Alright boys and girls, I'm back again. I think this is the chapter a lot of you have been awaiting since this little story began. Or at least one of them anyways. The gang is coming together. Sorry I don't have much to personally say beyond answering a few questions. As always, I think you all for taking the time to read this story. Also, I am always looking for feedback. If you don't think I am portraying a character properly, please let me know and I will try to improve myself there.
Andrew: I enjoyed seeing what they are going to do with Battlefront II, and I'm looking forward to their being a campaign. As far as multiplayer goes I'm hoping to see EA take a note from their Battlefield Franchise and have various war and conquest modes with a wider array of vehicles. I'd love to partake in some armor battles. AT-TE's vs AAT-1's.
I'm sorry to say I don't think Durge or Alpha-17 will be making an appearance. Durge because we'll already have a nice lineup of villans, and Alpha-17 simply because it will cause issues as to who the Captain of the 501st is, and I just don't think I could make that a fair competition, because to me Rex will always be the Captain of the 501st during the Clone Wars.
As for the Muunilist 10, you shall see. I will only say that they are a reinforced clone ARC squad, having ten members instead of the standard nine.
A lot of the clones and Jedi you have mentioned interest me greatly. Some might make brief appearances but I don't know about major ones. Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Rex will be the main three POV's I use in this story, with Kittani, Ahsoka, Padme, and possibly Boil having the occasional POV as well.
I can't say I've looked to deeply into Katarn Class armor. I know it's really only issued to Republic Commando's. If I decide to use any of them, then I'll research it. Same goes for many clone troopers who don't always play major roles. I'll come up with names, but for now it won't be over the top with them.
Sorry I can't reply to everything. Don't want my author's notes to be too long.
As always, thank you all for reading and for those who take the time to leave a review or drop a follow or like. To any of my fellow American's I wish you a happy (if somewhat late) Independence Day. As always, may the Force be with you all.
"Alright you lot! Get ammo'ed up and get your shebs on that Larty!" Anakin heard Rex call out as he stepped through the doors to the Hangar. Just as promised, there was a gunship waiting on them. Rex had a squad of men with him. His personal squad, including Kix and Jesse. Nine of them in all, counting Rex himself.
"Are the men ready to go Rex?" Anakin asked as he checked over his own armor. He'd taken a moment to change out of his Jedi robes and into his battle armor, just in case something turned ugly down below. The talk of gangs worried him about what his Padawan had gotten herself into this time.
"Ready as always General. Did you find any information?" Rex asked him.
"Yes, I did thankfully. With Master Yoda's help I have at least a general idea of where Ahsoka is. We're headed down to Level Thirteen-Thirteen."
Rex stiffened some. "Thirteen-Thirteen. I'll inform the men Sir." He said.
Anakin knew why, they'd been down at the level barely a month ago. It was where Trooper Fives had passed on. Anakin cared for the men under his command, he knew his battle tactics often put them at risk but he felt for each trooper that fell in battle. Even then, he knew that his captain cared for them far more than he did. The clones considered each other brothers, and Captain Rex took responsibility for the well being of each man under his command.
"Thank you, Rex." Anakin said as he clapped his friend on his armored shoulder. "And don't worry, I don't plan on loosing anyone down there. Not after last time. This time we're coming back. Twelve plus one."
Rex nodded, and Anakin knew the man was meeting his eyes. "Twelve plus one Sir." He said before climbing onto the Larty, Anakin behind him. The door closed, only the armored slats staying open to allow them a look to the outside. The gunship took off, soaring into the skies over the city planet. The shuttle speeding along at maximum power, just outside the fringes of the sky lanes of traffic as military vehicles could do.
Anakin closed his eyes, focusing on his Padawan. Now that he knew where to look, he could sense her presence in the force. They weren't far now, and while he couldn't sense much of her due to her masking her signature. It was enough that Anakin just knew he could find that ship. He had to find that ship. He'd been just about to snap away from his search, when he felt her fear levels spike, that brightening of her force signal as adrenaline
His eyes snapped open. "We'll have to head southeast once we get through the portal." He said. "Pilots. What's our ETA on the portal? As soon as we're there, we need to head southeast!"
