Chapter 4

Tatooine Orbit

"Launch now!" came Eli's voice over the com unit, the assault on Tatooine had begun only two minutes ago all hands aboard the Acclamator Class Trans-Galactic Military Jedi's Fury had been ordered to stand ready to attack the twelve assorted capital class ships that now hung in orbit above the desert world.

Most of them were Hutt controlled ships that had been bought or bribed into this battle by Boorka the Hutt but two of them were the newly created Providence-class carrier/destroyers as well as four Lucrehulk-class Droid Control Ships. Normally, if Echuu had come alone, this would have been considered a dangerous battle – but with Rahns three CR90 corvettes, the other two Acclamator Class Trans-Galactic Military Transport Ships and the three Dreadnaught-class heavy cruisers that had been called in for this battle Echuu and Naat were well protected.

Tatooine Orbit: Echuu's Delta-7 Aethersprite-class light interceptor

"This is General Shen-John to Azure bombing Squad." Said Echuu calmly into the com-unit clipped to the side of his head, "Form up on my vector and follow me in, we have a Hutt to deal with,"

"Roger Shadow Leader," came Azure squadron leaders voice over the com, "This is chaser and we're ready when you are,"

"All fighters," Echuu gave a small grin as he heard his Padawans voice over the com unit, during their short time together the two had forged a bond between each other that take most Jedi teams years to set up – but since they had both been so close to Stam both knew more about the other then would usually be considered normal. "Keep us covered, we're headed for our first bombing run,"

"Don't worry youngster," came Rahns voice over the com as he flew up beside the other two Jedi. The three leading Starfighters were quite a motley trio; Naat in her Eta-2 Actis-class light interceptor, Echuu in his Delta-7 Aethersprite-class light interceptor and Rahn zipping around in his Alpha-3 Nimbus-class V-wing starfighter. But then again Jedi were often a diverse bunch and Eli had commented on such ever since he'd been assigned to Echuu, "We'll keep those droids off Azure squad," he laughed, "I studied the specs for every one of these newer fighters, and I know for a fact just how slow those V-19s can be,"

"Really Master Rahn?" asked Naat rising to the bait, as Echuu and Rahn knew she would, though Echuu suspected she simply wanted to hear Rahn laugh. "And just how would you know this?"

"Simple," came Rahns voice already starting to laugh, "It pays to know things like this, the Republic relies to heavily on armor and power – as do the Jedi, why a Corellian freighter could run rings around that Eta-2 of yours!"

"Really?" asked Naat, "I don't know master, a salty old Jedi like you probably exaggerates things"

Rahn roared with laughter, "The girls got teeth!"

Echuu rolled his eyes, "As wonderful an example as your setting Rahn," he said as his targeting compute picked up the first of the Vulture droid starfighter starting to detach themselves from their ships. "I think its about time you two started paying attention to the task…" he winced mid sentence, "Or tasks at hand,"

"Roger that commander," said chaser, "Ready to show 'em what we can do Naat?"

"Ready as always Chaser," shouted the girl, "Lets do this!"

"Anxious as always Naat," said Echuu, "Keep your attention here and now, our objective is Boorka – the CIS targets are secondary,"

"Yes Master," she said respectfully.

"No more chatter is to be radioed over the com," said Echuu grimly, "The Droids have arrived,"

Tatooine Orbit: Providence-class carrier/destroyer the Ransom

"We had an agreement!" roared Boorkas hologram in thick Huttese, "The Republic forces were to be removed from this planet by that Decimator toy of yours!"

"And it has been," said Sev'Rance Tann, "The Republic forces ON Tatooine were removed, and the location of the Decimator project was disclosed to our leaders,"

"WHAT?!" bellowed the Hutt, "I helped you! The Hutts under my control want to roast my hide! Thanks to you these Republic meat-sacks know all about my smuggling movements!"

"That is your problem," said Sev'Rance smiling, "We have what we need, goodbye,"

"What?! NO!" With that the Hutt vanished in a rush of static as the Republic assault ships engaged the jamming devices. "Commander," said Sev'Rance.

