One strange adventure. Chapter 11 – The Great Jedi Purge.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"BOOM!!!" Rika was awaken by a strong explosion. The next thing she heard was blaster shooting, lightsaber humming, and screams of the dying. The smell of burned corpses and dust from the explosions was in the air. "The separatist must have attacked! But how on Earth they managed to break into Coruscant? It is fortified by the best of the Republic Starfleet, also has a large contingent of ground forces… And why the Jedi temple?" these thoughts blazed through Rika's mind as she grabbed her lightsaber and rushed from the room.

She managed to make only few passes from her room, when, suddenly, three regular clone troopers rushed in from the corner, with their guns ready to fire. But before Rika managed to ask them about what is happening, one of the clones, obviously the leader, screamed:

"There she is! Kill her!" and the next moment the other troopers started to shoot at Rika, aiming to kill. Rika barely evaded their blaster volleys and deflected away few shots before force –slamming the attackers against the wall. She didn't think anything at the moment, she was too shocked by the fact that the troopers had actually turned on her. Clones, however, didn't die from her effort, they were only incapacitated. "That sure was close… I must find Renamon!" Rika thought as she tried to scan the building with the Force, to locate her digimon. She failed to do so, however, because her attempts were blocked by something. And that something was dark, and far more powerful than Rika.

"Such darkness… Oh no, that must be the Sith! Renamon, where are you? Why you have to disappear somewhere when I need you?" Rika thought as she was going to make another turn around the corner. And in exactly the same moment 4 more troops came out of that corner. Rika screamed out of fear and surprise, and was about to slash the trooper with her sword, but suddenly stopped. Her little hand with the sword was stopped by that large armored hand of the trooper. However, it hasn't brought any harm, and the other troops didn't raise their rifles when Rika appeared. And, when Rika shook of her fright, she recognized the soldier's armor. Yellow stripes on it were far too familiar.

"Rika, thank God we have found you!" the trooper with yellow stripes, Scorch, said with worry in his voice.

"Err… Um… Sorry, Scorch. I was just so scared after some clone troopers almost shot me… Can you tell me what the hell is happening? Have those clones gone insane? They are attacking the Jedi everywhere!" Rika said very rapidly, without even taking a breath. She still was pretty shocked. When she calmed down, she noticed that the soldiers were very reluctant to answer.

"Well? Are you going to tell me?" she asked again, yet it sounded more like a demand.

"It's… Order 66." Boss replied after a long pause. After that they all turned their faces away from Rika's questioning glare, as if they were not able to look in her eyes again.

"Order 66? What that?" Rika asked. She didn't understand a thing, and still was a bit scared and confused.

"Order 66… Encrypted in the head of every clone trooper … since their birth. According to that order … we, clones, must … destroy all the Jedi…" Fixer squeezed out of himself with much effort. A long and silent pause was held. This revelation petrified Rika for a minute. She took some steps back and ignited her lightsaber again. Clones didn't move even a bit from their position, standing motionless, like some statues. For a few seconds, there was silence, and only slight humming of Rika's lightsaber was breaking it.

"So… so you are… here to follow … that order, r… right?" Rika managed to mumble. She was very scared now. People, whom she knew well and whom she considered friends, now, apparently, were about to shoot her with cold blood. But, appearances may be deceiving. An uncomfortable silence was held of a half of a minute, but none has moved. Finally, a dim voice was heard from Sev:

"No…" This short word turned Rika out of her stupor. She looked at the trooper with a misunderstanding glare, repeating in her head again what she just heard.

"What?" she asked again. She didn't believe what she just heard.

"I said … NO." Sev replied again, only this time much clearer and more confident.

"No."

"No."

"No." his brothers echoed him.

"B… but, you're … clones! You were made to obey orders!" Rika said in disbelief. She still didn't realize what she just heard.

"True, we should obey … our orders. But we have a will of our own. We refuse to obey an order that forces us to betray our friends. No, we will not attack you, Rika, or Renamon, or any other Jedi." Boss replied after much hesitation.

