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Operation Knightfall
It started as such a quiet thing. A flicker of the force, as a life was snuffed out. Shaak Ti, meditating in her chambers, thought it was a Jedi out on the field. She felt a sadness for her peer, but then she realised it was much closer to home. It was here on Coruscant. And then she realised who it was. Agen Kolar, a friend she had known a long time, and sit with on the Jedi Council. Before she could mourn the loss of her friend, another flicker happened. Saesee Tiin. What was going on? Then, it hit her. Darth Sidious had revealed himself at last. She could still not believe is. Darth Sidious, the Sith Lord they had been searching for for thirteen years was actually Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, the same man she had risked, and nearly lost her life not a week ago, trying to protect. It hardly bared thinking about. But, deep down, it was as clear as day how well everyone had been manipulated.
Then, there was another flicker. Kit Fisto. Shaak Ti gasped in fright. Sidious, Palpatine, whatever you wanted to call him, was killing them all. Oh no. Mace was on his own. Sidious had just defeated three of the best masters in the order. What chance did Mace have?
Shaak Ti thought. She would have gone with them, but for three reasons: one, she wanted to meditate on a vision she had received, two she was to defend the temple and three she was to look after young Skywalker. She had failed at that one. Otherwise, she would have been there fighting with them. What would have happened? Would she be dead now too?
Then, she felt an anxiety in the force. Anakin. She was concerned about him. Although she was one of his friends on the Council, even she and Obi Wan agreed that he was moody, restless and arrogant sometimes. But she didn't approve of the way Mace and Yoda had put him up with the job of spying on Palpatine. Especially not with the boys bond with the man. True, they had now found out Palpatine's true identity, but at what cost? She could feel Anakin rushing towards the Chancellor's office. She had meant to keep the boy in the temple, but she had been worried about Mace and the others when she had found out who Palpatine really was, so he had got out. He had even threatened her. There in time to save Mace, she wouldn't complain.
She could feel him entering, and seeing what was going on. Triumph was radiating from Mace. He had beaten Sidious. Thank the force. She sat there, meditating on what was happening. And then, there was a roar in the force, as Mace's presence blasted out in pain, Anakin's in confusion and fear, and Palpatine's in victory. No!
Then she felt Mace die. That was it. And with that, the force went even deeper into darkness with a mighty roar. The Sith were back in business. Shaak Ti couldn't believe it. Anakin had betrayed the Jedi Order. He had helped save the Sith Lord, and had caused the death of Mace Windu. And it was all her fault. She could have stopped him leaving the temple, but didn't. and she had caused the death of another Jedi. She was still reeling when Coleman Kcaj, the other Council member in the temple, entered.
"Master Ti?"
She sighed, and knew what was coming. The Sith were about to counterattack.
"Prepare the temple for battle."
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She could hear them coming. Shaak Ti, Jedi Master and Jedi Council member, for the first time in her life, was scared. A massive clone army, led by the newly christened Darth Vader, was coming here, with one purpose in mind: to destroy the Jedi. And she was the highest ranking Jedi here to deal with it. Padawans and younglings had been dispersed throughout the temple, to try and hide, while the older Padawans, the Knights and the Masters tried to hold off the clones. But she knew it was futile. Despite having many powerful Jedi on hand, there was little chance of stopping the enemy.
Cin Drallig and Coleman Kcaj awaited her orders.
"Get the younger students onto whatever transports we have here. One Jedi Knight to each ship. Get them off this planet. I have a bad feeling about all this. Get them away from Coruscant, before the clones get here. Tell anyone small enough to go out through the vents. And get anyone who knows the route to take whatever Jedi there are through the catacombs and out. Get as many out as possible. We will hold here as long as possible."
Cin Drallig sighed.
"Master Ti, its too late. The catacombs and the vents are the only ones open to us. Gunships are en route."
"Then tell people to get out of here. I don't care how you do it, just do it!"
Cin Drallig nodded, and went to carry out the orders. Coleman walked up to her.
"We cant win. And we cant abandon the temple. What do we do?"
Shaak Ti refused to let despair set in.
"Pray."
