You've waited, and waited and finally it has paid off. Evil-Tree has finished his exams and is back and now posting the newest and excruciatingly long chapter, Destroying the Past: Chapter 11.
I've also taken the time to spell check and replace all my existing chapters at the request of Zangetsu's power and MaxKnight. I hope it meets your expectations now.
Now, after so long here it is. And for those that can't remember what happened, just read the recap at the start.
Enjoy :D
Star Wars: Destroying the Past
Chapter 11, Camille's Revelation
"Friends and subordinates are not always the same thing."
Skirmish on Farrfin! After the Padawan's were discovered by Plo Koon and his troops, the deadly Asajj Ventress ambushed them. After executing nearly all clones and sending an attack on the Farghul village, the Jedi master and fugitives have retreated into a trap, with no help available from any of their allies. Now tech prodigy, Camille Pine, tying to connect with her lightsaber in the face of death, is left alone and without a clue.
Camille felt as if she was slipping away. Everything around her disappeared, she saw only a white light. "Is this what it feels like to communicate with one of our Lightsabers?" she thought, felling suspended in this limbo between worlds. She felt light headed and as if the world around her was reforming itself. The light faded. This was it. She was entering the inner world. The others talked about this. She beamed a wide open smile…but it dropped. As just like in the real world, she began to fall.
"Whoa, whoa, waaaaahhhhh!" she flapped her hands, try to stop her falling backwards. It didn't work. She fell on her back and rolled down. "Ow, ahh. Ow. Cra- Ow!" She kept rolling and twisting down what seemed to be a hill, the grass not cushioning her bruises the slightest. She final reached the bottom, face first, filling her mouth with soil and grass. She immediately spat it out.
"Phtt! Phtt! Phut! Agggk!" It was in her throat and she started to cough to get it out, spitting out grass. "Gross! Argg!" The taste of earth and grass was fresh in her mouth and soil still lingered between her teeth. Her eyes widened at a sudden thought.
"Hair!" she felt it to see if any accessories were gone or damaged. "Let's see Kanzashi from Japan, African butterfly clip, part of a Krath war droid…" she ran her hands thought, over and inside her hair muttering. Camera parts, hydro spanner and many patterned beads were checked. "Yep, all seems to be there." She looked at her clothing- and frowned. The earth went into her cleavage and down her leotard. "Great" she said sarcastically. She couldn't get it out without taking the garment off. "Where the hell am I anyway- Whoa!"
The tech prodigy looked around properly at the world. It was a flat valley with emerald green grass and small mounds. The cliffs surrounding it, unlike Andraw's plain rocky mountains, were made of bone white chalk with the turf on the tops. Strong healthy trees rooted near the bases of the mountains, a slow moving river ran through and the sky was a brilliant blue with rolling clouds. She got up, ignoring the discomfort in her chest, and looked at the practical Eden through the midday sun.
"Is this really my inner world?" she wondered aloud "If it is, where's my lightsaber?" She looked around, searching for her salvation when she did return.
Pine's lightsaber watched her from above at the top of a nearby tree. He eyed her, studied her and lowered his head in disapproval. Still, he though she deserved a chance so the weapon hopped down and glided to a nearby rock. He landed, flapping to catch her attention.
Cam turned sharply to the source. Her eyes widened. On the white rock was a Golden Eagle. She only called it a Golden Eagle by the colour. It had golden feathers and eyes to match. It's talons were sharp and it's pose was strait and sophisticated. Unlike Cam who's face was covered in dirt and her clothes as well. The raptor wore shining feathers, she wore lewd clothes. He stared at her like he was superior, Camille stared with her gob open.
"Are…are you my Lightsaber?" she was hesitant to ask, she suddenly felt nervous around this creature.
"Yes." The bird replied with a low, all knowing voice.
"Wow this is incredible you this world though I thought my inner world would be filled with tech and circuit boards Oh not that this isn't good or anything it's great and did I say my inner world I meant ours since you spend more time in it then me so it could count as yours my friends are in trouble but you probably know that being part of me and all sorry if I offended you but I need your help!" she bent down panting hard. She looked to the Eagle. It hadn't moved an inch, it just stared at her. "God" she thought, covering her face with her hands "he must think I'm such a loser!"
"Sorry again for that." the Tech prodigy, slower than before. "Anyway, the guys have told me no time passes when we're here right?"
"Yes."
"Good. I need to get of the cliff and help Nik, Koon and the clone. Are you going to…teach me. Teach me how to release you?" Camille asked, smiling. Seeing her lightsaber in her own world was something she wished to do all the time. Wide eyes gazed at the raptor and it's magnificence.
"No." The word echoed through the valley. Cam's smile dropped and her spirit sank.
"What? But you're my lightsaber, you're supposed to help me."
"No."
"Please help me, you're my only hope." The eagle glared at her.
"You still don't get it." The golden bird took off without saying another word.
