The ship landed and I was jolted awake harshly. Man that was a rough landing, I need a new ship. Mmm maybe that Arquitens-class light cruiser. Oh man yeah with a crew of 85 and space for a force of 125 men. I could be a perfect drop shock and go company. Hit them hard and fast. I gotta get up, I'm already on the planet and the ruins are close. I can feel it. Whatever waits for me in there, is my chance to become powerful. To get the upper hand in this world. To be something. With that thought I get up from my chair and bang the button to open the ramp. The sunlight filters in much like how I stepped out into that arena each fight. I step out into the light once more, and for the second time in my life, I feel truly free.
LINE BREAK^SNAP TO CLONES!
"So let me get this straight. You were captured, force to fight in the arena, the same arena that your objective was, devised a plan to break out, which was successful, and he didn't want to come back with you?" The nuatolan asked incredulously.
Grunt snaps to attention when he was finished being addressed and gulps uneasily. "Well yes sir, we didn't know what to do. This never happened before and to be honest we can't see ourselves kidnapping him. Do jedi's do that? We just didn't know." His squad all nodded while he shifted from foot to foot, the nuatolan sighed and rubbed his forehead.
"No no Grunt. You were correct, we don't kidnap. It's just why wouldn't he want to come and learn how to use the force?" The nuatolan was obviously confused and tired from the whole ordeal. He felt a migraine coming on. He saw the squad all exchange a look of unease and realized they had more info. "Speak Grunt, what is on your mind."
Grunt nodded and looked at the ground trying to articulate what he wanted to say. "Well general.. He could already use the force and..and he didn't seem to be one of Jedi material. He had a darker aura about him. He wasn't evil by any means it's just... He seemed too dark for the order."
The nuatolan's eyes shot up in surprise and asked in a urgent tone of voice, "Are you absolutely sure about this Grunt?" Receiving a nod from him he congratulated them on their mission and ordered them to get some rest.
The clones snapped a salute and all said, "Thank you General Fisto!" Before dismissing themselves to the rest and food that surely awaited them.
The now identified General Fisto sighed and rubbed his forehead. He turned to the big dial like table that glowed blue and entered a few buttons within moments a group of holograms appeared showing what seemed to be a council of some sort.
A man that had no hair and had a stern look on his face spoke first. "Is the retrieval complete Master Fisto? Where is the child?"
"About the child. He was rescued, my team from the arena, but chose not to go with them. I couldn't figure out why someone who is so strong with the force wouldn't want to be with the order and learn, but from what my soldiers tell me he already knew how to harness and use it." The council was all surprised and confused by this info. What boy wouldn't want to become a Jedi?
The silence was broken by a small and elderly man. He had long ears and a cane. "Troubled you are, something more you know?" Everyone looked to the man before turning their heads back to the Nuatolan in question.
His look became even more troubled. "Yes Master Yoda. You see, the troops told me something, the boy, Rathe, would be out of place in the order. They said he felt dark and Grunt saw a look of hatred on his face. When they jumped the guards the troops knocked theirs out while he outright killed his. They said he has plans of becoming a mercenary for the republic, but would visit us in a years time. What troubles me is what his disposition might be after the year is up."
The council was obviously worried, a boy that strong in the force being left alone with a pre-disposition to something dark did not bode well for them. The small man spoke up again, "Troubled times this is, troubled the boy is. I sense a movement in the force, won't know until the year is up." The council all nodded as well as the General before the hologram was ended and the nuatolan was left alone.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Twitch was skulking while everyone else was eating and laughing, Twinkle-Toes seemed to notice and brought it to everyone's attention with a nudge.
"What's got ya down Twitch?" Grifter was the one to ask him bringing the clone in question into the fold.
"My pistol, it's gone. Those thugs must still have it." His look got darker before he sighed and drops his spoon into the food.
"Awww is that it? Relax remember that time you lost your shotgun? It'll turn up I'm sure!" Flashback sent him a reassuring smile and it seemed to get Twitch out of his funk. He sighed again before looking out the window of the mess hall staring into space.
"You think we'll ever see him again?" The mood got somber and thoughtful for a moment before Grunt looked up at everyone, face set full of determination.
"Of course we will, you all know that we can't kill all these clankers by ourselves and I'll be damned if he doesn't stop by for the action." That seemed to bring up the mood for everyone burst out laughing and Flashback lived up to his name bringing a fond memory to everyone's attention.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXO
I finally exited the brush but I have I say the place is beautiful, an excellent mixture of nature and ruin. It seems untouched for centuries, which was probably true. The courtyard was exactly like it was in my dream and the place hummed with power. My head began to throb but I push on stopping only for a few moments to stare at the statue, the mask draws me in as if it's sucking me into the visors shadow. I move on bypassing it and after four numb steps the pyramid comes into view. My head hurts even more now.
