Assassin and Love II Chapter 4: AMBUSH!

Yitzhak's POV

I vault out of my bed with a jolt when I hear a muffled explosion. I grab my commlink and turn it on, contacting my thirty guard members waiting in the hanger. "Sergeant, what the heck was that? I demand. "A blue image appears, showing the sergeant and several of my men in the background. "Sir, we are under attack! Droids are boarding ze ship! We have only ten men left, ze rest of ze escort Guard is dead!" His report is interrupted by a volley of laser that cuts down six of the eleven survivors. "Sir, you must get ready! We'll hold them off as long as we-" He never finishes. A lightsaber appears through his chest, then the rest of the Guard is cut down by it. I realize that I must be General Grievous.

I slap on my armor, grabbing my DC-15 rifle and running out into the hallway. I run into the hanger to see Kenobi dueling with Grievous. Hundreds of droids occupy the hanger, greatly outnumbering the clones who fight a desperate battle. I turn the safety off of my DC-15 and take aim. I fire a blue blaster bolt straight through the middle of the chest plate of a B1 battle droid. It hasn't even hit the ground when I fire a second shot that blows the head off of another one. There are still too many droids, however. I keep firing my rifle, destroying battle droid after battle droid.

I turn to three remaining Gauls, who wear a different uniform than most soldiers, theirs being a leather helmet with goggles and a dull khaki uniforms. "GET TO YOUR BATTLESTATIONS! FIRE ON MY ORDERS ONLY!" I shout over the chaotic sounds of the battle happening in the hanger. The leader of the trio, a sergeant, nods and gets his two men over to a strange-looking machine, or at least, strange looking to almost everyone else as I have designed it. One of the two enlisted men gets into a compartment in between the tracks on either side. The sergeant and the other enlisted man climb onto the top and take cover behind a thin; three-sided compartment with the top and back opened. The sergeant slaps a 10-round magazine onto the back of the 25mm automatic cannon of another armored prototype, the FT AC. The other enlisted man is the gunner. He aims the cannon at a cluster of B2 super battle droids that is advancing, but is still not yet anywhere near the engaged clone troopers.

"Sergeant, aim that gun at that squad!" I order. The driver turns the treads so that the tank destroyer turns to the left enough for the gun to be able to get a clear shot at it. "OPEN FIRE!" I shout. BANG. BANG. BANG. BANG. BANG. BANG. BANG. BANG. BANG. BANG. The squad is mercilessly mowed down by the unrelenting cannon. I give orders for the FT AC to fire at will at any targets not engaged with clone troopers, then rush forward to join the melee.

I fire off several shots, each one hitting B1 battle droids in either a photoreceptor or the chest, destroying them. I rally the clone troopers. "COME ON MEN! DO YOU WANT TO LIVE FOREVER! I SHARE THE SAME HOME AS YOU DO! FIGHT! FIGHT FOR VICTORY! FIGHT FOR YOUR BROTHERS! CHARGE!" I scream. My words work. With a shout, the clones fight even harder. I attach my bayonet to my rifle and charge forward when I see the slaughtered forms of the thirty Guardsmen that formed my escort.

A red mist covers my vision as a wave of anger hits me. I make a sound, an unearthly growl. I charge forward, literally outpacing the clone troopers and charge into the mass of battle droids. I quickly become a blur.

One moment I am crouched down, thrusting my bayonet through the chest of a super battle droid, the next standing over a prone battle droid and smashing its head with the butt of my DC-15. I vaguely become aware of the white-and-orange forms crashing into the droids alongside me. Together we make quick work of the first wave of droids. Minus one battle droid, though. I sling my rifle over my shoulder and charge. I dodge a hastily aimed blast from the B1's blaster and kick it out of its hands. I then grab the neck of the droid and slam it into the ground. The droid tries to get up but before it can, I attack it with my fists. I use one hand to keep the droid down. I use my other hand to pound the droid's head into scrap metal. All fighting ceases in the hanger. Even Grievous has a slight look of awe on his face. I stand up and take off my helmet, tossing it to the side.