"But you would be considered traitors of your oath! Then you would be in big trouble! Why are you doing this?" Rika exclaimed. For a second she forgot about her own safety, and was concerned about their. She still remembered that discussion, where Fixer said, that the only punishment for disloyal clones is death. Then, suddenly, all 4 troopers turned their heads in her direction, and for a moment Rika could have sworn that she felt them smile under their helmets.

"I do what I think is right." Scorch said with determination.

"I have found someone, whose safety is worth dying for." Fixer added.

"After all, friends stand for each other…" Boss started.

"And do not betray." Sev ended. Rika didn't expect such an honest explanation from their part. Her fear of being shot by them disappeared completely, now Rika saw those troopers for what they really are – faithful companions and allies.

"You mean … you will remain on my side?" she asked.

"Until the end. Now, let's go find our teacher, I mean Renamon!" Scorch said cheerfully as always, and the whole group went down the corridor…

…When the whole shooting started, Renamon was at the gardens, meditating. It was a way for her to ease her mind and clear her thoughts. Her lightsaber, Rika's gift, was always in her hand. Rena carried it everywhere she went, she was very attached to the weapon, and learned with zeal to use it, thanks to Shaak Ti, who agreed to teach Renamon to fight with a lightsaber.

Suddenly, her thoughts were brutally disturbed by the explosions, shooting and screaming, coming from the entrance to the Temple and from the youngling training chamber. Rena's first thought was to rush to Rika immediately, when she suddenly heard painful moaning and screams for help coming from the youngling's chamber.

Renamon changed a lot since she started to live in the Jedi Temple too. If in the past she would have left unnoticed those screams, now she failed to ignore these cries for help. Rena darted quickly from the gardens to the room, from which the screams were heard. She was not afraid of anyone, her skills were more then enough to fight even a Sith, because she was invulnerable to Force attacks, thanks to the amulet with Ysalamiri on her neck.

Renamon suddenly stopped. From a window she witnessed what was happening in the main hall of the Temple. Clones, there were clones everywhere and they were shooting and killing the Jedi. Jedi tried to fight back and slew many troops, but were outnumbered by six to one, and slowly their numbers dwindled. Clone troopers were advancing without any thought or hesitation, killing any Jedi in front of them, despite gender or age. They were not taking any prisoners, and shot the wounded on sight. Renamon was petrified from horror, from that destruction and death she suddenly witnessed. Another plea for help came from the youngling chamber, and turned Renamon out of stupor. She darted into the room…

…What she saw there almost made her faint from horror. Renamon was no coward, yet what she saw was too much even for her. There were corpses of slaughtered younglings everywhere, with their body parts accurately cut away from them with a lightsaber. They all have suffered quick and gruesome deaths, their still faces were expressing almost animal fear. Most of the bodies were missing heads or were cut in two, but there was no blood. "Lightsaber – a weapon of civilized time, it cauterizes the wound and does not leave blood." this thought quickly came through Rena's mind.

However, there were other people in the chamber. A tall man in a brown cloak with a hood, holding a blue lightsaber in his metallic hand. His eyes were yellow, and face was expressing hatred and anger towards all Jedi. It was he who slaughtered the children, and already raised his blade to dispatch the last one – a little girl who was paralyzed by fear and was lying on the floor. "I won't let you do it, you accursed Sith!" Renamon though, as she felt her blood boiling from righteous anger. To her hatred towards all the Sith was now added horror of what they have just done. She was not going to forgive these deaths.

The Sith swung his lightsaber in ordered to make the final blow. The little girl closed her eyes and awaited death. But, suddenly, it didn't happen. She opened one eye and saw that the sith's blade was blocked by the blade of a strange yellow creature. She saw that creature only a couple of times within the academy.

"Girl, run!" she suddenly heard the creature's voice. Even though the girl was paralyzed by fear, her survival instinct triumphed over it, as she darted from the grim chamber with an impressive speed. The Sith was completely surprised that his blow was deflected, and was amazed by the appearance of the creature, Renamon, as well.

"Who are you, monster?" he asked with amazement.