"Damn, I need to get checked out by a doc bot sometime." I raise my palm to my head and try and alleviate the pain by rubbing my forehead. Doesn't work at all. Well fuck me looks like I'll have to deal. Continuing on I notice that the pyramid has an entrance that descends and stairs that lead to the top. I'm not one to go underground again after the years I spent in the arena so I move up the stairs. The walk wasn't that long, maybe as ten to fifteen minute ascent, but with each step my head only hurt worse. By the time I reach the top I'm crawling on my hands and knees with my vision swimming. I see an alter and reach out to the edge to help me stand up when the pain spikes and nearly makes me buckle.
"ARGHH! FUCKING HELL AND THERMAL DETONATORS! Ahhh" I begin panting hard as ever trying to get myself to stand when I notice something on the alter.
"A-a mask..." I grab it with shaky hands and within an instant the pain in my head disappears. Without a trace or lingering throb. As if it was never there. I raise myself from the ground I was crawling on and look back behind me. I see the forest sprawled out before me and my breath is once again taken away. Behind the pyramid is larger courtyards and a some building about 200 yards away from the pyramid base. I feel the hum emanate from my hand and I look down at the mask I'm holding. It was a dark steel color and had a slit going across the eyes, around that slit was a band of red metal that went down as a strip down the middle. On the ends of the eye slit had a similar band of red metal that went down the mask as well.
"I-I can feel the power. The history. The knowledge. This is the key, my dreams are with this mask...whelp here goes nothing!" I turn the mask around and raise it to my face, and with one breath I move to put it on. The moment the mask touched my skin it snapped on like a magnet and refused to budge off. It grew hot inside, incredibly so. So much that it burned like hellfire's of Mustafar.
"AGGHH! GAHHHHHHHH" The mask begins to tighten as if it's trying to swallow my head and that's when I hear it. Harsh whispers, accusing ones.
"Who are you to wield this mask!" A deep male voice said.
"Who are you to gain this power!" Said a shrill womanly voice.
The pain was insufferably now and I faintly take notice that I already fell to my knees. The sounds begin to form a chaotic maelstrom, far from translatable, the whispers all accusing and strike me like daggers.
"Who are you to receive this knowledge!" A harsh elderly voice said.
"Who are you to follow his way!" Said a young and angry voice.
All the sounds stopped and together a simultaneous question boomed within the mask, "WHO ARE YOU TO BECOME REVAN!"
The pain was indescribable, no words can articulate the level of anguish I felt. I wanted to die but thought that this pain would transcend death and follow me into the beyond like a curse. Images flashed through my head a man, stumbling upon a holocron. His lightsaber was green and many creatures lay dead at his feet. Destruction was everywhere. It changes to a man meditating surrounded by pillars of stone, twelve in all. They all rise and hover quietly before lightning arcs out and strikes each one all coming from the meditating man. It flashes again to a battle, the man with the mask now has a red lightsaber and is dueling against a younger man whose blade is green. The man strikes the younger one down. It changes again to the mask man walking down the steps of the pyramid. It's this one only it was new then. There is a door that has two pillars by each side. He lifts them up and sends a wave of lightning at them before placing them down again in their slots. The door opens. Again another flash and he is in a room surrounded by green and orange glowing cubes. Holocrons. He's filling each one up with his knowledge. He leaves a lightsaber on the desk before the whole thing fades black.
"HUUU!" Snapping awake I pant and gulp air with a savage hunger I feel a weight on my face and I rip the mask off sending it clattering at my feet. My eyes are wide and my chest rises and falls in a pace I never felt before. I feel around my face looking for scars and damage to find only the pre-existing ones. I stop all movement because I feel a sense of regret. A hard piercing one. I look around and find the mask at my feet. Kneeling down it hums appreciatively and I clip it to my belt taking note of the minor disappointment I feel come from it. I don't know how I know what it feels I just do. My legs take me down the steps on it's own decree and I am left looking around the whole place in a new sense of awe. I feel power here that I didn't notice before. It was the same that caused me pain before now fills me with a vitality that I cannot describe. I take notice that I have stopped in front of the entrance to the sub level of the pyramid and with a wave of my hand the door opens with the sound of stone grinding. Descending down the hallway I hear the door close behind me but pay it no heed. I feel a power reaching out to me ahead. Humming and chanting. Pulsing and throbbing. If it wasn't for the pain and images I just experienced I would've joked about how sexual that sounds. I come before a door. It's the same as the one from the images.
"Here. It's here." My mumble comment seems to fall dead from my mouth and my hands reach to the mask. It thrums excitingly as if agreeing with me enthusiastically. I un clip it from my belt and put it on my face. The mask seems to not take control but guide my hands, raising them up the stone pillars rise with me and for a brief second I am left wondering how do I project the lightning. With a sharp thrust surging up power from deep within me white blue lightning shoots from my fingertips and strikes the pillars.
After a few brief moments of my lightning brightening up the room the pillars fall back to their resting place still arching with electricity and the mask on my face hums in approval. My face is focused solely on the door as the sound of stone grinding against each other is heard. An unintentional smile graces my face and I see the room filled with oranges and green lights. They are places in slots on the wall and in the center is a lightsaber with an orange holocron. I stride with purpose forward and stop in front of the desk, my fingers hovering over the lightsaber. My hesitation is eliminated by the mask urging me to go on, so with a swoop I pick up the lightsaber. It's heavier than I thought but it has a nice feel to it. I step back from the table and press the button and a dark green blade emanates from the hilt. The green is not like that of the other Jedi from my visions. This one feels darker, but not evil. It feels natural. Unbridled in passion and unmatched in skill. I test of few swings before my grin on my face reaches both of my cheekbones.
