When the AT-TE that was carrying Michael and master Plo Koon approached the back of the droid base, Michael suggested that they wait in there until the blizzard worsened, that way it would be too much for the droid's radar to detect them, then they could advance forward with him and Master Plo leading a squad of clones.
A lot of the clones didn't like the fact that a padawan just showed up and now they were following his plans. But master Plo, impressed by Michael's intelligence and strategy, decided it was best to follow this one plan in order to win this battle.
Michael hoped that the clones wouldn't dislike him for this. Even if they did, he probably wouldn't see them after this mission anyway. But there was something else on his mind, he knew that this battle would cause the death of a whole platoon of clone troopers in a cave in.
'So, hundreds of clones have been killed in this war already and many will die against the CIS from blaster fire in this battle anyway, why is the cave in any different?' Michael tried to convince himself.
'Probably because you can prevent this one, and have the power to do so' he argued back in his mind.
'I can probably prevent a lot of deaths, but the mission is what's important, and these clones know the dangers and the risks of battle, plus many other Time lords died in battle, these are just clones. Besides, I can't interfere with time, that's forbidden for me to do so.'
'But is saving one platoon of clones really going to interfere drastically with the Timeline?'
'No, but it'll take my attention away from the battle.'
"Michael, we're ready to leave and charge the base. The storm's strong enough now in order to remain undetected" Plo Koon called over to him.
"Huh? Oh right yes, let's go" Michael stood up and fastened his coat up tighter and followed his master outside the AT-TE.
"Are you okay Michael? I sense conflict in you" Plo asked him taking his lightsaber hilt into his hand.
"I'm, fine master. Which part of the base are we attacking first?" A group of clones including the commander started assembling their weapons behind them.
"We attack that spire there, a lot of the separatists heavy cannons are on top the spires. If we take them out and our tanks attack theirs, it'll distract them from our main army coming through the ice caves attacking the rest of the droid army."
"Through the ice caves?"
"Yes. Now, let's head towards their spire. Stay close to each other men, we don't to lose any of you in the storm" Plo Koon advised.
The group of clones stayed close behind the master and padawan, putting up their arms to protect them from the snowstorm. Michael did too, but then an idea came to him. He put up his arm and with the force he made the wind hitting divert around them instead to keep them all stable.
Although Plo Koon didn't notice this, the clones behind them did, and Michael just smiled at them. They reached the spire and all of them leaned against the wall.
"Okay, so here's our plan. Michael and I will lead the way up this spire, and hopefully there won't too many battle droids in there do you won't have much of a problem taking them out. We'll disable the heavy cannon on top it's roof, then you commander, whilst we are doing this, you'll take half of your men to the other spire and take out that heavy cannon, understood?"
"Loud and clear sir" the commander replied.
"Good. Now let's cut our way in. Michael, remember what I said, stay close, defend yourself and watch my actions."
Michael nodded and he and Plo activated their lightsabers, and cut a hole through the stone spire wall. The droids inside were surprised at this unexpected attack. "Jedi! They've flanked us! Shoot them-" the droids were cut to pieces in a short time and the commander led the clones into other rooms, gunning down any droid in sight.
"Don't let them contact the other spire, destroy any droid you come across" Plo started to lead the clones up the higher levels while Michael followed close behind him, doing exactly what his master said.
Although, Michael wasn't too keen on using the current lightsaber style of fighting Plo was using, which was form v. Michael instead was using form vi. He didn't really agree with this part of Plo's plan either. Yes it was Michael's idea to flank the enemy this way, but wouldn't it have been better to cut off the enemy's communication first if they found the right control panel.
The Time lord wondered if learning from a Jedi master was by copying everything that he did, or observing what he did and deciding whether that was the best way to do things.
They headed up to the top of the spire and luckily they managed to destroy any droid before calling or any other separatist on their radios. "Commander, take half of your group to the other spire and deactivate the heavy cannon on top" Plo ordered the commander and then turned to his new apprentice.
"Michael, we need to stop the droids warning each other of our attack. See if you can find the control panel which controls the communication lines for both of these spires."
"Master, wouldn't it be better to deactivate the communication for the entire droid base?" questioned Michael.
"Yes but that would take too much time to figure out, it'll take less time to cut the communication for just the two spires."
Although he didn't really agree, Michael obeyed but then turned back around and asked "Shouldn't i help you destroy the cannon first?"
"There's going to be quite an explosion, I think it's best if you stay down here. It's not that I don't think you can help, it's that I just don't want my new padawan becoming seriously injured on his first mission with me" he said before running up top with a pack full of charges.
