Chapter VII – The Siege of Anduin
"Clouds hold the moon, and exchange light for shadow over the valley," Asajj Ventress says standing halfway up the hill just beyond the newly erected forward command center. "Entering the city undetected will not be hard Master," she says turning and looking to Obi-Wan who is standing farther down the hill, his hood pulled over his head to try and hide the anxiety, that she can still sense all about her master.
"I will be fine master, we will lower the shield and secure the royal family so that you can lead the assault and take the city," she says. "If these ARC commandos are as good as Commander Bly says, then everything should go smoothly according to plan," she adds, as she begins to feel something in her mind. "And it seems they just might be," she says drawing one of her lightsabers and extending in front of her. "I know you're there," she says and soon a faint silhouette starts to become more defined and one of the ARC commandos takes shape before her dawning armor made of a strange black alloy.
"I guess we are lucky that the droid sensors are not a keen as the senses of the Jedi," Hunter says after removing his helmet, and the other members of Omicron squad take form as well.
"Indeed," Ventress says extinguishing the blade of her lightsaber and returning it to her belt before she walks to the top of the hill followed by the ARCs. "I hope you can keep up," Ventress says looking out onto the city.
"Looking forward to the challenge Commander," Hunter says with a grin.
"Be mindful Ventress, and remember the purpose of your mission, to deactivate the shield and secure the royal family," Obi-Wan says, his concern still apparent even as he seeks to hide it.
"Don't worry master, though things have been new to me these past weeks, this is something that I am very familiar with, infiltration and sabotage," Ventress says.
"Then may the force be with you," Obi-Wan says bowing his head.
"May the force be with you master," Ventress says bowing her head as well before she turns and looks at Hunter. She presses a button on her forearm and light begins to shine off all their faces, as a holo image of the city appears. "The droids defensive perimeter will be the most vulnerable here," Ventress says pointing to an area of the map.
"Then what are we waiting for, I'm ready to get in there and blow some stuff up," Seven says placing his helmet on his head, followed by the rest of the squad before they all turn on the stealth properties of their suits.
Ventress pulls the hood of her cloak over her head and starts down the hill into the tall grass of the valley floor. Though she cannot see the clones who accompany her, the force allows her to know where they are as they make their way through the tall grass and dwarf trees, easily avoiding scattered droid droideka rolling about the valley floor. They maneuver their way to the east side of the city near a small river, and as Ventress had predicted, there a few droids patrolling the area. Ventress raises her fist and signals the ARCs to hold within a cluster of dwarf trees just beyond the forcefield, and all that can be heard is the flowing of the river's water. She dashes quickly through the tall grass, and at the last moment ignites the blades of her lightsabers and bisects the two battle droids on patrol. She pushes their weapons and the pieces of their bodies into the river and signals for the ARCs to come.
Once inside the city they make their way slowly through back alleyways towards the large disk rising from the central area of the city, but before they can reach it they come upon the camps where the CIS forces have rounded up the citizens of Anduin. There is a small command station just outside the camps, and Ventress darts ahead of the others and destroys the three droids manning it.
"Switch, see if the royal family is here," Ventress commands as one of the ARCs becomes visible before her. "Do not worry I will sense it if danger approaches." She looks about the area as Switch slices into the console and names start to scroll down the screen.
"They are not here commander, they must still be in the castle," Switch says shaking his head and disconnecting from the console.
"Then let us set the charges on the shield generator, and make our way to the castle," Ventress says, and Switch once again cloaks himself before they continue towards the shield generator. There is tighter droid security the closer they draw to the shield generator but they are easily able to avoid the droidekas, and spider droids patrolling because they are too large to fit in the narrow alleyways between the buildings. There is a droideka standing at the end of the alleyway, and in a flash Ventress slashes through the destroyer and she pulls the pieces of the droid into the alley. She dashes forward and destroys two more battle droids, before she looks to her left and sees Hunter and Ace destroying two others with gauntlet vibroblades.