"This is... Incredible! This feeling, this calmness. I feel the power and passion and the focus of this lightsaber! It feels ancient." The mask gives a short thrum of agreement before I deactivate the blade and clip it to my belt. Striding forth to the table once again I pick up the holocron. Again the mask guides me and I use the force to unlock it in a fashion that seems alien and familiar to me at the same time. Once it is finally open a hologram springs forth. It's the man with the mask. I take a seat and place it on the desk giving it my full undivided attention.
"My name is Revan. I use to be many things. A Jedi, a sith, a warrior, and a peace keeper. I have struggled and triumphed in my pursuit to find balance. To find a home where the force doesn't conflict with my nature. Two extremes are no balance for a follower of the force. It is unfortunate that I have succumbed to both fields of extreme, becoming a warrior of the order and a force of darkness. Evil. A dark lord. It is at both points in my life I felt certain a holes were filled while others remained empty. At the end of my life I realized the solution to my problem, but I wasn't fated to live it. Only leave behind a way of the force that is neither dark or light, it treads both paths and is all the more challenging. One must resist the natural temptation to fall into either pool. Dark or light. To maintain the balance of the road you walk is the challenge to unlock the true way of the force. The Jedi believe attachments are evil. They are taboo and passion is a pitfall to the dark side. The sith believe that passion is a gateway to strength and that will lead to power and from then becomes victory in life. I have lived both ways in my life and I have found that no balance can be found diverting yourself to one way of the force." The man paused for a moment allowing me to realize just how engrossed I was with his words. Every syllable made sense to me and clicked with some deep part of me. The mask was strangely silent but I can feel that it was reflecting when the time was that the man before me was it's wielder.
"Attachment is required to find passion, passion leads to strength and victory. However, one can not let the passion consume you or else the strength will drive you and the victory will be not within your reach. You will become a slave to your own machinations, and become stagnant. One must meditate. Focus, and calm your heart in the face of a battle. Do not let your passions cloud your mind and judgement, but harness it use it to strengthen you and your clear mind to never lose sight of your goal. Instead of the power run rampant focus it like that of a lightsaber to achieve your victory. Once it is attained let the passion loose, do not bottle it up for the next battle. Meditate on your experience. Learn your flaws and improvements and know yourself as you grow. That is the true key to finding balance in the force..." My breath hitched and I felt the only thing that existed within the galaxy at this moment in time was me and the holocron of Revan.
"Within this room you will find an archive of knowledge. From techniques to philosophies all the way to opponents I encountered and how I triumphed or fell. The lightsaber you now hold was mine during my pursuit to find balance and it fell with me when I lost my balance. Use it as a reminder to never lose balance and always stay true to yourself. I hope that one day my teachings inspire you to create an order that rivals the Jedi order and other practitioners of the force can find balance as well. Good luck young one, and may the force be with you." The hologram faded from view and the holocron reset itself. For a few moments my life and the whole universe felt still. Just absorbing the knowledge that had shaken me to my absolute core. The mask finally broke me from my reverie and hummed a long forlorn emotion.
"I know, the galaxy held a true sage. I'm sorry little guy. But don't you worry, we'll be spending the next year here learning all that we possibly can. We'll always return here." The mask made a new sound and chirped a happy sound. I vaguely wondered if others would hear the sounds the mask makes to which I got a brief hum that translated to a no.
I finally get up and feel stiffness in my limbs signifying just how long I was sitting. Stretching my arms and back I turn to the left and start on the closest hologram to the door. This would be a good year.
AT THE JEDI COUNCIL
The council was in full attendance save for one named Obi-Wan Kenobi and everyone there was silent looking introspective before one Nuatolan named Kit Fisto spoke breaking the silence of the room. "The year is up, I felt many tumultuous movements in the force and I believe he is the cause for some of them. He'll be arriving today, and I admit I'm anxious to see what a year of growth has done for him." A man of dark complexion, stern face, and bald head nodded.
"Indeed, I felt a great force awaken and I wonder if it was for the best that it stay buried away." His face was set in a grim line, eyes laced with worry. "Master yoda, what should we do?"
The small green alien that was identified as Yoda hmmed for a moment before answering, "Uncertain his future is, wait we must. All will be clear soon enough." His answer seem to calm everyone down and they returned to waiting for their appointment to arrive.