"Hey wait! Come back! I need you!" her shouts were in vain. She saw the silhouette in the sky move to a cliff top, then was out of sight. A first she didn't move. Then sank to her knees on the grass. This was too much. Her own lightsaber was abandoning her. She begged for him to help her. All she needed was his name.
"Why did he abandon me? I begged him, doesn't he know what's a stake?" she was close to crying, but wiped it away. "No. I don't cry and he isn't telling me everything. What could he mean 'still don't get it'?" Clenching her fist she glared at where her weapon was, at the top of a cliff. "That's not going to stop me." she muttered and ran to the cliff.
From what she could tell there were no paths up so the only option was to climb the wall of chalk. Despite looking smooth from the colour there were plenty of cracks and crevices to use as handholds. Cam began to climb, ignoring the heights, the drop and lack of safety wires.
"Why does this feel like déjà vu?" she said, sarcasm thicker than oil. Looking up she saw a tree rooted into the edge of the cliff. On the thinnest branch it could possibly rest on the Avian predator ignored her, looking to the other side of the valley.
"Listen" Cam shouted "I'm sorry if I said anything bad but if you would just give me a clue as to what you are doing…" Her lightsaber kept looking. Padawan Pine reached for another groove and pulled herself further upwards. "He's testing me, but it can't be something as simple as scaling a cliff. What does he want?" She kept going. After a few minutes she was only a few meters from her target. She saw the detail of every feather, like indented gold brought to life. His feathers moved in the wind but his figure remained poised. She knew she wasn't in the best shape, her clothes were covered in soil and chalk, outside and inside much to her annoyance. She didn't dress in gold feathers but playfully exposed garments. "No, it can't be appearance, when we met I must have done something-" Her foot slipped as the chalk gave way. Her other foot and her left hand lost their grip too. She looked down, chalk debris fell to the base of the cliff. It was a very long way down, afraid of heights or not she could see she was in danger.
She reached for more cliff face but none would hold her at all. Kicking her legs she tried to get a hold but more of the cliff just fell away. Her strength was being drained from the effort of keeping her alive. No wires, no other handholds, no chance of a soft landing and no one to help her but- Would he help her? She looked to her weapon. If he didn't help a while ago why would he help now?
Her eyes were soft from the betrayal of her sword, but in an instant they became slits as sharp as daggers. Her free hand clenched into a fist. "I came to him, begging for help and he turned me down. He's doomed me and might as well have doomed Nik. Why am I asking? He is mine. I made him. He should obey me!"
"Listen bird brain!" she yelled, frowning as rage engulfed her. "I don't care what you think I need to know, I don't care if you don't like me! Save me now! This is not a request! You're a lightsaber and I'm your Jedi, I own you! This is an order, save me and tell me your name!" She panted, her outburst taking a lot out of her. But it needed to be said.
He looked at her. "Good. You finally get it." She stopped frowning.
"Huh? Get whaaaaattttt!" the final hand hold gave way. The eagle dived of the branch, its body a streamlined speeder. He looked at the Padawan with his yellow, piercing eyes, following her as she fell every centimetre. The blur grabbed Camille's back and pulled her by her clothes. The impossible strength from something that size beat gravity and flapped Cam up into the air. The teen was speechless as she was carried upwards, braids and beads hanging down over her face. In slow, powerful wing beats the sword with a name carried her to the tree base near the cliff. He lowered her onto the thick trunk and she grabbed it, not daring for a second to let go. Her savoir stood a meter away on the tree. After her bearings returned Camille sat up, legs wrapped around the truck looking at the bird.
"You…saved me." It same out slow. She was still feeling the adrenaline of the fall.
"That's what you demanded."
"But…but, why didn't you help me when I first came here? Why did I have to do all this?"
"Back then you asked for my help, now you ordered my help."
"But that doesn't make any difference-"
"It makes all the difference!" the lightsaber snapped, making Cam freeze on the spot. "I am a weapon, your weapon and no different than what I was before this happened. Troops don't ask their blasters to fire, Jedi don't beg for their swords to cut, they control them. I can think, I can feel. The other lightsaber may feel that they should be treated differently, with care, with respect, but in my vision I am no different from any other weapon. I may do to you but not for me."
"So what I was doing wrong was seeing you more as a superior than what you are. My weapon."
"Exactly." Cam smiled, realisation dawning upon her. But it dropped soon into a frown.
"Wait, if I didn't learn the lesson were you just going to let me fall?"
"No comment." She pointed her finger outraged.
"You were going to weren't you? Let your master fall from that height?"
"Wouldn't they have broken your fall?" he stretched a wing to her chest.
"Watch where you're pointing that wing mister!" she was red in the face and her lightsaber took the wise decision to moved back a space and lower his wings. Cam calmed down and put on her serious face. "Right, I've just been pushed off a cliff and am dangling from a rock. The others might not make it in time and if they do, I'll look even more pathetic. Tell me your name so I can set things right." Determination burned in her eyes. The raptor looked at her.
