Chapter Twelve: Ambush

Unknown to the princess when she called, the urgent message in question that Kota had to receive a message that came directly from the Jedi Council. While the Jedi Knight had sent reports, and kept up some communications with the Council, Kota tried his best not to speak to with them more then he had to. Despite being a part of the Jedi Order, he and the Masters didn't see eye to eye, especially when it came to go about this entire war. While the vast majority of the Jedi wanted to hold onto their traditions and code of ethics, some Jedi such as Kota believed it was necessary to forgo their codes to achieve victory over the Separatists.

For Rahm Kota, fighting had been in his blood since as far back as he could remember. Unlike most of the Jedi who were brought into Order as infants or toddlers, Kota was brought into the Jedi Order when he was eighteen years old by Master Mace Windu where he was then taken under the tutelage of Master Toffee. Before then, he was an orphaned child solider who had faced the horrors of war first hand. Even back then, the Jedi Knight thought that the Council was filled with nothing but hypocrites. They allowed him into their fold at such a late age, yet Yoda and the others attempted to bar Master Qui-Gon from training Anakin when he was only nine because he claimed he was too old. Perhaps if they allowed the late Jedi to teach the child he would not have fallen to the blades of a Sith Lord.

His teacher shared his sentiments toward the Order, whom he considered to be unable to accept change unless it suited them. Toffee was always a forward thinker among the Council, but he was also the most outspoken Jedi Master. Time and time again Toffee had tried to steer the antiqued Jedi Order into a new and bold direction, but he was only shunned for his ideas to the point where he they took stripped him of his place at the Council and only left him the title Master in name only. Kota's teacher moved past his dishonor and focused on training his Padawan until he was given the rank of Jedi Knight. Shortly after his knighthood, his former teacher introduced him to a youngling that he would take on as his own Padawan: Marco.

Did the other Masters mourn Toffee's passing? Did they even care? It was something the old solider wanted to know that question, but knew he could never ask it. Kota was on constant thin ice with the Council for choosing to recruit a militia instead of using Clones in combat and the influence he had on his Padawan which they considered to be damaging to his training as a Jedi. Granted, he could care less if he was exiled from the Jedi Order, but he feared what would the Order would do to Marco without him at the boy's side. Kota always had a sense that the only reason he wasn't thrown out of the Order was that he was one of the very few Jedi who understood the art of war unlike the rest of Order. But Kota also had this nagging fear that once this war was over that they would no longer have any reason to keep him among the Oder and would cast him aside the moment they had the chance.

Kota activated his holo-feed and within moments the images of Yoda, Mace Windu, Tholm, Plo Koon & Shaak Ti appeared before him. Right from the start Kota knew that whatever the Masters had to say was nothing good. Tholm was a friend Kota and shared his views on the Jedi's stagnant ways, but unlike Toffee, he wasn't as vocal on the matter and was more focused on his task as the Order's spymaster. Tholm's former student, Quinlan Vos, was currently in deep cover in Count Dooku's inner circle, though it was hard to tell if Vos's was still putting on an act or if he had truly fallen to the dark side of the Force.

"Is something wrong, masters?" Kota asked

"Actuality Kota, it's good news" Tholm replied "We're finally able to send you and Captain Tarkin reinforcements"

"That's excellent news" the old solider said with a hint of relief in his voice "Who is it?"

"The Dark Woman" Mace answered this time in his usual stoic voice

Kota did not like the sound of that. The Jedi Master known as the Dark Woman who was once called An'ya Kuro was a stern and harsh master who condemned all forms of attachment—even between the bound between master and student. Kota remembered of how often Toffee and Master Kuro would argue the most out of all of the Council members and it was because of the Dark Woman suggestion to the Council that Toffee was removed from his place among them. It went without saying that Kota was not excited by this, but the need to win Mewni in the name of the Republic override his recement toward the master.

"More to this news, there is" Yoda furthered "Continue your Padawan's training, the Dark Woman will"

The old soldier's jaw nearly went slack jawed from Yoda's words. He always feared that they would try to separate him and Marco, but to do such a thing in the middle of warzone was completely unheard of, let alone give him to one of the harshest teachers in the Order made Kota's blood boil.

"But why?" he demanded "Marco is a good student—he hasn't done anything wrong!"

"It's not the boy we are concerned about" Plo spoke up "It's what your teaching him that worries us"

"Teaching him what? To survive?" Kota questioned sharply "we are in the middle of a war!"

"Your training him to be a solider, not a Jedi" Mace countered sternly

"I was solider before I became a Jedi in case you've forgotten, Master Windu" the Jedi Knight harshly pointed out "I'm trying to teach the boy the means to live to see the end of this war!"