AT THE ENTRANCE WITH RATHE
So this is the jedi temple huh? I like the jungle temple better. I sigh before turning off all the switches and turn off the engines now that I touched down on the landing pad. Swiveling the chair away from the controls I stand from my chair to look at myself in the window of the ship. Which is still a bucket of trash. I grew to 5'11 in the past year and now that I've had more full meals my muscle mass has increased. I've gone from lanky to lean built. My clothing has remained the same except the strip of chain mail that I have placed in between my legs is now orange and I have a painted my armor red. My lightsaber is clipped to the left side of my hip, the bottom has an orange ribbon going down about 5 inches. The grip is straight and regular, but at the end where the blade comes out of has four arches going out at ninety degree angles. Sighing again I take the mask that is clipped to my belt and put it on along with a robe and hood. The mask gives me the urge to continue and I walk down the ramp of my ship. Honestly, a new ship is the first thing I'm buying. A new goddamn starship. And then the crew, and then will be to go to mercenary company, and then I will establish the order Revan sought to create. Breaking myself from my musings I enter the jedi temple and look around. It had a calm air about the entire place that reminded me of my meditations, but without the lightning. I guess the jedi can sense I am not like them, they sense my darkness. Again my musing were interrupted when a young Togruta lady came up next to me. She seemed oblivious to my disposition. She must be a youngling.
"Who are you? I've never seen you around the temple before." She had an upbeat attitude about her, as if today was important. I reach out with my senses and feel that she is happy due to some significant thing today.
Without turning towards her or stopping my walk to the council room I answer her before she asks again, "I am Rathe, and who might you be young one?" That response was deemed bad because her face scrunched up in distaste.
"Who are you to be calling me young? You sound barely older than me." she definitely did not find my chuckles to be suitable and jumped in front of me with her hands on her hips.
"You are correct with your assumption, we are close in age, however, I do not consider age to be the judge if someone is young or not. It is experience that qualifies where they stand. You are lacking experience, but that will change. You seem to be at the age to begin an apprenticeship." That seemed to make her mood 180 because she jumped back to my left. Walking with her upbeat attitude she smiles at me an nods.
"That's right. I am on my way to the jedi council room to get my master. Where are you heading?" She looks to me questioningly and I sigh under my mask drooping my head slightly.
"I am heading there as well, I have an appointment with the council." The girl's eyes lit up with surprise before she recovered and quickly to ask yet again another question.
"what is the meeting for? You're too old to join the academy and you aren't a knight. So it mustn't have something to do with the order." she is rather quick on the uptake that's for sure.
"The nature of this meeting remains to be seen, hence why I have arrived. My curiosity has made me keep this appointment." I can see the doors ahead of me and the girl in front of me can't contain her excitement so she rushes forward to the door me taking my sweet time to get there I arrive right when she is nearly being addressed.
An elderly man said to her, "Go to Christophsis you will. Look for Anakin you must, your teacher he will be." he looked towards me and his eyes narrowed at my mask. He recognizes Revan's symbol. This will be a pain to explain, hopefully violence will be prevented. I am far from powerful enough to take on even one jedi master.
The black bald man looks to the girl and to speak, "Ahsoka, leave us, stay outside though. We will call you back in momentarily." the girl bows respectfully and steps out, but not before addressing the man as Master Windu.
Once she leaves the tension in the room rises to the point that the masters hands stray towards their weapons, only the old green one remains calm. "Yoda, my name is. Rathe you are? Strange mask you wear."
I nod to him and bow respectfully. "Yes Master Yoda, I do know the importance of this mask. It belonged to the creator of my philosophy and way of the force. Revan." I must have a knack for saying the wrong thing to people because nearly half of them jumped out of their seat.
Master Windu spoke harshly to me, "Revan was our greatest traitor and became one of the galaxies most dangerous Sith Lords, you mean to tell me that it is his ways you follow?" wow that did sound pretty bad. Still I gotta clear this up.
"No Master Windu, Darth Revan was one of his greatest failures in life. He realized that at the end of his life." The rest look even more confused and one who is green and a Nuatolan is looking at me very intently. I suppose I could elaborate more for them.
Sighing before taking a deep breath I speak clearly to them as a whole, "Jedi's believe in balance correct? Master Revan has experienced extremes of both side of the force. He realized that to find true balance one could not solely devote themselves to one aspect of the force. At the end of his life he left behind a holocron explaining what he has learned from his life's greatest victories and defeats. He asked whomever found the holocron to please carry on his way of the force and bring balance to the galaxy. I assure you I am neither Sith nor JEDI." emphasizing on the last part the group of peacekeepers seem to nod and calls back in Ahsoka, the Togruta.
Master Windu addresses her once again, "You will go to Christophsis and assist Master Anakin and Obi-wan with the battle." My eyes lit up with opportunity and I open my mouth interrupting her response.
"Esteemed Council members, I wish to offer my services as a bodyguard and mercenary to you. I know it's not your way to accept these kind of services , but I must insist. I wish to prove my good relations to you as I'm sure you have your doubts and Teth is a war zone. I know you have trained your students well, but no amount of training can prepare them for a war zone, I however, have been in situations like that before." I mentally pat myself on the back for that one, I even swayed myself with that little speech. Master Yoda was the one to respond.
"Hmm accepted your offer is, but the force not trained everywhere. Where have you learned I wonder." I was excited to leave to the battlefield and do not think twice about answering him, although I am not careless enough to give away all my secrets.
