Prologue
The Beginning of My End
The comm link is going off somewhere nearby. I'm not exactly sure where, but it doesn't matter. I can obviously hear it and can answer if I choose to. The thing is, I don't want to. Instead, I continue to lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling, trying to make a decision. There isn't much time left, and I still haven't made a choice. My commanding officers had often said that there was nothing quite like putting a difficult decision off to the last moment. Translation, there was nothing stupider, but I'd done it anyway. Hey, I never said I was smart.
Across the room, R2 beeps a question at me, clearly curious about why I haven't answered the call yet. I don't even try to explain the situation. The little astrodroid had become a confidant in the last few months, being both nonjudgmental and possessing a memory that I can delete at will, but it can only understand so much. As amazing as it is, the droid can't help me make my decision. It won't even understand the problem. Of course, it also won't understand why it won't understand.
"Attention," the comm suddenly hisses, crackling to life. My dull blue eyes flick towards the noise in bored fascination. Comms shouldn't be able to turn themselves on. "All operatives. Execute Order 66." Just as mysteriously as it turned on, the comm dies, taking my hope with it. My time is up, leaving me with no decision made. Rather, no personal decision made, considering the choice has clearly been taken from me.
Numbly, I roll off the bed, grabbing my lightsaber as I pass, more out of habit than anything else. It's not like I'll be able to take it back with me. R2 whistles another question as I step out of the room; the beeps becoming frantic when I key the door to slide shut before the droid can follow. Taking a moment to glance around the common room, I try to let the quiet and calm sink into me. This will be the last time I ever see these rooms, and I want to remember everything. Considering it's the middle of the night, I had expected the room to be still but tonight it almost felt – empty.
Shaking the notion from my mind, I slowly make my way to the main door, but a flicker of light caught my attention just before I stepped out. After so many years in the apartment I know every item, but this is new. It's a holo-image I had thought I would never see again. With trembling hands, I pick it up, letting the memories flood me. As far as holo-images go, this one isn't very good. It flickers occasionally, obscuring the image, and has an almost purple tinge, unlike the usual crisp blue. But my heart still constricts and tears fill my eyes as I read the engraving on the base. I hadn't thought he'd kept it all this time.
Placing the image back onto the small table, I run from the apartment. There is an hour from the time Order 66 is announced to its actual execution, and I will need every one of those seconds to turn things around. Yoda and I had planned on more advanced warning, so I need to start making up for lost time. Thank the Force it is late at night and most Jedi are still asleep. The long halls are almost empty, allowing me to run as I plan, only occasionally having to dodge around other beings. Order 66 is dependent upon the Jedi being caught unaware, so I have to alert the Temple to the approaching threat, but I'm not really sure how to do it without starting a panic. All the plans I'd made with Yoda involved alerting the Council and they would then initiate the evacuation plans, but the General had already lured them all away. That left me with one choice. The clones.
"Cody!" I yell, skidding to a stop before his door and pounding upon it. "Cody! Open the door, Cody!" I am so intent on rousing the clone I almost don't notice when the door slides open and my fist nearly makes contact with Cody's nose. It's only because of his excellent reflexes that I miss.
"Commander Skywalker?" Cody queried, already sounding professional, as though I hadn't just woken him in the middle of the night. For Force's sake, he already has his blaster with him. Does he sleep with the thing? Actually, never mind. I can hardly judge, considering I sleep with my lightsaber all the time and it's probably time I refocus.
"No interruptions," I order shortly, mentally calculating how much time I have left. "In a little less than an hour, the temple will come under attack by a force of nearly 13,000 troops and combat droids. They have advanced intelligence on our numbers, supplies, and general defenses, but what they won't know is that we'll be ready for them." Yeah, like that wasn't corny. "Gather your clones and place them at every entrance, especially the secret ones that Yoda and I showed you on the maps. Initiate the evacuation plan for the younglings and apprentices. If you need Jedi aide, wake any you require and inform them that Order 77 is in place. They will understand. While you secure the situation here, I'll go find the Council and bring them back."
Meeting the clone's gaze, I try to convey how serious the situation is. "Cody, you can't show mercy. These troops have orders to annihilate the entire Order. They won't stop until every one of us is dead. Tell your men that this is a fight to the death. We can't afford to be lenient." Another Jedi would have argued about the morality of such an order with me, but not Cody. He simply salutes before spinning on his heels, reaching for his armor. Knowing he will obey my orders perfectly, I take off down the hall at a run once more. There's still so much to do! We have to be ready for this attack. If we are, the Order will survive to see another day. If we aren't, we will all die. A simple way of looking at a complex situation, but that doesn't make it any less true.
"Agent Sky," the comm on my belt crackles, making my eyes narrow in frustration. They just aren't giving up. "Agent Sky, come in." A group of clones rush by me in the opposite direction, saluting as they pass. Cody is already at work. "Agent Sky, please respond." Down another hall, I can see some clones gathering together a group of sleepy younglings. They will survive, regardless of if the temple falls, and the Order will live through them. "Dammit, Sky! Answer us! The transport is going to leave you behind, and you know we can't leave any evidence. Sky, time is running out!"
"Tell me something I don't know," I hiss, dodging around another group of clones. This one has a couple Jedi Knights in their group who throw me worried looks. They know what Order 77 means and are reluctant to believe it is really happening. I try to give them an encouraging smile as I fly by, but it is probably more like a pained grimace. For the first time since I'd came to the Temple, I'm not sure how things are going to work out. Maybe the plan will work and everything will be fine, or maybe it will all blow up in my face. Only time will tell. Time that is rapidly disappearing.
Finally reaching the hangar, I swerve around the lone Jedi on guard, ignoring his surprised shouts. It isn't exactly uncommon for me to take a midnight flight, but I normally don't fly in a state of panic. A full moment goes by before I can slow my mad dash and actually seek out an appropriate vehicle, settling on a nearby speeder bike. It will be difficult to find anything better for speed or maneuverability, so I quickly jump on, kick over the ignition, and take off.
With buildings and lights flashing by me, I have a strange sense of deja-vu. The last time I had been this afraid while speeding through the upper level traffic of Coruscant was when Obi-wan had decided to hitch a ride on that assassin's drone and I'd had to save him. Same story now, except this time the assassin I'm speeding to save him from is – myself.
Babble time: Okay, I'm editing this story. Should be done updating everything by the end of the week. This story is now a trilogy with the sequel fully written and in the final stages of editing. The third is still in the draft stage. Please feel free to review and tell me anything you want to see, are confused by, are upset about, and so forth. Flames will be used to build funeral pyres for all flamers.