David paced the bridge of the Eye of the Storm. He had been sent here by Mo-Gararn and Luke Skywalker, to destroy the fleet that would arrive shortly. The 303rd fleet gathered around him, surrounded by the 104th and 20th. Ships ranging from gigantic Calamari and Corellian battleships, to the mainline Star Destroyers to the B-wing and X-wing fighters that swarmed around the larger ships flew around them, filling the space outside the windows with dots large and small. Whatever the enemy had, they would be ready.
"Master, I think the fleet is ready, but I sense an unusual nervousness," he said to his master. The green reptilian Jedi Master was sitting in his seat watching the beings around him. He nodded. "Well, they've encountered this fleet twice before. And those experiences weren't pleasant." David nodded.
"Sir, we have a holo from the Divine Wind," a man in blue and gray walked up to him. "Put it on," David agreed. The figure of Colonel Bak-urakk appeared his fishy face deadly serious, although worn by the last few days of combat. "Admiral, we have all ships in position," the Ishi Tib said calmly. "Good, we should be ready when they come. I've heard Pera and Merniz also have their fleets ready. I think an Executor class command ship will be quite a surprise for them," David smiled.
"We've begun deploying ground forces. The 404th are preparing at probable sites of contact. The locals appear to have hidden, mostly miners," Bak-urakk continued. "Then we should encounter little resistance when combat begins," David nodded. This was a very good sign.
"That's all, Admiral. We'll let you know if anything unusual comes up," the fishlike being concluded the conversation. The hologram disappeared. David sighed and turned away.
"I don't know master, this whole thing makes me nervous," David turned to the green Jedi Master, "I have a bad-" Suddenly David turned and stared outside the window.
Master Jima followed his eyes. Somewhere out there, among the Republic ships that were approaching the red planet was a presence they recognized. David felt her, glowing, soft, like a warm breeze… Why was she here? Zavos? The Sith…David turned and ran out of the room, his master in tow.
David sped into the shuttle, no caring if anyone bothered as he took it. The shuttle ramp closed as soon as his master climbed through the tunnel and pulled away from the ship. "What are you doing?" the green Jedi Master yelled at him. "She's out there master! Feel her," David shouted. "What about the fleet?" his master yelled back. "She doesn't know what danger she's getting into. I have to get her!" David resisted.
The shuttle sped towards the planet. He saw mountains rising in the distance. Clear cut and sharp, like spikes of an ancient crown. The entire planet was a red mass, with huge valleys and the tall rocks that hid the girl from his senses, but not from the Force or his heart. "She's using a navigation trick Luke taught us. I've never seen a non-Jedi use it before. She must be receiving some instructions," David continued. "David, there's no one down there," master Jima insisted. "I can feel her," David said as he drove further.
Then the sky filled with dots of all sizes. Bolts of lightning jumped from one ship and hit Corellian Gunship. The vessel rocked, then unleashed a furious barrage of red fire. "Oh, I have a bad-" David began and turned as if back towards the fleet, now engaged in combat with the invaders. The ships in the atmosphere climbed into orbit, scrambling to intercept a flood of troop transports. He then spun back down and continued flying towards the ground.
Triona landed her ship on the ground, kicking up dust. She climbed out. She looked anxiously up. It would be just a moment before the Republic fleet discovered her. She thought of hiding it. But she could not remain invisible to a Republic officer who did not need his eyes. Her ship had landed facing a rocky point of cliffs. This seemed a promising point to find Zavos, or at least someone who might help.
She continued along the rocks of the small canyon towards a tall point with large rocks. Testing the rocks for a moment, she looked around and grabbed one. She climbed up, saw a cleared area, surely where some of the people of the area laid. With effort she climbed her way to the path. Landing with grunt, the girl looked up. It was a path cleared by beings who had a distinct purpose. Triona walked up the path, looking around her.
She turned a corner. There was an arch. Below it was a doorway with a large metal door. Triona took a deep breath and walked up to the door. "Hello, I-" she began. The door slid open. Blinking, she walked into the doorway. A dark room with slightly shimmering walls greeted her.
Triona walked in a few steps. There was someone here, a human, she guessed.