"I was raised in a monastery and the head monk there taught me to use the force, where he learned is unknown to me." they all seem to accept his answer and we are dismissed to leave. Our entire trip to the ship was a rather annoying one because the girl named Ahsoka was stealing curious glances at me the entire time. By the time we arrived I couldn't take it. "Is there something you need Ahsoka…" I trail off realizing that I don't know her last name. Her eyes light up in recognition then embarrassment.
"Oh! It's Tano, and I don't mean to stare it's just what experience will you have that I don't?" That's a fair question, but I'm not ready to tell her or anyone how I gained my combat experience so it's time for a little white lie!
"I have been a mercenary for four years and have fought alongside clones." She seems surprised at the fact that I have been fighting since I was 12 years old. Meh, I guess she would since she has not seen the pits of the galaxy. We boarded the a shuttle to take us to a republic starship. A real starship, like the one that can hold thousands of troops, and ships, and assault vehicles and dear god I want one. I waaaaaaant one. Maybe I can force mind trick whoever makes them. Note to self, find out who makes them.
My emotions must've overwhelmed me if someone like Ahsoka could sense them. "Excited are we?" that smirk on her face was completely good natured and I couldn't help but chuckle out a response.
"Of course I am, we get to see a Republic Star ship, this thing is a giant death dealing machine that could be invaluable to a mercenary like me, just imagine the jobs I could take. The operations I could run… the people I could save. " The whole shuttle got quiet and the clones that were piloting the ship shared a look before alerting us that we'll be boarding the Star Cruiser Endurance. The moment the ship landed I rushed out and took in the surroundings of the hangar, it was full of starships and fighters and bombers transport and oh my dear lord is that an.. AT-TE?! Oh my god I want this ship so goddamn bad! But focus! We'll be heading into a battle zone soon so I'll need to get something in my stomach and rest. Turning my head slightly, but not halting I call out to Ahsoka, "Hey Ahsoka! I'm heading down to the mess hall if ya need me!" Not waiting for a response I continue down to the mess hall al the while I marvel the abilities the ship could posses for my growing Mercenary company. Company of one unfortunately. I finally find my way to the mess hall and make my way to where the food is being served. I look at the rather.. Tasty options and chose what doesn't look like hutt shit. choosing an empty table to sit at I lift my fork to my mouth I realize that my mask is still on. The mask seems to hum in amusement. "Yeah yeah real funny." chuckling I take the mask off and clip it to my belt and raise the fork yet again.
"Rathe?! Kid is that you?" a voice that sounds all to familiar to me, well for a clone. "HEY GUYS! IT'S RATHE!" the voice shouted receiving a bunch of looks from everyone in the mess hall, a chorus of "Rathe?!" sound off before a I hear a stampede of rushed steps place a squad of clones appear before me.
"Hehehe hey guys! Glad you're all still in one piece."
They all chuckle and Grifter pipes up with a grin, "You can thank my superior skills for that!" Then he goes into some ridiculous hero pose. I laugh at his joke before Twitch pipes up.
"More like Flashback for patching us up when we get shot up!" The look on Grifter's face send's me into a fit of laughter that keeps me from asking a question that I finally get to ask a year in waiting.
"Hahahaha ohh man it's good to see you, hey does this blaster belong to any of you guys?" I ask brandishing the blaster I found a year ago with notches all over the grip.
It takes a second to look at it before everyone smirk and Twitch cries out in joy, "MY BLASTER! OH COME TO DADDY BABY!" He rips it out of my hands and begins to caress it before holstering it in the empty holster on his right leg. He looks to me and thanks me profusely before asking me where I found it.
I smile at him before my eyes become hard and my mouth set in a grim line. "I found it off one of the guards bodies back when we were escaping that arena. I assumed it belonged to one of you and held on to it ever since, you'll find a few more notches in it I'm afraid. I hope you don't mind."
Grifter smiled at me and nodded his head no, after that they grabbed their plates and sat down at my table where I caught them up on my going on's and to what I'll be doing, once I informed them that I would be acting as a mercenary for the battle of Teth. Grunt smiled at me and said that he would be participating in the battle as well and since I am a technically a jedi I would be their commander on the mission. After a bunch of laughter and catching up I retire to my quarters with Ahsoka for the remaining four hours of hyper space. I knock and receive an okay to enter only to find her pacing a trench in the room.
"Nerves huh? Yeah I remember the first time I went into battle, I was so scared that I was shaking to the point I couldn't hold a blaster." That seemed to stop her pacing as she sat down on the bed to give me her full undivided attention.
"Really? You scared? Hard to imagine with the way you carry yourself." I laugh at the notion of me being a force of death at the age of twelve, sure I had my monk training, but I was no killer.
"Oh yeah, nobodies perfect Ahsoka. You wanna know what I realized that my fear and anxiety would be my downfall?" Damn I must be a good storyteller because she was raptly listening to my words.
"How?" she asked with sharp focus.
"My shaking made my aim shit." chuckling I continued, "trust in your training, it will lead you to victory Ahsoka." She bolstered her resolve if her cocky/playful smirk was any indication. She said a simple 'thank you' before going back to meditating to which I did the same, however, I couldn't use the lightning around her knowing the stigma it carries. I settle for hovering and lifting while dissembling my lightsaber with the force only. This is how the last four hours were spent on the Endurance while they were in hyperspace. Before we knew it the time came to leave our room and head down to the transport.
