commander laughed as he set the holopad on a nearby crate and followed Kira to the approaching squad.

Kira stood at the edge of camp and waited rather impatiently for her Master. When he arrived, she bowed, the proper greeting from a Padawan to a Jedi Master. "It's good to see you, Master," she said happily.

Obi-Wan smiled wearily at Kira. "It's good to see you, too, Kira," he said.

"Do you want some water?"

Obi-Wan looked as if he was about to decline before he nodded. "Some water sounds delightful."

Kira turned to Cody. "What about you?"

Cody grinned. "I'd love some water, thanks."

"I'll be right back." Kira left to retrieve some water from the medical transport, which always brought enough water for the returning soldiers. She quickly filled up two cups and returned to find Obi-Wan and Cody sitting on a crate, talking about the battle. Quietly, she stepped forward and handed the two their water.

Cody drank his water down in a few short gulps. "Water has never tasted sweeter to me," he quipped.

Obi-Wan, on the other hand, savored his water. Kira knew he was making the coolness last, driving away the bitter taste of dust and blood from his tongue. "Is there anything else I can get for you two?" she asked, hating to stand there feeling like a fool.

Cody shook his head. "Nah, I'm good."

Obi-Wan looked up from his water to study Kira. "You look tired, my Padawan. Perhaps you should head up to the destroyer with the first transport."

Kira shook her head. "That isn't necessary, Master. Really-"

"He's right, kid," Cody interrupted. "You look tuckered out. You should probably get some rest."

Kira wasn't going to leave - if she had a choice. "I'll wait with you both," she said, plopping herself down on another crate across from them.

Obi-Wan shook his head and stood. "No, Kira. You do need some rest. Come, I'll take you to the transport ship."

Seeing she had no say in the matter, Kira grudgingly stood up and followed Obi-Wan through the crowd of troopers to the transport ship, but not without glaring at Cody over her shoulder. He merely grinned as he shrugged and waved at her. She stuck out her tongue at him, earning a laugh.

At the ramp of the transport ship, Obi-Wan bid Kira goodbye with strict instructions to rest. "If I'm correct, you've probably already read the report, haven't you?" he asked, his eyes twinkling.

Kira struggled not to giggle. "Yes, Master."

"Then there is no reason for you to exert yourself any further." Obi-Wan held up a hand when Kira made one last attempt at a protest. "I'll see you when we arrive on Coruscant," he said.

Kira bowed as she said goodbye. "See you later, Master."

Obi-Wan smiled. "Don't forget to rest."

Kira laughed out loud at that as she turned and made her way up the ramp to the transport.

I'm gonna warn y'all now that the story is a little slow until chapter 3. For now, just bear with me, please. :)

Kira: ...did you just say please?

Me: *rolls eyes* Is it truly that hard to believe?

Obi-Wan: Actually, yes.

Me: Since when!?

Obi-Wan: Since you kept us all around for the author notes and never actually used us in the story.

Me: ...got me there.

Kira: Hey, you know it's true.

Me: I SAID YOU GOT ME!

Kira: *raises hands* Sorry!

Me: No, you're not.

Obi-Wan: She's got you there, Kira.

Kira: ...

Me: You actually got her to shut up, Obi-Wan! Thank you!

Kira: Oi!

Me: Kira, do the review notice.

Kira: Wait, what!? Why me!?

Me: Because number one, I can make you do it, and number two, Obi-Wan's got on my good side by getting you to stop talking.

Kira: ...

Me: You may begin when ready.

Kira: ...please review if you liked it, hated it, or wanted to light it up and watch it burn. Happy?

Me: Could've done better...

Kira: -_-

Me: ...but I won't make you do it again because it's Christmas.

Kira: Yay!

Me: Hope y'all have a very merry Christmas, and may the Force be with you always! See ya!