Betrayal.

That word kept floating into their minds as they fought Anakin together.

"Why would you do this?"

"You meant everything to me."

"You were like my brother."

"I loved you Skyguy."

These words circled their minds as the man whom they had shared so much adventures and years of friendship was now bent on killing them. Anakin pressed his attacks at the both of them. The most they could do was defend due to two facts: Anakin had the initiative and they still had reservations of openly attacking him. No matter how hard they wanted to push the thought away in this time, they didn't want to attack him. Because of their reluctance to attack their friend, they were regulated to pure defense. Anakin attacked the both of them relentlessly, putting them on the edge of their defensive skill. He had learned new techniques in the Outer Rim sieges and it had been awhile since the last time they had sparred. For him, he knew more or less what they would do next.

The clone assassins engaged the other Jedi choosing one Jedi to fight per each one of them while the clone troopers shot at any other Jedi who weren't already engaged. Bruck and Tia found themselves fighting one each. To their horror, the last two made for Petro and Byph. The rest of Master Veir's students fought the clones while the rest of the younglings helped Petro and Byph. Katooni stayed back to defend Zatt, who had the bag of holocrons slung onto his back and had his lightsaber out deflecting blaster shots.

Bruck brought his lightsaber down. The assassin used both his vibro-blades to block the blow. Bruck did a back turn and slash to hopefully catch the assassin off guard. Instead he was shocked when the clone dodged under the attack and came at him with his blades.

"I've never seen a clone move that fast," he thought to himself as he blocked the attack. He saw, much to his astonishment, that the clone assassin was fighting on par to a level that some Jedi were able to reach despite not having Force-sensitivity. The clone could dodged his and anticipate what he was going to do next just solely by looking at his body movement. Beside him Tia was having a hard time herself as the assassin she was grappling with kept her on the defensive, turning back any of her strikes with ease and agility that nearly rivaled hers.

The melee and fighting that took place in the hallway was astounding. For some reason more were drawn to the fighting. Behind the Jedi, a squad of Temple security forces took up the fight as well firing at the clone troopers. Two Jedi Knights entered the fray as well to engage the clone troopers as well. This was balanced off by another whole platoon of clone troopers coming in as well.

Taran blocked a slash aimed at him in the nick of time. Had it been a few milliseconds later he would have been cut down. He switched his grip to reverse-Shien to give him and Ahsoka some breathing room. Anakin next attacked Ahsoka, who easily blocked his attack. He grappled in close to her and punched her, hard. She was taken aback, both from the blow itself and how Anakin could easily strike her like that. It left her brutally exposed as Anakin prepared to strike her down. Taran blocked the blow and shot a gust of air at Anakin that knocked him back a few a feet. Taran stood in front of her, blade ready as Ahsoka focused and cleared her head of the pain. Anakin stared at Taran with malice in his eyes. He growled and charged at him. Taran met the strike, and for the first time Ahsoka came from behind and slashed at Anakin. Anakin blocked the blow and now the fight was even.

Byph and Ganodi found they had their hands full fighting the clone assassin. The same was said for Petro and Gungi. The assassins were fast and agile and proved very resourceful in tying them up. Ganodi pressed a strike on the assassin, who maneuvered out from beneath the blade and came at her from her side with his blade ready to stab her. She was able to dodge the attack, but the clone swept her legs out from under her. She fell on her back and the clone jumped up, his blade about to fall on her as she looked up in fear.

Byph used the Force to push her body away. The blade stabbed into the ground. Byph launched his next attacks on the clone to give Ganodi time to gather herself and help Byph. Elsewhere, Gungi and Petro worked together to try and bring down the assassin they were fighting. The assassin kept them on their toes, never once letting them have time to attack in concert.