"ME? A MONSTER? I don't slay innocent children!" Renamon nearly screamed at him and charged to attack, delivering most violent and rapid blows from all directions…

…Rika and those 4 commandos were running through the maze of turns and corridors within their section of the Temple. They tried to find a breach to escape, but everywhere they went they encountered heavy resistance. Clone troops were around every corner. After dispatching some patrols, they found themselves in a rather wide corridor. After half – passing through it, suddenly, another squadron of clone troopers appeared on the other end of the corridor, and started to shoot.

"Damn, there is no cover here, we're nailed." Boss said heavily while evading some blaster bolts.

"Don't worry, I'll provide you cover, just take those guys down, I won't be able to hold them for long." Rika replied, and started to swing her violet lightsaber rapidly, to deflect blaster bolts coming at her and her friends…

…It was just at that moment, not far away from the fighting in the corridor, a large portal opened. It was not that stable, but at least in was able to hold its form. Shortly after, it spitted out two children and their digimon. You can guess who those were.

"Whoa, talking about a bumpy ride." Takato said, after getting on his feet.

"Totally, however, don't forget why we are here." Henry replied, after getting on his feet as well.

"Takatomon, I smell something strange in the air. Like that time when you cut your arm with a knife accidently!" strange red dinosaur said with a rather childish intonation.

"You mean blood? C'mon people, we have to find Rika, according to Yamaki's calculations, she should be here somewhere! She may be in trouble." Takato screamed, as they all went to the place, where the shooting was heard.

When they have arrived to the place, they saw a rather strange picture. Some white - clad troopers were shooting at a girl with a strange glowing sword, but the girl deflected those bolts back. Takato, Henry and their digimon watched it all from afar for a couple of seconds.

"Wait, that girl… She looks familiar… Wait, isn't that … Rika?" Henry questioned his friend.

"Yes, it is she!!! They are shooting at Rika! Guilmon, take them down!" Takato screamed and nearly panicked.

"Sure thing, I go to rescue Rika." Guilmon replied and slammed in the trooper line from behind. They have obviously not spotted the strange visitors…

…Rika grew weary of constant bolt deflecting, when some red dinosaur slammed into the enemy line from behind, tossing troopers around like puppets. Her commandos raised their guns at the dinosaur when it appeared, but to Rika this creature was too familiar, along with the green rabbit that followed close behind.

"What the hell are those?" Sev muttered and raised his gun to shoot the dinosaur, but Rika stopped him with a scream:

"Wait, don't shoot!" The trooper obeyed the command and lowered his gun.

"Why? Who are they?" Sev asked when he spotted two boys coming along with the creature.

"I… I recognize them. They are Rika's friends from the picture she showed me once. Don't shoot!" Boss replied. After all of the clone troopers were down, "strangers" have suddenly stopped. They had a reason too. Takato and Henry did recognize Rika by her face, however, it seemed strange to them that she wore some strange brown robes instead of her usual garment, and held a fiery lightsaber in her hand. Also 4 clone commandos behind her were looking rather hostile. That's why Takato approached them with extreme caution, accompanied by Henry and their digimon, and when he got close enough, he asked:

"Rika … is that you?" At this moment Rika finally went out of another stupor. She thought that this was a hallucination of her mind, but now she was sure it's real. Takato was about to say something else, but was stopped by a really wide smile that appeared on Rika's face.

"Why so shyly, Gogglehead? Of course it's me! Did I change beyond recognition?" she asked very cheerfully. Rika felt she wanted to cry and laugh at the same time from happiness, she was really happy to se those guys, but, with a considerable effort, held that desire. Jedi training, after all. When she said that, Takato's face expressed his happiness with a much wider smile.

"Thank goodness we have found you! We were worried sick! We thought we would never see you again!" he said with both happiness and concern in his voice.

"Me too, Takato, me too." Rika replied suddenly somewhat sadly. She just remembered all that she felt when she understood that she was stranded in this universe, stripped away from her friends. Boys noticed that sadness, as well as the fact that Rika called Takato by his name, which was used rather seldom.