"I must say first it took a lot of effort to get you here. If you go back we may not be able to make contact again until you learn to communicate properly."
"I understand." she held out her gloved arm. The lightsaber flapped onto it and they were brought face to face. Holding up his wing around her he began to utter his name. The name that would save her.
Wolffe couldn't take it anymore. The general was fighting the witch but with no avail. He watched as his blue blade battered away her attacks, putting up a strong defensive until the Kel Dor was caught off guard when she deactivated he lightsaber in mid swing only to activate it again, forcing the general back. The Jedi master then levitated and pushed a boulder at her but she merely caught it with the force. Before she could slice it open however the scythe belonging to the rouge crashed through it and into her crimson blades. He followed soon after, inflicting narrow slashes in every direction at blinding speeds. The clone noted he had tried many times to get past her to get to where his fellow fugitive fell but the dark Jedi stopped his every attempt. Trying to defeat her and put an end to it, Nik continued to sweep, slice and strike, only for her to block each move and finally force pull him and kick him away from the edge.
"Your desperate attempt to help your friend has made you predictable, sloppy and unfocused." Wolffe had it. He couldn't stay here and do nothing. His general needed him and he couldn't allow the renegades to fall into separatists hands. Aiming his rifle he made the same mistake as Bite. Ventress saw it and deflected it before levitating him with force grip.
"A clone trying to kill me?" she hissed, watching him struggle and choke "It's been done before. Know what happened to those that tried? I'll give you a clue." She let go of him and pushed the commander off the cliff. Plo tried to grab him with the force but Asajj's lightsaber strikes broke his concentration. Wolffe fell from the barren cliff face, his general powerless to help him. "So this is it. I didn't die from clankers, just a sudden stop. And here I though I would go down a hero."
Cam awoke, leaving her inner world, and was still holding onto the cliff. "Hey can you hear me?" she asked her weapon. "Can you say anything at all?" Nothing. "You were right then, we can't communicate. Guess I'll have to-" She stopped talking. There was something coming towards her. She looked up and saw someone being force pushed off the cliff. It was the Clone that survived Ventress's attack. He was falling like she was a few seconds ago. Nik was still in danger, there was still an army of droids, she was still in danger herself. Her eyes followed the trooper as he fell and as he went right by her she let go. She joined in the freefall. Wolffe looked confused at the action and even more as she brought out her lightsaber horizontally to herself.
"Soar," she uttered, both sides ignited at double length but not one cog moved. "Kinumou!" A bright white light engulfed them both, winds sprung from nowhere and a sudden cloud was spreading everywhere.
Plo ready to strike again turned to the jolt in the force.
Andraw in the shuttle, anxious for their safety stiffened at the feeling of hope.
Up on the cliff Ventress locked with Nik's scythe when the light appeared. The fight stopped. Droids and beings alike gazed at the aura. Winds brought a white cloud up from the face of the cliff and it spread around the top, covering ankles.
"Cam is releasing!" Nik muttered, just audible for Plo to hear it.
"You sound surprised."
"I am. She was the only one of us not to figure out her lightsaber release." Master Koon turned back to the edge, thickly covered in fog like cloud. "Every time one of them releases, as they call it, I feel this force signature. But why?" He was about to ponder further until he felt another thing in the force that shot his eyes wide open again. "Wolffe! I still feel him!" Suddenly a silhouette shot out from the cliff, covered by cloud and it dropped someone to the ground. The clone rolled in his white armour before stopping himself and positioning him next to his general.
Neither said a word, they were all fixed on the silhouette.
"So you tried to push me out of the fight, did you Ventress?" It said. Nik smiled. It was Cam's voice. But the shadow was all wrong. It looked more like a oval blob than the sharp curves of Padawan Pine.
"How could you have survived? How could you have got up here so fast?" the Rattataki questioned, not believing her own eyes. Behind the shroud Cam smiled.
"Maybe this will clue you in." Suddenly all the fog was blown away by Cam's lightsaber. Four pairs of eyes belonging to Nik, Wolffe, Plo and Asajj widened at the spectacle. On her back were a pair of wings, shining the sun yellow of her lightsaber. All bird wings have feathers, light, delicate and beautiful with silky strands. These wings also had feathers, each one made of fibres with yellow plasma going through them. Hundreds of feathers moved together as one wing, connected by joints and connected to the back of Jedi Padawan Camille Pine.
"Impossible!" The dark Jedi whispered, chalk white skin becoming even paler as she gripped her lightsabers harder yet didn't move then an inch. Cam smiled.
"What's wrong?" she called to her "you seem like you've seen a ghost." The witch snapped back and prepared to strike. "How about we continue. But this time we'll change just one thing." She slammed her hand on the ground and her wings unfolded ready to take off. An eight meter wingspan faced Asajj but she was looking into the tech prodigy's burning eyes "This time, I win!"