"GENERAL GRIEVOUS! YOU HAVE THE BLOOD OF MY MEN ON YOUR HANDS! YOU MUST PAY FOR THAT!" I shout, taking a step forward. "YOU ARE SURROUNED, YOUR FIRST WAVE DECIMATIED! MAKE PEACE WITH YOUR MIND NOW, FOR THIS IS YOUR FINAL HOUR! HOWEVER, KNOW THAT I, EMPEROR YITZHAK, AM NOT COMPLETELY WIHTOUT MERCY! I WILL GRANT YOU A WARRIOR'S DEATH! PREPARE!" I finish, activating a weapon on my gauntlet. A short sword slides out of it, the blade gleaming in the light, eager to start singing its song of death. I charge forward at the stunned general.

My first blow is blocked by one of his lightsabers. He swings the other one, a green one, at me. I duck and lunge with my own blade. A grunt is heard from the cyborg as it pierces a section of his left leg. I quickly withdraw my blade before he can return the favor. While I dodge the green one, he surprises me with a flick of his right hand that wields a blue one.

I feel a jagged flash of pain go across my face diagonally. I quickly recover to see General Grievous flee to his shuttle and escape, leaving behind a squad of droid commandos. After quickly retracting my blade, I unsling my blaster rifle and take aim. I line up my sights with the captain's head. I exhale and gently squeeze the trigger, causing there to be a huge hole not only though the ex-captain's head, but the droid commando behind it head as well. I fire off a quick burst, rapidly mowing down the five remaining droid commandos. As the last one hit's the floor, I turn around and pick back up my helmet, putting it underneath the crook of my left hand. I then quietly walk to my cabin. I close the door and lock it, putting down my helmet and rifle on my bed, and carefully setting my jetpack by the wall. I then go into the refresher chamber and look at the mirror.

Grievous's lightsaber has added a new scar to my face, stretching all the way across it in a jagged diagonal line. I sigh in disappointment at failing to avenge my men. I will do so one day. I vow it! I think to myself quietly. I feel the ship make a jump into hyperspace. I lie down in my bed, thinking about what had just happened. Despite my young age, I feel old in my limbs. I close my eyes, trying to get some sleep for what is about to happen.

Several Hours Later…..

I stand before the Galactic Republic Senate. I stand wearing my armor on a hoverpod, waiting as Chancellor Palpatine speaks about how Europa was enslaved and abused, and how the Bourbons were removed from power. "And so, I am given the honor of introducing the new leader of Europa, Emperor Yitzhak," He finishes, pointing at me.

I bow my head as a sign of respect and quietly clear my throat. "Esteemed members of the Galactic Senate, I am honored to be able to stand before you. I have long been separated from my people, not knowing what was going on. But I knew the instant I came there that I would fight, and even die, for each and every one of them. I did not wish for power. But the people chose me to lead them. And Lead them I shall. My planet, once divided up, is now one whole. I originally wished to remain neutral, but since the attack by General Grievous and the slaughter of nearly thirty of my loyal men, I now declare total war against the droid army of the Confederacy. My people may not have the weapons most armies do, but we have ones rarely, if ever, seen before. And more importantly, my people fight for peace and justice. A spy has told me that the sole surviving Bourbon, Eric, has joined Count Dooku, along with the, albeit sizeable, remains of the fanatically loyal Czarist army. I pledge military support to the Republic!" I say.

At this, a thunder of applause is heard from the senators. I raise my hand though as I have not finished. "However, however, for the sake of my people, I am sorry to say that my people only voted to give military support. My people did not vote to officially join the Republic. After this war, maybe, but not right now. Chancellor, senators, I bid you a most respectful good-bye." With that, I head back to exit the Senate Chamber. I find Kenobi and Bo-Katan waiting for me. The bearded Jedi speaks first. "Good speech, Yitzhak. Bold, but good. Are you sure you were not a politician before?" He asks.