"We're coming over it now Sir! But the gate patrol is giving us trouble. They want to talk to you General!"
Anakin sighed in exasperation, but nodded. "Alright. Put them on." He said. "Be ready for the drop though." He said.
The pilots gave him the affirmative and soon he was connected to the gate security team. "Shuttle Alpha-Niner Seven One. This is Gate ATC, we need you to clarify explicitly what it is that is causing such a damn rush!" Said the man. Not a clone by the sound of his voice.
"Gate Security, this is General Anakin Skywalker of the GAR. I am on a mission of vital importance to recover my second in command. I order you to let us through." Anakin snapped.
"Y…ye…yes Sir! Right away Sir! We're clearing a path for you now!" He said.
"Good. Thank you, ATC. Also, I need a track on a ship. A Ghtroc 720 freighter. Should've passed through here. Headed southeast. Standard hull with Yellow markings."
"We'll see what we can do General. I will radio you when I have something. You're clear to proceed through the gate at your discretion." The man said.
Anakin switched back to comms with the squad, "Alright boys. Cutter! We've got the all clear, think you can make up for the time we've lost here? I've got a feeling something's up." Anakin said.
"One order of time coming right up General! Hold on!" The clone pilot called out, and Anakin did along with the rest of the clones in the back. He didn't even manage to respond to the pilots quip before suddenly he both heard and felt the engines on the gunship go to idle.
The ship hung in the air for what felt like an eternity as Anakin realized what his pilot meant to do to make up time. "Hold on!" He shouted, using the force to keep himself rooted to the ground as the troopers all magnetized their boots. The ship was falling now, and as Anakin had guessed, his pilot pushed the nose of the ship downwards into a dive.
He could feel the G-forces pulling on him as they sped downwards, suddenly they shot through the large opening into the under-city, going down the vertical shaft. The sunlight followed them down, but as they descended more quickly it faded away, leaving them in a twilight. He felt the engines power back up, and the pilot slowly pulled the LAAT out of the nosedive, still descending rapidly but maintaining skilled control.
Eventually the ship leveled out, and they entered into the under-city proper. Everything was in a perpetual state of darkness. The natural light of the surface replaced with artificial lamps and glowing neon lights. It would be completely pitch black down here, if not for the glow of the city itself leaving everything in twilight.
Anakin sighed some as his equilibrium leveled out. He love flying, the experience of it all, but even he had to admit he didn't care for plummeting down a thousand levels of Coruscant and not being in control. He shook his head, and then heard the pilot.
"Sir, this is Cutter. We're bound southeast. Heading is three hundred. Any updates on what I'm looking for?" The pilot asked.
"Not currently, but keep an eye out for that freighter I mentioned to ATC. If not, then look for trouble. Where there's trouble, Ahsoka won't be far behind!" Anakin said as he scanned through the slats of the Larty's blast door.
"Understood Sir." The pilot said, moving to a position where he could watch the main traffic lanes.
"And Cutter, a little more warning before you decide to send us plummeting down a thousand levels of Coruscant. I think poor Rex is about to lose his lunch back here." He said
There was a chuckle from the radio, "I'll remember that next time General."
Anakin could see Rex shaking his head some, and grinned. He then closed his eyes again, focusing on trying to locate Ahsoka. He knew they were close now, very close, but he couldn't pinpoint her. Taking a deep breath, Anakin reached out to her. 'Ahsoka.'
There was a moment of nothing, but he felt her signature in the force brighten some. 'M..master!?' She called out to him. 'What, how?'
'All in time Ahsoka, where are you? I had a vision, I know you're in danger.' Anakin demanded.
'I don't know Master! My ship was hit, we crashed… agh! Master, I'm a little busy right now!'
Anakin snapped to attention at her grunt of pain, 'Just focus on the task at hand. Stop masking yourself from me so I can find you!'