She jumped, flapped her wings and was instantly airborne, with amazing speed for one wing beat she homed in on Ventress. She brought her scarlet sabers up vertically to defend herself. Twisting, Cam smashed into them with her right wing. Ventress felt time slow. The wing knocked her off her feet. She lost her footing when the lightsaber hit her twinned swords. She was falling to the ground and she didn't slow Cam down the slightest. In Cam's eyes it was all accelerated. The droids saw her and started to fire. A lot just harmlessly hit her wings but one or two got close to her. She brought up her wing to deflect them but in doing so twisted downwards, wind flapping against her hair trinkets. She stopped and flapped more to right herself. "OK, so flying isn't as easy as it looks." As she spoke these words a droid commander ordered the tanks to fire on her, fifty meters in the air. It fired the red blast strait at her.
She saw the AATs raising their cannons, and dived downwards, performing complicated twists in the sky. They fired, their laser red cannonballs overshadowing the B1's peashooters. Cam issued a large flap going higher than the first blast then dived to avoid another two. Flap to the left, then higher, then diving at a angle, avoiding ten more shots. The Angel stopped, flapping her wings in the air to hover. One ATT fired but with a mighty swing the right wing deflected the burning red into a squad of droids. The Tech prodigy smiled and folded her wings, dropping her to the ground. Ignoring the blaster bolts whizzing past her she kept in freefall until she spread out her wings again, swooping low to the ground, into the battle droids.
Their torsos were torn in two by the golden feathers as she glided to the tanks. They aimed their cannons, not caring how many of their droid forces are destroyed, to stop the eagles sweep. Cam kept her eyes on the tank, it's cannon moving down on her, the cold black barrel, the crimson flash- She flapped, four meters in the air and the blast knocked away six dim-witted robots. As she flapped she turned on her side, with both wings vertical she flew her lowest wing, the left, into the tank that made the shot. She didn't see it but could feel the fire of the blast, smell the burning of fuel and hear the explosion of the AAT behind her. She shot up to see the wreckage and the destroyed droids around it and smiled to herself. She dived again and did the same to two more tanks and took out several battle droids in the process.
A pair of ice blue eyes glared at Pine's carnage. Ventress, eyes as cold as her heart, was fuming at the Padawan. She saved that clone, knocked her over and was now taking out a large chunk of her strike force. The assassin back flipped to avoid Nik's scythe and deflected Plo's sapphire blade with one ruby sword. Using her other hand she pressed a button on her wrist controller. Five Vulture droids, positioned on a mountain top, took to the skies above the battlefield. Nik, recovering his scythe heard the fighters and saw their metallic shells zoom towards the low flying Cam.
"Frak, that's playing dirty!" Nik exclaimed at he prepared to throw Akigai to the droids. But couldn't as he recoiled the Jade Blade to defend against two rust red rapiers. "Back off pebble-head!"
"No. Lets see if a wake of vultures can cause an eagle to plummet from the sky." The harpy brought her left saber up and struck again, blood red flashing in Nik's grass green eyes and forcing the comedian back again. Meanwhile the vultures opened fire, catching Cam off guard. Their blasts hit her wings, tilting her off balance before she turned her head at them.
"Great, I'm being mobbed." she muttered with a frown before turning back towards them, eager to free up the air space. They fired and in turn she spun round, straitening her body giving little area for the lasers to hit. The lasers when strait past her as she twisted continuously, giving no indication of dizziness and kept flying nearer and nearer to the droids. She aimed for the centre one, it's blaster bolts getting dangerously close to her body while in close range, both droid and being in a heated game of chicken. But droids don't play, and Cam knew this.
They were going to ram each other until at the last second she flapped Kinumou. As they passed not only did she get high enough to avoid the metal but her wings came down and severed both it's engines. All three parts fell down to the earth, scrapping a few droids in the process. The four remaining vultures came around and followed Cam once more. They fired again, scorching the skies while their prey soared higher and higher. The clankers followed her upwards until they saw her go into the sun's light. The tinnies were blinded for a second while their photoreceptor's compensated. One saw the light getting dimmer and dimmer when something slipped bellow him at frightening speeds. It looked like a girl with wings but before it's artificial brain could make the connection the gash in it's hull by lightsaber wings caused it to explode. Nik seeing the two fallen scavengers was in higher spirits as he slammed the flat of his blade on Asajj's weapons. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Plo dealing with the advancing droids.
"Your droids ain't farin' to well. Vulture droids you call them? Hey, vultures are bald just like you. You must keep around just 'cause you relate."
"I keep them around because droids, unlike regular soldiers, they don't talk back, question your orders" the witch smiled "and they don't care if you send them on suicide missions." She pushed out an index finger to a button on her wrist controller. It sent a message to the flyers and they stopped firing and increased their speed dramatically. Cam's hazel eyes constricted at the surprise. She dived in panic but it just followed, literally dead set on her. She looked back at it, seconds until impact, not way to avoid it. She brought up her wings just before the metal hit her. It exploded in mid air, leaving a burning, black smoke patch in the sky. Nik stopped attacking, trying to feel the slightest indication of Camille. Something came out of the smoke. A trail of black smog following it. It was cleared to reveal Cam. Falling from the sky, wings ragged and torn in more places than one.