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It began with Gatemaster Jurokk. He was killed by the newly christened Darth Vader first. Then, Vader led the 501st Legion into the Jedi Temple. The few Jedi Padawans and Knights that were in the hall were killed by a storm of blasterfire. Vader then took two troops into the Archives, leaving the rest of the clones at the entrance, so things could be done without alerting the Jedi. Madam Jocasta Nu, the Jedi in charge of the Archives, refused to let Vader into the communications room. He killed Nu, and then gave the order for the clones to attack. The Great Jedi Purge had begun.
At the same time of Nu's death, Order 66 was executed across the galaxy. Ki Adi Mundi, Stass Allie, Plo Koon, Luminara Unduli, Barriss Offee and Aayla Secura were all killed by turncoat clone troopers.
Vader led the clones through the halls, finding a few Jedi, but not enough to worry about. He supposed that Master Ti had ordered all Jedi to higher levels to fight there. He was right. As he entered the Room of a Thousand Fountains, he was met by a small army of Jedi. Shaak Ti, Coleman Kcaj, Cin Drallig, Serra Keto and Olana Chion were at the head of this group.
"Anakin, how could you do this?" Shaak Ti asked.
"It needs to be done Shaak Ti. The Jedi are traitors." Anakin snarled.
"And what does that make you then?" Coleman Kcaj asked.
"An instrument of justice."
With that, Anakin sprang at the Jedi. The room was filed with lightsabers as the clones opened fire.
It had begun.
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Coleman Kcaj, the Ongree Jedi Master, watched as the 501st opened fire on the Jedi. Lightsabers flashed through the air as they deflected the blaster bolts of the 501st. Throught the force, they could feel it as other Jedi in the Temple were killed. Shaak Ti had done her best, and had roused as many people as possible, but it was no use. Many, at this late hour, were in bed, and thus easy targets. Others were caught in small groups and murdered by the clones. There were too many to fight. Shaak Ti had sent as many Padawans and younglings away as possible, while the more experienced ones stayed behind to fight off the clones. Coleman knew they had no hope. There were thousands of troops, and because of the way the Jedi were fighting, they were finding it easy to fight off their enemies. Jedi were dying. Across the galaxy, either as part of Order 66, Operation Knightfall, or any other thing, the force was awash with the death of the Jedi. Coleman slashed through another three clones, and parried two bolts back at their owners. Anakin was going head to head with a young Gran Knight. Coleman sprang at the former Council member. The boy had been arrogant, and manipulated, but he wasn't to be hated. Until he sliced off the Gran's head. Coleman landed beside Anakin and brought up his blade. Anakin turned to block the attack. Coleman quickly danced away from the next strike, using his Form IV manoeuvres to block Anakin's swing. He jumped up and kicked Anakin in the chest, and plunged his blade downward. Anakin blasted the Jedi Master with a force push. Coleman flipped over, and then came at Anakin, his blade high. Anakin brought his blade up to stop him. He then locked their blades.
"Master Kcaj. I wouldn't have expected you to be guilty of treachery." Anakin growled.
"I would say the same about you. I'd be wrong."
The two blue blades crackled in the battlefield, barely audible over the sound of blasterfire. Jedi were still dying, and Coleman couldn't stop it. Anakin was using the Dark Side, and was beginning to overwhelm him. Coleman knew he couldn't stop Anakin, so he ducked away, then force pushed Anakin. Coleman turned to fight some clones when he was suddenly grabbed by the force. He was then jerked back towards Anakin's waiting blade.
"Never run from me Master Kcaj."
And with that, Darth Vader's blade pierced right through Coleman Kcaj and dropped the dead Jedi Council member to the floor.
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Olana Chion led the small group of Padawans to an air vent. They had to escape. The Order was doomed if they did not. She couldn't believe that Anakin and the clones were doing this. She had never liked Anakin. She had wanted to be Obi Wan's padawan, but Anakin took her place. But, there was also the fact that he was arrogant, moody, rude and bad tempered. He was also influenced to easily by his emotions, and by Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, who Olana mistrusted. There was something wrong about the Chancellor. She growled. Anakin had betrayed them all. She had always thought of him treading too close to the dark side, and now here was the proof. He was attacking his fellow Jedi, with the clones behind him backing him up. She had her green lightsaber in her hand as she led the group of small Padawans, five in all, to a vent. Blasterfire rang out behind her, and Jedi were dying all through the temple. But she had orders from Shaak Ti: get as many children out as possible. She entered an airing room, and opened the vent.