"Quickly Seven, set the charges," Ventress says looking about, clearing her mind so that she may sense the slightest hint if danger. Seven places charges about the base off the wall, and within a thermal exhaust port.
"Now to secure the royal family," Ventress says as they make their way towards the castle. Which is more heavily guarded then Ventress had anticipated, but she quickly remembers that vulture droids are deactivated unless called into combat, so the hanger may be a means of entrance. She motions for the clones to follow her, and they make their way around the perimeter of the castle until they reach the area below the landing platform. She leaps up to the platform, and the clones fire cords up to the platform and pull themselves up as well. There are a few scattered B1 battle droids about the hanger which are easily dispatched by Ventress and the ARCs before they can alert other droids to their presence.
"Slice this terminal and find out where the royal family is," Ventress says, as Switch rushes to the terminal and begins to look through the data.
"They are in the royal chambers on the fourth floor Commander, but there are too many battle droids patrolling the floors to make our way there using hallways and lifts. Our armor will not cloak us inside the castle." Seven says.
"What about the ventilation system?" Ventress asks.
"It is not large enough to accommodate us and our gear in all areas leading up to the fourth floor," Seven says pointing to the screen and showing Ventress where the ducts narrow.
"Then I will go retrieve the royal family," Ventress says looking about the hanger for the entrance to the air ducts. "I will signal you when I have them so that you can detonate the charges and our forces can begin their siege of the city."
"What are we to do until then?" Hunter asks.
"Make sure as many of these vulture droids as possible do not see the skies once the siege of this city begins," Ventress replies, as she transfers the layout of the ventilation system to the computer on her gauntlet.
"Yes Commander, it will be done," Hunter says signaling his men to spread out.
"I will rendezvous with you here when I have the royal family," Ventress says turning to make her way to the air duct. "Everyone goes home," she says before she pulls the grate from the wall and leaps into the air duct. She pulls up a holo image of the air ducts and begins to make her way to the fourth level. She makes her way to the fourth floor and takes one last look at the layout of the air ducts and the precise location of the royal chambers. She walks slowly up to the grate, the sound of voices growing louder. She looks down through the grate and sees a woman in fine cloth standing next to a window, a small girl standing beside her with her hands wrapped in the woman's robe. She looks to the center of the room and recognizes the face to King Valin, who is in a heated discussion with a Neimoidian.
"You do not have a choice King Valin, we already control your world, you will join the Separatist Alliance and Count Dooku, whether you wish to or not," the Neimoidian says with a sly grin.
"You fleet has been defeated and forced into retreat, and you have lost all but this city, the Republic will soon liberate us, and drive you wretched Separatist Alliance from our world," King Valin proclaims.
"The Republic will not attack us as long as we hold you captive, and they cannot mount a successful offensive as long as the shield is up," the Neimoidian says. "And soon reinforcements will arrive that will even the odds."
"We will never join you, my people would die first," King Valin says honorably.
"It may come to that King Valin, perhaps watching those in the detention camps executed will change your mind, but make no mistake you will join us," the Neimoidian says before he exits the room.
Ventress looks about the room to make sure no droids are present before she presses a button on her gauntlet to signal Hunter and his men that she is about to move to secure the royal family. She waits for confirmation that they received the signal, and with the flashing of a light on her gauntlet she readies herself. She lifts her hand and uses to force to push the grate from the ceiling and guide it softly down to the floor below before she drops down beside it.
"King Valin, Queen Evela I have come to see you safely from the castle," Ventress says bowing her head to them, but when she looks up she does not see faces of relief and appreciation, instead she sees ones of fear.
"I sense your fear, you need not worry I have come to take you to safety."
"Those marks on your head, I have heard of you," King Valin says, his voice trembling as he points at her, causing her to rub her hand over her head, and the twelve tattoos of the fallen warlords of her home world. "The Rattataki evil Jedi, Dooku's assassin, you are here to kill us," the King yells, as Ventress raises her hand.