Nik immediately ran for her but once again was stopped by Ventress. The lanky Padawan back flipped back and threw his scythe. She brought up her sabers to defend her while Nik ran again past her. He jumped though the air right next to her. The distraction was working. He was going to get away. His pupils shrunk. He heard a lightsaber drop, one of hers. He felt her left hand on his leg as her right kept Akigai at bay. Tightening her grip she pulled him back and threw him ahead of her. Grabbing her second saber with the force she battered the his lightsaber away and jumped at him. In mid air he saw she now dropped her right lightsaber and formed her hand into a fist. She struck. From mid air Nik was sent tumbling to earth, hitting the ground hard and sliding along the earth (Now the Sith are playing HitNik). The assassin landed and summoned back her sword. Nik summoned his blade and, using the pole, managed to get up. He was panting heavily and slouched on his pole, she stood without any sign of exhaustion.
"Kriff, we can't keep this up for long. The master is having enough trouble with droids and I'm the only one stopping her from taking us all out."
"What's wrong?" she taunted "am I too tough for you? Is that a bruise already? I'd hate to see the bruises she has after that unfortunate crash."
"Bitch." Nik muttered, the Rattataki only smirked. "I'm both losing the battle and my censorship. Guys, were are you?"
Padawan Pine opened her eyes, feeling the wind on her face, brisling the objects in her red-brown mane. She was falling, but alive. Spreading out her wings she slowed her decent and took a look at the damage. They were ragged, tips missing, feathers misplaced and a few chunks were missing. Getting into a stable glide would be difficult but she could stay airborne.
"Well these wings are stronger than they look that's for sure, but I doubt they could take another one of those and I've still got two more." Said droids, who's cold programming realised their target was not yet destroyed set off again to ram her. But this time she was ready. As the first moved in she began to tumble in the air and fall. One followed flying twice the speed as before downwards at Cam. She smiled, seeing it take the bait and falling for her act. Just as it was going to impact she used one mighty flap upwards, perpendicular from the droid. Her wing carved the ship in half and at it's speed was so great, the explosion didn't happen until it hit the ground. The rouge angel flew higher eyes set on the final clanker.
It went strait for her, she sided to the left at the last second. It came around, coming from bellow, she flapped backwards, missing the metal by millimetres. It's high speed destroyed it's manoeuvrability as it turned again to it's target. It locked it's eyes on where she was hovering- but instead saw her moving strait towards it. It's slow turn made it blind to her movements and before it knew it she had zipped past him, cleaving it's right wing, forcing it to spin in the air without a way to right itself. Cam flipped in the air and brought her other wing down on the left engine, completely severing it from it's body.
Meanwhile on the ground Droids blasted endlessly at Master Plo. He found cover behind a boulder for him and Wolffe but they were going to be swamped in no time at all. Thinking quick her reached out with the force to the top of the mountain and pulled. Boulders tumbled down the cliff right towards the droids on his left. They turned to see the noise but were scrap before they could react. He pushed his hand out again to stop the boulders just a meter away. The three blaster bolts that zipped past him reminded him of those on his right. He grabbed the boulders he just made into a landslide and force pushed them at the droids. The first ones were destroyed but the ones on further up the cliff felt they were safe. They were wrong. Plo continued his force push and the rubble moved up the mountain at the same speed as they went down, covering, smashing and crushing every robot until the boulders reached the top of the mountain again. Nik after clashing again with Ventress landed next to Plo and looked at his handiwork.
"An uphill landslide? That's badass." he said before turning back to a pale Dark Jedi turned red with anger. "How about that? Cam defeated your droids in the sky and on the ground and didn't need my help at- Oh Frak!" He looked up, everyone followed. The right wing of the final droids was heading strait for them. It hit the ground and rolled towards them. Padawan Swayer jumped above it along with Asajj. Plo sidestepped it along with Wolffe as it kept rolling before heading off the cliff. Nik stared wide eyed at what could have killed him.
"Whoa, and I thought she was an aggressive flyer in a starship."
"For sure." Nik replied to Akigai. He looked in the air and saw a set of golden wings coming closer towards them. Cam set her feet on the ground on the other side of Ventress and folded Kinumou back. Asajj faced her, lightsaber ready. Cam only smiled. It dropped as she looked to see some of the few surviving droids getting ready to fire. The tech prodigy signed as they opened fire. She spread out her right wing, shielding her as the red blasts ricocheted off, some back to the droids.
"Cease fire!" the Assassin ordered and they did so before she turned back to her opponent. "I didn't catch the name of your lightsaber."