"Must keep them busy and find my openings," he thought. He would attack one, then the other. He kept his stabs and strikes rapid, also using his feet to lash out kicks of all kinds to keep them on edge. He knew if they were to attack simultaneously, it would be over. His agility also came into play to crouch-roll past one of their strikes and come up on their flanks, or even behind them. Petro was forced to jump over him as he did a roll and attempted to slash him with the blade. When Petro landed with his feet, he turned only to have the boot of the assassin hit him in the chest, knocking him to the ground. This left Gungi by himself. The clone then began to press his attacks onto the Wookiee, bringing in the full fury of his attacks and agile dodges and attacks to full force.

"I'm going to help them," said Katooni.

"Go, I got your back," said Zatt, deflecting more shots from clone troopers. Katooni rushed in to aid Gungi as Petro regained himself. Elsewhere, the clones fighting the students and the other Jedi Knights and security forces found themselves pressed back as they took cover, regulating them to fire zones in hopes of putting them down. The Jedi soon found themselves beleaguered by the fire power of the clones. One of the students and another Knight had already fallen. The other Knight used the Force to collapse a pillar and bring it down. Clones scrambled to get out of the way, breaking their formation. Those who couldn't get out in time, a handful, were crushed beneath it.

"That should even things up a bit," said the Knight as they went back on the offensive.

Tia found the clone assassin she was fighting very resourceful, which made him all the more deadlier. He crouched under a swing from her and rolled behind a pillar. Tia followed him, but was surprised when he emerged from the other side of the pillar crossing his blades to make an X as he stabbed at her from her side. She was able to block the attack. The assassin maneuvered by her and kicked her in her leg at her knee cap. Though the bone didn't break it still caused pain to her. She grunted from the kick and stepped back. She blindly swung at the assassin who easily sidestepped it and slashed upwards with his blade. The tip caught Tia in her exposed side. It left a gash on her side from the level of her bellybutton the bottom of her rib cage. She hissed from the pain as her blood seeped out, but managed to keep defending herself.

Bruck had managed to finally gain the momentum in his fight with the assassin. He out him on edge using furious swings, blows and thrusts to keep him on his toes. His senses were at their peak height as everything slowed down around. He could notice every little thing. The assassin tried for a thrust at his leg. Bruck saw the motion of the attack and carefully acted on it. He sidestepped the thrust and used his lightsaber in a backwards flick cut the arm off the clone assassin from the elbow. He then pivoted his ankle to have himself behind the assassin and stabbed through him through his chest. The lightsaber burned through the flesh and armor of the clone as he froze. Bruck pulled his lightsaber out after keeping it in the wound for a few seconds. The assassin fell to the floor, dead.

Bruck turned and saw Tia in trouble. He ran over to aid her seeing as how her cut was holding her back. He moved in such a stealthy way that the assassin didn't see him coming. The blade slashed out. The head of the assassin fell off its shoulders, the armor causing it to bounce on the floor a few times before it came to a stop. Tia breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank you," she said to Bruck. He nodded, their attention turned to the clone now regaining their formation and picking up their firing doctrine.

Katooni, Petro and Gungi sparred with the clone assassin, the assassin finding it hard to fight all three of them. He had no openings to go for them, all his efforts spent on trying to keep them off of him. Luckily he still had the stamina to keep fighting, but he knew all things would eventually run out. He remembered all his training from the moment the blades were attached to his armor.

The Padawan he was sparring with pressed him to the edge as he fought in the Teras Kasi form. His peers observed his movements as he grappled with the Padawan. The Padawan had his lightsaber on the lowest setting to give him a painful sting should the lightsaber make contact with him. He in turn used his bare hands. The battle proved relentless as the Padawan drove him to his maximum potential. All his muscles were sore and his eyes stung from the sweat getting in them, but he still he kept on fighting.

"Every moment, every hour, every day, never give up," he thought endlessly to himself. The Padawan pressed his attacks as he dodged the blows.

"Never." He sidestepped a blow coming down on his head.

"Give." He pushed out and found one hand on both the Padawan's hands and on his neck. He pushed off again to pin him down on the mat, effectively ending the match.