"Anyway, how did you get here? Don't tell me that Indramon hit you too." Rika added with concern.

"Err, it's a long story…" Takato tried to evade the answer, but Henry didn't let him.

"Not that long as you say, Takato. When you disappeared into the rift, Rika, Takato became REALLY angry and violent. Whoa, you should have seen him! His anger powered him ten times as he biomerged with Guilmon, and grinded Indramon into dust. He was more ferocious than a hurricane! After that he found Yamaki and said that if he won't find a way to bring you back, he will smash his Hypnos into a pile of rubble. Actually, that's why we're here." Henry finished his little story. Rika looked at him with an amazed glare, then at Takato. She would have never thought that this friendly boy is capable of such anger, as Henry described.

"Anger is a dark emotion. It brings only suffering, so it would be for the best not to feel such emotion at all." Rika said to Takato, surprising him and Henry this time.

"Since when did you become a pacifist, Rika? Oh, and I have to ask, where did you learn to fight with that shiny sword of yours? I mean, you're here only for a week, and you already learned to deflect bullets!" Takato tried to turn her last phrase into a joke, but stopped, as Rika's eyes widened beyond proportion.

"A week? What do you mean? I've been here for a year at least!" she said in disbelief.

"Confirmed. Almost one standard year has passed since we first met Rika." Fixer entered the discussion.

"A year? That explains many things. Maybe time flows slowly in this reality than in our own. I have one more question though, who are these guys?" Henry asked after proposing his little theory.

"They? Oh, they're my good friends." Rika replied swiftly.

"Scorch."

"Sev."

"Fixer."

"Boss. Pleased to meet you, Takato, Henry. Rika spoke very highly of you." Boss said after they all have introduced themselves.

"Hey, guys! Aren't we missing someone? Where's Renamon?" Terriermon's was heard from below.

"Oh, yeah, we totally forgot about her. Alright, people, enough chat, we have to find her!" Rika said to everyone, and, as they were about to go further, suddenly a small girl crossed their path. When the girl saw them, she stopped in her tracks, fell to the ground and crawled to the corner. Her face was expressing fear.

"P…please, don't hurt me, Sith. I didn't … do anything wrong…" she mumbled, while shaking.

"Sith? What's that?" Henry inquired.

"That's a nickname I was given by the other students here for my impulsive temper." Rika explained as she approached the shaking girl.

"Don't worry, you are safe, we won't hurt you. Tell me, haven't you seen my friend Renamon around?" she asked with a peaceful expression on her face and with a kind intonation.

"Wow, time sure can change people…" Takato whispered to Henry quietly. They were quite amazed, even though they knew already that Rika spent here a year, but still, she was a completely different person.

"R… Renamon? You m… mean your strong yellow f… friend? She s… saved me…" the girl managed to mutter.

"Saved you? How so?" Rika inquired.

"He suddenly had gone insane… He came in our chamber … and … and…" the girl said and started to cry.

"Don't worry, calm down. Tell us what happened, maybe we'll be able to help…" Rika asked patiently.

"He started to kill us… He killed everyone, except me… And when he was about to kill me too, your friend appeared, and took on a fight with him, with Master Skywalker. I managed to run… They must be still fighting in the youngling chambers, if it's not too late already…" the girl finally said.

"Master Skywalker? That's impossible! He's, like, the hero of the Republic! A Jedi of great strength and potential! He killed Darth Tiranus, the Sith Lord!" Rika exclaimed in disbelief. She remembered that not a while ago she and Renamon celebrated this, the death of their sworn enemy.

"Unfortunately, it's true. In our orders general Skywalker is now briefed as Lord Darth Vader." Sev said with a grim tone. Rika's face expression changed from amazement to horror.

"Henry, you asked what is a Sith, right?" she asked with a dim tone. It distorted both Henry and Takato, they understood that something grim is about to happen.

"Yes…" Henry hissed.

"You're about to see for yourself…" Rika replied even dimmer, as they all went down the corridor. The little girl was too scared to stay alone, so she followed the rest of the group…

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DON'T FORGET ABOUT REVIEWS! (^_^)