"Hey Rathe, whatever happens down there I just want to say thank you, and stay safe." it was touching, but unneeded. I couldn't help, but chuckle at it.
"Thanks little lady, but you needn't worry about me, I'll be just fine. Just take care of yourself out there." She nods and before we step on to the troop transport I hear my name being called. Turning around I notice Twinkle-Toes coming over to me.
"Hey Rathe! Grunt just wanted me to let ya know we will meet you down there. Oh and Twitch says, 'leave some for him'." His helmet was already on and he looked to be checking his ammo. I snap a quick nod to him after being told by the pilot that the mission would not wait for him. I run back ad enter the ship and take hold of the bar as it takes off. It is strange that we are leaving so soon before everyone else, but I keep such thoughts to myself. The ride was insufferable, just wanted to touch down and put my training to use. Often times I would have to crawl to the Bacta tanks from over doing it in the training room, but the results paid off and I am confident in my abilities. The ships touches down finally and the door opens. In front of me I see the two Jedi who must be General Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker along with an astromech droid, a R2 series. Their eyes widen in surprise at Ahsoka, but narrow at me. Greeeeat, this'll be fun. I hope Master Yoda talked to them, I hate repeating myself. Ahsoka goes to them first and I wait my turn till after she is done addressing the two. Apparently Ahsoka is to be Master Skywalker's apprentice. He seems brash, but is certainly powerful, although his power was nothing compared to the Jungle Temple back on Yavin 4. Ahsoka finally steps aside and I walk forward glad that my mask is on and their glares of suspicion don't see how young I am. That'll make them harder to convince. I make a move to speak but before I get the chance General Kenobi beats me to it.
"The council has called ahead of you, they were our last known contact before communications went down, we know all about you Rathe and we welcome the help. Just be mindful of where you step." I know that the hidden comment was made to my personal alignment with the force and I simply sigh. No use arguing now, rather let's find out what needs to be done. Ahsoka suggested using the cruiser we just departed from as a relay to circumvent the problems with communications. A quick call to the cruiser has enlighten me that we will be getting no more troops and Grunt might not touch down at all. Oh man Grifter and Twitch are gonna bitch about that. The clone puts us on hold and we stand around staring at one another for a few awkward moments, even more awkward for me because I can sense their distrust towards me. Sighing to myself I vaguely note that I seem to be doing a lot of that. Master Yoda pops up and although the transmission is cut short we learn that reinforcements are on the way. General Obi-Wan approaches Ahsoka and I once again stay quiet just observing, it paid off learning that General Anakin is the teacher and watch him sputter about, I get a glare for snickering at him, but that ain't gonna scathe me. General Anakin eventually agrees with the matter and the two set off to the front lines, which are quiet for the moment. I walk with them and the General stops. He turns and looks at me following and I sigh. Again. For the umpteenth time. Today.
"Uhhh what are you doing?" he looks at me with an obviously confused gaze that I just hate looking at. Very irksome.
"I'm a mercenary and her bodyguard, so naturally a mercenary would head to the front lines. Which you are heading. Also if you claim this all to be a mix up then I am still her bodyguard." He turns fully around and I can just tell he is about to questi-
"Look kid, this is a war zone. You shouldn't be here, and who can you protect?" Okay wanna get snippy, I can be snippy.
"Listen hotshot, I'm not part of your order and I'm sure you already got the briefing of who I am, so you know I've been in situations like this before. And if you don't want me protecting her, fine, but let me do my job which is located at. The. Front. Lines." His face really isn't happy with that but he seems to bite down a retort and turns on heel and heads to the front lines. His brisk pace puts some distance between the two of us and Ahsoka leans over to me.
"Are you sure that's wise? He is a Jedi knight ya know." I turn my head slightly to see that she has worry in her eyes, my mask seems to chortle out an amused hum.
"What's done is done, and I don't like being underestimated. This is war so I doubt he'll be petty enough to carry a grudge. Beside isn't that against the jedi way?" I couldn't help but be amused to see my case has left her unable to retort and she simply jogs up to her master leaving me to my slower gait. I seem to miss a meeting in between a clone captain and the duo in front of me, although I hear that the General is none too happy and walks away disgruntled leaving the captain and Ahsoka to take a walk. I look around and notice the makeshift cover being made along with clones checking weapons and ammo. From the looks of their rushing it seems the haven't had mush time to rest in between waves. That means they'll probably attack soon again. I move to the balcony and survey the battle field. Its seems that we are in control of a bridge to which we are using as a chokepoint to their forces, we have all of our mounted machine guns angled toward there with interlocking crossfire, smart move. Looking down below I see we are in possession of four heavy artillery cannons, obviously for the heavier machines that our blaster bolts just can't dent. On instinct I look up to see a massive red dome erupt and engulf the next incoming wave. Looking around I see General Anakin ordering everyone to fall back and we lose the chokepoint advantage we had as well as our defenses, not that it would've mattered with that shield up and running. Dashing back to the command center I see the clone Captain, who I learned is named Rex from his troops, the two generals and Ahsoka looking over a hologram of the city and the separatists' advancing forces. Moving over to the group I hear General Obi-Wan fill everyone in on the details of the shield and Ahsoka ask with a confused tone and face why we don't just get rid of it. I would've interjected, but I want to see the plans to two generals have in plan. To my shock Master Anakin agrees, if not reluctantly. Obi-wan proposes that the two sneak in while him and Rex keep them occupied. Now I will interject,.