"U-"

The slash ran down his back. He grunted from the pain and fell down onto his back as he tried in vain to reach the wound with his hand. He had left his back unguarded for too long, allowing Petro to slash down his back. Petro stood above him, his lightsaber poised above his chest. For once Petro seemed determine to finish the deed. His eyes fell from the target of his lightsaber to the T-visor of the clone's helmet. In there was another person. He had never directly killed a man before. How could he bring himself to kill the assassin simply for doing his job he knew he had no control over? The assassin saw his chance and reached out to run Petro through. Petro sensed the blow coming and brought his blade down through the clone's chest. The blade tip stopped only an inch before it could find his throat.

The clone assassin groaned before his limbs relaxed. He fell limp to the floor. Though none could see his eyes through the visor, they were nevertheless open and staring skywards. Petro took a breath as he fully realized what he had done. The other two realized it two. Nearby, Byph had tackled the assassin down to the ground, but the assassin used his superior wrestling technique to pin the boy down to the ground. He readied his blade and attempted to come down on him with his poised blade, until Ganodi's blade struck him through his midsection. The clone groaned, falling off of Byph. Byph got up as Ganodi lent him a hand to help get him back onto his feet. They looked down at the body of the assassin.

"I...just...killed a man," Ganodi said to herself slowly.

"Ah!"

They all looked to see that Taran and Ahsoka needed help, Taran having just been elbowed to the face as he and Anakin had grappled closely. They moved to help.

"No, stay back!" yelled both of them. They froze in their tracks.

"Move back and protect the holocrons," said Ahsoka, parrying Anakin's strikes. She and Taran fought hard to protect the younglings. If he was willing to try and kill them, then he could kill anyone no matter they're age. Down the hall, a squad of clones had arrived as reinforcements and surrounded and killed the last Knight along with the last of Master Veir's students. Now they were moving towards them all. Bruck and Tia stood in front of the younglings to protect them from the incoming blaster fire. The security guards fired into their ranks as well, but there too many of them for their fire to have significant effect. Taran saw they were fighting a losing battle.

He dove into an attack aimed for Anakin's head. Anakin parried it easily, twisting to parry Ahsoka's block. In that moment Taran used a Force push. Anakin was able to counter it, causing him to not fall onto his feet, but the force of it still sent him back. He skidded to a stop at the head of the clones advancing to their area. Taran punched his fist into a pillar, toppling it down in front of them. Then the ceiling began to crumble and rain down on to top of the pillar in chunks. Soon the entire hallway was cut off like there had been a collapse in a mine shaft.

Taran breathed hard next to her. Ahsoka put her hands on the rubble, sinking down to her knees. She placed her head on it, following by the sounds of her crying. Taran knelt down, hugging her from behind to comfort her.

"Why would...he do this?" she said. "What...happened to him that he'd be willing to to kill anyone, including his friends?" Taran nuzzled his head to the back oh her neck.

"I wish I knew Soka," he said softly. "We have to go though. This won't hold them for long." Ahsoka nodded in understanding. He helped her to her feet as she wiped her eyes with the back of her arm. The squad leader of the security forces came up to them. Their squad, initially at ten, was now down to four.

"Excuse me, but is there a plan?" he said.

"We need to leave. They're after Jedi. You men don't have to fight," said Taran.

"We had forty men under my command here. I've served at the Temple for ten years. Now we're all that's left. The clones don't discriminate between Jedi and security forces. Anyone in the Temple is targeted for death. Begging your pardon, but we choose to fight here with all of you," said the leader.

"I'm glad for that, but we need to leave the Temple," said Taran. "There's too many of them."

"Then we'll accompany you all. If these holocrons are important, then we'll help you get out any way we can," he said. Taran nodded.