There was no response, but he felt the flare in the force that was so clearly his young Padawan. Guiding him like a beacon to a ship. "Cutter, turn now, bearing 345. I've found her! Rex. Get your men ready!"
"On it Sir!" Cutter replied, the ship banking sharply.
"We're always ready Sir! You heard him boys, let's get our commander back!" Rex said, receiving a few shouts from the squads older members.
Anakin glanced out the window, and with the rate the gunship was moving it wasn't long before he saw flashes of blaster fire and flame in the distance, black smoke rising into the air in thin wisps. Security this far down was scarce, corrupt, and more focused on the heavily traveled areas. Gangs were rampant as well.
"You see that Cutter?"
"You bet I do General, get ready. Things might get a bit hot!" Cutter replied as the blast doors slid back, the wind hitting Anakin with force from the speed of the ship. He held onto one of the handholds dangling down, lightsaber in his other hand.
After passing a row of buildings, they saw one with its roof damaged, part of it knocked away. Down below, in a courtyard surrounded by rubble and flaming debris sat a ship, still partly burning. Anakin could see blaster fire being exchanged between two groups, one significantly outnumbering the other.
"General, it's way too hot down there. I can't land without risking them taking out the ship!"
"Understood Cutter, set down on the rooftops." Anakin said. The ship began descending but he could see the fire picking up from the larger side, undoubtedly the bandits. He couldn't wait. "Rex, meet me down on the ground!" Anakin said, and before they could protest he jumped from the LAAT.
A last minute force push was the only thing that prevented Anakin from breaking his legs when he landed. He stood, the fire having stopped at his surprising entrance as the gang members watched him. A Rodian and Human appeared out of cover, looking at him. "And just who do you think you are, get out of here before you get hurt lazerbrain!" One shouted. "Jumping in like that, thinking you're some Jedi!"
Anakin smirked, "Well, I mean. When you think about it." He ignited his blade, standing before them.
"J…Jedi!" The Human shouted, just before Anakin threw him back with a force push, knocking him into the building. The other's rose up, focusing fire on their new opponent, forcing Anakin to defend.
"M..master!" He heard a shout as he back up towards the cover of the downed ship. He finally dove behind the cover itself, seeing his Padawan and the boy from his vision.
"Snips, glad to see you're still finding trouble." He said, grinning.
"Oh you know me, just doing what I do best." She said before sending out a streak of blaster bolts at the enemy.
"Here, I thought you might want these back." He returned her lightsabers to her, which Ahsoka quite happily dropped the blaster for, she ignited them both, deflecting blaster bolts as well.
"Wait wait wait. You're a Jedi!?" The young man asked, shocked. "Why didn't you say anything?"
"Because I didn't want to bring it up! I am… I mean I was a Jedi. Okay?" She said, deflecting a few more blaster bolts back. "Besides, now really isn't the time!"
Anakin nodded, "What did you do to make them so mad?" He asked as a series of bright blue blaster bolts took down one of the gang members. "Well it's about time Rex!"
"Sorry Sir! Had a sniper to deal with first, they got a few assassin droids with em!" Rex called out as him and part of the squad rappelled down the buildings using their cables. As soon as they hit the ground they detached and entered the fire fight, laying down covering fire along with the troopers up above.
"Good to see you commander!" Rex called out as he kept up the fire with his dual blaster pistols. Anakin shook his head some, seeing how easily the Captain moved through combat and still held a conversation.
Between the withering fire and presence of not one but two Jedi, the gang members started falling back, abandoning the fight. Anakin sighed as the last one fled, he extinguished his lightsabers, turning to his Padawan. "I'm glad you're okay Ahsoka." He said.
She looked to him for a moment, her own lightsabers extinguishing as well. Then Ahsoka ran over to him, throwing her arms around him. Anakin smiled some, "It's good to see you too, Snips." He said.
"Why are you here Master, Rex? How did you guys find me?" She asked.