"Yes ma'am?" asked the Droid.

The Dark Jedi grinned, her piercing red eyes glowed with the hint of power behind them, "Obliterate that worm and obliterate the Jedi,"

"Understood ma'am," said the droid, "Controller 88-9-17 out," bowing the Droid waited until Sev'rance's hologram faded and vanished. "This is controller 88-9-17 to all Droid units, our orders stand as before, allow the Republic to gain enough footing to destroy the Hutt, then reinforce our position and obliterate all resistance,"

Tatooine Orbit: Echuu's Delta-7 Aethersprite-class light interceptor

"There's to many of them!" /I shouted chaser over the Com, "We're burning all of our power trying to hold them!" Looking out the side of his cockpit window Echuu winced as the clones fighter suddenly began to smoke, "Secondary systems failing! Going to hard bur…" With that the Torrent fighter burst into flames and crashed into the Vulture Droids that had been firing at it.

"This is commander Shen-Jon to the Fury Assault group," said Echuu as he tried to contact the nine ships waiting at the edge of the system and dodge blaster fire at the same time, "What's your status, do we have anymore fighters?"

"I'm sorry General," came Eli's voice, "All of the fighters have been launched, we're headed in system, the assault run will have to be started early,"

"Spast!" said Echuu tiredly. The fighter screen had been launched early and while most of the CIS fighters had been removed from the fight there was still the eleven remaining capital ships, the Lucrehulk-class Droid Control Ships would be easy to remove from the fight by the three Acclamator Class Trans-Galactic Military ships but the Providence -class carrier/destroyers would need the combined might of every one of the capital ships to take down – not to mention they still needed to deal with the other ships that had been called here by Boorka. "Alright send them in, we'll try to keep them off you. I want you to launch some tugs and med-shuttles, I want all of our ejected Pilots to be picked up, I'll have Naat and one of the CR90's stay behind to protect them,"

"Understood sir," said Eli as he began giving the orders to dispatch the Tugs and then head in-system.

Switching frequencies Echuu contacted Naat, "Naat, I want you to protect the Tugs and med shuttles being launched by the incoming CR90. We need those fighters that can be repaired to be moved to the Fury as soon as possible understand?"

"I'm on my way Master,"

Whirling his Jedi Fighter around Echuu radioed the remaining V-19 fighters to follow him in, "We need to take out the rest of the Hutts guests, then will take care of those DCS's," he said as they headed towards the huge ships, "Green Squadron, Orange Squadron and Shadow Squadron; form up and protect us, the rest of you keep up the screening effort, we're not done with them yet,"

Tatooine Orbit: Naats Eta-2 Actis-class light interceptor

"Shrieker," said the girl as she headed for the CR90 and the Tug drop point, "I need as much power as possible converted to frontal weaponry," bleeping an 'I'm working on it' the tiny yellow R2 unit began running the program his master had just given him, Naat sighed as she took a few moments to call the force into and around her. She was tired and the battle had barley begun, "This is commander Reath to the CR90 Corvette Emancipator I'm here to give you cover,"

"Welcome Commander," came the exhausted clones voice, "Everything's going as planned, we have eighty percent of the repairable V-19s gathered, as soon as your ready we'll give them orders to head for the Fury, we'll try to keep up but our second level of engines were damaged, you'll need to stay out in front,"

"What about the Med-Shuttles?" asked Naat as she shot down another vulture droid in her attempt to reach the Emancipator

"They just entered hyperspace, lucky for us that the fighters are more interested in you then they are in the shuttles,"/I said the clone with a laugh, I "Ever consider a job as professional bait?"

"It has come up," she said barley dodging a missile strike, "Send the Tugs as soon as they've caught the last bomber, we don't have much time.

"Rodger that commander,"

Tatooine Orbit: Rahns Alpha-3 Nimbus-class V-wing starfighter

Spinning the tiny fighter to the left Rahn grinned as he cut through another six Vulture droids, "Shrimp!" he shouted to the R5 unit stashed in its little socket behind his cockpit, "More power to the shields," bleeping an annoyed 'yeah, yeah, yeah' Shrimp continued to try recharging the fighter.