Master Sinube walked down an abandoned hallway where the bodies of Jedi and clones were intermingled together. Bitter enemies in the last moments of their life, they were bonded together now in death. He surveyed the scene around him, lamenting on the loss of life. When the clones had first entered, he had been meditating in his study. He did not leave until the explosions started rocking the Temple, he himself being caught unawares by the clones sudden reversal. He had met a squad of clones near a meditation room and he had tried to persuade them into not pursuing their action. The conversation ended when all twelve of them fired at him, and the last man falling down to the ground with a large scorch mark in a diagonal slash down his torso.

He paused near the body of a Padawan who was scarcely twelve years old. He knelt down and brushed the hair of the youth's head.

"Such loss of life. Killing all, including those who had not done anything to deserve it, even the ones who had not the chance to grow," he lamented solemnly. The sound of boots coming from ahead alerted him to another squad of clone troopers coming up. He looked at them, drawing his lightsaber. The clones charged towards him, their blasters firing.


The group was running down another hallway. They saw signs of battle in nearly every part, whether it was blaster marks or the bodies of the fallen. Katooni and Ahsoka turned left down another one. When Katooni saw, she couldn't believe her eyes. Master Sinube's body lay in the hallway, his body pierced by several blaster marks through his clothes. Around him lay the bodies of thirty-seven clone troopers.

"No," she said. Ahsoka and the others saw as well. She and Katooni went over to his body as the others realized who it was they gathered around his body as well while the security guards kept their distance. Ahsoka raised up the head of the Jedi Master, tears welling up in her eyes. The others were sad as well, the younglings now crying while Tia let a few tears spill. Taran and Bruck were deeply saddened as well, remembering his deeds during their youth and during the Battle of Coruscant. Suddenly, the Master's eyes fluttered open. They seem to focus on Ahsoka, but then looked around as if searching for her. Ahsoka's breath hitched in her throat, as did everyone else.

"Ahsoka?" he said softly.

"We're right here Master Sinube," she said, cradling his head. A small smile formed on his face.

"I'm glad you are all okay," said Sinube. "Remember your training all of you, and keep the traditions."

"We will," said Ahsoka. He took one more breath before his eyes slowly closed and his form went limp. Though he was dead, one would think that he was sleeping.

"Become one with the force Master," she said solemnly. She wiped her eyes, hugging Katooni to her as the Tholothian's tear came out by force. They spent several minutes in solemn reverence to the Jedi Master, Zatt and Ganodi placing his hands on his chest and everyone else moving the bodies of the clone troopers away from him to give his body space.

"Thank you, for everything you've done for us," said Ahsoka. She turned to face the younglings. "We're going to get you all out here. I promise."


They dashed onto a bridge-like ramp above the main hall. From above, they could see the furious battle ensuing below them. Behind them the security guards who were accompanying them were fighting off the pursuing platoon of clone troopers. Bruck stayed back to help them as Ahsoka led the group. Taran took to the rear to act as a rearguard.

"Down this hall to get to the back and down the next staircase," she thought as she thought of the escape route they could take. At the moment, it was the only one available. The lower levels were locked down and the upper levels would soon be as well. They were running out of time. Ahead, the ramp they were on to get them to the other side of the hall below them was clear. For once, Ahsoka thought that they were home free.

A rocket hit the ramp, sending a chunk of it falling below. She stopped to look at the damage it caused. They could jump it, the gap being only twenty feet. Ahsoka and Tia knelt by the edge and linked their arms.

"Go," said Tia. The younglings understood, running one at a time. The girls gave a boost off to each youngling as they jumped off their arms to land on the other side. Gungi was the last one on before Tia and Ahsoka made the jump next. Behind them, Taran made the jump too, landing safely next to Tia and Ahsoka. Bruck was deflecting the blaster shots from the pursuing clones. The security guards were shot down one-by-one next to him, with the squad leader shot in the knee next to him, falling to the ground as he yelled from the pain. Bruck stayed back to help him.

"No, get out of h-" A bolt found his head, sending him down. Bruck deflected more bolts before he turned and sprinted to the gap.

"Come on!" said Taran. Bruck dodged the bolts of energy coming for him. He was now at the edge. He jumped, his hand outstretching. Taran stretched his to grab his hand. It all happened in slow-motion to all of them.

