Fall of the Republic!

by Grubkiller19

The Clone Wars rage on! In this great conflict, loyalties are tested, relationships are forged in the fires of war, heroes and villains are on both sides. Some seek a purpose. Others are seduced by darkness. But little does anyone know, the war is just a front for something far more sinister, planting the seeds that will bring about the FALL OF THE REPUBLIC! On Hiatus for now.

25. Chapter 25-Dropping the Hammer

Have no fear, Grubkiller is here.

Hey folks, here's part 25 of 'Fall of the Republic'.

Hope you enjoy. Leave a Review when you're done. All of your feedback is appreciated

Disclaimer: A lot of characters in my stories are from other forms of Media that I don't own and are made by people who are better story writers than me.

Warning!: This chapter is packed with lemons. You've been fore-warned. Lemon scenes will be labeled so that you can skip them.

And another thing, I was reading through the Obi-Wan v. Grievous part of this story in chapter 21, and realized that I didn't do very good. So I fleshed out the fight scene a bit more. So please go back and check it out. I added about 300 words to that chapter.

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Chancellor's office, Coruscant.

It was the early morning hours on Coruscant as the sun has only just risen.

Gray overcast clouds hung low, covering the tips of Coruscant's mighty skyscrapers.

Normally, the sky was full of air-speeders carrying people from point A to point B.

Today, however, that was not the case. Martial law was still in effect.

Instead of air-speeders, it was Republic gunships and police sky cars.

Because of this, people weren't going to work, and people who were at work the previous night couldn't come home. The economy literally shut down over night because people weren't getting to work. They were either law abiding citizens who were heeding government warnings, or they were the violent radicals who wanted Palpatine back in power, Dalyell's head on a pike, and Jedi corpses ... including younglings ... piled up in the streets.

Dalyell stood in the chancellor's office. He had only just moved himself in. He brought a few belongings with him. He had a picture of his family on his desk, and another with his oldest son wearing an army uniform. He was a COG Gear in the Coalition Army back on Sera, just like his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather before him.

The desk also had a plaque with a quote on it: 'I am responsible for myself, and my actions'. The words on that plaque were part of a quote from Nassar Embry, founder of the COG. Those words perfectly described the type of politician, and man, that Dalyell, and many of his fellow Serans, was. These were the way that all native Serans were expected to live by.

Another picture, a portrait, had COG soldiers braving enemy fire to raise the COG banner during his planet's great civil war, the Pendulum Wars as it was known. Below the painting was the COG Oath of service: "I shall remain vigilant and unyielding in my pursuit of the enemies of the Coalition. I will defend and maintain the order of life as it was proclaimed by the Allfathers of the Coalition in the Octus Canon. I will forsake the life I had before so I may perform my duty as long as I am needed. Steadfast. I shall hold my place in the machine and acknowledge my place in the Coalition. I am a Gear."

He leaned his forearm against the recently replaced window. He then leaned his forehead against his forearm to look out the window. He saw smoke columns from fires all across the city. Some were white, which meant the fires stopped burning. Or they were black, which meant that they were still burning strong. Most of the columns were black.

The fire department, the only people that were still able to do their jobs, were working serious over time. This was the nightshift. The other two shifts were stuck at home because of the martial law.

He could see a massive protest right outside the senate building. There were tens of thousands of them. Clone Troopers were dispersing them with stun blasts, smoke grenades and stun batons. Many in the crowd were stunned and dragged off if they didn't cooperate. Others were beaten within an inch of their life

A holo-screen projector showed Clone Troopers going to break them up. Other screens showed bricks being thrown through windows, fires being started, buildings being broken into, and blasters discharging.

A lot of these rioters were just trying to stir up trouble and could care less about the cause.

But even so, thousands of people have been killed across the planet already, and God knows how many more across the other Core worlds. This revolution was getting out of control quickly, and could quickly break down even further into a civil war.

There were reports of homes and businesses being broken into and looted. It was a bad day to be a small business/home owner, unless they were armed, in which case it was a bad day to be a rioter.

The Hospitals were overflowing with wounded, while Police and Fire stations were burning in some of the more violent areas. The Mob obviously wanted to...quite literally...burn society to the ground.

The Grand Army was being forced to put the very "citizens" it swore to protect in line.

