Hey guys, Alyss here! This is a slight AU on which my OC, Alyss Nighthawk, was the Padawan of Master Sifo-Dyas before he died, and she was the only other one who knew of the plans of an army for the Republic. I will probably release character profiles today as well in the next chapter just so y'all can have a better understanding of who my main OCs are. I hope y'all enjoy! (This is set in 32 BBY)
Bringing both sabers up in an x, I blocked Kayln's overhead cleave and shoved forwards. Reflexes driving me forwards, I moved with the momentum and swung at two points, her legs and upper torso.
Doing so caused Kayln to fall back, blocking both strikes. Pressing the advantage, I continued attacking, swinging both lightsabers at different points to make it difficult to defend.
After a few moments more, I swung both sabers at her head, expecting her to block. But instead, she ducked and stepped back. In the blink of an eye, she reversed her grip on the green-bladed saber and lunged.
Falling back, I blocked the furious strikes, trying to angle them away. Kayln came on, relentless, maneuvering her lightsaber to try and find an opening. Her Mikashi footwork kept her balanced as she lunged and parried any attacks I managed to make.
The surprise that equated from her sudden switch slowly ebbed off, and training kicked back in. Reaching the edge of the arena, I stopped backing up and stood still, gaining a blade lock with Kayln.
Her face was screwed up in concentration, my face mirroring hers. Straining to press back, I disengaged and ducked, her saber flashing above my head.
Rolling to the side, I came up in an upwards cleave, forcing Kayln back. Gaining the advantage again, I pressed her back. Falling into a natural rhythm with two lightsabers, I attacked with a seemingly peace-like nature.
After a few minutes of going around the arena, again and again, I managed to gain the upper hand in a blade lock. Sliding my main lightsaber down to her hilt, I twisted inwards and up. Her lightsaber flew upwards and clattered a few meters away, deactivated.
Panting, I deactivated both lightsabers and hung mine on my belt. Putting the other back on the training rack, I turned to Kayln, who was retrieving her lightsaber from the arena floor with a slight smile on her face.
Walking towards her, I called out,
"That was a great move, switching to the reverse grip. Are you planning on studying it further?"
Kayln shook her head,
"I'm not sure. Studying it will conflict with my style of Mikashi, and I don't want to have to relearn another style."
I nodded,
"That's understandable. I'm sure you will figure something out, though."
She nodded and smiled.
"You're getting really good at Jar'Kai. I suppose you are going to ask Sifo-Dyas to let you study it further?"
I scuffled my feet, embarrassed by the praise. Unlike Kayln, who took compliments in a stride, I never knew how to respond to them.
"I may," I finally replied, "I'll have to ask him later."
Opening her mouth to reply, she was cut off by a small scuffle.
Whirling around, I saw a young boy sitting near the walls of the arena. He looked no older than 10 and had sandy colored hair. I could sense the Force flowing through him, but it was wild and uncontrolled.
Frowning slightly, I called out to him,
"What's your name?"
The boy looked startled, not expecting to be addressed. With a slight tremor, he answered,
"My-my name is Anakin Skywalker. I'm a Padawan."
Anakin Skywalker. The name rang a bell. About a month ago Master Qui-Gon Jinn had discovered a Force-sensitive boy on Tatooine by the name of Anakin Skywalker. Qui-Gon had claimed that Anakin was the Chosen One who was supposed to bring balance to the Force.
When Master Qui-Gon had died at the hands of a Sith on Naboo, his former Palawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi had taken over his apprenticeship, personally vouching for Anakin to be trained since he was overage.
I smiled at him and opened my mouth to respond with my and Kayln's name when the doors whooshed open. Spinning around, I saw who must have been Master Obi-Wan running in, eyes scanning the arena.
Spotting Anakin, he rushed over to him and herded him out the door, all while having a muted argument with him. Kayln and I watched in silence. Waiting until the doors closed, Kalyn turned to me and commented,
"So that was the Chosen One? The one from Tatooine?"
"I guess so," I replied, surprised. "I thought he was a bit younger, though. He looked about 10."
"It must have been a huge act of the Council to allow him to train as a Padawan at this age," Kayln responded, the added with an afterthought, "I suppose that it was the same case as Eeth Koth, however. It would have been too risky to not train him."
I nodded.
"You have to wonder, though. Is he truly the Chosen One? Or is the Force working through someone else, or someone unborn at that?"
Kayln shook her head,
"Only time will tell, I suppose."
A faint beeping sounded from my comlink, and I answered it.
"This is Padawan Nighthawk."
Master Dyas's voice sounded from the speakers,
"Alyss, I need to tell you something. Meet me in the courtyard where we won't be overheard."
Confusion filled my body. Why couldn't we be overheard?
I answered, forcing the confusion down,
"Yes, Master. I will be there shortly."