"That's the last of the Hutts guests!" said Echuu over the com static that had steadily gotten worse ever since the CIS had been trying to clear the jamming dropped by the Acclamator Class Trans-Galactic Military capital, "We need to remove those Lucrehulk-class Droid Control Ships before they manage to clear our jamming,"

"I'm on it Echuu, if just one of those Lucrehulk -classes is destroyed then the interference will be cleared," activating the bomber frequencies, Rahn said "Form up on me Azure squad – or what's left of you anyway – we've got a DCS to destroy,"

"I'm on your tail Commander," said the newly promoted Azure leader.

Tatooine Orbit: Naats Eta-2 Actis-class light interceptor

"Tug twenty break right!" shouted Naat as she shot down two fighters that were trying to pull a suicide run, "Your to close break right!" letting out a screech shrieker frantically tried to elude the tug that was strafing to avoid the fighters – only to explode when it collided with Naat.

Tatooine Orbit: Rahns Alpha-3 Nimbus-class V-wing starfighter

"Echuu!" shouted Rahn as he finished the bombing run, with that DCS destroyed they finally managed to recover the ship signals between the fighters and capital class vessels – only to find that they were short one Eta-2 Actis-class light interceptor, "I'm getting a negative reading on Naats fighter!"

"Same here," came Echuu's deadly calm voice over the com, only when they were in dire peril did Echuu ever sound so serious and calm… usually because he was trying to fight back his anger – or at least that's what things had been like when he was still a Padawan, this war had changed many things about many Knights - and Masters were no different, Rahn couldn't get a force reading on his friend and worry flooded his mind as he remembered the report on the Geonosis mission.

"Echuu…" Rahn began

"I'm fine Rahn," came his friends voice, I "I want you to go check on Naat… and… if necessary… get the spasting wad of Sithspit who killed her,"

A small-relieved smile crossed Rahns face, "I'm on my way,"

Tatooine Orbit: Echuu's Delta-7 Aethersprite-class light interceptor

Echuu closed his eyes when Rahns clicked off the com, "If that child was killed I'll never forgive myself," he sighed and leaned back sadly, "I should never have taken her as my Padawan… I should have left her on Coruscant," suddenly Echuu was snapped back to reality when he heard and incoming communiqué.

"General!" shouted Eli over the com, "The Destroyers and the DCS's are pulling out!"

"Stay on them," said Echuu

"But sir," Eli began, "Our orders are…"

"You have your orders commander," said Echuu powering up his fighter, "I'll deal with the Hutt," shutting down that branch of the com he spoke to Rahn, "Rahn… your with me,"

"But what about Naat?"

"The mission," said Echuu, "The mission is more important than the life a single Padawan,"

"Echuu" Rahn began, I "I don't think the council want you to torture yourself over…"

"You have your orders Captain Qu Rahn," said Echuu, "Our mission is to remove Boorka from power," Echuu growled as he remembered Stam, the anger and loss he'd felt when Stam had died returned to the front of his mind… it nearly chocked him as the burning pain returned to his throat, "And we're going to do just that,"

That said Echuu gunned his engines and headed for the surface of the dessert planet.

Tatooine Orbit: Rahns Alpha-3 Nimbus-class V-wing starfighter

"But she might still be alive," was what Rahn wanted to say, he bitterly thought of how badly he wanted to comfort his friend… but he knew the odds… he had felt the same jolt of pain from Naat and the sudden loss of contact with her mind… in the end it didn't matter if she was alive or not… Echuu was the problem for now.

Gunning his V-Wing he jetted towards the planet, hoping to catch up with Echuu before he did something he regretted. Grimacing Rahn groaned as his stomach twisted from the lurching feeling as they jetted through the atmosphere. Shrimp agreed that this wasn't fun and wined bitterly about the jostling he was taking as they cleared the atmo and tried to find Echuu's ship.