"Welcome, Triona. I've been expecting you," Zavos's voice boomed. He walked out of the shadows. His hair was untamed. His eyes seemed… different. "Hello, Zavos" Triona said calmly." "I knew Skywalker told you. He's still convinced it's not too late," he continued. "Zavos, I came on my own. Luke told me where to go, but I don't think he thinks… He told me what happened," she said, trying not to admit too much, feeling petrified as she realized he was probing her. "Triona, he told you a version of the story that's far from the truth. I'll tell you a story," Zavos began waving away her protests. Triona walked closer, her hand at her side. "I went to Coruscant. I did what I had to do. I had a good reason, and was opposed by the Jedi," Zavos said, putting his arm around her, "The Jedi Order is not what it should be. Those who cannot understand-"
"They deserve to die?" Triona shouted, distancing herself from his embrace. "If they will not learn to follow the true edicts of the masters of the Force, so be it!" Zavos shouted. Triona shook her head. "No, what you've learned-" "I've learned how to use my power!" Zavos's eye lit up, an unnatural glow in them. "I've learned to master it, and will continue to grow, thanks to my new master." "What?" Triona cried.
"Zavos, you're a Jedi. You're great. Skywalker admired you," she insisted. "Skywalker never listened to me. He never even pretended to understand!" he shouted. "But does that deserve treachery?" Triona shook her soft-haired head. "This is not treachery; this is the freedom to rule the galaxy as we were born to do!" Zavos shouted. "The galaxy-" Triona began. "The galaxy is corrupt. It needs a new leader. The ones who know the Force should rule. They can see what's best for everyone," the man continued. "Zavos, you know… No one can!" Triona shouted back.
"I can't believe you would betray everything you believed in"-the girl's protest was cut off by the dark boy confronting her, "I can't believe that you would betray me. There is another, I see it in your heart. I thought you were on my side, but I was wrong to trust you. And now he comes to end it. You will be his undoing as you are mine."
Her face hardened at this, and in a blink of an eye she drew a blaster pistol. She was inexperienced, but she had to do anything possible to stop this monster that she had loved. Triona was quick, but Zavos was faster still. She screamed as claws of ice tore into her wrist, forcing her to drop the blaster. He turned his gaze on her again. The young Sith bored into the girl's very soul with his strange eyes. It had to come to this: she had chosen to side with his enemies, and so she was to be destroyed.
Triona turned and ran but she was stopped in her tracks by a grasp of invisible iron around her throat. "You won't run away. You can't go back and tell them. Well, we'll let them come and find us," Zavos said, walking up behind her, and throwing her to the ground with invisible fingers she could not resist. She felt her strength leave her. Triona saw Zavos' face. His eyes were indeed unnatural. They were yellow.
…A bright snap broke the deadly silence. Triona found herself encased between two shield emitters that created an encompassing spherical cage. She tried to push free, but was met only with burnt fingers and an electric shock. "I gave you the chance of aiding me willingly", Zavos said with a note of sadness, "but you have chosen the way of pain." At this his voice turned flinty and fierce "And that other lover of yours is about to join us, but he will not survive the trap." He walked into the bowels of the planet, his hapless captive, bait for a Jedi, looking helplessly behind him.
The two starfighters roared out of the fleet carrier Straightener's hanger, and into battle. The two-mile long warship spewed out fighters like flames from a dragon. Thomas Prus adjusted his controls and veered towards the left, behind the young Jedi Master ahead of him. His R7 astromech beeped behind him as he made the course correction. Despite the clusters of fire and shards of metal in the battle around them, he was smiling. Flying small ships had always been one of his dreams, and at last to fly in battle with an experienced Jedi Master was a dream come true.
"Thomas, we've got to combat the Blade fighters. They're closing around the Core's Depth, her shields are falling," Kyp Durron broke in through the ship's communicator.
"Roger, Kyp. Uh, what kind of starfighter are they?" Thomas asked bewildered. Kyp sighed and radioed back. "Look them up on your scope." "How?" the young Jedi flying behind him asked. "Look at the function button on the bottom right of your control panel. The controls should be right there. I think. You know I'm not familiar with these E-wings," the older Jedi described closing his eyes and sighing.
"I got it," Thomas responded. "I know you're an experienced pilot, Kyp, I'm surprised you don't like these ships," he added finding the ship, and nodding as he took in the data. "I never flew them in the Dozen-and-Two. They're too fast. I like the control an X-wing gives you. They don't expect the computer to make as many decision for you," the older Jedi responded with disgust. Thomas nodded. The E-wing had indeed been built recently, relative to the X-wing. They'd first seen combat around the Battle of Mon Calamari against the clone Emperor before Luke had found Kyp and founded the original Academy. But they'd proven too maneuverable and expensive for standard use. Luke had liked the model, although it meant flying without Artoo, and reserved a few dozen for the Jedi. Kyp's squadron, before its collapse two years ago, had shunned them as too advanced. In battle however, they had no choice.
