Star Wars the Clone Wars Season 6 Fan fiction
Story-Arc 1: Barriss Offee
Jedi Deserter
"One who strays to darkness should not be surprised when darkness strays to them"
Out upon the far reaches of the galaxy, along the Outer Rim, Barriss Offee, in her commandeered Republic Transport, flew into the Hutt world of Nal Shadda. Nal Shadda was in many ways similar to the Republic's capital of Couruscant. It was a vast City World with its own laws. It was home to an 'upper class' of criminal. Much like the Republic, Barriss thought, this planet was corrupted and vile straight to its core. The only reason Barriss chose to come to this despicable planet was because it would be the last place the Republic would look for her. Even if they were able to track the Transport she was in, Barriss doubted the Republic would send out a team this far into the Outer Rim.
She flew the transport into the atmosphere and was directed to Docking Bay 49, on the far end of the planet. Knowing the Jedi would have placed a bounty on her head, Barris put on a long black cloak she found in one of the Transport's compartments. Swinging the hood of the cloak over her head, Barriss proceeded to meet a Gammorean dock manger, coming over to the ship. Barris opened the front hatch and proceeded outside.
The Gammorean walked forward, letting out various grunts and squeals. He held up a grimy hand to Barriss asking for the docking fee. Barriss gave him the amount asked, she had found some credits inside the transport, and quickly scurried by him but before she could the Gammorean let out several angry grunts. Barriss spun around to see the Gammorean holding up a pad. They need my identification, Barriss thought. Barriss walked up close to the Gammorean and quickly slid some money into the Gammorean's pocket.
"There is no need for my name now is there," Barriss whispered into the Gammorean's ear and he nodded, looking greedily at the money Barriss had given him. Barriss turned around, her cloak flashing behind her, and continued on into the city.
Barriss journeyed along the cracked, broken streets, walking past drunken aliens and shady criminals. At all times Barriss held her hand close to the lightsaber she had received from Cvar and Dallas, knowing the Jedi would have put a bounty on her head, the Hutts would be most anxious to collect the reward. She needed to get out of the open. Glancing sideways, Barriss proceeded into a nearby bar, walking swiftly past two Human guards, armed with vibroaxes.
The sound of music, from the local Cantina band, echoed through the bar. Barriss took in a lone corner, making sure her hood hid her face from view. A female service droid walked up to her table asking for her order.
"Just water," Barriss mumbled. The droid slightly confused, obviously from commonly getting asked for beer and mead, merely nodded her head and walked away. Barriss looked up from her table, to see a Rodian and an Aqualish, looking at a transmitter at wanted criminals, for bounties.
"Ponda Baba, is your name?" the Rodian asked, glancing upwards at the intimidating Aqualish, who let out several grunts in reply. "I've heard about you," the Rodian continued looking down at his hands, "A famous pirate, right?" The Aqualish clenched his fist, holding it upward, making several boasting roars. The Rodian turned back to the transmitter looking at marks for the rewards of the bounties. Baba, the Aqualish, gave the Rodian a push on the shoulder, wanting a bounty with a high priced outcome. "I'm looking, I'm looking," replied the Rodian, "Look here's one, half a million credits, Bar-i-ss Of-ee? A rogue Jedi!"
It was time to leave. Barriss got up from her seat, making sure the hood concealed her face and gave a glance at the bounty hunters, who were arguing about who was going to take the job. "Your just a pirate," the Rodian yelled, "You could never handle a Jedi!" Barriss turned around abruptly, and walked right into the service droid bringing her a glass of water. Barriss jumped back, startled, right into the two bounty hunters by the transmitter. Her hood flew back.
"Well speak of the devil," the Rodian said with a gleeful smile, drawing his pistol, "Look like I just caught myself a Jedi!" Barriss jumped back, igniting her lightsaber, as more of the aliens just realized what was going on, and also drew their weapons. The Cantina Band stopped playing.
