Chapter 10

Assassination

Please reread the last chapter, when I posted small bit at the end got cut off, but it is there now, please enjoy

"We're going where now?" asked Aaron.

"Ryloth the Twi'lek home world." Said Ahsoka. "The CIS have gained a foothold on it…again," she said groaning the last word. "You think after we broke our backs to take it back the first time they would've put up a defensive fleet to protect it," she sighed "But our forces are spread thin. Kit Fisto lead a force onto the planet, but CIS reinforcements arrived and destroyed his fleet. Now he's stranded on the planet with his clone forces, and last we heard he's getting hammered pretty hard." The two of them were sitting in the HEV pod section of the ship, they were going to be arriving at Ryloth at any minute.

"How much of the planet do they control?" asked Aaron.

"Not very much," said Ahsoka "Only a small amount, they haven't been able to spread very far." She paused as an alarm blared throughout the section of the ship that they were in.

"That's my cue," said Aaron. "By the way take this," he said as he handed Ahsoka what looked like an earpiece. "I picked up this morning, it connects to the Battle-Net so you can contact anyone else connected to it at anytime."

Ahsoka smiled as she took the communicator. "Thanks," she said as she placed it in her ear.

Aaron got up and headed towards the pods, Amber, Ramore and Jen mimicking his moves on the opposite side of the room. "See you in a couple of hours," he said as he entered the pod and it automatically sealed itself.

Vadmare Katar's attack group exited slipspace around Ryloth. Ten CIS warships were blockading the planet, along with one command ship. On the bridge of the Glorious victory, Vadmare 'Katar sized up his opposition. "Ten to eleven," he muttered to himself. "Not a fair fight…for them. All ships fire at will!" he commanded. The MAC guns on the four UNSC ships fired, tearing through the CIS ships like they weren't there, one actually tearing through a second one, effectively destroying all of them. The CSS-battlecruisers let lose a barrage of plasma torpedoes and pulse lasers, destroying three ships and damaging the remaining warships and the command ship. The surviving ships made to run, but the UNSC ships let lose a barrage of Archer missiles, eliminating the already damaged ships. "They never stood a chance," Vadmare grunted to himself. "These fools know not what giant they have awakened. Deploy ground forces!" he shouted.

Aaron felt a familiar jolt as the HEV pods were released from their clamps. The pods fell through the atmosphere. All of a sudden, shudders passed through the pods that did not normally occur when pods were falling. "What's going on!?" Aaron shouted.

"The CIS are firing some sort of AA weapon at us," Jen replied through the screen in the pod. "Don't worry, were moving so fast the chance of them hitting is one in a…" Jen's transmission was cut off, as Aarons pod was flung violently to the side. A shot from one of the AA guns had glanced it, causing it to be flung off widely. Aaron held on for dear life as his pod spun wildly heading way off course. Then with a sickening crash, it slammed into the ground, causing Aaron to slam into the side as it the pod ground to a stop.

"Ow," muttered Aaron as he pulled himself to his feet. He hit the button that opened the door, but a red light lit up, showing that something was wrong and that the doors couldn't open. Sighing, Aaron hit the triggers for the explosive bolts and covered his ears. The doors was blown off it's hinges and flew several feet before it hit the ground with a thud. Grabbing his sniper rifle and SMG, Aaron climbed out of the pod.

"Aaron, AARON!" shouted Amber over the Battle-Net. "Are you there?"

"I'm here Amber," said Aaron as he took a look at where he had landed. He seemed to have crashed on top of a cliff. "My pod went off course," he said as he walked to the edge of the cliff in order to get a look of where he was. "I can't see any friendly forces from where I am I…whoa," he said as he dropped to a prone position.

"What?" asked Amber.

"I think I stumbled across something," he muttered. There was a huge structure within view of his position. He detached his rifle from his back and looked down the scope. "Looks like a CIS base," he said into his com unit. "Pretty high security, hundreds, maybe thousands of droids," he said as he swept the base with his rifle. "Oh look," he said, "What was that name of that white skinned bitch? Ventress? She's here."

"What?" said Ahsoka entering the Battle-Net frequency. "Ventress is there?"

"Yeah," said Aaron. "She's talking to some sort of alien I don't recognize. It's wearing some sort of suit, looks like it has some sort of life support."

"Sounds like Wat Tambor," said Ahsoka. "He's on the CIS council."

Aaron's eyes widened. "Amber, contact the Fleetmaster," he said. "Tell him I've discovered the position of one of the CIS's main leaders…and I have a clear shot."

Vadmare 'Katar gritted his mandibles as the Phantom he was in landed. As he jumped out, he saw a small number of clones, accompanied by the forces that had dropped from orbit, making a counter offensive against the droids. He had requested that Anakin, Ahsoka, and Padmé had remain on the ship in case they needed to be deployed elsewhere. Aayla Secura had insisted, however, that she accompany him to the planet. She landed next to him, light saber ignited, and ready for combat.

