"Those who use the dark side are also bound to serve it. To understand this is to understand the underlying philosophy of the Sith. The dark side offers power for power's sake. You must crave it. Covet it. You must seek power above all else, with no reservation or hesitation." - Darth Revan, date ?3000-2000 BBY
Darth Vader stood on the bridge of the Executor, as Admiral Piett had the crew quickly to the Kashyyyk system. At his side was Padmé Amidala, wearing the white uniform of a Grand Admiral, another "gift" from the Emperor. Even though it was form fitting to a big degree, his angel looked so natural inside it. Her gaze settled on a control panel and she walked over to it, pointing out a flaw in the program that was quickly corrected. The officer looked way more relaxed, in fact, the entire deck was more relaxed and was working at a more efficient rate.
Sometimes, even he could of been surprised.
But the bridge soon tensed as the massive Super Star Destroyer dropped out of hyperspace as it entered real space of the Kashyyyk system. Around the Wookie homeworld was a Rebel fleet, made up of many Frigates, Corvettes, a few Dreadnaughts and a Venator. The ship was clearly one of the few that survived and was under the command of a Jedi, who was on the planet with others of his/her kind. Just as well, cause Vader wasn't going to let any Jedi survive.
"Launch all Fighters, prepare the invasion forces," Piett ordered, before Padmé spoke up.
"Delay those orders," She said before taking charge, "Have the Interdictors jump to strategic escape point and drop gravity wells around the area. Keep them from escaping."
The orders were relayed and executed with cold efficiency, as the system was now cut off from any travellers in and out. Not that the invasion forces needed back up, but Vader had put the newly promote Grand Admiral Thrawn on standby just in case the Rebels tried to pull a hit and run.
"Spilt the fleet into groups of three, comprised of a Victory, ISD I and ISD II. Have them jump and surround the Rebels, cutting off any chance of running past the Gravity Well generators." Padmé ordered, as Darth Vader watched, silent.
He stretched his senses out and felt...something he hadn't felt in a long time.
"Lord Vader?" The "Grand Admiral" asked, confused.
"I sense someone...I haven't felt sense…" Vader turned and looked at his Wife before activating his com, "Prep the 501st and the Invasion Forces, now!"
Down on the planet, the Wookies were clearly unsettled by the presence of a young Togruta female, one that was bond and beaten into a corner of a wooden hut. Over her was a young boy, and his Father, both concerned over her health. She had gone through worse but this was a very bad beating from the radical young and hormonal padawans.
"Is she going to be ok?" The boy asked softly, unsure of the girl's chances of survival.
"Yes, Galen, she'll pull through but I'm having Chook'loo and his brethren stand guard over her hut." Jedi Knight Howard Marek answered as he placed the final bacta patch on a grizzly looking bruise.
It was then a rowdy and poorly dressed Twi'lek padawan walked in, looking a bit scared. Howard looked at her and frowned.
"Ayylin? What's wrong?" He asked, the young lady looking very upset.
"Master, the others are getting more wild and are turning darker...I feel icky being near them."
That explained the state of her undress, he felt it too. Ram Kota, the fool, had gotten it into his head that he would be the new Grand Master and teach these Padawans. The Master was as senile as he was stupid. He wasn't teaching at all! He was left with Master Shaak Tii on this world to handle over twenty younglings/padawans. If that wasn't bad enough, the Executor had entered orbit and Kota had gone with all the Padawan's into his ship to attempt to usurp the SSD from the Empire!
He stood, walking over and kneeling before the little Twi'lek, her black skin has small red lines that made her look more sinister.
"Ayylin, you have me, Galen, Master Tii, Maris and Ahsoka here to protect you-" He started to say before the hut shook from some unknown force.
Letting go of Ayylin, Howard looked outside and felt his heart clench inside his chest. LAAT/c with multiple AT-AT's and AT-TE's, with more carrying clone troopers, specialized units and others carrying in smaller walkers like AT-APT's and AT-ST's. Even now, he could feel the Wookies roar and begin to defend their homeworld once again. But now, they had to face their former allies.
The invasion had begun.
Darth Vader smirked under his mask, as his personal shuttle descended to the secured drop point. The 501st were doing their job as he watched, Padmé had control of the battle above. As his shuttle landed, Vader walked down the ramp and towards the bridge that lead to the huts. A field commander rushed up, reporting that the Wookies had been expecting something like this but were pushed back violently.
Darth Vader simply dismissed him and let the Force guide him, his sense reaching out until he found the Jedi. He stopped a moment before continuing onward, most of the Jedi were in the battle above, along with a Jedi Master. But down here, here, he felt the presences of Jedi he thought he had killed. Clearly, he needed to make sure.
As he walked towards the heaviest fortified area, Vader cut down every Wookie that came within reach of his blade. Nothing would stop him, not even his Master could stop him from this. The Dark Side sang as he destroyed the sentience that opposed him. All that he had left behind was bodies of the warrior wookies, limbs slashed and necks broken.
He was stopped by several Wookies that lifted the rope bridges before he could grab one. On the ramp above, Vader could make out the flag of the Wookies, a hunting bird, wings proudly upraised. Then he saw them, Master Shaak Tii and Jedi Knight Marek, the Force hummed as he felt the two look at him nervously and in fear.
"Turn back Dark Lord! Whatever you came here for, you won't find here!" Marek shouted, clearly trying to not let his voice crack.
"You can't disguise yourself from me, Jedi!" Vader sneered as he used the Force.
The tree, along with the hut that was attached to it, shook then the wood creaked. Bending and shifting, the wood release energy slowly, instead of snapping all at once. He put more force into the tree, making it shake violently like a boat on a stormy sea.
"GRAB HOLD OF SOMETHING!" Marek shouted, holding onto the railing, "QUICKLY!"
Vader clenched his fist, the supports snapping and the tree shook harder before he closed his other fist. The ancient wood gave out and collapsed right in front of him, like an overripe fruit. He waited, before two blue blades activated. He reactivated his own blade, the red glow contracting against the blue light.
Shaak Tii struck first, using Form IV: Ataru as Marek used Shii-cho, but had barely had a smattering of Makashi thrown in. Vader toyed with them for a while then pressed Marek into a corner. He snarled and stabbed the Jedi through the heart before blocking Shaak Tii's blow, feeling her light dim as he also felt more of the Jedi fall.
"Give up, Shaak Tii, its over." Vader hissed as he pushed the Togruta into a corner.
"N-never" She gasped, her eyes showing a broken spirited woman.
"Master!"
Darth Vader turned, looking at the two younglings and…
"Snips…" He said, a soft whisper but his former apprentice looked up.
"Sky guy?" She weakly asked.
Darth Vader looked at Shaak Tii then punched her out cold, as troopers run up.
"Bind them all, take them alive, and get medical teams on this one." Vader snapped, pointing at Ahsoka Tano, the Troopers nodding as they called it in and put electro binders on the two little ones, and the Jedi Master.
Darth Vader only knelt besides his former padawan, a gloved hand touching the bacta patch on her arm. The sounds of battle went silent as Vader looked over the teenage Togruta, who pulled herself against his chest. He could feel her emotions and her state of mind, they needed an anchor. He fit that bill now even though he wasn't Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka Tano needed someone. Maybe Vader could work this into his favor...