"Watch it, the Divine Wind's coming up," Kyp said as they approached a large Star Destroyer, its white hull streaking below them as they sped forward. Bak-urakk's ship seemed characteristically calm, plowing into a squadron of closing alien ships. A wave of gigaton-level explosions unleashed deadly green fire that destroyed three enemies. Thomas looked back, and gazed at the bridge. His brother was probably aboard that ship, the Fleet had insisted on it during battle. He closed his eyes. He felt the bright presence of his brother. But he was on the planet. "Kyp, David's on the planet," he interrupted. "I know. So's Master Jima," Kyp answered. "You remember last time that happened?" the young Jedi laughed into the microphone. "Yeah, there was a Sith lord down there. You don't suppose…" the older Jedi laughed. Thomas nodded. "We've got a job to do," Kyp shook it away. Thomas nodded, frustrated.
"Watch it, the fighters are coming up ahead," Kyp warned. "Roger Kyp," Thomas said, looking at the controls of his fighter. He flew up closer to the Jedi Master. He could see the small enemy fighters as he approached the ship's midsection behind the large top-mounted cannon, and the panels on the ship's downward pointed wings as they adjusted for combat. He could see the man's black hair through the narrow cockpit window, and flashed a thumbs up.
Thomas sighed and reached for the controls as he saw the so-called "Blade" starfighters around the large cruiser that they had to protect. They were small pointed-ended things, large guns alongside a narrow cockpit with a large green window. His thumbs found the control to ship's guns. Kyp fired, orange bolts streaking towards the ships, hitting two. He nodded and fired. His lower cannons thundered, followed by the one above him, and saw in awe as the starfighters exploded. Pangs of pain went up his leg, as he felt the deaths of the pilots. This was not his favorite type of flying.
Kyp split off and went to right, his guns thundering at the enemy ships, killing off another five of them, allowing only one to fire a shot. Thomas spun his ship away towards the cruiser and fired at and over three. They scattered. He tried again, two exploded in balls of fire. "That's two," he muttered. He glanced back towards Kyp. The Jedi Master was busy dealing with nine fighters, twisting around them, hitting engines, hulls, and cockpits before any of them could react. He shook his head and continued.
Another fighter came near his ten-o'clock point. Its pilot seemed determined to pass him. Thomas let the fighter streak past him, then fired, catching it on its rear right engine. The fighter exploded and careened out of sight. Arseven beeped. "Yes, I know, we have more of them too," Thomas responded to the green text in front of him. He twirled and spun back towards Kyp, who had found another cluster of starfighters and was busy destroying them. The cruiser seemed to acknowledge its defense and fired at several with its smaller guns, but they fired short of most of the maneuverable starfighters.
Kyp closed his eyes and spun his ship, effortlessly flying around them. Each of these ships was a point in the Force, easy to identify, and then press the firing button on his controls. The computer compensated as he tried a tight turn. One fighter slipped away from the ship's range. He fumed at the design of the ship. There was one way to take control… He twisted around. The computer, as predicted, didn't have time to react. His starfighter faced seven oncoming starfighters, their pilots too slow to move out of the way. He saw them meters away. Again relying on senses their pilots did not have, he fired. The orange bolts hit five of them in a row, then quickly responded to his adjustment and destroyed the other two as they tried to slip free. He sighed.
"Thomas there's two more," he instructed, as he sensed the fighters around the young Jedi's ship. "Right," the teen responded. Thomas's ship dropped and rose again, below the starfighters that had been on his tail. His cannons fired and they exploded. "Good work," Kyp said. "Well, what else," Thomas responded, waving away the pride.
Kyp glanced at his scopes. Something wasn't right. The Enressa's Star was in combat with a smaller enemy ship. But nothing showed up on his scope. He could see the white triangular ship blasting at the round-hulled ship. He blinked. The scope registered that they were indeed on top of each other. He shook his head. His Jedi abilities were best used elsewhere. Three lines of blue text appeared on his screen. He nodded. "There's a larger ship attacking one of our Corellian Corvettes, we've got to draw their fire" he addressed the pilot ahead of him. "Roger, I'll follow you," Thomas answered and flew towards the small starfighter, already streaking past him, and around an exploding enemy ship, into the midst of the battle.