Barriss glanced around, taking in the environment, preparing for the fighting to begin. "Your mine Jedi," the Rodian said boldly pointing his pistol at Barriss. Ponda Baba did not seem interested in sharing the prize with the Rodian, or anyone for that matter. Drawing his pistol, he quickly pointed it at the Rodian. "What are you doing!" he yelled with a look of fear in his eyes. Baba shot and the Rodian fell dead. The Aqualish let out multiple, victorious grunts and turned his pistol on Barriss. Baba let out more grunts and proceeded to shoot at Barriss. The fighting began.
Barriss dodged the laser bolts fired at her from Baba. She then charged at him, lightsaber flashing. Two orange Twi' leks attempted to halt her charge, drawing their guns. Barriss cut them down not letting them halt her escape. Numerous laser bullets began flying through the bar as everyone raced to Barriss, eager to collect the reward. Ponda Baba slid in front of the doorway, blocking Barriss's exit. The two human guards, stationed outside the bar, stepped inside hearing the commotion. Barriss used the force to push one of the guards into Ponda Baba, causing all three to collapse under each other's weight. Baba let out furious roars as he watched Barriss sprint out of the bar.
Barriss slid into the rubble road before her, looking upward. Before her, squads of Gammorean's, human guards, and a few assassin droids surrounded her, leaving no exit. A lone translator droid stepped forward saying in a long, drooling voice, "End all hostilities, this Jedi is to be taken to Aruk the Hutt. He shall be collecting the bounty on her head." Barriss looked around in fear as the Hutt's forces began closing in around her.
At that moment…
Above the planet Nal Shadda, a ship just emerged from hyperspace, a Separatist cruiser. From the immense vessel, a single fighter, known as The Soulless One, leaves its cargo bay heading to the Hutt World.
"General Grievous," a hologram of Separatist leader, Count Dooku, said to the droid general inside, "I have just received word from Lord Sidious. On the planet, a Jedi Deserter known as Barriss Offee, has just been imprisoned by the Hutts, on top of one of their skyscraping prisons. I have sent you the coordinates. Your mission is to free her, before the Hutts ransom her off to the Republic. Bring her to me, alive; kill all others who get in your way."
"It will be done my Lord," General Grievous said, ending the transmission, as his fighter entered Nal Shadda's atmosphere.
Barris had been delivered, accompanied by the Aqualish pirate, Ponda Baba and several Hutt guards, to a prison, located on top of one of their structures. Baba hoped to be able to weasel out some money out of the Hutts for "assisting" with the capture of Barris. The Hutt Aruk had personally contacted the Republic about the capture of Barriss.
"We appreciate your assistance in this matter, Great Aruk," Obi-Wan Kenobi, Barris's former friend and ally had said politely, "I hope you will understand however, we must first see Barriss in order to identify her capture. Most willingly, Aruk had ordered Barriss fetched from her prison and delivered to his palace, which was found on the spiral on top of the tower where Barriss was held. When she arrived, bounded, Aruk stretched his grubby hand, grabbing her neck and held her up to the hologram. The Jedi dispatched a Jedi Cruiser, accompanied by Master Luminara, for the recapture of Barriss. They were scheduled to arrive when nightfall reached Nal Shadda.
Aruk returned Barriss to her prison below while he plucked a cigar in his mouth. A cloud of smoke engulfed the Hutt as his faced smiled evilly.
"Now the Republic deals with crime lords," Barriss muttered to herself, back in her cell and grimaced.
Meanwhile, Grievous had just landed The Soulless One at one of the docking platforms, killing the frightened attendant by grabbing him with one of his robotic arms, and then throwing him into the underworld below. Marching with his hands behind his cloak, Grievous marched down the platform ramp into the city. Grievous approached the platform as several human guards raised their vibroaxes in alarm.
"Yes come face Grievous!" the droid General laughed drawing two of his lightsabers. One of the braver guards took a step forward but the General merely picked him up, still laughing and threw him in to two other guards coming to his aid. The guards collapsed and made various slashes with his sabers kill the men. He withdrew his weapon from the corpses and continued to slaughter the Hutt guards. Two guards blocked Grievous lightsabers with their axes bringing them to the ground. Grievous, letting his defense down, smashed one of the guards in his head with his own metallic face. He collapsed dropping his weapon, yelling in pain. Grievous then backed off from his duel with the other guard, tucking away his lightsabers away. He then grabbed the stunned guard by his face mask, and proceeded to crush the helmet and his skull.