Michael wanted to protest and remind him about the battle of Geonosis and that he had fought in it too, but that would just waste time. Quickly, Michael rushed around the different rooms of the spire and instantly recognised the communications panel when he saw it. He lead on his back underneath it and with the force ripped off the bottom hatch.
He started fiddling with the wires, or more like disconnecting them for the spires. And although Michael's orders were to just to cut the lines for the two spires, Michael really thought it was best to go along with his idea to cut the wires for all the droid base. He knew his master meant well, but this was really the best thing to do. And yes it would've taken ages to figure out which wires were the ones to disconnect, for a non Time lord anyway.
The padawan deduced it in less than ten seconds and he cut off the communications for all the droid base. Michael stood back up and sensed an explosion above him, before actually hearing and feeling the effects of it.
'Master Plo probably needs me now' he figured as he started jumping to avoid any debris falling from the ceiling. He reached the floor just below the top floor, although it might as well have been the top floor now since the roof had just been blown away.
"Have you done it master?" Michael asked although the answer was obvious.
"Yes, now all we have to do is wait for the clones to take out the second heavy cannon."
Michael looked over to the frozen sea and sensed the AT-TE's approaching quite close. Then he looked back to the other spire and saw that the cannon hadn't been destroyed yet. "Master, I don't think the clones are going to make it in time."
"Patience Michael, just trust the clones. They can do it."
"But master, the AT-TE's are approaching, they'll be detected any moment now."
"These are some of the best soldiers in the legion Michael, they'll do it."
Michael didn't believe they would however, and then he thought of an idea. "Master let me try something" he suggested before lifting up his right arm and closed his eyes. He started moving his hand around, and it looked like he was gripping something.
"Michael what are you-?" Plo Koon stopped talking as he looked over to the heavy cannon, and he saw that it was shaking. Then he realised, the clones. "Michael wait! The clones are just below there-!"
But the heavy cannon exploded before he could finished his sentence, and Michael stopped what he was doing as soon as Plo mentioned the clones, despite not stopping in time.
"Oh no" Michael said to himself, fear overtaking him of what he could have possibly done. On instinct he leapt over to the other spire and landed on top of it perfectly.
"Michael wait-" Plo called out to him not wanting his brand new padawan to put himself in any possible danger, although he did wonder how Michael managed to leap across a feat like that.
He probably couldn't have done that. But then he remembered that this boy was a Time lord, and anyone on the council knew about them. Heck he was on the council when Shaak Ti brought him to the temple.
Michael was at the top of the other spire heading down a few levels, desperately trying to find the clones. He moved some debris with his hands, forgetting that he could use the force. But he soon remembered and managed to lift all the debris up with one movement of his hands. And luckily, he saw the clones, who were all on the floor after being knocked down by the explosion, but all were alive, and seemed to have no injuries. Michael rushed down to help them.
"Are you alright?" Michael asked helping them up.
"Yeah. What was all that about? The thing exploded before we got to it" the commander told him.
"Yeah, I sort of, used the force to do that myself" Michael admitted.
"You did that?" the commander asked.
"Yes, but only because the AT-TE's were in danger" explained Michael. Speaking of AT-TE's, the republic tanks had just opened fire on the separatist base, taking them by surprise.
The CIS wasn't expecting this attack, and with their communications down and droids scrambling to their tanks, even though some of their tanks were destroyed before they even got to them, the CIS base was a mess.
With no heavy cannons to stop them the AT-TE's continued their assault.
Plo Koon managed to make his way up to where Michael and the clones were. "There you are, are you all okay?"
"They're fine master, I checked them for injuries" Michael informed.
"Sir, did this kid really destroy that heavy cannon?" the commander asked.
"Yes he did" Plo eyed Michael, when an explosion came from outside, quite close to them. "We'll discuss this later, but for now all of you follow me" Plo activated his lightsaber and Michael and the clones followed him.
When they got outside, some squads of clones exited the tanks and charged into the battlefield against the droids.
"Let's give them some support, c'mon" Plo Koon ran into the battle with Michael beside him,and so the commander and squad of clones. They fought against an immense number of battle droids but this was no problem for Michael, droids were nothing compared to Daleks. To their relief however, the rest of the clone army from their base had arrived on the battlefield via the ice caves or on foot over the hills.
"Michael, head towards that citadel, help the clones in there" Plo ordered and Michael obeyed. He ran across the snowy battlefield, blocking any blaster coming his way. Every time he came across a squad of droids he used a very powerful force push which blasted every single squad of droids back a couple of yards. He reached the citadel and helped the clones down from the hills and fought alongside them.