David flew the small shuttle over more of the red landscape. He could see mountains and valleys. But there was no sign of the small ship Triona must have flown. He closed his eyes. He could feel her… Then she became cold. His eyes snapped open. There was another presence. His looked up. Master Jima was looking sternly at his apprentice, a hand on his chin. David nodded.
"Well, it appears we know where Zavos is," David said trying to steer towards the presence. "Your friend is with him. She must be his ally. Don't forget that," the green Jedi Master warned him. "Triona does not… She would never-" David shouted. Master Jima sighed. "We have to get her out of there."
"I think she's being held in there somewhere," David pointed towards some rocks that, while they were large, did not appear inviting. "She's there," Na-Ka nodded. David circled around the area, and found a flat patch. He sighed.
Triona struggled against the blue bars of energy that formed her cage. Zavos was walking in front of her. She waved "Let me go," she shouted. "You will be a perfect trap for your lover," Zavos responded calmly.
Zavos walked closer. "My master will deal with his master. They will be no match for the power of the dark side. That is something Skywalker will never realize," he snarled. "What do you plan to do when David and his master are dead?" she shook her head and looked towards the dark doorway. "The Republic fleet with be demolished. These invaders are too strong. They will strike the Republic. As it falls, the Sith will rise again," he looked at her, his eyes lighting up. "You'll never get him," she retorted. A strong blow hit her in the cheek.
She looked feebly at the young man in front of her. A tall droid was walking in. It looked like a battle droid that she had seen in holos in combat where her young Jedi admiral had become famous. This droid seemed far more sinister. Zavos looked at her with a fierce stare. Darkness came to her as Dark Side claws squeezed the consciousness out of her..
The small shuttle landed on the hard ground, throwing off dust. David pushed the controls away and ran out of the cockpit. The ramp lowered, and he ran down. The two Jedi ran down the ramp, David running towards a gap in the rocks above some large boulders, a dark hole that led deep into the surface.
He stopped. Master Jima was behind him. "David, this is it," the old Jedi Master said. "We need to go in there," David stared up at the opening. "I have a bad feeling about this," he said. He felt out into the field of life, found Triona's presence, and jumped. He landed in front of the entrance.
Without stopping he ran into the caves. Na-Ka sighed and leapt up to the entrance. He looked around. There was something very powerful. He held his robes closer to his body. He stepped into the darkness. Seeing his frantic apprentice ahead, the old green Jedi Master ran after him.
Darth Bogan turned as his apprentice ran into the room. "Master, the Jedi are here," he said. Bogan nodded. "Yes, they will soon be here. Is your trap set?" "It is ready," Hodak said.
"The Republic Fleet is in combat with the Asurin," Bogan said turning away. "How did the Republic find them?" Hodak asked, running behind his master. "I don't know," the Sith master said. "But I'm sure the Jedi are behind it," he looked at his young apprentice. "I agree," Hodak nodded.
"Are you ready to fight the boy?" the hooded human asked. "I am," Darth Hodak fingered his lightsabre, "I've been waiting for this. She betrayed me, and it was his fault," he said bitterly. "The Sith do not act lightly towards those who betray them," Bogan nodded, smiling.
"Then go, destroy the Jedi," Bogan pointed. "Master, where-?" the young man nodded then looked up at his master. "I will be in the control room. It will be very interesting watching his death, my young apprentice. Go," Bogan gestured, and continued. Hodak bowed and turned away. He left the room.
David walked slowly down the rocky halls of the cave. His hand was at his sabre, ready to strike if the enemy should somehow be ahead of him. Master Jima was behind him, also alert, but looking forward as if he felt something directly ahead. The cave walls grew tighter. David sighed and walked into the passage.
The only sound was the footsteps he and his master made as they walked. There was no one there, not a worker, not a guard. The halls were dim, and there was enough light to see ahead from the dim lights in the ceiling. They were leaving the cave and entering a mine. Something had been removed from the soil, but he hardly cared what.
Rocks had been removed from the walls, which became lower. It became harder to keep his teenage frame in the halls. He gestured. Ahead was a console, with a small voice pickup. It had to be a control station. He looked around. He did not know where the control area for the mine was, but it seemed far from where they were keeping Triona.