Looking left and right Rahn was surprised when he caught sight of Echuu's ship already landed next to what remained of the huge B'omarr Monk monastery, Rahn grimaced, he'd read about the B'omarr monks.

The B'omarr Monks were a mysterious religious order that moved to the planet Tatooine many centuries ago. They believed that cutting themselves off from all civilization and distraction was essential to their enlightenment and so they built a cavernous monastery on the edge of the Dune Sea and spent many quiet centuries in meditation.

The monks come from many species. Their minimalist views led them to sometimes go months without saying a word. Discourses and lectures were whittled down to a single word that the monks would meditate on. At a certain point in the monk's development, the lesser monks of the order assisted him with a "shedding" surgery. The body was seen as just another distraction, so it was discarded. The monk's brain was inserted into a nutrient jar, and placed on a shelf, where it would meditate and contemplate for millennia. On the off chance that an enlightened monk had some business to attend to, he used his mind to summon a mechanical spider-like apparatus, which picked up his jar, and secured it so he can become mobile.

They had a nasty habit of accepting credits from crime lords to transfer brains into different bodies or placing them in jars to scream in agony for eons. "All in all very dangerous people… or servants considering how much they owe the Hutts,"

Spinning his V-Wing around Rahn set down next to Echuu's fighter and with a flick of the wrist his cockpit snapped open and he jumped free of the fighter. Pressing a button on his belt Rahn nodded to Shrimp as the little droid popped free of his socket and followed Rahn.

Rahn sighed as he knocked on the door, "Hello?" he called, "Anybody… not home?"

A droid head popped out of the door, "Hello," it said, "Can I help you?"

"Yes," said Rahn crossing his arm, "A Jedi just entered here and uh… I'm with him,"

"Ah!" said the droid; a small hand popped out another hole and pointed to a hole in the wall, "An organic recently sliced through that wall there,"

"Oh," said Rahn nodding to R5 to follow him, "Thank you,"

"You are most welcome," said the droid, "Now I'll need to kill you in the same manner that the Jedi fused me to the wall,"

"What?" asked Rahn trying not to laugh, "He used his Lightsaber to fuse you to the wall?"

"Exactly sir," said the droid, "I am an assassin droid and will be launching missiles at you once you are through asking questions,"

"Oh," said Rahn evenly, "Tell me," he said, "Where is your central processing core?"

"In my head sir," said the droid, "All functions are controlled from my cerebellum cortex in the middle of my head,"

"Ah," said Rahn, with a flash a green blade sliced through the droids head and it bounced along the ground until it was facing up at him, "Like that?" asked Rahn as he raised his foot.

"Yes sir," said the droid promptly

With that Rahn dropped his foot and the droid stopped talking with a screech of servos as they crunched together, "Thank you," said Rahn as he stepped into the Monastery.

Tatooine: B'omarr Monk Monastery

Rahn groaned as he cut down another Gamorean guard, the huge pig-like lizards weren't very smart and kept flinging themselves at the Jedi Master as he tried to find Echuu.

Turning a corner he was less then surprised to find the main chamber with Echuu flipping about as twenty to thirty battle droid crowded around the powerful Jedi Master. Grinning Rahn marveled at Echuu and his Viridian blade as it cut down droid after droid – all the while continuing arguments with Boorka the Hutt.

"Now I offer you a chance Boorka," said Echuu, "Surrender and tell us what you told the CIS and we'll allow you to live – of course once Jabba gets through with you, you probably won't be very happy but its better than being dead isn't it?" he asked as he slammed his Lightsaber into another droid.

"You will die before my eyes!" shouted the Hutt as he ordered his guards to join in the fight, the six IG-100 MagnaGuards that had been given to him by the CIS as a sign of there good faith – and after he'd removed the explosives they'd planted in them he found they made wonderful guards and assassins, "You will not survive this you Jedi scum!"

"I beg to differ," said Rahn stepping into the light, "Down!" he shouted, nodding Echuu used the force to throw a shield around himself which kept out the energy surge that rushed across the floor from the Electric detonator that Rahn had thrown. This energy would normally stun humans – but it was deadly to droids, screeching a mechanical scream of agony the droid shut down and collapsed to the ground.