I shake my head. "No, no, no. I never have been one. I am a warrior, not a speaker." Kenobi gives me a cryptic smile in reply. "If you say so," He says. Before I can reply, I hear a new voice. "So are you and Auntie Bo married?"

I turn around and see Korkie standing there. I give a grin. "Indeed we are married, young Korkie. I hope you are ok with that?" I say, half stating, half asking. Instead of giving me an answer to my question, Korkie says, "I am happy for the two of you," and then leaves quickly. I look at my wife and Kenobi and ask a silent question, "What was that about?" Bo shrugs her shoulders and Kenobi remains silent. Before I can press any further questions, a clone trooper that I recognize, Jay, runs up to me.

"Sir, I have received a major distress call from your planet. They report that a village has signaled that they are about to be attacked and request your presence immediately." I almost slam my helmet on and about to rush out when Kenobi grabs my shoulder. "Wait, I can help you out. The cruiser is ready to leave. I can get you aboard and take a squad of my men to assist you," The Jedi master says. I nod and head straight back to the cruiser.

Several hours later on Europa….

I ride on my SOMUA S35 tank, nicknamed Bane of Atraps, after the first time it was used. My upper body is exposed to the open other than my armor, standing through my cupola. My tank is the lead tank in a column of two AT-TEs and eight new armored vehicles. Two of them are lightly armed T7 combat car, each armed with an experimental .50 caliber M2 machine gun and a co-axil .30 caliber machine gun in the turret, with a second .30 mounted on the top of the turret for AA defense, and a third .30 mounted in the hull. Another two are Panzer III ausf J medium tanks, each having a main gun of a long barreled 50 mm gun. The fourth tank is a massive one. I have called it a KV-1. It normally mounts a 76mm Zis-5 cannon, but for this one I have personally ordered for it to be mounted with a 85mm F-30. The sixth tank has the same hull, but has a massive turret on top mounting a 122mm howitzer. The final two are armored troop transports, called Kangaroos, each one containing a squad of my Guard.

I turn on my commlink to address the convoy. "Alright people, get ready. The village is two miles ahead. An Icenic division has been sent ahead before us. T7s, get on my flanks. Kangaroos, get in formation with the AT-TEs. Panzer IIIs protect our transports. Heavies, cover the rear. Let's do this," I say, turning off the comms once I hear everyone acknowledge.

We suddenly stop when we arrive at the village. Or at least, what was the village. It has been burned down, only the charred wooden frames of the houses standing. "Everyone dismount and fan out. Search for survivors!" I order. Despite the possible risk, I also dismount, wanting to help my people quickly. I walk past ruined building after ruined building. I stop at one that has a slashed and partly burned cloth over the doorway. I duck underneath in a vain hope of someone surviving. What I see instead is utterly heart rending. A doll, the kind that little girls would play with, lies on the ground.

I bend down and gently pick it up. I hold it close to my chest as sorrow builds in there. I hear footsteps behind me. I turn and see Kenobi and Bo-Katan standing behind me. "I don't understand," I say, my voice choked with emotions. "The division should have been here." Suddenly I hear a shout. "EMPEROR!" I rush to see the captain of my Guard unit that is deployed, Captain Luc Gaubert pointing ahead on the edge of a cliff. I walk over and am stunned again.

Upon the field lies the entire division, massacred. The bodies are strewn all over the place, and among them I see not only the bright red uniforms of the Icenis but also the bodies of villagers, men, women, and children. I shut off my commlink built into my helmet and scream my throat ragged. After turning back on my commlink, I turn to the men and woman standing behind me. "The attackers are moving quickly. We'll make better time to the now undefended capital of Londonium through the Kassirne Pass. We're their only hope now. Mount up and move out!" I order. Quickly we remount our vehicles and begin to move out to the pass.

And that's the end of this chapter. Please review.