"I agree it's a sound plan, I'll stay with General Obi-Wan to help with the diversion. I have never been one to sneak around, and I will admit I am anxious to earn my paycheck." I gain everyone's attention and the mask throbs in agreement with wanting action, not that anyone can feel it. Surprisingly General Obi-Wan nods his head in agreement and the plan is formed and the padawan-teacher duo make leave arguing about this or that. I can't help, but smirk that it's someone else with the migraine for once.
Me, the captain, and the general along with the troops make haste back to our positions while some clones begin firing the heavy cannons to which have no effect on the shield save for a ripple. General Obi-Wan shouts over the noise, "THAT SHIELD IS CERTAINLY PUTTING A CRIMP IN MY DAY!" I take my position on his left side while on the right captain Rex turns to address him.
"It's no use sir, even at full power the cannons cannot affect it." I take this time to agree with him.
"I agree, that shield is too powerful, holding this position at this point wouldn't benefit us! I say we move back!" General turns to me and thinks for a second before nodding.
"It was worth a try! Rex, tell the men to fall back!" As we turn back I spot a box that hasn't been on the bridge before and I groan to myself. That has got to be either a new level of stupid or desperation. The troops take up position on the ridge that I observed the battlefield earlier before and I crouch next to General Obi-Wan. Rex comes up from behind me as the red shield passes over us. Okay we're in. General address me and the captain. "We're in, just stay away from those tanks." And with that we activate our lightsabers, his blue and mine green. A dark green. Some heavier tank begins firing red laser bolts at our cover and we can feel them begin to close in. Me and General Obi-Wan take that as our queue to jump in. Literally.
"YAAHHH!" Shouting I descend on a super battle droid and cleave it in two flowing into a twirl that cuts two other droids around me before stopping my twirl to send out a pulse of force to push 5 droids away. That makes eight. I notice the clones coming in on zip-lines, but focus on the droids shooting at me. Deflecting their shots I dash into their ranks swinging my lightsaber sending out a wave of force that impacts and carriers another 5 droids away. Carrying my swing into a spin I sever a super battle droid at its mid section before using the force to collide it's two parts with the droids behind it. That makes 19. Twisting my body so my arms and midsection face in front of me I send out waves of lightning that consume and connect with 20 droids before they all collapse fried. I just cleaved a clear line of sight to the tank which is lining up a shot at me, timing it just before it fires I swivel its head to the adjacent tank as it fires taking a group of five droids with it and sending the tank careening towards a hole on the side of the bridge running over about another 13 droids before going over. Dashing at the tank before it recovers I slice off it's main gun before hopping on it and stab through the top killing the pilot inside. Taking notice that the clones are being pushed back into the buildings I spare a second glance at General Kenobi before dashing towards the troops to help. The droids that are there before got sent to either the right or left with a blast of force taking down 7 droids. That's 46. Shit I hope these things are cheap. Moments later Kenobi and I are hacking droids left and right covering the clones retreat to a more defendable location my count just raised to 52 before captain Rex fires a blaster shot that hit's a droid right behind me, looks like I missed one.
Running up to us he says breathlessly, "They are right behind us sir, wiped out most of my unit. Had to fall back." Looks like the droids we were getting were the ones that got past him, I thought we were the ones covering the retreat. An explosion to close to any of our tastes goes off and we all run back together behind a console.
General Kenobi takes a peak around and notices how close they are. "The shields have almost reached the heavy cannons!" I turn to him and shout over the blaster fire.
"What about the arch of the shot?! Will it be too high and hit the top of the shield?!" He looks to me and nods his head no before the clones return fire and take out three advancing droids .
Rex looks over the edge and ducks under a particularly close blaster bolt. "We aren't going to be able to stop them sir!" Kenobi points to the cannons and issues his orders.
"Fall back to the heavy cannons,. Do everything you can to stop them, I'll delay the droids." Rex tries to protest before I interject.
"Relax he wont be alone! WE'LL delay the droids!" Kenobi looks to me with a nod and the captain moves out. A super battle droid jumps right over the position Rex just had and Kenobi stabs through his center before I force push it away to collide with an oncoming tank. We both jump over and block a volley of fire before Kenobi jumps to take care of the troops on the right while I take the center. After dodging the tank shots one too many times I notice that they are passing right under a bridge. Acting quickly and forgetting finesse I slam my hands down and bring the supports down and the bridges crushes about another 15 droids and blocking the way of further troops and the tank's movement. I rush back over to Kenobi who nods a thank you before the obstruction is blasted away and the droids surround us. Sharing a glance we both deactivate our lightsabers before the tank opens up to show us the separatist general of the battle.