"I've been looking for you for a bit now Snips. Master Yoda helped me." He began, looking to her. "We'd like you to come back… some things have changed and something big is happening."
Ahsoka looked down for a moment, sighing some as she stared at her lightsabers in her hands. "I… I can't Master. Not after what happened..." She said softly, Anakin could feel the hurt in her. What the Jedi had done, how they'd abandoned her.
"Ahsoka, please. I know what you're feeling. I don't agree with what the Council did to you in any way at all. But they have changed… and with what's coming we need you… I need you Ahsoka." Anakin said, looking to her. He reached into an inner pocket of his battle robes, pulling out her old Padawan braid. "Even if you don't want to rejoin the Order… I could really use your help."
She sighed, and Anakin watched her. "I… I just can't rejoin the Order, Master. Not after what happened. I… You were the only one who tried to help me. Master Yoda, Master Windu… Even Obi-Wan and Master Plo basically stood by and let the trial happen." She said. "I'll help you Master… but I'm not a Jedi anymore."
Anakin sighed, but nodded in understanding. He gave her a smile though. "I understand." He said. "We should get out of here before they come back."
Suddenly the young man spoke up, "I'm sorry to break up this happy reunion. But Ashla, Ahsoka, whatever your name is… we still have a job to finish. Those people are waiting on the weapons we promised them." He said. "The ship's damaged… She could probably fly again, but it'll be limping. And we can't get her out of that rubble." He said.
Ahsoka sighed, "You're right Nix… Master… we have to do this. There's a group of citizens down here that a gang has been trying to control. They want to defend themselves but can't get weapons past the gang, we were delivering a few crates to them." She looked up to them
Anakin sighed, then looked to the young man. "If we can get the ship free of rubble, think you can get it airborne again kid?" He asked.
"Oh, I can get her flying again. I'll just have to be careful since she's tilted. But there's no way you can get that much rubble moved before those farkers come back." He said.
Rex chuckled, "Then you've clearly never seen two Jedi at work kid."
Nix sighed, "Alright. Show me this Jedi power that everyone talks about." He said. "And quit callin' me kid! I have a name. Nix Okami" He huffed indignantly.
Ahsoka just sighed, but smiled some. "What do you say Master? Think we can get this cleared?" She asked.
Anakin smirked. "Is a Hutt greedy?" Ahsoka smiled some as they turned to the rubble. Focusing on it, Anakin watched as it was moved at their will. Sliding away from the ship and onto the ground. The ship was resting at an odd angle though, wedged between two buildings. "Okami, get on board your ship and power it up."
He nodded, running to the ship and climbing inside. Anakin could see that one of the hyperspace engines was effectively gone, but with the other one able to provide power and the sublight drives still intact, the ship should be able to stay airborne.
Once he saw the young man up in the seat, Anakin grabbed the ship with the force. "Alright Ahsoka, here's the big one." He said. With her help, they slowly lifted the ship up and out of the courtyard it was in and up above the building roof tops. He saw the engines engage, and careful removed his grip from it, smiling as it stabilized.
"Ahsoka, tell your friend we'll be up in a moment. Rex! Call Cutter and have him ready for extraction. We'll need some support just in case those gangsters get troublesome again."
"On it Sir! You heard the General. Let's get up top, we've got a ride to catch!" Anakin watched as Rex and the other troopers reattached their ascension cables and began their way up the buildings.
Anakin nodded to Ahsoka, before using a force leap to get to the top. Another force leap carried him onto the open exit ramp, his Padawan behind him. "So, this is what you've been up to. Smuggling weapons past the smugglers?" He asked chuckling.
Ahsoka rolled her eyes at him. "What can I say, after spending so much time with you, I just can't seem to stay out of trouble Sky Guy." She smirked as they headed up into the cabin. "Come on, I'll give you the grand tour of this tub." She said jokingly.
Anakin nodded, smiling. He waited till his squad was safely on the Larty and airborne, then followed after her. Eager to finish this and bring her home.