As for Boorka he had waited no time in heaving his massive bulk off of the skiff and was currently rolling along the ground trying to smash Echuu – who proceeded to fall to the ground, roll under the Hutt and plunge his Lightsaber all the way into the huge creature.

Tatooine Orbit: Naats Eta-2 Actis-class light interceptor

There was a plaintive beeping coming through the darkness, turning her head Naat was surprised to find herself still alive in the cockpit of her Jedi Interceptor with Shrieker bleeping at her, trying to find out if she was alright, "Shirker?" she asked – only to cough up blood, after a few moments she managed to coax the force into healing her already ragged and beaten body, "What happened?"

'Right now we appear to be stuck on the Tug that crashed into us,' he whistled mournfully, "Or a piece of it anyway,"

"Great," she said tiredly, "Where are we?"

'Being pulled into one of those CIS cruisers,' bleeped the droid as he felt the tractor beam make another grab at the Interceptor, 'They've lost most of the DCS's and the other CIS cruiser has been badly damaged, I think they're hoping to gain a hostage,'

"Great," said Naat, activating the Interceptor she was pleased to find that the ship had punctured the piece of the Tug they'd crashed into. Pulling back on the yoke she grinned weakly as the fighter quickly turned around, "Arm the Ion cannons," she said to Shrieker, "Full power,"

Spinning the Interceptor around Naat let out a whop as the Ion cannons plunged deep into the tractor beam generator and yanked them free. Activating the thrusters she headed towards Tatooine… something was wrong.

Tatooine: B'omarr Monk Monastery

"This is bad," said Rahn as he used the computer the Hutts had installed in the monastery, "Their sending in Confederacy strike bombers!"

"I'm working on it!" shouted Echuu as he dug through the pile of booty that the Hutt and his men had gathered, "That data-disc had to be here somewhere!"

"What data disc?" asked Rahn as he tried to help Echuu dig through the pile

"If I know Hutts," said Echuu tiredly, "Then Boorka backed up the information they… acquired,"

"That's probably why the droids are headed for us!" shouted Rahn as he threw a piece of garbage aside, "We don't have time, we've got to get out of here,"

"I've got it!" shouted Echuu pulling out the disc, "Lets go,"

Tatooine

"Its no good," said Echuu, "Boorka must have activated a lock on our ships… I can't take off,"

"Same here," said Rahn with a groan, "Great way to end this war huh?"

"A war that shouldn't have started in the first place," said Echuu, looking out the side of his cockpit Echuu sadly thought about the wreck that had once been Naats ship. "I shouldn't have brought her," he thought to himself again, "I have no business training Padawans Qu," he said over the com.

"That's not true Echuu," said Rahn, "I've trained over three other Padawans since this war began and…"

"And how many are alive?" asked Echuu, "How many have lived Qu? The galaxy isn't safe for younglings like them anymore, I should have left her at the temple,"

"It would have killed her Echuu," said Rahn, "She needed time to heal… a new master to help her heal… a master who also needed to heal,"

Echuu silently looked out at the oncoming bombers, "Well I guess this is goodbye Qu," he said grimly, "I'm glad you were there to help us, to help me,"

"Don't worry Echuu," said Rahn smiling as he noticed a reading Shrimp was giving him, "I don't think we're dead yet,"

"He's right Master," came a voice over the com unit, "I wouldn't have had It any other way,"

"Naat?!" asked Echuu in surprise as the R3 unit wired into his ship gave him a reading on her incoming fighter, "Your alive!"

"Indeed I am master," she said joyfully, "I've very glad to say I am,"

"Think you could give us a hand youngster?" asked Rahn grinning

"All too gladly oh crusty one," she said as she opened fire on the Droid bombers, suddenly Echuu was surprised to find the controls on his ship suddenly responsive as his fighter slid forward into a sand bank. Rahn roared with laughter and took to the air – only to be followed by an irritated but incredibly happy Echuu Shen-John.