He looks at us both before addressing us, "You must be the infamous General Kenobi. But who are you?" He looks to me with obvious curiosity. "You are quite ferocious on the battlefield, and have destroyed much of my army."
My pride and age allow me to smile briefly before I address the man, "I am Rathe. Rathe of Revan." And following that Kenobi and I surrender to him, resulting in the loss of both our lightsabers. My mask and I both feel the loss of what is important to us and keep our eye on the droid who holds it hostage. What transpires next lulls me into a near cationic state of boredom even though we are in a battle and I realize that General Kenobi is a master at the art of bullshitting. Dear god I want to be fighting with Rex.
The good general finally figured out Kenobi's plan and had his droids seize both me and him. He yells and points over the flipped table, "If you don't call off your troops right now, I'll be forced to destroy you!" Still keeping my eyesight on my lightsaber clutched in the droids hands I see General Kenobi out of the corner of my eye shrug his soldiers.
"Truthfully, I was hoping that your shield would be knocked out by now." Not even a second later the shield began to recede and with an 'oh well' from Kenobi we sprung into action. I dash for my lightsaber and blast the droid in possession away and catch my falling weapon before stopping and activating it allowing for the reach to end dangerously close to the general's neck. Foolishly the droids continue to fire before he holds his hands up and orders them frantically not to shoot. Kenobi seems to take the opportunity to gloat and says to my hostage, "Hah! Something seems to happen to your shield general!" I offer a simple smirk as an agreement but again it goes unnoticed due to the mask. Within moments the sound of cannons going off could be heard destroying the once guarded forces of the droid army. Obi-Wan gets a holocall from an admiral to let us know that they have broken through the separatist blockade, and they are in full retreat. Our reinforcements should be landing shortly to mop up the rest. A ship lands in front of us and the door reveals Master Yoda and a squad of clones. A familiar squad of clones. Not to mention loud. A certain yellow painted clone jumped outta the transport with a balster rifle in each hand screaming.
"ALL RIGHT TIME TO KICK ASS AND TAKE TROPHIES!" He stands in a hunched pose before looking around and notices that they are just the clean up crew and looks at me. "AHHH C'MON RATHE! I asked you to leave me some!" he whines drooping from his battle ready stance with a hunch of someone-shot-my-puppy-out-the-airlock look.
I chuckle tiredly and shrug my shoulders. "Oh there were plenty Grifter, you're just really late. Tell ya what next battle we go together eh?" he straightens up and walks over to me slapping me on the shoulder.
"Damn straight! How ya holdin up? You look like shit." He says while the rest of the group walks over to us. Once again I find myself chuckling.
"I feel like it. 67 clankers I got. Two tanks too. I earned my paycheck and then some that's for sure." The clones laugh and agree with me while we all fly back to the Star cruiser. While Master Yoda and General Kenobi continue to talk I decide to sprawl out on the floor and lay there, absorbing Grifter and Twitch's jabs and jokes and the occasional kick. Picking my head up briefly I notice Ahsoka, General Skywalker, and the Captain land. After some talking between the three Ahsoka is officially Anakin's padawan and I manage to get into a sitting up position and congratulate Ahsoka. After the two talk I realize that the four, possibly five will be talking to me about my use of lightning. I look up to Grunt's Squad called Foxtrot and tell them I'll meet them at the mess hall. Using a hand to push myself off the ground I look to Obi-Wan's gaze and take the initiative. "I suppose you want to know how I know force lightning." After receiving a nod from him, a surprise look from Ahsoka and a harsh glare from Anakin I sigh before speaking. "As Master Yoda knows, I believe that finding balance in the force must come from being on a balance between the light and dark, and as such I know techniques from both sides of the force. I assure you it is no indicator if I'm more aligned to one side or the other."
Master Yoda nods his head, Ahsoka seemed to be drinking it in, Obi-Wan appears troubled and Anakin looks ready to strike me down. So everything is just peachy. Master Yoda seemed to grab the attention of everyone informing us of our next move.
"To the Teth system you three must go. Kidnapped jabba's the Hutts son has been." Master Yoda closes his eyes in thought before Anakin speaks up incredulously.
"You want me, to rescue Jabba the Hutt's son?" He threw his arms at his side before Obi-Wan calmed him by telling him how crucial his support is to the war effort. A disgruntled 'Hmph' was his reply.
Master Yoda turned back to us to address us once more. "Negotiate the treaty with Jabba the Hutt, Obi-Wan will. Find the renegades that hold Jabba's son your mission will be Skywalker."
Ahsoka cuts in to encourage her master on before sprinting off to tell the troops. I, however, have a matter of payment to discuss to Master Yoda.
"Master Yoda. I do not wish to be rude, but we must discuss my payment if you please." The elderly jedi in question turns to me and hands me a credit chit. Crouching down I take it from him before he tells me a job well done and good luck. Watching him walk away I look at the chit and my jaw drops. I-I got paid… 15000 credits…I think I might cry. No faint. No both! NO! BUY A NEW SPACE SHIP! Rushing up the ramp I go to find the squad and prepare for my next mission. I'm gonna like working for the Republic. Ohh yeah.