The rocks became more worn. A metal handrail started, leading them onward. The ground leaned sharply higher. Whatever miners usually worked in this mine took this rail as they descended. They were near beginning.
The mine reminded him a little of those where they had found many bones from the ancient past on Earth. Great animals had been found in the rocks, their bones hard and small testaments of a forgotten world. Had they not been looking for a girl with very little time, he might have been tempted to start looking for fossils here. David shook his head and continued. Xenopaleontology was no match for love and duty.
The ground began to level up, not quite as slanted upward. Na-Ka's hand went to his sabre. He put a hand on his apprentice's shoulder. David nodded. He closed his eyes. She was very close. David turned left and walked into a cave. His master turned, ignoring the sensations that called to him through the Force, and followed him. David began to run, the walls became narrower. Lights became brighter. There was no sign of anyone near them. But the presence of the girl he would travel across the universe for grew closer. The boy sped ahead. He stopped in front of a doorway with little metal protecting its side. Not waiting for his master, he ran inside.
The old green reptilian Jedi Master had no time to react. David ran through the doorway, although he was sure the boy had sensed the dark presence ahead. Na-Ka shook his head and tried to warn him. A metal door slid shut. It could be cut through, but the other presence, with his apprentice's disappearance, grew stronger. The Jedi Master unhooked his lightsabre and walked away, trying to find either the Sith lord or his apprentice before they found each other.
David shook as he heard the door close. He reached for the controls. There were none. He reached for his lightsabre. The blade rose to life. Then a metallic clank drew him away. He turned around. Walking towards him was a curious droid, about two meters tall, humanoid, with a small round head and round red eyes. It seemed to be entirely skeletal, with a gray robe around its body. In its hand was a staff with two glass ends. The ends ignited and a purple light glowed from the ends, bright sparks coursing through them. "I have a bad feeling about this," David muttered.
The droid swung its staff at the young Jedi. David, curious but alert, caught the blow, a huge bright glow shining as the blue blade hit the pink end. The droid walked forward and swung its staff again. Surprised by the droid, David ducked to right, his Jedi senses warning him of the oncoming staff. The boy stuck at the droid's midsection, but was blocked by the unusually fast droid's staff turning away from its attack.
David attacked, his blow blocked, but forced the droid a step back. The young Jedi reached out his blade, and twisted it as the droid tried to reach his body. David remained steady in concentration and hit the droid again. It reacted and swung its staff at the human opponent. They exchanged blows, the boy remaining in place. The droid stepped back towards the end of the hallway. It stopped just in front of another dark doorway. Seeing an advantage, David rushed ahead, his blade outmaneuvering the droid's staff and hitting its right leg. The leg fell, but the droid's arms remained raised to fight. Smiling, the boy hit it again, walking around the droid as it swung uselessly at him
Without realizing it, David tapped into his anger. He reached with the Force into the droid, squeezing its insides…. There was horrible screeching of metal, and the droid's right hand left the staff and clutched its chest. Sparks shot out of the magnaguard, and the droid staggered to its knees. Its entire mechanical system spasmed, sparks shooting out from every joint. Finally its red eyes, furiously blinking, turned off and the droid collapsed on the hard floor.
David stared at the droid curiously as he caught his breath. Was this what had killed the Jedi in the Temple? If so, was it really destroyed?
The teen pulled himself to his feet. He took a look around. There was no one there. He could feel a presence very close. He walked in though the doorway.
David stepped into a room lined with consoles and equipment in the rock walls. He saw Triona, against a wall, her figure held by blue bolts of energy. She looked pale and pure but sad and weak. He took his breath. He walked closer. She didn't seem to see him. She was asleep or put in some unconscious state. He raised his hand to touch her, but recoiled from the force field.
Another being walked into the room. He closed his eyes and felt the shadow. It was a man, wearing a dark cloak over his young figure. He nodded. "The Force is indeed with you Prus, but you don't know how to use it," Zavos said. "I don't use it for what you've done, Zavos," David retorted, "I have no stomach for treachery". His hand went to his side and found his lightsabre. The blue blade formed, he pointed it at the young man. Zavos walked closer, hand threw off his cloak, revealing his shadow-masked face. Behind his mask his blue eyes bore into the boy. He began walking around the boy, circling him, ready to strike. "I've come to take her back," David said raising his blade to defend his body and the girl behind him. "No, she'll see you die," Zavos said as he raised his blade to kill the young Jedi. With that, he struck at the other boy. Red and blue, the blades glowed as fierce as their wielders, love for the hapless witness turned to hatred in their rivalry.