Hyperspace: Launching bays onboard Echuu's Acclamator Class Trans-Galactic Military Transport Ship the Jedi's Fury

"So that's it?" asked Eli laughing.

"That's all of it," said Naat as she continued to wrap her wounded arm, "I should have told my master about the missile I'd launched at the lock-down tower that was blocking his computer from control over the two fighters but I was busy at the time,"

Eli smiled and sat down next to her, he looked at his helmet that was sitting between his two armored hands… he seemed to be unable to meet her face, "I'm glad your alive ma'am," he said calmly as he continued to clean the damaged helmet, "To tell you the truth I was rather… worried when I heard your fighter was destroyed,"

"Really?" asked Naat surprised, "I didn't think you guys could worry,"

"I'm one of the original clones ma'am," he said smiling sadly, "The age acceleration was programmed to slowly end after I turned twenty – in clone years of course," he said with a small laugh, "I'm actually only 16 years old – though in spirit, body and mind I'm about thirty,"

"Fascinating," said Naat, "I'd heard about ARC corps. But I've never met any of them,"

He shrugged, "We don't usually tell the commanders we're assigned to, its not important," he still seemed to be unable to match her gaze.

"I um…" Naat blinked her eyes as she tried to figure out why she felt so uncomfortable all of a sudden, "I guess I better go,"

"Of course commander…" Eli started

"Naat," she said, "My names Naat,"

Eli smiled and pulled his helmet on over his head, "Naat then, I'll… be seeing you… Naat,"

"Of course," said Naat softly as the clone turned and headed for the clone barracks, "I never really thought of him as anything besides a soldier… a tool before," she said still staring at the door he'd passed through.

'He did just share a pretty important secret with you ma'am,' bleeped Shrieker, 'Only his brothers know things like that,'

"Yeah," said Naat smiling, "I know," shaking her head at the rush of emotions that had spread through her she turned to Shrieker, "Lets get this bucket fixed," she said picking up a hydro spanner and bending down next to shrieker as he tried to tighten the damaged cockpits nuts. "He is handsome isn't he?" she asked the droid.

'They all look the same to me,' said Shrieker

"No," said Naat, she looked back at the door the clone had walked through, "Eli seems different,"

Hyperspace: Bridge onboard Echuu's Acclamator Class Trans-Galactic Military Transport Ship the Jedi's Fury

"All in all it's going very well master," said Echuu, "The data-disc put Sev'Rance on Krant, I've already ordered the ships in my armada to form up. We will be on course to Krant within the hour,"

"Master Echuu," said Yoda sternly, "A bold move this is, spoke with Master Rahn we have, lower in rank to you he is but assigned as your partner he was,"

Mace nodded at the ancient Jedi master, "Master Yoda is correct, Master Rahn told us that during Padawan Naats assumed death you went through a severe bout of anger… and that you had trouble controlling it,"

Echuu looked stricken, Rahn was one of his best friends… yet the man had told the council about his moment of weakness… "But masters… I'm so close now… the Decimator is far to dangerous to leave in the hands of the CIS,"

"Agreed," said Yoda, "Nevertheless… grave danger I sense in your continuation along this path,"

"I will not fail you," said Echuu sternly, "Despite what others may say,"

"Worried about you Rahn was," said Yoda pointing his stick at the Jedi Master, "A friend he is… and helped you he has… unfortunately your forces are to be severed,"

"What?" asked Echuu confused

"The bulk of your fleet is being called away," said Mace "As are you, Sev'Rance shall wait, let her continue to damage Krant as she sees fit, once she has set in; the ships and fleets guarding the decimator construction yard there will be pulled out – and we will pull in,"

"Agree with this the council does," said Yoda, "Soon will you have your chance, but now is not that time," he nodded, "Your assistance, required it is on other planets in that system,"

"But masters…" Echuu started

"Your chance will come," repeated Mace, "Patience master Echuu,"

Echuu nodded solemnly, "I accept the councils decision,"

"Very well," said Yoda, "May the force be with you,"

To Be Continued…