At the head of the clone counter-attack, Kit Fisto was fighting furiously against the droids, making slow but steady progress. His job was made considerably easier, when a Jiralhanae Chieftain, wielding a Gravity Hammer and with his shields temporarily overcharges so that he was practically invincible, jumped in the middle of the droids and started swinging his hammer widely, sending droids flying. Vadmare fired several bursts from his plasma rifles, but the battle was already over, the droids were retreating. Several squads of Marines went after them, rifles firing, but it was of little concern.

"Fleetmaster!" shouted Amber as she ran towards Vadmare. "My brother just contacted me, his pod went off course but he found a CIS base. He's got a clear shot at one of the CIS's top leaders, someone called Wat Tambor."

"Tambor?" said Aayla "He was the one who lead the invasion of Ryloth two years ago."

"And now he has returned to finish the job," Vadmare snarled. "It is true that he used civilians as human shields?" Aayla nodded. "I thought he was captured…he escaped didn't he?"

"That's right," said Aayla, who noticed a certain look in Vadmare's eyes. "I know what your thinking, there has got to be a better way. He deserves to live just like every other living thing.

"That may be true," said Vadmare. "The choice is an easy one to make." he raised his hand to his earpiece. "Colton, take the shot."

"I will not retreat," said Wat Tambor defiantly, "We have not lost yet."

Ventress let out a snarl. "The order came directly from Dooku himself," she said, anger heavy in her voice "The last time you disobeyed his orders, you were captured by the Republic. With these Allied Species joining the war on the Republic's side, we won't be able to save your sorry hide a second time."

"It's a risk I'm willing to take," said Tambor "I will remain her and direct my forces from the front, until it becomes evident that I must…" Tambor was silenced as a shot broke through the sky. A bullet tore through Tambor's skull and make and exit wound, killing him instantly. Almost instantly, Ventress ignited her light sabers and blocked another bullet, this one aimed at her. Eight more shots broke out, aiming at Ventress, but she managed to block or avoid every last one.

"You have got to be kidding me," said Aaron as he ejected the clip from his sniper rifle and replaced it with a fresh one. "Fleetmaster," said Aaron speaking into his com unit "Wat Tambor is dead, but I couldn't kill Ventress, apparently she can block bullets even if you fire them from a mile away."

"Very well," said Vadmare's reply "Get out of there Colton, if half of what have heard about Ventress if true then you are in great danger there."

"You don't need to tell me twice," said Aaron as he holstered his sniper rifle onto the magnetic clamp on his back and stood up. He was about to turn away, when he saw what he thought was a red speck moving towards his position, rather quickly. He realized almost instantly what that speck was. "Oh shit," he said as he grabbed his SMG and ran as fast as he could in the opposite direction, thought he had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach that it wasn't fast enough.

"Aaron killed Wat Tambor?" asked Anakin. "It took up days to catch him last time, Master Windu nearly got blown to pieces while he was capturing him."

"Well that's the difference," said Ahsoka "We captured him, Aaron just blew a hole in his head, from a couple miles away too." They both laughed. "I wonder what he's doing…" Ahsoka paused as she put her hand to the communicator that Aaron had given to her.

"I repeat Ventress is right on my ass!" came Aaron's panicked voice from over the Battle-Net. "I can probably outrun her for five minutes tops! Any support or extraction would be greatly appreciated!"

Vadmare's voice thundered over the Battle-Net next. "Colton Phantoms can not reach your position in time. Is there anyway anyone can get to Colton's position in the next five minutes?" Ahsoka was already moving, heading towards the fighter bay.

"Snips, where are you doing?" asked Anakin. Ahsoka did not answer, as she rounded the corned, and left Anakin's line of view.

"Oh what the fuck was I thinking?" Aaron cursed himself as he ran across the rocky surface a Ryloth, not daring to look behind, for fear of what he might see. Without warning, what felt like a sledge hammer slammed into Aaron's back, causing him to stumble and fall face first into the ground. He rolled over onto his knees and saw Ventress closing on him with fighting speed. Aaron fired his SMG, aiming at Ventress, but the Dark Jedi simply deflected his bullets only slowing down a little. A cold clicking emitted from the gun, indicating that the clip was empty. Aaron had enough to whisper "Fuck," before he began to writhe in unbelievable agony. Lighting was emanating from Ventress' fingertips electrocuting Aaron, having torn through his shields in seconds.

After about thirty seconds, Ventress stopped, leaving Aaron laying on the ground, smoking and panting heavily. "I imagine you're wondering why you're still alive." Ventress hissed softly.

'No shit,' Aaron thought weakly.