"Your Highness you must calm down and be silent, I am not here to kill you, I AM here to see your family safely to Republic protection, so that we may retake your city and this planet," Ventress pleads, but she can still sense the family's fear.
"No, you are a liar, we would not agree to join the Separatists, so Dooku has sent you here to kill us," the King yells, his voice growing louder.
"Your Highness please, you must…" she begins to say before something in the force calls her attention to the door to the chamber, which opens and two B1 battle droids enter the room, with two more standing behind them, still in the hallway.
"What is going on in here?" One of the droids asks as it looks around the room.
"It is former commander Ventress, she is trying to rescue the King and Queen," the droid says before it points at her. "Sound the alarm," it yells raising its weapon.
"Roger," one of the droids in the hallway says nodding its head before it turns and runs from the doorway.
"Blast her," the first battle droid says before three of the droids open fire on her. She leaps to the air deflecting blaster fire, before slashing one of the droids on the way down and spinning to behead another. She throws the last across the hall into the wall with a force push before she steps into the hallway and looks for the one who ran off. Instead she hears the sound of an alarm, and a droid voice telling reinforcements to go their level.
"Commander Ventress, what is going on?" Hunter asks through the communicator.
"The royal family mistook me for my former self and alerted the droids to my presence," Ventress says looking down the hallway for a path of quick escape.
"We are coming to you," Hunter says.
"No, there will be too many droids, just detonate the charges, I will lead the royal family out," she commands, as she sees two droidekas come rolling around the curve of the hallway. They uncoil and stand upon their three legs before erecting their shields. They begin to open fire on her, but she deflects their blasts as she backs into room, and closes the door, jamming the controls.
"Come your Highness we must go, we have little time before they blast through" Ventress says extinguishing her lightsabers.
"So you were telling the truth before, you now serve the Republic?" Queen Evela asks.
"Yes your majesty, I am now a Jedi the padawan of Obi-Wan Kenobi, who is about to lead an assault to retake this city once I and the men that accompanied me here take down the defense shield," she says, and before she can utter another word a large explosion rocks the capital city and illuminates the night sky like a burning star. "Come, the assault will begin very soon, we must go," she says.
"Go where, we are trapped," King Valin blurts excitedly, as Queen Evela pulls her frightened daughter close to her. Ventress sees herself in the small child, the fear she had when she felt that her parents would soon leave her, and she decides that she will not her suffer the pain she did watching her parents die.
"What is your name?" Ventress asks kneeling before the small girl.
"Tayha," the girl responds her voice trembling as tears roll down her cheeks. "It will be OK I promise," Ventress says in as reassuring voice as she can muster, and the young girl nods her head. "Be still," Ventress says as lifts Tayha from the floor, raising her gently before she sets her softly into the air duct followed by the King and Queen. She jumps into the air duct herself just as the door explodes.
"They have gone into the ventilation system," one of the droids says.
"MOVE," Ventress yells pushing the royal family slowly through the air duct.
"Captain Hunter come in," Ventress yells through her communicator.
"Yes Commander."
"Rendezvous with me at the hanger, we will secure a ship."
"No Commander, Switch says that there is a balcony outside the royal library, and it is lightly guarded. We will call in a gunship to retrieve you, and create a diversion so that you may escape with the royal family," Hunter responds.
"No, we are all leaving," Ventress yells.
"The mission comes first Commander, but do not worry you will see us all back at base, or you will see none of us," Captain Hunter says before he cuts off communication.
"Captain, Captain, Hunter," she yells into her communicator, but there is no response. "I am not leaving you, we're all going home," she yells into the communicator, before she presses a button on her forearm and a holo image of the castle appears. "Come, this way," she says continuing to lead the royal family through the air ducts.
"Stop, we are here," she says igniting her lightsabers and cutting through the floor of the air duct. She lifts the piece of the ceiling and sets it in duct before she looks through and scans the library for droids, and there are two patrolling the aisles. She drops down from the ceiling bisecting one of the droids on the way down. She grips the other with the force and pulls it towards her before she destroys it.