Cutting off the transmission, I turned to Kayln. Her eyes were filled with the same confusion that was filling my body.
Shrugging slightly, I asked her,
"I guess I'll see you later then?"
She shook her head as if surfacing from her thoughts.
"Yeah, I'll see you later."
I turned away and walked out of the arena and turned to the path towards the courtyard. As I walked, my mind drifted to random thoughts.
Memories of my apprenticeship underneath Master Sifo-Dyas were prominent. He was always outspoken and had ideas and ideals that although clashed with the Order's views, made sense.
Reaching the courtyard, I spotted my Master standing underneath one of the trees with overhanging branches. Waving to me, he beckoned me over.
Quickly crossing the courtyard, I made sure no one spotted me as I reached him. My skin tingled as he nodded once before beginning.
"As you know, the Council views my ideas to be a bit, radical. But you know what I've been sensing, the rising darkness, The Sith attack on Naboo was the final push for me."
Hesitantly, I responded, dreading the answer,
"Final push…. for what?"
He took a deep breath before continuing,
"I went behind the Council's back and went to Kamino. There, I placed an order for an army. An army for the Galactic Republic. I don't know what that Sith are planning, but there is a high chance that it will mean war."
I gasped audibly, my hand flying to my mouth. Master Sifo-Dyas… placed an order for…. an army?
I took a shaky breath before asking the first question that came to mind.
"How long will this army take?"
He scratched his head, contemplating an answer,
"Nobody knows for now; I have yet to find a template. Once I do, though, the Kamanoians will determine based off of the DNA."
I nodded absent-mindedly.
An army… A clone army… What would be the cause for a need for an army?
My thoughts flashed to The Invasion of Naboo. The Trade Federation had used battle droids to occupy and try and stop any resistance. But they wouldn't dare to attack the Republic with them, would they?
"You really think that a war is coming, then, Master?"
He nodded silently, the said,
"You must not tell anyone of this, Alyss, you understand? The Council will call off the order as soon as they hear about it. They just don't understand."
I could see the reasoning in this,
"I understand, Master. I won't tell anyone."
He smiled for the first time this encounter and clasped my shoulder,
"Good girl. Now, I must head to Oba Diah. Chancellor Valorum has sent me and his personal aid, Silman I believe, to settle a dispute with the Pikes. He's worried that if it's not solved, it would mean a full-fledged gang war on Coruscant. I may be gone for a few days. You can consider it a break from training, or you may spar. It's your choice."
I nodded,
"I understand. Thank you, Master," Bowing, I wished him, "May the Force be with you, Master."
He bowed slightly back, "And with you, my Padawan."
I stood underneath the tree as he walked towards the courtyard's side exit that led towards the hanger. I struggled to wrap my mind around what he had just told me.
He created an army, without the Council's permission.
Part of me wanted to go up to the Council right now and tell them, but I held myself back. I understood why Master Sifo-Dyas had done it, I just hoped that it would be completed in time.
A day later, I found myself wandering through the corridors of the Temple. Shaking my head, I turned right, narrowly missing bumping into someone, and found myself in the Archives.
My thoughts cleared instantly. I had been wanting to look up the Kamino cloning system yesterday but hadn't found the time.
Striding through the main corridor to one of the empty terminals, I saw a helper polishing a new-looking bust. Gazing at it, I realized that it was former Knight Dooku, who had left the Order mere days after his old Padawan, Qui-Gon Jinn, had died. He was now the twentieth Knight of the Order to desert.
Reaching a terminal, I swiped my ID card and accessed the planetary files. Scrolling through the Inner Rim planets, I didn't find it. Frowning slightly, I ran a search through the planets in the Outer Rim and beyond, but no results came in from the second search either.
Double checking each sector yielded no responses as I sat there, stumped. It simply wasn't there.
As I scrolled through the lists once again, my eyes involuntarily closed, and I slipped into a vision.
A Republic ship was flying above the atmosphere of a multi-colored planet. Recognizing it to be Felucia, I watched as the ship started preparations to land on one of its moons.
Fixed firmly in the spot, I could only watch in horror as a ship came out of hyperspace and instantly bombarded the Republic ship with laser fire.
The burning ship was pulled into the atmosphere and spiraled out of control.
As it hit the surface, I felt a burning sensation and screamed wordlessly as pain and darkness overtook me.
Gasping, I jerked upwards, silent tears running down my face. Without even knowing, I knew the ship was Master Sifo-Dyas's.
Grasping my head in my hands, I shuddered and all I could think numbly was,
He's dead. He's dead. Forever.
So that's it! Chapters in this will vary in sizes, but they will be on average of 1.5k words per. Let me know what you guys think in the reviews and check back if you want to see more. The next chapter should be released in about a week. I wrote this today just to put a slight backstory behind Alyss before I start off the main chapter. (Set in 22 BBY) May the Force be with you, always.
~Alyss Nighthawk