"Well let me tell you. Force lighting be lethal, but when it's force it merely causes extreme agony. And let me tell you something else, I was charged with protecting Wat Tambor, and with dead, Dooku will be very displeased with me. So consider this revenge for the suffering I will go through because of your actions," she said as she began to electrocute Aaron again.

Aaron roared in pain as Force lighting coursed through his body. 'This isn't regular electricity,' Aaron found himself thinking despite the pain. "If it was I would be dead by now. What the hell is this?' Ventress released her stream of Force lighting as Aaron slumped onto the ground, finding it difficult to breathe. As he stared up at the sky, he could swear he saw a black dot. 'Lighting must be affecting my brain,' he thought.

"This is your own fault," said Ventress a sadistic glee in her voice. "This is what you get when you ally yourselves with the Republic."

'Is it me or is that dot getting bigger?' Aaron thought. "You know," said Aaron pointing behind Ventress "It looks like Ahsoka lost her marbles and is about to ram you with her fighter.

Ventress gave a laugh. "How stupid to you think I am?!" she shouted as she raised her hands to electrocute Aaron again but stopped when she heard a noise similar to that off something speed through the air at high speed. She turned around to see a Jedi fighter speeding towards her position. Aaron mustered all of the strength in his body just to roll out of the way. Ventress jumped out of the way, barley avoiding the fighter as it crashed into the ground and exploded.

"Well, well if it isn't the hairless harpy," came Ahsoka's voice. She had bailed out of the fighter seconds before it had crashed, using the Force to slow her fall. She was facing Ventress, her light saber ignited.

"Skywalker's brat," Ventress spat "Come to save your little friend?"

"Yes," said Ahsoka, as she dashed forward with incredibly speed and swung at Ventress. Ventress blocked with both of her light sabers and countered by with both of her light sabers vertically only to be blocked by Ahsoka. The Togrutan jumped back to avoid another swipe from Ventress, then jumped forward, swinging at Ventress' knees. Ventress blocked and threw a Force push at Ahsoka who barely dodged.

Aaron forced himself to face in the direction of Ventress and Ahsoka as they traded blows. He had been exhausted by Ventress' Force lighting assault, and even the most simple action was taking him a great deal of effort. Ahsoka was moving with great speed, trying to tire Ventress out, while Ventress was executing all out assaults on Ahsoka. "Damnit Aaron don't just lie on your ass," he muttered do something!" he glanced down at his belt. A standard issue combat knife was there, but there was no way he could throw it.

Ahsoka and Ventress continued to trade blows. Ahsoka attempted to jump over Ventress' head and slash her from behind, but Ventress predicted her move and blocked the attack, and then threw a stab at Ahsoka's gut. The Jedi was not fast enough. The light saber pierced her side, causing her to cry out in agony and drop her light saber. Ventress slashed at Ahsoka's light saber, cutting it in half. Ventress then moved forward deactivating one of her light sabers, and grabbing Ahsoka by the throat and lifting her a few feet off of the ground. "Skywalker's mighty apprentice defeated," she said mockingly as Ahsoka's face was contorted with pain. "Any last words?"

Ahsoka forced herself to stay focused, fighting the pain. As she struggled to breath despite the fact that Ventress was choking her, she noticed Aaron behind Ventress, holding something up in the air as if it was causing him a great deal of agony. "No?" said Ventress. "Alright then," she said as she raised her light saber.

Ahsoka opened the palm of her hand, and the knife in Aaron's fist flew out of it's sheath and landed in Ahsoka's hand. Just as Ventress was about to bring her light saber down, Ahsoka brought Aaron's knife up, burring it up to the hilt in Ventress' throat. "How's this for last words?" Ahsoka whispered to Ventress, who was now gagging on her own blood. "If you're going to kill someone, do it, don't standing there gloating about it."

Ventress dropped Ahsoka and her light sabers as she fell to the ground and pulled the knife out of her throat. But with the knife out, the bleeding only increased and Ventress continued to twitch and writhe on the ground until she ceased to move. Ahsoka simply stared at dead body, horrorstruck. "I didn't think she would suffer like that," she muttered "I thought it would kill her instantly. Scooping up the halves of her light saber, she was delighted to find that the crystal had survived, and Ventress' light sabers she limped over to where Aaron lay.

"That was amazing, Ahsoka," Aaron painted as he forced himself into a kneeling position. "I lasted three seconds against that bitch, you downright beat her."

Ahsoka gave a weak grin. "I would've died if you hadn't shown me your knife," she said.

"And would've died if you hadn't shown up," Aaron retorted "So let's call it even. Now lay down, I need to take a look at that wound."

Well Wat Tambor and Ventress are both dead. Tell me what you think about it in a review, and yes I recall all of the reviews saying that Ahsoka was no Sergeant Forge so I changed it, you happy now?