No more guards remained on the platform, at least any among the living. Grievous let out a battered cough, then walked towards one of the guard's speeders. He removed the carcass of one of his fallen adversaries from the speeder and hopped onto the speeder. Grievous sped off into the city, glancing off at the Hutt building, towering over all of the other structures in the city.
At the tower, inside Aruk's palace, an assassin droid had just entered through the elevator racing up to the Hutt upon his throne. Next to the great slug, Ponda Baba was rubbing his hands together greedily. The Hutt, convinced that Baba had played a role in Barriss's capture, had agreed to pay the pirate a sum for his work. As soon as the Republic arrived with the bounty, the Aqualish will also be commended for his services.
At that moment the Assassin Droid arrived at the foot of Aruk's throne. In a slow, robotic voice the droid said, "My lord, I have just received word." Aruk ordered Baba away, and turned his attention to the droid's report. "A Separatist warship had just entered the atmosphere. We had also had word from the docks, the droid general; Grievous has been spotted approaching the tower on a speeder. I believe he is here for the Jedi." The Hutt looked furious. He threw his cigar on the ground and yelled many things in Huttese at his translation droid. The translation droid turned to Baba.
"The great and mighty Aruk orders you, Ponda Baba, to deal with the droid general." the droid said. The pirate did not like the sound of that. He replied with many angry grunts at the Hutt.
"If you can claim you can handle a Jedi, the Hutt commands you to capture Grievous. If you are successful the great Aruk will triple your pay. But if you are not, if you are not dead by the hands of Grievous, Aruk shall order your execution for your lies." The droid replied. The Aqualish looked like he was going to be sick. He angrily roared and walked to the elevator, ordering two assassin droids to come with him. They entered the elevator and departed the palace.
Aruk turned to the translation droid and said several things in Huttese. The translation droid repeated what Aruk said to one of his guards. "The exalted Aruk orders you to bring the Jedi to the palace. She will be safer next to the great Hutt." The guard nodded in response and proceeded off to the prison.
Grievous had arrived at the tower. He hopped off his speeder and ran towards the front gate, cutting down the Hutt guards that stood in his path. His arms divided into two, drawing all four of his lightsabers.
"Ha-ha-ha," Grievous coughed stabbing a guard through the chest. More guards arrived at the foot of the tower, armed with blasters, to reinforce the overwhelmed Hutt guard. The guards took aim and fired at the Kallesh cyborg. Grievous deflected the bolts, almost without trying, and sprang upon the guards, slicing them with his swords. He then ran inside the entrance room of the Hutt tower. It was a vast circular room with many Hutt designs running along the wall. Grievous spotted frightened Gammoreans and human guards trying to flee up the stairs.
Grievous saw cowardice and that is what he wanted. Grievous needed one alive to reveal the location of Offee. Grievous started into a run then sprang in front of the escapees on the stairs. The look of sheer terror on the Hutt guard's faces almost made Grievous laugh. Too stunned to move, the guards fell as Grievous cut them down one by one. When one human guard attempted to flee Grievous saw his chance. He jumped in front of the guard gripping his neck with his robotic feet, shoving him against the wall.
"Where is the Jedi?" Grievous yelled holding his neck tighter.
The guard made several hand movements, trying to grab his neck but was able to choke out, "Aruk's palace. Top floor."
"Excellent," Grievous laughed, that turned into a cough. He released the relieved guard at his feet, only to ignite his lightsaber and stab him through the heart
Just then, a large ring had just sounded from the entrance room. Grievous ran down the stairs to see the elevator door open. Ponda Baba, along with two of Aruk's assassin droids stepped out their weapons pointed at the general.
"You have to be joking," Grievous chuckled to himself igniting two of his blades. The assassin droids ran at him, jumping off the walls, firing at the general with their blasters. Ponda Baba stood in the back, firing shots at Grievous with his pistil. Grievous spun his sabers, deflecting all the bolts that flew at him. The assassin droids jumped upon the Separatist General firing shots at his head. Blocking the lasers, Grievous jumped over the droids, kicking one into the other. Off balance, the droids were helpless as Grievous sliced through both of their metal chests.