"Master, why are they doing this?" the oldest, a boy of fifteen, asked.
"I don't know. If I knew I would tell you. But for now, I need you to be responsible. I need you to get the others out. You need to be in charge, and look after them. Get them off planet. Clear?"
"Yes master Olana."
"Good boy."
Then, a storm of laserfire shot into the room, barely avoiding them all. Olana stood up, and deflected the shots with her blade.
"Go!" she urged.
The boy nodded, and led the younglings away into the vent.
"Good luck master."
She nodded, and then he was gone. She used the force to shut the gate, all the while deflecting shots. Then, the fire stopped, and five clones came down the corridor. One was Commander Appo, the leader of the 501st and Anakin's commander. Olana glared at him.
"Commander. Here to kill yet more Jedi?" she challenged.
She knew she would die here. She was trapped in this room, and had no chance of escaping. The clones, now up to ten, were still coming.
"Master Chion. We're here to kill you." Appo said, as he raised his rifle.
Olana grinned. She would die here, but she would take as many clones with her as possible. But, she knew it was futile. Jedi were dying across the galaxy. Inside the temple, Jedi were dropping by the tens. So, she steeled herself for death. She then sprang into the air, slicing one trooper in half in a vertical swipe. She force pushed several more clones away, as she turned and dissected two more. The clones started firing, but she was deflecting, trying her hardest to hit their shots originators. She then jumped into the air, cutting down two more troops as she did so. Her blade was a glowing streak as she sliced off two trooper's heads, and then she dug her blade into another clone. But Appo had a shot on her. Switching to rapid fire, he aimed. And squeezed the trigger. She turned for six bolts, in quick succession, to crash into her. She dropped to the floor, the life gone from her. Then Appo turned away.
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An AT-RT blasted its way into the room, scattering debris and three Jedi bodies to the floor. Serra Keto, along with her former master Cin Drallig, who were slicing apart clones with vigour, were suddenly split up. Bene, along with her classmate Whie, was fighting with the two when it happened. Cin beckoned to them.
"Bene, Whie, to me!" he shouted.
Bene ducked as another clone fired at her. There were too many of them. Clones were everywhere, fast overwhelming the Jedi that were in here. Jedi were going higher to escape the carnage. Up above them, on a maintenance walkway, Shaak Ti and Anakin were duelling. Shaak Ti then force pushed Anakin from the ledge, and he fell to the ground. He recovered, and made it into a flying attack on Cin Drallig. The Jedi Master blocked, and prepared to fight the new Sith Lord. Anakin snarled, and force pushed Whie away from him. Bene, her blue blade in her hand, attacked Anakin. Anakin just rolled his eyes, and began to duel Cin Drallig. This man, once a hero of hers, had now become a hated enemy, as he had killed her friends, and she had watched him do it. She brought her blade up, determined to kill this monster.
"Bene, no!" Cin shouted, but too late.
Anakin grabbed hold of her neck and started to strangle her. She struggled against his prosthetic grip, but to no avail. Anakin was duelling with Cin, who was determined to free his student. He had no chance. The air was being squeezed out of Bene. She was struggling, but couldn't dislodge herself. Darkness took her, and she knew no more.
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Whie got to his feet as Anakin dropped Bene to the floor. Cin looked furious. Whie had been right. His death would be brought about by Anakin. All his dreams would come true. Anakin was too powerful. Jedi brutes and Jedi snipers had arrived along with a lot more Jedi Knights, but it still wasn't enough to turn back the forces of the 501st. Whie took a deep breath. If he was going to die, here, he may as well do it properly. He lit his green blade again, and started to go towards Anakin. Jedi were cutting into clones all around him, and clones were shooting down Jedi, but he went towards Anakin. He hoped Scout, the girl he had a slight crush on, was alright. Whie frowned. Anakin was powerful alright. And he would kill Whie. But, he had no choice.
"Goodbye Scout." He whispered.
He ran at Anakin, who seemed surprised. He then brought his blade up and sliced Whie's chest. The boy, who had idolised him not six months before, was dead.