"Be still," she says taking a depth breath before she extends her hands and lowers the royal family down to the floor of the library.
"She looks out the window where there are explosions, and bombardments from the Republic starships all about the capital city, as Republic gunships engaged with a small number of vulture droids in the sky.
"The attack has begun, the city is no longer safe, we must leave," Ventress says, leading the royal family to the balcony, shattering the window in front of them with a wave of her hand.
"Command, I am at the rendezvous point with the royal family," Ventress says into her communicator as she looks in either direction.
"We are inbound Commander, we will be there shortly," she hears, and before too long she sees two gunships coming is fast from her left. One hovers in defensive position just outside the balcony as the other lands.
"It is time to leave," Ventress says picking up Tayha and setting her on the gunship as clones help the King and Queen on as well. Ventress walks to the railing and looks from the balcony guided by the force and she sees the members of Omicron Squad pinned down in the hanger engaged with a large number of droids.
"Pilot we must go and extract the Omicron Squad," Ventress yells over the sounds of blasters fire and constant explosions.
"Commander Ventress we cannot, it is too dangerous to try and land a gunship at their position, that hanger is crawling with clankers," the pilot says, as Ventress turns away from the railing and steps onto the gunship.
"Master Kenobi, Master Kenobi come in," Ventress shouts excitedly into the communicator on her forearm.
"Yes Ventress," Obi-Wan's stressed voice comes through the communicator, loud explosions, crumbling rock, and blaster fire full in the background.
"I have the royal family, but I was separated from Omicron Squad, can you retrieve them?"
"We have not advanced that far into the city Ventress, we cannot help them," Obi-Wan responds, as an uncontrollable feeling of helplessness and sadness wells up inside her.
"Then I will retrieve them," she blurts into the communicator.
"No, your missions is to see the royal family to safety, that is all that you should be concerned with," Obi-Wan responds.
"But master we would not have made it out if not for…"
"NO Ventress, you must focus," Obi-Wan yells through the communicator. "They have done their duty, now you must do yours and bring the royal family to safety," he commands sternly as she looks down towards the hanger.
"Commander Ventress there are droid STAPs inbound we must go," the pilot says, and her hand trembles before she closes it into a fist, torn between her duty and helping those she left behind. "COMMANDER, we are exposed here" the pilot yells, before Ventress slams the bottom of her fist against the wall of the gunship.
"Take off," she concedes, pained and torn, as the gunship lifts off from the balcony and climbs into the air. She leans out to see several droid STAPs closing in behind them, and quickly one of the gunships flying escort breaks off to engage the droids.
"Those droid sleds will easily outmaneuver the gunship," Ventress says staring out of the gunship, before she turns and looks to the pilot. "Whatever happens, make sure the royal family arrives safely at the command base."
"Commander I do not understand, are you…" she does not even allow clone pilot to finish his statement before she turns and leaps from the gunship. She draws both her lightsabers and ignites the blades before she beheads one of the droids, and throws one of her sabers into the chest of another, forcing it from its sled. She returns one of her lightsabers to her belt as she lands on the abandoned sled and calls her other lightsaber back to her hand, placing it on her belt as well.
"Bank left and I will cover you," she yells through her communicator, and following her command, the gunship makes a hard bank to the left bringing the pursuing droid sleds into her line of fire. She brings down two of the sleds with blaster fire, before the remaining two break off their pursuit and swing around towards her.
"Very well then," Ventress says pulling her hands from the controls and letting the STAP glide, as she draws her lightsabers. She deflects the blaster fire back into one of the droids and slashes the other as it passes on her right side, sending pieces raining down upon the city, as two more gunships fall into escort position around them.
"Well done Commander," she hears through her communicator, as she pulls up beside the gunship.
"Pilot take the royal family back to the command base," she orders through her communicator, before she breaks off and guns the STAP making a hard line back towards the hanger bay.
"Everyone goes home."