"And what then, Kota?" Shaak Ti questioned "What will become of your student when this war ends?"

"What matters right now is that he'll still be alive to see the end of it" the Jedi Knight replied before addressing the other masters "I'm sorry masters, but I cannot accept this"

"Final, our decision is" Yoda informed him "Change it, you cannot"

Kota clenched his fists in anger. The Council treated the separation between him and his student as if it was just an ordinary conversation and simply expected him to just roll over and accept it. Kota's anger did not go unnoticed by the Council nor did it go unanswered.

"Calm yourself, Rahm" Tholm advised "There's no need to get angry"

"I would heed Master Tholm's words, Kota" Mace insisted as he narrowed his eyes at him "Stand down"

The Jedi Knight's response to that came in the form of a Force-blast that destroyed his holo-player. He knew that his brash actions wouldn't change the Council's decision, but only enforce it. However, it did make him feel slightly better to cut them off in such a way. He knew that the second the Dark Woman touched down on Mewni with her troops that it would mean the end of his and Marco's partnership. But he would oppose the Council's orders, even if he had to fight the Jedi Master to do so.

Just then, he heard a sound in the distance, a low rumble that seemed to grow louder and louder with each passing second. Sensing danger, Kota stepped out of his tent to find much of his troops standing outside and looking up at the cloudy skies above them, troubled by the growing sound above them. the sound was so familiar to them and yet they could not distinguish. Acting on instinct, Kota drew his lightsaber and activated it while his militia readied their weapons and aimed them at the sky, waiting for whatever was heading their way with dreaded anticipation. Suddenly, the source of the sound came screaming out of clouds with their weapons primed and ready for combat.

"Vulture Droids!" the Jedi General shouted before calling out to his troops "Everyone take cover!"

The eight Vulture droids wasted no time in raining rockets and blaster fire down on the militia. The soldiers attempted to scatter out of the way, but many were either gunned down by the droid's blasters or killed by the impacts from the rockets. Kota deflected the blaster shots away from several of the soldiers that were around him as they attempted to run for cover, but he couldn't protect all of his men at once. Some of the militiamen took up defensive positions and returned fire at the aerial machines as they gave cover to their retreating comrades, but the agile Vultures were moving too fast for them to get a proper bead of them and when they did, the droids were out of their weapons range.

As Kota hid behind a nearby rock with Alfonso and Ferguson at his side. As the chaos ensured around him, the Jedi Knight wondered how exactly did Ludo's forces discover his camp's location. It didn't take long for him to figure out the answer. Obviously, the spy in the castle had tipped off Ludo to where the militia had been camping. If he had his men lived through this, he and Marco and focus on hunting down this traitor and making him pay—that is if he lived to do so, that is.

"What are we going to do, sir?!" Ferguson demanded in a panic

"We need to get out their line of fire!" Kota ordered before shouting to his soldiers "Get to the forest! Move!"

The dying screams and cries of the Jedi's men and woman that served under him filled his ears. Kota looked all around him as the soldiers he had fought and bled with were being gunned down like Banthas to the slaughter. The chaos that now spread around the camp was also taken in by the two young soldiers that hide alongside their leader. Alfonso and Ferguson had been combat situations before and were no strangers to the horrors of war, but to see this level of slaughter was something they had not witnessed since the massacre at Outpost Forty-Four.

The Vulture droids then split into two groups of four as they made their turn around back toward them. As they came around for another strafing run, Kota reached out with the Force and took hold of one of the aerial droids and forced it to careen sideways into one of the other Vultures; thereby causing them both to explode on impact with one another. With two of their own destroyed, the remaining six droids immediately cut their run short and backed off so they could try a different approach.

"Go now! To the trees!" the Jedi general commanded his militia "Hurry!"

The soldiers who could stand either picked up a weapon or a wounded comrade before quickly running toward the safety of the tree line, hoping they could find cover from the droids that flew above them. As Kota, Alfonso and Ferguson ran for the dense forest alongside the rest of the militia, Alfonso noticed a thermal launcher laying beside its now deceased owner. The young solider acted quickly by rushing over to the body and taking passion of the launcher while his general and friend continued to run for cover, they were nearly twenty feet away from him before realizing that he was lagging behind them. Kota and Ferguson spun around to see much to their shock the sight of friend and fellow solider attempting to make what might be his final stand.

Alfonso took a knee as he steadied himself and as the weapons guidance system began to lock on to one of the Vulture droids as they came back around. This was downright stupid of him honestly, the boy was never the one for heroics, but seeing his brothers and sisters of war die right before his eyes made him remember the painful memoirs of his and Ferguson's cowardice back on Naar-Shadaa, but this time he would cower before the enemy, this time he would fight back!