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Shaak Ti cut down another clone. This was not going well. They were being overwhelmed. Two more Knights sprang out of a hole in the wall. But the news was not good. Master Kcaj had been killed. And Master Drallig and Serra Keto had been split up. It was time to reassess the situation. She knew they couldn't hold out for much longer. So, she sliced through more clones, and tried to find more survivors.
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Anakin entered the Jedi Council chamber. He highly doubted Cin Drallig, the one he was searching for, would be in here, but it was worth a try. But he wasn't in here. All that was here was a group of about ten of them. Master Jocasta Nu, sensing the impeding disaster, had sent them here. Anakin looked up at the young boy named Sors Bandeam.
"Master Skywalker, there are too many of them, what are we going to do?"
Anakin looked down at the little children. They were all looking up at him with hope in their eyes. The Chosen One would have them. He lit his lightsaber. Then, blinking tears out of his yes, trying to block the images of what he was about to do, he sliced Sors in half. The others fell just as easily. He then left the Council chamber, body parts littering the floor behind him.
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Shaak Ti buckled as she felt the massacre of the Padawans. She couldn't believe anyone could be so cruel. To kill children… She found a young male Jedi.
"Dear boy, find as many Jedi as you can. Get out of here. If you find Master Drallig and Serra Keto, tell them to get out of here. Get as many people as you can out." She implored.
"Yes master."
The Jedi was just into his twenties, barely a Knight.
"Have faith. May the Force be with you."
He ran off, to do her bidding. And then she went in search of Anakin Skywalker.
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Anakin was engaging Serra Keto, the lethal former padawan of Cin Drallig. Armed with her dual blades, she was quite a good match for the new Sith Lord, and he found it hard to stop her attacks. He was beginning to wear down. Serra smiled. Calling on the force, she unleashed a fine offensive, like Cin had taught her, barraging Vader's defences. She then kicked Anakin in the chin, hurtled up onto a balcony, and threw a boulder at him. Anakin avoided it, and landed in front of her, beginning the duel again. Serra was beginning to grow frustrated. Blocking high, she entered a training room. Anakin came at her, but she sprang up and kicked him in the face. She danced away from his next swing, cutting at him with her blades. She jarred loose a column, and attacked him. Anakin blocked her attack, force pushed her, and then used the force to crush her under the column. Serra was dead, and now it was only her master.
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Shaak Ti arrived in the room a few minutes later. She found Serra Keto crushed under a pillar. Then, Shaak Ti noticed something very strange. She was alive. Shaak Ti pursed her lips. She removed the pillar, and put Serra away safe. And then, she chased after the Sith Lord.
Cin Drallig was like a blur, beating at Anakin's defences. The Master was good, but not good enough. Anakin span away from Cin, brining his blade up to protect himself. He then back flipped, and then brought his blade down through Master Drallig's shoulder. The man dropped to the floor, dying. Anakin smiled. That was the last of his enemies. Then, he heard another blade. He turned to see Shaak Ti, glaring at him, standing in the doorway with her lightsaber blazing.
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She glared at Anakin, approaching him with her saber raised.
"You murder your way through these halls, killing those who have been your family for the last thirteen years, and you think you can just get away with it? Not while I'm still around." She snarled.
"Master Ti. I didn't think you were still alive."
"I am, unfortunately for you. You will not get away with what you have done here."
Anakin raised his blade.
"Master Ti, I will not let you interfere with our plans. But you need to be stopped. I would rather not kill you. I always quite liked you actually. You were one of the few on the Council who would stand up for me. So, please, don't make me fight you."
Shaak Ti sighed.
"You should have thought of that before you helped Palpatine kill Mace."