A look of horror spread over Baba's face. He fled from the tower and hopped upon Grievous speeder. Let him go, Grievous thought. He is not part of the mission. Grievous walked into the elevator and proceeded to the top floor of the Hutt tower. Looking through the window of the elevator, the General noticed night fall was approaching. Remembering his master's words, Grievous would have to be swift. The Jedi were going to be arriving shortly. Suddenly there was a soft ring and the elevator door opened. He had arrived.
Slicing through to fat Gammoreans, guarding the elevator, Grievous walked out of the doorway, deflecting a laser bolt shot from an assassin droid as he went. The bolt hit the droid and it collapsed. Barriss, bound and trapped in a hovering device, next to Aruk, looked in terror as the fearsome droid warrior approached.
"Aruk the Great," Grievous addressed the Hutt, with a sarcastic effect when he said 'great', "You know why I am here. Let's skip introductions, give me the Jedi or die." The Hutt had no sign of fear on his face. He responded harshly, in Huttese, the translator droid not looking happy in what he was about to say.
The droid stepped forward to Grievous saying, "The Great Aruk kindly asks you to leave his palace now while you still have your life. He says you are foolish to think you can just walk into his domain."
All of a sudden, from behind Aruk's throne, three more assassin droids jumped out, their blasters loaded and pointed at Grievous. "You're going to wish you didn't do that," Grievous coughed igniting all four of his sabers. The assassins sprang forward firing at the general. Grievous spun around deflecting the bolts from all side. He slashed at one of the droids on the wall but missed. They jumped in front of the elevator and continued to rain fire on the warrior. The general threw one his lightsabers at the droids, sticking one into the elevator door. The other two droids quickly jumped aside as Grievous ran at him with his blades. Grievous grabbed one of them with his robotic hand, crushing it into rubble. Aruk's straight expression suddenly turned to fear as he threw the second assassin droid at his translator. Aruk began to move his way to the elevator door while Grievous was occupied with the final droid. The general deflected all of the droid's shots, slicing off his head. Aruk, desperately trying to escape down the elevator, was franticly trying to reach for the button to the entrance hall. Grievous laughed walking over to the Hutt, retrieving the lightsaber that had destroyed the first assassin droid. "I warned you," Grievous laughed as he killed the Hutt.
His attentions now turned to Barriss, still bound and hovering in her imprisonment device. "Barriss Offee," Grievous greeted, pressing his com-link for pick up from his ship, "You're in luck. I am not here to kill you." Grievous slashed his lightsabers at the pods containing Barris, freeing her from her hovering state.
"Monster," Barriss spat, still bound, as Grievous grabbed her arms.
"Anger," the general whispered in her ear, "That is not the Jedi way." Grievous escorted Barriss to The Soulless One, driven by a Commando droid. The droid jumped out ready to receive new orders. "Thank you," Grievous said with sarcasm yet again and stabbed the droid with his sabers.
"I am no Jedi," Barriss muttered as Grievous threw her into the back of his starfighter.
"Good," Grievous coughed as he started the fighter, "My master may have use for you after all." Barriss looked with fear at Grievous as he flew towards the Separatist cruiser. Just then, Grievous saw from his front window, a Republic Ship came blasting out of hyperspace, just opposite the Separatist ship. "Gah!" Grievous yelled in annoyance and contacted a Tactical Droid on Separatist vessel. The droid appeared on the hologram in front of him. "Prepare to jump to hyperspace," the general ordered," I am almost at the ship."
"I live to serve," the droid reply and the transmission ended. Grievous flew up, out of Nal Shadda's atmosphere, and into the battle above. The Republic had engaged the Separatist frigate and had sent fighters out to attack. Grievous maneuvered his way around the battle as laser fire circled around him. He shot down two Y-Wings flying past him and quickly flew up to the frigate.
"I hope you enjoy your stay on my ship," Grievous laughed as he flew into the cargo bay and the ship flew off into hyperspace.