He took a deep breath as the launcher's guidance system picked out a target. He waited as the six droids flew in closer as they started firing on the fleeing militia once more. With one pull of the trigger, Alfonso let loose a thermal shell that rocketed directly toward of the one of droids, striking it face first and exploding the second it made contact with its target. Once again, the Vultures broke off their attack run and circled around for another shot. Upon seeing what he had done, Alfonso couldn't help but turn to his friend and his general and let out a cheer of victory at his actions. Sadly, however, he failed to notice that the Vulture droids had already swung around and were beginning their next assault. A stray missile from one of the aerial droids flew toward the young solider and struck the ground only a few feet away from him just as he turned to be caught face first in the blast that sent him flying backwards.

"No!" Ferguson cried out

Risking life and limb, the portly boy hustled over to his now downed friend with his leader following close before. Ferguson knelt down beside the badly burnt body of his friend and felt for his pulse. Thankfully, his friend was still alive, but he was just barely hanging as it is. Wasting no time, Ferguson picked his fallen friend and hurried back toward the tree line while Kota provided cover for them by deflecting droid's blaster bolts with his blade. Despite his heavyset body, Ferguson moved quickly, knowing that if he slowed down for even a moment that it would mean the end of Alfonso's life.

Suddenly, the cries of other soldiers could be heard from the forest. Much to Kota's shock, he saw a mix of battle droids and Ludo's soldiers gunning down the militiamen who had managed to make into the cover of the forest. Many of the already tired and wounded troops returned fire, but due to their position out in the open and the smoke and trees giving their enemies the perfect cover, they were simply no match for the Separatist blitzkrieg. Many of the soldiers either fell back to another part of the forest or managed to cut a path through the monsters and droids to allow their comrades to make a break for it while they bravely held the line.

It was then that the Jedi sensed a presence of a familiar foe, he looked up to see the bounty hunter, Durge, slowly descending from the smoke-filled skies and landed before the Jedi general. Ferguson attempted to reach for his gun, but Kota stop him as he put himself between the two boys and the massive Gen'Dai warrior.

"Ferguson, take Alfonso into the forest and rally with whoever's left back at the castle" he ordered as he took a battle stance

"But sir— "

"Now boy!" he commanded

Ferguson could only nod to his general and run into a different direction of the forest away from where the major battle was taking place with his friends slung over his shoulder. With the two boys hopefully safe, Kota lunged forward and swung his blade, only to have it blocked by Durge's wrist shields and punched to the ground by the brute's massive fists. Kota quickly rolled out of the way the Gen'Dai's massive foot before it crushed his skull before he jumped back to his feet and Force-blasted the bounty hunter backwards several feet. Durge instantly recovered and drew his blasters to begin firing upon the Jedi. Kota blocked the blaster bolts as he charged forward his opponent. Once he was close enough, he sliced the two blasters in half before removing both of the brutish alien's arms along with them. keeping up the attack, Kota took his lightsaber and took the Gen'Dai's legs out from under him.

"You can't kill me, Jedi" Durge informed him, almost as if he was boasting

"Then I'll have to keep cutting you up until I do" Kota replied

He raised his blade once more to begin chopping up the bounty hunter by starting with his head. Suddenly, the Jedi general sensed dark, yet still familiar presence closing on him. He was about to turn around to face this stranger, but before he could, he felt the cold touch of the dark side of the Force grip him as he was lifted off the ground and flung into nearby tree, feeling a rib or two break upon impact with as it did. He felt the Force pin him up against side of tree as he tried to break free from its hold, but it was useless, the exhaustion of fighting the droids and Durge had sapped a good amount of strength he had within him. as Kota continued struggle free, he saw how had ambushed him and gasped in total disbelief.

"No…" he said in almost a fearful whisper "It can't be…"

"Hello, my old Padawan" Toffee greeted coolly

Through the Force, Toffee yanked Kota's lightsaber out of his hand and brought it into his own. As he did, Durge has already reconnected his severed to his body and healed himself of the wounds he had just sustained from Kota's blade only mere moments ago and was already back on his feet. Kota was more focused on the sight of his former teacher whom he had thought died standing before him. How was this even possible? And more importantly, why had Master Toffee allied himself with the Separatists?

"Master…why?" he asked

"Wouldn't you like to know?" his former master answered with a small smirk on his lips as Durge approached the trapped Jedi

The last thing saw Kota saw was the sight of Bounty Hunter's fist coming right at his face.

A/N: I want to apologize for taking so long with updating this story. I honestly had no idea how to continue the story after the last chapter and had to take a step back from it in order to get story details better thought out. Now that I have a better idea on how to continue this fic hopefully I'll be quicker with the updates.