She sprang at Anakin, her blade in hand. Anakin tried to angle in time, but couldn't stop her attack. She crashed into his shoulder, knocking him to the floor. She raised her blade above her head and brought it sweeping down. Anakin had already moved, his blade flying back into his hand. The two blue blades crashed into each other with unbridled ferocity. Shaak Ti attacked high, while Anakin blocked, steadily moving out of the room. And thus they began to duel, the last two Jedi Council members on Coruscant, were going at it. Shaak Ti swung her blade, trying to cleave off Anakin's head. Anakin ducked, and punched her in the stomach. She followed the attack with a high kick into the face, brining her blade around behind it. Anakin parried the blow, then danced out of the way of her next attack, swiping at her montrals. Shaak Ti flipped over him, kicking him in the back as she went. As he stumbled, she span, blasting him with a force push. Anakin was thrown to the ground. He turned to face her and then used the force to throw a statue at her. She caught the blow with the force, and sent it back to its owner. Anakin sliced the attack out of the air, and flew at her, blade singing. She parried the blow, Anakin snarling as she did so. She kicked him in the face, and then jumped to the next level. He followed her. She cut down at him as he sprang up. They duelled each other through the corridors, their blades parrying each others and cutting into the walls as they entered the hallway. Dead bodies littered the floor as they went, as clones were still firing at Jedi. Anakin used the force to throw bodies at Shaak Ti, but she used a force shockwave, blowing them away from her. She then force pushed him, giving her an excuse to jump away from Anakin's attack. He followed her upwards to the stairs that led to the lifts. The clones had stopped firing at the other Jedi to watch the battle. The two fought on the stairs, Shaak Ti using the force to wrench items off the walls and throw them at Anakin. Anakin was hard pressed to defeat the attacks. She smiled. The boy wasn't using his hate. That gave her the advantage. With a force push, she blasted him away from her, knocking him down the stairs. She opened the lift, and sprang into the shaft. She then leapt up onto the first lift car, and sent it hurtling upwards. Anakin followed her in, jumping onto his own lift car. It shot up beside hers, and they engaged once again. Shaak Ti swept her blade down in a fierce cut, which Anakin blocked, then twirled out of the way of. He then knocked her blade away from him, and attacked with brute strength. Shaak Ti buckled as she stopped his attack. He was tough to hold off. She twisted her blade around, making it come over Anakin's arm, and then she sliced. A cut appeared on his arm, and she grinned. He was slipping. Anakin brought back his blade as he hissed in pain. He swung his blade around, trying to slice her in half. She blocked easily, then flipped over the top of her attacker, crashing her feet into him as she did so. He fell onto her lift as she landed on his. She turned to see the door to the Council chamber. She used the force to wrench it open, and sprang up, just missing Anakin's swing. She landed in the corridor and watched as the two cars crashed into the ceiling. With any luck Anakin would be dead now. She entered the chamber, then heard a hum behind her. Activating her own blade, she blocked Anakin's upper cut, and forced the blade back down. She danced away from him, trying to take his head as she did so. Anakin flew over her, landing in the centre of the room. She smiled, and grabbed two of the chairs with the force. She threw them at Anakin. Anakin roared in annoyance, and sliced Yoda's chair in half. But he couldn't stop Stass Allie's chair in time, and it knocked him to the floor. Shaak Ti swiped her blade down to finish him off, but he kicked her in the stomach, and sprang to his feet, his blade coming at her in a series of high and low strikes. She was immediately on the defensive, parrying until she locked their blades together. It was then that she knew that she could not beat him. He was too powerful. And she needed to escape. But she could defeat him, at least temporarily. She swung her blade outwards, knocking Anakin's blade away from her. Then using a manoeuvre from Form II, Makashi, she sliced a cut into Anakin's leg and chest. He grimaced in pain, and she leapt backwards to escape his wild swing. And that was when the chairs hit him. Kit Fisto's, Shaak Ti's and Agen Kolar's all hit him, knocking off his feet and into the window, which shattered with the impact. Anakin barely grabbed on and started to pull himself up. Shaak Ti used Plo Koon's chair to break another window, as Anakin pulled himself back into the room.
Smoke billowed up from the Jedi Temple. The base of the spires was covered in flames, and clones were everywhere. Gunships and tanks surrounded the temple. Shaak Ti knew that the Jedi had lost. But, they could live again. So, taking a deep breath, she got ready. Then, ignoring the flames and smoke, she leapt from the Council chamber. Anakin swore as his blade just missed her. She hurtled downwards. The Jedi would live again. But until then, their death throes would be very painful for the Sith. That she promised herself. She closed her eyes, and was swallowed by smoke.
So, that was Operation Knightfall. It would have been better if the film had shown us that and more of Order 66. We would see who managed to escape, and who all died. So, thats what I think happens. If I get three reviews, I'll write a sequel. Please review!