"His name it Kinumou. Now" she spread her wing out, folding them forward. "Lets continue this rematch." She raised her right hand and the corresponding wing followed her movements. Ventress's icy blue eyes widened and brought her lightsaber up in a defensive stance. The golden feathers struck her shield, crumbling the ground beneath them. The left wing swung sideways but before it could hit her, Ventress broke the lock and backed away. Cam brought the flat of the right wing to slam on Ventress but she jumped back as it hit the ground and she jumped forwards above the wing to Cam. Her target looked up at the threat and swished the left wing to defend herself.
Seeing the danger in the countless feathers of plasma, the assassin pushed herself away from her opponent, losing even more ground. Cam reached out as much as she could and clapped her hands. Recognising the hand control of the wings the Rattataki backflipped just missing the two wings slamming together. The witch knew she would lose the battle and realised her mission was a failure. Away from the battle the last B1 commander was looking for any survivors of his troop. He scanned the wreckage and saw a ATT. An operational ATT leaning on one side from the destruction of another next to it. The droids got inside and took to the cannon.
The one with the wings? No, she would deflect it. The one with the scythe? No he would avoid it. The Master? Yes, they were told to keep the rouges alive anyway. He powered up the cannon. Plo didn't suspect a thing as he butchered the few droids left. The cannon was about to fire. A green laser blast sailed through the air strait at the tank, reducing it to flames. If it had come a second later the late droid would have been successful. Everyone turned their heads to the explosion then up to the air at it's source. Cam and Nik both gave a sigh of relief. It was the T-6 shuttle they took back on Coruscant. From the top cockpit, unblocked by the vertical engine block, a mounted laser cannon fired more green bolts at the remaining droids.
"A laser cannon?" Wolffe questioned "But that shuttle was build unarmed."
"That's before she got her hands on it." Nik said, gesturing to his winged accomplice. "she's been working on it all the time, improving this, installing that, the green lasers were my idea by the way. This is the first time since we escaped you that she hasn't been totally covered in grease. Well, it's been fun Flo-"
"Plo."
"Plo, right. But our ride's here, must dash. Nice teamwork gig, lets do it some other time, OK? Bye!" The comedian force pulled some soil into his hand from the ground then pushed it back at Master Koon and Commander Wolffe. Both were temporally blinded, though Wolffe was worse off. Nik then ran to the edge of the cliff and using all his force power, leaped into the air at the shuttle. Even with it several meters above him he was going to make it. The hatch door opened just in time and he rolled in.
"You guy took your time." He stated, quite annoyed at the late rescue.
"We had a bit of trouble at the landing site." Royse explained, at the controls of the ship. Back on the cliff, Camille spread her wings and went into the air to her salvation.
"Oh no you don't." the white witch muttered, pulling her back with the force. The unexpected pull made her lose her momentum and fall back to earth. After a painful landing she met Asajj again. She brought up her wings but the dark Jedi pushed her back, knocking her over. Cam tried a push of her own, but it was week and her opponent easily avoided it and delivered another painful push. She held out a fist and the fallen angel felt her throat tighten and her lungs beg for air. "Count Dooku wanted you alive, I'll just wait until you black out." As the Padawan clutched her throat, slowly losing consciousness, Andraw looked out the hatch and saw the whole thing. He saw Cam had released but didn't know what it was and knew it wasn't helping.
"Cam's in trouble, I'll be back in a bit." He said, backing up, ready to jump, holding the released Yochisuzu. Nik was the first to react.
"Hey, wait what do you mea-" Too late. The leader had already jumped. Nik rolled his eyes. "Fine, we'll be waiting loverboy." he muttered to himself. Andraw landed painlessly and turned to Asajj.
"Let her go!" He shouted. The dark Jedi turned at the voice and Andraw stabbed his staff towards her. A shockwave blasted her away but she recovered and sped around him, pushing him, trying to knock him down the cliff. Cam got up, taking deep breaths as Asajj lost her concentration. The bald woman's pushes hit Yochisuzu and were absorbed. He held onto the central hilt while the other two began to spin faster and faster. Ventress faced him, seeing her tactic as useless and brought up her sabers to flight him head on. The Plan Padawan smiled and placed his hand on the upper hilt, the middle one now spinning fast. She was inches away when he did it. Padawan Crest brought his lightsaber above his head and slammed the bottom down on the ground, bottom and middle hilts hitting each other. The power was released. The earth was cracked, dust summoned, even Ventress felt herself pulled into the staff.
Then there was silence. Then it pushed out. A sonic boom sounded as the ground was upturned and sent surging outwards in a massive wave. Ventress was sent flying above the wave and General Koon and his commander were glad to be away from the waves path. The last droids looked at the wave of earth, sound and power, easily three meters high, and ran. Not that it did much good a they soon became swept up in the wave, destroying the last of the strike force. It continued, smashing boulders and tanks apart. When it finally stopped the battlefield was devoid of any stones, plants or droids. Just barren earth. Andraw smiled at his achievement. There was a large cracking noise and the ground beneath him sank a little. The smile dropped. Cracks appeared and soon riddled the side of the cliff, weakened from the blast.