A bolt connected with Bruck's arm, causing him cringe it back from the impact and miss the edge, falling down to the hall nearly sixty feet below.

"Bruck!" they yelled. Taran took fast action. He jumped from the ramp and used his airbending to soar down to Bruck. He was able to get level with him to catch his hand and use his airbending to cushion their landing. They landed on their feet, Bruck cradling the arm he was shot at.

"Taran, are you guys okay?" said Ahsoka through her comlink to his

"Yeah, we're fine. We'll try to get our way back up there," said Taran. "Go on ahead." Taran drew both of his lightsabers and Bruck drew his as they prepared to enter combat again. Seeing clone troopers spread around attacking Jedi, they charged in.

From above, the group was able to see what they were doing. Ahsoka and Tia watched in panic as they saw them fighting.

"They'll be okay. They always are," said Tia to reassure herself and Ahsoka.

"Please come back, the both of you," said Ahsoka. The rest of them continued on their path as the clones behind them tried to figure out how to cross the gap.

On the ground, Taran was cutting down clone troopers left and right. He used bending attacks in concert with his lightsaber attacks create a deadly hailstorm of attacks no clone could stop. Bruck was there by his side, deflecting bolts back at the clones and slicing through them with ease. All around them, the fury of the attack by the Jedi intensified. Suddenly, from behind them all, a shout rang out.

"For the Jedi Order!"

Taran and Bruck turned in time to see three Jedi Masters, all with two lightsabers in hand charge down from the steps above. Behind them, more Knights and Padawans followed. They engaged the clones like a swift tide, overcoming everything in their path. The clones tried to rally, bringing every blaster to bear. Some Jedi fell, but others were able to drive back their attackers.

"Let's do it," said Bruck, smiling for the first time that night. Taran and Bruck joined in, cutting down clone trooper after clone trooper. For once, the Jedi were on the offensive. The clones made a valiant effort to stem their tide, but were forced to fall back.

Commander Appo saw the goings on and ordered more men.

"Do whatever you can to slow them down," he ordered.

"Use the mortars," said Vader, coming up next to the clone commander. "Then launch everything we have."

"Yes sir. Mortar teams, go in now!" said Appo. The mortar teams ran into the Temple, setting up just inside. The spotters yelled out the coordinates of their upcoming targets. The operators readied their tubes and prepared for further orders.

"Sir, mortars ready!" said their lieutenant. Vader nodded.

"Fire!" yelled Appo.

Twelve mortar shells hurdled towards the mass of Jedi. Taran and Bruck were finishing off clones near the rear before their senses picked up and they looked up to see the shells streaking in.

"Move!" yelled Taran. It was too late. The rounds detonated around them and the Jedi. Half the Jedi running with the Masters perished in the blasts, falling from the shrapnel or the concussive force of the shells. The Masters themselves carried on the charge, but their numbers were now diminished. Vader himself came forward, lightsaber in hand. He and any other members of the 501st near his vicinity renewed the attack.

Taran coughed from the dust around him. He and Bruck had been careened between two fallen pillars, the concussive blasts sailing them to the spot. He moved to sit up before immediately going back to his knees as he held his side. He looked to see some pieces of shrapnel embedded there. He used his metalbending to swiftly remove them, the blood trickling from the open cuts. He turned to see Bruck laying flat on his side away from him.

"Bruck, come on, we have to go," he said weakly. He shook him, but no response. He moved over closer and turned Bruck onto his back. He froze as he gasped. His eyes widened. Bruck's eyes were closed, no part of his body moving. A trickle of blood had spilled out from the corner of his lips. Taran immediately put his head near his heart to find the heartbeat. He listened frantically for any movement, any sound at all.

There was none.

"Bruck..." he said as he looked down on the body of his slain friend. The tears he had been holding back for some long finally came out. He began crying right then and there, holding Bruck's body to him, cradling his head. He cried for them all, the tears streaking down his face and onto Bruck's face. Bruck, Master Sinube, Master Plo, Master Veir, the other Council members, all of them.