Michael's orange blade slashing through droids was like a beacon of light in that snowy storm, although the storm was clearing now so it was easier to see. And now the Jedi Time lord did what he did best. He jumped from droid to droid with great physical ability and used form vi combat against them.
He picked up groups of droids and crumpled them by clenching his fist. The clones alongside him were amazed by his abilities, and by now the clone army had pretty much won a victory on this planet, looks like they didn't need those reinforcements after all.
Michael then noticed a few clones coming out the ice caves, and he asked another clone "I thought you all decided not to use the ice caves since they were too unstable?"
"Yes but we found that they were stable enough unless anything disturbs it" the clone replied.
"And don't worry, we have a platoon of clones in there to keep guard." At that sentence worry instantly overwhelmed Michael. He looked just above the cave's entrance and saw that the mountain of snow there had been hit quite a lot by blaster fire, and still was, not deliberately but by stray blasters.
It was happening now. Michael felt the urge to rush in, grab all of them and get them out of there, but he didn't. He turned away, knowing there was nothing he could, or was allowed to do.
'I can't' he thought to himself. 'I can't interfere with what happens.'
'Will this drastically change anything?'
'It doesn't matter, Kaben and Henga strictly told me not to interfere with timelines.'
'You almost killed a group of clones a minute ago, do you want to do that again?' he struggled with his conscience.
'I'm not the one killing those clones!'
'But you're letting it happen, so you might as well be. Remember that quote from that planet known as Earth. All it takes for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing. And remember your friends Gallifrey? Group by group they were all killed.'
Michael groaned out loud, not being able to resist anymore, he sprinted over to cave's entrance, sensing that it was becoming unstable as he entered, and hurried to find the platoon of clones. He sensed their presence and found them easily.
"Hey kid what is it? Aren't you that new padawan?"
"Yes, and I've been asked to get you all out of here now! This cave is going to collapse any second, we need to move!"
Suddenly the cave started to shake and some snow started falling from the cave's ceiling. "He's not kidding!" one clone shouted.
"Quick, everyone, head towards the exit!" the leader of that platoon ordered.
"I know the way, we all have to move" Michael motioned for them to follow him and he started running in the direction of the exit. More snow was falling and it was about to cave in right at that moment.
"We're almost there! Just keep-" Michael was interrupted when piles and piles of snow caved in on top of them, when they just were a few steps away from the cave's exit. Plo koon came up to some of the commanders.
"Captain, what happened in there?" he asked obviously witnessing the cave in.
"The cave's collapsed sir, we believe that there was a platoon still inside."
"Get your snow digging equipment and get them out of there. Where's that padawan of mine?" he asked.
"Sir, some of the soldiers said, said that he ran in there just before it collapsed" a commander informed him. Plo's covered eyes widened. He saw the clones holding the digging equipment. "You men, with me." All of them ran over to the cave entrance.
"What was their last location inside that cave?" Plo asked desperately.
"Sir I believe it was-" before the clone could finish however, all of snow blocking the cave's entrance was blown away, and emerging from it, was Michael helping the platoon of clones out from the snow.
Eventually they were all out and Plo koon and the commanders rushed to help them. "Are you alright?" a commander asked.
"We're fine sir, thanks to this padawan" the clone ushered to Michael, who's coat and hair was now wet from the snow.
"Michael, are you okay?" Plo asked.
"I'm fine master. Sorry about, running in there, but I saw by looking at the snow it was going to collapse any minute" Michael lied to Plo as he really knew it was going to happen before.
The clones walked off to get medical treatment leaving Plo and Michael alone. "You shouldn't have run into that cave on your own Michael though, even if there were clones in there. You inform me first, or the nearest commander."
"But they could've died" Michael argued. "And you just saw that I was perfectly capable of getting them out there myself" he said in a calm tone.
"Yes but what if was a far worse situation? I don't want you getting hurt or killed too. That's twice in this battle you've done something I disagree with, but, I see the potential in you. I'll still teach you but you have to follow my orders. Those AT-TE's wouldn't have been detected when we were in that spire because the storm was still too thick."
Michael looked down. "I'm sorry master."
"You are forgiven. Now c'mon, we have to clear up this mess." Michael followed Plo and was thinking 'First a scolding from my master, and now Kaben and Henga are going to scold me. At least when I get back to the temple Ahsoka will be there. I can hang out with someone who won't lecture or chastise me.'
I think i should update more, especially for this fanfic since at this moment it's my most popular one. Hope you all had a great May the 4th, kind of late and half of this is a Doctor who story, but still. Doctor who belongs to BBC and Star wars belongs to lucasfilm/Disney.