"Right" he said slowly "maybe that wasn't such a good idea."
"Ya think?" he took the time to glare at his weapon before the ground beneath him fully crumpled, and he fell down the cliff.
"Ahhhhhh!" the landslide and the scream was more than enough for Cam to realise what was happening. She took off then dived down to her falling comrade. He was in her sights. She increased speed then swooped across, grabbing the Padawan in her arms and holding him tightly, careful to avoid his lightsaber.
"Really, I appreciate the rescue but you could have put more thought into it." She complained. Andraw slowly opened his eyes, unaware he closed them out of fright. He heard Cam's voice turned to the source, then his eyes widened.
"You have wings?" he questioned, voice slightly muffled. He raised an eyebrow, wondering what was muffling it- His pupils constricted further and a blush erupted. In holding tight to Andraw, Cam was pushing his face into her partially exposed chest.
"Yeah, just found out." she replied eyes on where she was flying. "Huh, you voice sounds funny. Do have something in it-" She looked down, frown erupting and a deep red blush appearing as she felt his breath on her skin. As he moved hit eyes up her frown turned to glare. "Listen" she snarled "this is a total accident, mostly on your part. Once we get back don't mention this to anyone. If you do I beat you up twice as hard as I do Nik." Sweat formed on Andraw's forehead "But" "What?" he thought "is that a smirk?" "for now, enjoy the view…and don't breath too hard."
"Oh you lucky boy."
"Now is really not the time, Yochi', and…she could just mean the mountains."
"(sigh) It's never the time for you, and can you exactly see the mountains? She's talking about her-"
"Lalalala…I'm not listening." Next to a bell tower was the figure of Yochisuzu, groaning, in a facepalm.
"You're too innocent. I'll get you to admit to her, even if it kills me." In no time at all they got onto the ship. Cam dropping Andraw and folding her wings back.
"Whoa" Thom exclaimed, gazing at Cam "You have wings? That's a release worth waiting for."
"Yeah" Royse added "that really suits you."
"Totally jealous." Sara added. Cam smiled at the compliments.
"Oh that's just great" all eyes fell on the sarcastic drone of Scott "Now she can cause even more damage when she's flying and she doesn't need a ship to do it." Cam frowned, grabbing his shirt.
"You are this close to getting a Nik beat-up."
"Trust me" Nik said "it's not worth it." Cam smiled once more but soon dropped.
"So…how do you turn these wings back to normal?"
"You just focus on them turning back into regular lightsaber shape." Andraw explained. "Like this." He held his staff out. The hilts glowed the same blue as the blade and it soon shrunk back to normal state. Nik held out his scythe. The shaft glowed green and morphed into the curved shoto. Cam held out her hand and pictured her old lightsaber. Her wings glowed and the light swirled into her hand, becoming normal again. Sara looked out the window of the ship before addressing Andraw and Cam.
"Must have been great flying both of you. I bet you saw some great views and felt a great breeze." Both thought back to the awkward flight and their faces turned red. "Why are you two blushing?"
"N-N-No reason" Cam blurted out "just a bit worked up from the fighting, that's all."
"You're still blushing." Sara grinned evilly "Did something happen on the flight back?"
"No, no nothing happened!" Andraw stated, rather jittery.
"Yeah, like he said. N-Nothing at all!" Both tried not to look at each other as they moved to their seats, as far apart as possible but still in eyeshot. The rest of the crew just smiled at each other, even Scott joined in as flew away from the crime scene, destination: Anywhere but.
Republic ships were stationed all round the village, troops inspecting the wounded villagers and cleaning up the droids. Plo Koon stood next to a hologram projection pod with the images of Anakin Skywalker, Obi-wan Kenobi and Admiral Yularen.
"I have seen and battled them firsthand. In a way the mission was a success. We found them confirming the rumour, learnt new information on their weapons and evaluated their strengths for our pursuit." Plo said, recounting the events.
"We have tried to put up a blockade around Farrfin to prevent them leaving" the Admiral explained "but with a planet like this it will receive much opposition from the Farghul."
"Exactly" Anakin agreed "they wouldn't want republic troops searching their ships in case they came across any illegal contraband. We will have to tread carefully."
"I'm more concerned with the presence of Ventress." Obi-wan noted "If she's here than the separatists must know about them."
"Or they're working for them." Anakin snapped.
"Doubtful." Plo replied "They seemed reluctant to go with her and she used deadly force to incapacitate them."
"So if they're not with the separatists, who are they working for?"
"That remains a mystery" Kenobi stated "one that will be solved once they are in custody. The order is sending in several reserve Jedi including ourselves to assist in the search. We will meet you at the capital, Farlhu. Resolute out." the transmission was cut.
"Commander, organise a transport to take us to the capital and organise a squad to bring with-" The Kel Dor stopped mid sentence as he noticed the clone was not listening. "Commander Wolffe." This time he took attention.