Na-Ka walked slowly around walls where his young apprentice now faced the young Sith lord alone. The wall continued on. He reached a split. Taking the left path, his hands reached to the wall. He could sense the presences behind it, out of reach.
He continued walking, and reached another clearing. The old Jedi Master's hand went to his lightsabre's activation switch for a moment. He could feel the disturbance in the Force, something sucking the life out of this bleak place, a breaking of the order that normally drifted over the dust and darkness of Rhodopetra.
He felt other presences, many bright points. The other Jedi on Rhodopetra were certainly safe, far from the combat that awaited this pair of master and apprentice. Na-Ka shook his head. David needed his aid. He looked around, and heard someone coming.
Zavos's blade struck hard against David's. David pushed back, grounding his feet on the floor and his mind in the Force. He felt the Sith caught by the lack of a quick hit. David struck at the young man, forcing him across the floor. Zavos snarled, and charged again. David looked at Triona. She was still not awake. It took just a moment, but the young Sith knew where to look, and used the opportunity to charge. David blocked the blow and ran. Zavos pursued, but his younger foe suddenly stopped and counterattacked.
David's blade turned on the former Jedi faster than he had expected. It slipped past his defensive block and went for his chest. Zavos smiled as he felt the boy's presence turned darker, as he unleashed his power than until know had been kept by the restrictions of the Jedi Order. The drive at his chest was not fast enough, and he pushed it aside. David withdrew his sabre and struck hard, locking his blade with his opponent's. They broke off, but their deadly dance had not moved. The swordplay was furious, neither opponent gaining an inch. They locked blades once more.
The two combatants stared at each other. David's gray eyes looked intently into the young man's yellow eyes and saw the hatred, which he had to destroy. He closed his eyes and raised his hand. The young man caught the gesture and followed. They stood for a moment, locked with their blades and the Force, flowing through them as it flowed through all things. The enemies flew apart, sending them crashing against the wall.
Zavos was up first, his red blade flashing at the teen on the ground. David groaned and got to his feet. Zavos ran towards him, and slashed. David stepped aside, as the young man ran past him and barely avoided into the wall. The Sith's blade cut deep into the metal and rock, and molten rock splashed onto the floor. They raised sabres again.
Na-Ka ignited his lightsabre as he felt the dimmer dark presence. It was inside with David, the young Sith apprentice. His charge would be tested, but the old Jedi had confidence in the boy from Earth. His foe, the boy he had talked to on Coruscant many times was now one of the enemies of the Jedi. The other, far stronger was a man, familiar, but he had not met him for three years. The Sith master, too, was on the planet.
What walked into the room was not a man, or a boy, but a droid. A tall wiry droid with a robe. It had a staff in its arms, ready for use. Jima raised his sabre, ready to do combat with this droid that looked just as Obi-wan had described, tall, ungainly, but faster than a scared Bantha and more deadly than a dark Jedi.
The droid activated it staff. Purple light emitted from the ends of the staff. To strike it directly would be useless, it would block his lightsabre. But to defeat the droid was easy, if he followed his instincts. Na-Ka had spent a lifetime teaching the skill, and once again was ready to put it to use.
The droid slashed as the reptilian Jedi Master, its staff coming close to his chest. The Jedi Master stared at his opponent and waved away its dazzling lethal end. It spun, taking the Jedi mater along with it, he was determined to take it down quickly. The droid brought down the other end of its staff, nearly hitting the Jedi Master's green skin. Na-Ka waved his hands and spun away. His blade swinging into contact with the droid's staff. They stood for a moment, Jedi and Jedi-killer.
Na-Ka moved his sabre in a circle, swinging at the droids' arm. It blocked his blow, but did not see the Jedi Master's blade rush out of the lock and strike at its arm. The droid struck again, barely deflecting the blow.
The old Jedi Master sought calm in himself then struck again. His blade went past the staff and sliced the droid's arm. It fell, causing the droid to look for a moment. It resumed attacking. A staff is hard to use one-handed, and Jima easily slipped past the clumsy guard and struck its head off. He remembered the secondary electronic brain implanted in the body just in time for another parry. The master smoothly sidestepped the droid. A flash of green and sparks lit the room. The other arm came off. Another stroke and the body fell, a burning pile of metal as green lightsabre cut through it. The old Jedi Master sighed and continued down the hall.