"I wish you wouldn't wear black, the council don't approve. You know they don't", Aaron's master, Carly, said to him as he walked into the nearly full briefing room.
She wore a long, light brown cloak that dragged along the floor, with her light brown Jedi robes beneath. Her knee-height boots were a little darker, as was her belt. Her silver-hilted light-saber was clipped to her belt as well as a small blaster for emergencies.
"They also don't approve of me having a black hilted saber, although the blade is blue, and they don't approve of my hair style. Oh and to top it off they don't approve of me and Lauren being together but as I repeatedly say I don't care what they think"
"Aaron, how can you not show any feeling for what they think. Surely what they think must influence you in some way. Master Marsh has already tried to have you and Lauren forced apart, as well as having you put in front of the council about your appearance"
"Marsh is unable to see through the shell of people. And anyway, the council is too based upon the appearance of a person, I mean why does it matter what color I like to wear?"
"You still have much to learn my young apprentice"
"No I don't. Come on, I fought and killed Darth Fanu, many Master's admitted that was an amazing feat to accomplish"
"That may be so but you do not appreciate Jedi ways"
"C, do you have a problem with my appearance?"
"No"
"Well then"
A fairly tall man walked into the room, a Master from the council. Master Marsh stood beside the hologram's at the front of the room, and indicated for them all to take a seat.
"As you are aware, the planet of Bespin has been over-run by Darth Grunto, his guards and his troops. He has taken a small army of 300,000 droids and 200 guards. Master Carly and Master Veban, you will lead our attack. Everyone must take orders from them and I shall arrive at the battle after a short amount of time"
"One question", Aaron said, standing up. Carly grabbed his arm to stop him but he shook her off and continued, "If there are 300,201 of them, including Grunto, why is the council only sending the 50 of us here?"
"We can not afford to send more, should we fail-", Marsh said before being interrupted
"We will be dead and 50 Jedi will have been wasted", Aaron got in
"How dare you question the council"
Aaron sat back down and got a look from Carly as if to say 'why do you do it?'.
"Right, now everyone, may the Force be with you, and we shall await your return", Marsh finished.
Aaron and Carly stood up and walked out the door closely followed by Carly, who stopped him.
"Why do you always oppose him?"
"He hates me, why not?"
"He does not hate you, he just doesn't approve of you"
Aaron looked at her clearly confused but she dropped it.
"Guess I'll be following you then"
"Don't you always?"
"Suppose so", Carly said, laughing.
They both walked over to their Jedi fighter ships. Aaron's was black all over whereas Carly's was gray and white. Aaron strapped himself in to his fighter and engaged the engine, taking off and flying into the stars.
"C, you ready to jump to hyperspace?"
"Yes, remember we're all boarding the A45-L Control Ship when we get there"
"Yes master", Aaron said, apparently bored by his tone of voice.
"Aaron, don't get into unnecessary trouble this time, please", Carly begged
"When do I ever master?"
"Let me think, Tattoine, Felucia, Kashyyyk, Dantooine, Houche, Niran. Want me to continue?"
"Come on, it's not trouble, just problematic"
"Unnecessary none-the-less"
"C, I've sent you better co-ordinates to reach the A45-L", Aaron stated, smiling in his cockpit at Carly.
"Aaron?"
"3-2-1, See you there C"
They both blasted into hyperspace with Aaron's new co-ordinates rather than those given by Marsh, and arrived much nearer the A45-L than the originals. Too close.
"Aaron!", Carly said swerving past the engine of the A45-L. Aaron laughed then spoke.
"Thought I'd give my old master some excitement, plus, I know how much you enjoy flying with me as your navigator"
"You're going to be the death of me"
"Doubt it, I've a feeling Marsh is going to be the death of us both", Aaron said grimly
"If you're not careful you will be out casted from the Jedi. They already believe you are too close to Sith standards, you know how they feel"
"Lets just get aboard then"
"Aaron don't back away from it, you can't shy away from what they think of you"
"Yes I can"
Aaron sped up ahead of Carly and spun quickly into the hanger, landing elegantly in his designated spot. He released his harness and leaped from the cockpit, then walked to the ships briefing room before waiting for Carly.