"Yes sir. Sorry, what were your orders?" The master narrowed his eyes. Wolffe was not the type to daydream or not listen.
"Is something on your mind?" the commander sighed.
"It's the Jed- the criminals. When Ventress attacked my troop Swayer stopped her lightsaber from reaching me. And when I was falling, Pine could have just left me to fall but she saved me. Why?"
"These are more questions we will try to answer once they are brought to justice."
"Something I might be able to help with." both servants of the republic turned to their feline informant, Clive Mane, accompanied by his two aides. "For a fee I can help you track the little ragamuffins, I have friends in low places that could help."
"We will take that into account. Are you heading to Farlhu?"
"Yes, a few business deals that I will not reveal the information off." He flashed a grin, as big as his Cheshire cousin before leaving. His accomplices, Brier and Agnis, stared at him and when out of earshot demanded an explanation for helping the Jedi hunt down his biggest money makers in years.
"Ladies, calm down. We got that money by live feeding their fights. By leading the Jedi to them it will spark more fights between the two and we will be in the background, recording them. At the rate I'm at I could make a Hutt jealous. Come on, our audience is still hungry and there are four more stars still to make an appearance." The cats moved to their speeder as the Republic troops moved to their ships, all hunting the same people but with drastically different reasons.
On one side of the mountain where this all commenced is a cave. The light desperately battled to illuminate the dreary cavern but it's rays could hardly reach an arm span into it. Suddenly a blue glow erupted from a circular device and the figure of Sith lord Count Dooku was projected. The holoprojector was held by his apprentice, skirt now attached and wearing her cloak, hood up.
"My lord. I have failed you" she lowered her head "after seeing their true potential, the decimation of my strike force and sustaining injury" her free hand unconsciously felt a large bacta patch on her upper arm healing a large abrasion she received when the wave hit her. Had she not had bacta at hand it would have left a permanent scar. "I realised their powers were too great. Coupled with Master Koon's presence I could not complete my mission."
"While I would scold you for giving excuses for your defeat" the projection announced "I agree it was the right cause of action." Asajj raised her head, surprised at the forgiveness. "These younglings are far more powerful than I first anticipated. I thought you alone would have no trouble picking them off, but looking at the live feed we will require more planning and force to snare them. In battle did you notice anything odd.
"Come to think off it yes, when they used their weapons." In her mind she replayed an image of Nik throwing Akigai at her and she pushed back into a building. "Both their weapons felt both similar and different. Swayer noted how it was him and his lightsaber together. It's strange, the strength of the attack felt like it was two people throwing in and when I fought him, through the force it felt like I was fighting two people simultaneously. But when Camille attacked me it felt like only one person in strength but there still seemed to be a shadow of a second presence. Almost as if she wasn't quite connected with her lightsaber."
"Interesting. Their lightsabers fascinate me to no end. We will move carefully. I'm sending someone else in who might have better luck in defeating them."
"But master, wait." Tyranus looked at his apprentice in slight shock, slight irritation. "I know I am speaking out but I need to know why we are hunting them when they could prove powerful allies. Surly it's what your master wants after they killed Palpatine." The Count glared at her and she instantly silenced.
"I guess it is time I told you the truth about my late master, Darth Sidious." The Rattataki listened hard as the word echoed out of his mouth around the cave into her ears. The Count had only uttered a few words before her pale blue eyes shrunk to the size of pebbles. Palpatine…Sidious…the same person. The hidden purpose of the war and the plan that would never be. "So you see. This is not a mission of recruitment but of vengeance. After they are captured we may see if they can redeem themselves by joining us. Until then they are out enemies and we shall strive towards their imprisonment. Am I clear?"
"Y-yes, Master." she squeaked. Dooku cut the transmission and the tortured soul, turned assassin stood there. His words continued to call out to her, just as clear as he first said them. It was several minutes before she put the projector away and moved out, astonished by the deception, stunned by the truth.
To be continued…
I am not worth your forgiveness. Even with Exams done it still took me forever to update. Anyway, Cam's lightsaber, Kinumou translates to Gold Plumage, just for the record the translation is Japanese. Next yes, she has a 8 meter wingspan, I though that would be suitable length to fly with and use as a weapon.
Now they are confined on Farrfin, how long will it be till their next confrontation. Probably just another chapter :D
Oh, before I go big thanks to Thornshadow, Searge, unhealthyaddict, stabbythings, KittyCaterpillar, CookieLivcat, My Lady Vader, Leedor, Olaf74, Zangetsu's power, The Canadian Empire, Ron The Fan, MaxKnight and our newest reviewer Anahita Unduli II for being so patient
On a side note my reviews now stretch from Canada(The Canadian Empire) across the U.S.A.(most of you) to Mexico(Lenor) and across to Germany(Olaf74). That's an achievement I'm proud of.
Hope you enjoyed and remember to review with your feedback, queries and suggestions :D