"Obi-Wan," he thought sadly.

Anakin fought two Jedi Masters at once now, the first one dead from a slash down his back.

Taran looked around seeing all the death and devastation about him. The hall was in ruins, many of its pillar collapsed. Its statues were toppled and all kinds of scorch marks from blasters and lightsabers littered the place. Holes from the mortar rounds and even thermal detonators left scars in the floor. The bodies of the dead littered the floor. So many had fallen only the spirits would know how many had fallen this night. His friend was now one of them. He turned to see the clones beginning to herd the last of the Jedi near the entrance and more coming in from elsewhere. He knew he had to leave now. He placed Bruck's head down.

"I'm sorry Bruck. I'm sorry I couldn't save you," he said tearfully. He quickly rubbed his eyes and got up, retrieving his lightsabers with him. He began to run towards a seemingly unoccupied part of the hall since every available clone was fighting the last of the Jedi. He looked back one last time to see the second Jedi Master fall to Anakin's lightsaber. He looked back and entered a new hallway.

He continued running down the hall, never stopping once. Turning around another corner, he ran into someone. They both fell to the ground. Simultaneously they both got up. Taran drew his lightsaber and held it at the man's chest while a blaster was aimed straight at his chest as well. It was then that Taran realized who he ran into.

Rex's pistol was poised to strike and he nearly pulled the trigger when he realized it was a Jedi that had run into him. He wasn't expecting it to be Taran. Around him, the rest of his squad had their blasters trained on Taran. He saw all their trademark insignias on their helmets. They were all men of Torrent Company. He could even see Kix, Dogma and Jesse out of his periphery. A long uneasy silence settled between them all.

"Rex, let me pass," said Taran.

"I can't do that kid," said Rex.

"Rex, please. I'm done with this, all of this," said Taran.

"I have orders. All Jedi must be killed. Orders from the Chancellor," said Rex.

"Sir?" said Jesse, questioning whether to fire.

"Not now Jesse," said Rex, keeping his blaster on Taran. "Don't any of you make any sudden movements."

"Rex please," Taran pleaded. "You've known me for two and a half years. I'm no traitor. All of you know that to be true."

"We do kid, but we have to do this nonetheless," said Rex, though he sounded uneasy about it. Taran saw that there was probably no way out of this. Instead, he did something that startled them all. He turned off his lightsaber and his arm fell to his side.

"I'm not going to harm any of you," said Taran. "I've done enough killing tonight for a lifetime. Just let me go. Please." Rex continued gazing at Taran through his helmet. He slowly put his blaster down.

"Sir?" said Dogma. Rex used his free hand to remove his helmet. His eyes were sad.

"I knew that after Umbara, taking orders blindly again would never happen again," said Rex. Taran started to relax a little, believing that Rex was going to let him go. Suddenly, Rex pointed the blaster back at him.

"But I'm not going to have another Krell on my hands," said Rex, his eyes glaring at Taran. Taran backed up.

"Rex.."

"I'm sorry kid. I have orders," said Rex. Taran saw him pull the trigger before it happened. He ducked below the shot and Force pushed Rex, the captain landing on his back on the ground. The rest of the squad prepared to fire, but Taran used his airbending to push them all back, all of them hitting the pillars or wall behind them. Taran began to ran past them, but stopped by Rex.

"I'm not your enemy Rex," he said softly before he continued running as well. Rex watched him leave until he was lost from sight. Kix ran over to him once he had recovered and helped him up.

"Sir, do we go after him?" said Kix.

"No," said Rex, placing his helmet back on. "We'll continue operations here."

"Rex," said Vader, coming up to them all. Commander Appo and a platoon of clone troopers followed behind him.

"Yes General Skywalker?" said Rex.

"We'll pursue him. He'll lead us to the rest of them. Follow me," said Vader.