Carly walked into the briefing room moments after Aaron, and sat next to him around the hologram model of Bespin.
"General Carly, I presume you have been briefed on what we're going to be doing", General Veban asked her
"Yes, we shall be splitting into two groups of 25 and shall destroy Grunto's forces"
"Last minute change of plan General, Marsh's orders. Your padawan Aaron has shown some real potential recently having killed Darth Fanu. Marsh has sent another 10 Jedi, so I shall take 24 Jedi as will you, whilst Aaron will take 9 to try and flank their forces and create a diversion"
"Hang on a second", Aaron said, standing up, "Marsh wants me to act as bait?"
"Not bait, a diversion", Carly stated, backing up Veban, "Aaron, I know you do not see eye to eye with Marsh but this is an honor to be leading an attack force as a padawan"
"I know, master", Aaron said, sitting back down.
"Right, everyone, may the force be with you", Veban and Carly said in unison.
Aaron got up and walked quickly from the room, apparently trying to avoid conversation with his master.
"Aaron, you can't run from what they think"
"C, I know what they think of me. They believe I do not respect the Jedi order and expect me to turn against them"
"Are they so wrong? Do you really respect the order at all? I mean you and Lauren being together really doesn't help things, then your constant attitude and temper, not to mention your saber and appearance"
"Just say it C"
"You are not a disappointment, you have been my most accomplished padawan and have more skill than many of the council"
"You must understand I can't maintain a healthy attitude when I am always rejected by them"
"I do understand, I back you up as best I can, you just need to prove yourself to them, thats it. Today is a perfect chance to show them your potential"
"C, I showed perfectly good potential when I killed Fanu, Masters Brunn and Yux were there, I saved them both from Fanu"
"I know you did. They just didn't like being shown up by a padawan"
"At least I can look on the bright side, Marsh obviously listened to what I said about only sending 50 of us, so sent another 10", Aaron said, grinning
"See, you do have an impact upon them, just not always positive"
"Master, you do it too"
"Do what?"
"You know what", Aaron said as he jumped into his cockpit before Carly could retaliate verbally.
"Right, C, no more of this talk until we get back, then I shall converse about it, but for now lets concentrate on the task at hand. Something I don't understand is why Marsh has done this last-minute, it's as if he wants to see my skill at thinking on the spot", Aaron wondered out-loud
"Sometimes it seems as if you're the master"
"Is that a compliment?"
"Of sorts"
Aaron and Carly both took off and joined General Veban at the front of the small army of Jedi fighters.
"Veban, I shall take my 9 Jedi around the back in the fighters and stay undetected until they start to move towards you and C, then we can pick them off easier with less casualties"
"Good plan padawan"
"General, as long as I am leading a squad don't call me that"
Veban became silent then ordered her 24 Jedi to follow her, before Carly did the same.
"We shall be flying below the platforms and shall land behind their forces and lie low until Veban and Carly draw them forward, that way we shall be able to pick them off better", Aaron ordered his team, "For now just follow me", Aaron finished as he rolled to the left and nose-dived quickly until they were low enough to be undetectable from the platforms above.
"General, how far along will we be going?", a Jedi named Frank asked
"As far as we can so we shall stay undetected", Aaron replied
A small hologram appeared in Aaron's cockpit from Carly and it spoke to him.
"Aaron, be careful, we have been betrayed by someone unknown. They knew we were coming and they have become aware of your extra squad. They have brought in re-enforcements so the battle is tough, but we are on the winning side. Be careful my young apprentice", Carly said
"Everyone, we have been betrayed, we shall be coming up now and landing where ever we can, okay? Follow my lead", Aaron ordered
Aaron flew directly upwards and rolled to the right before landing on a large platform to his right, closely followed by his squad. They all landed and got out their ships, before regrouping with Aaron, who already had his saber out.
"We shall be moving quickly to the East to regroup with Veban and Carly, who have both had to regroup due to enemy numbers"
"They were struggling with 25 in each squad? We're screwed", Billo shouted
"No, we shall fight out best and should we fall we will have fallen bravely, a great honor"
Aaron pressed the black button and the blue blade of his saber shone in the evening light, as did the greens of everyone else. Aaron ran to the East and they encountered a large group of droids who fired at them immediately. They all blocked shots, sending them back and took out the 150 droids they had encountered with not much trouble. Aaron wondered whether they had actually encountered a large group of droids, or whether the droids were a tester of their power. Either way they proved useless in the face of Aaron and his squad, something Aaron took comfort in. Aaron could barely see anything in the heavy mist that had formed around the light brown buildings; held up by the gravitational pads underneath the platforms. A high pitched drone grew louder and louder as Aaron realized what it was.
"Get inside, quickly", Aaron shouted
The scream of Grunto's ship grew closer and closer until purple lights lit the area up: rockets. Before they had reached the building the rockets blew apart the bridges connecting platforms, stranding them onto the large round platform they were positioned on.
Grunto leaped from his ship, which hovered where he left it, and landed on the edge of the platform.
"Aaron", he started, "I see the council have finally recognized your talents, General"
"Apparently so, Grunto, but the question is, have you?"
"Why of course, but as we all know the dark side is more powerful than you can ever imagine"
"Oh I assure you, my imagination is massive"
"This should be sufficient training"
Grunto pulled his saber from his belt and withdrew the blade, the red coloration shining on his face and the mist around him; a shroud of darkness. Aaron raised his blue blade which had the same effect. Light against dark. Another ship flew overhead and a Jedi leaped from it, landing in between them both. Marsh.
"Master Marsh, how nice of you to join us", Grunto stated.
A group of a few thousand droids used jet-packs to fly over the bridge gaps, and engaged at them all, causing Aaron's squad to charge them, blocking shots and killing droids. The sound of blaster fire and saber hums filled the air, a sound Aaron had grown to love, after all, he has been in so many battles in the past few years of his training.
Marsh engaged Grunto and Aaron sprinted forward to assist him, attacking Grunto at every angle. Aaron's blue blade and Marsh's yellow blade clashed with Grunto's red blade at tremendous speed, skill of all participants shining through. Grunto dodged under Aaron's attack and used the Force to push him back, sending Aaron flying backwards. Marsh continued to parry and attack Grunto, before locking sabers, and Marsh was pushed backwards with a slight burn to his arm where Grunto's saber made contact. Aaron jumped to his feet and leaped towards Grunto, who blocked his initial attack and locked savers with him.
Aaron's squad had taken down the droids that had attacked, only Frank having survived, but he helped Aaron immediately. Grunto broke out of the saber lock and used the Force to push Aaron back slightly, giving him time to slice Frank's left arm and right leg off, before sending him backwards. Marsh got to his feet and jumped into his ship, which had enough room for five people, then looked down at Aaron.
"Marsh, wait for me", Aaron bellowed in his direction
Marsh looked at him, fire in his eyes, and sped off into space, abandoning Aaron on the platform, Grunto in front of him. Grunto lowered his saber and then disarmed Aaron as he attacked him, using the Force to pull Aaron's light-saber to himself.
"As Sith go, General, I am rather generous", Grunto stated as he used Force lightening on Aaron until he passed out.
Carly, Veban, and the other remaining Jedi ran from the nearest building at that moment, seeing Grunto use Force lightening on Aaron, only unsure whether or not Aaron was alive.
"Aaron!", Carly shouted, "Darth Grunto, you'll pay for what you've done"
Grunto looked over at the sound of voices and smiled in a twisted way towards them, before picking up Aaron's body and leaping up into his ship, then blasted into the black vacuum above. Carly and Veban managed to leap the gap to the large platform and collected up the sabers from the fallen Jedi, adding them to the large collection they already had.
"G-G-General", Frank stuttered
Carly looked in the direction of the voice and gasped at Frank's sight, "Frank", she started, "Veban, get a medication droid here immediately"
Carly picked up Frank gently using the Force, and slowly moves him across the large gap to where the medical droid is waiting.
"Veban, no one else survived", Carly stated
"General, I am sorry about your apprentice", Veban replied, apparently ignoring what Carly was saying.
"Aaron is a formidable warrior of the light. Whatever plan Grunto has to turn him, Aaron will stay faithful to us"
"You realize they will kill him in time, that is, if he doesn't succumb"
"That is why we must rescue him"
Carly turned and leaped back over the gap, before ordering the Jedi to return to their ships and fly back to the A45-L.