"God help us all," Dalyell muttered to himself.

"Your excellency...," asked a voice behind him. Dalyell turned to see that it was Bail Organa. "...do you have anything to say sir? Do you wish to propose a new coarse of action?"

The Senator from Alderaan was joined by Mon Mothma, Padme Amidala, Garm Bel Iblis, Chi Eakway, Riyo Chuchi, Lux Bonteri, Fang Zar, Terr Teneel, Giddean Danu, and several other members of the 'Delegation of 2000'.

A few Jedi Council members were also attending, via hologram.

There were also several military leaders in the room, including Admiral Tarkin, Grand Admiral of the Republic Navy, and future Governor of the Outer Rim as decreed by Chancellor Palpatine.

The New Chancellor sat down in his chair, pulled himself towards the desk and propped his head up on the desk with his arms. He was staring off into space, thinking. Everyone in the room stared back at him.

"People. I'm going to be very blunt with you. There is a violent revolution in the streets of Coruscant, and in many cities all across the Core regions of the galaxy. More planets loyal to Palpatine are threatening to secede, and sense we're sending more ships and manpower to put down the revolution, our forces in the outer rim are bogged down with no reinforcements. The Republic is falling apart at the seams, and if we don't solve this problem right now, then we can kiss stability, and quite possibly the Republic, goodbye. I think that we need to start by ending this war," Dalyell said.

"I think that it is time that we finally put the CIS down for good. And when that is done, the destruction of the CIS will force revolutionaries to learn their place," Tarkin said.

Padme shook her head. "Your excellency..." Padme started to say, as if in protest of Tarkin's suggestion.

"Please don't call me that," Dalyell interupted, "It makes me feel very uncomfortable," Dalyell said, thinking it made him sound more like a king than an executive.

Padme nodded before she continued.

"Sir. We must put an end to the violence. I believe that we should call for a peaceful resolution. Both to this conflict, and the revolution," she suggested.

Dalyell looked at her for a moment. Then he closed his eyes and nodded his head.

"Senator Mothma, as much as I'd like for that to happen, I personally believe that the time for talking has ended. The CIS have never agreed to our offers of peace, and they don't want to surrender. They know that we're spread thin, and our home territory is going to 'Hell in a hand basket'. So they'll try to exploit that weakness. We need to show the Separatists our power and resolve. But instead of crushing the revolution," Dalyell said as he looked at Tarkin, subtly scolding him, "we'll show the galaxy our power. And then, hopefully, the CIS will give in, and the mob will stifle itself. And I sure as Hell am not gonna give territory to the CIS," he said, turning to Fang Zar, who once suggested that to the Senate, in hopes of achieving peace.

Everyone was silent.

"Sire. How do you plan to bring the Confederacy to the table?" Lux asked.

"With our latest weapons platform: The Hammer of Dawn. It's a plasma beam weapon that's being used by the Navy, curtesy of the COG's devotion to the Republic," Dalyell said, referring to how the Serans designed it, and helped the Republic build it. "With a couple hundred warships in the Navy already equipped with this weapon, then we could take out the CIS's ability to wage war".

That's when Dalyell's desk started blinking. A message was coming in over his desk-com. He activated it and Clone Marshal Commander Fox's hologram appeared on the desk.

Everyone in the room listened closely.

"Sir. The mob is arming themselves, and several precincts have been overrun. We can't handle this many arrests," the leader of the Coruscant Guard reported.

"Your taking prisoners?" Dalyell asked, dumbfounded. "The Mob's not taking prisoners, Commander. Tell the Police to stop trying to make arrests. No more arrests until you've Put. The Mob. Down!" Dalyell ordered, emphasizing the last four words and lightly pounding his fist into the table while doing it.

The room fell almost dead silent, as the politicians were shocked at what Dalyell ordered.

Fox was silent too. But he saluted. "Yes Sir!" He said before his hologram fizzled out and disappeared.

Padme was the first one to voice her concerns. "Chancellor. I don't think that using fear and intimidation is the best coarse of action," Padme said, raising her voice slightly.

Dalyell looked at the young Nabooian lady who spoke. He shook his head.

"My lady, I promise you that I didn't like that anymore than you did. But my people back home have a saying: We only achieve unity through order. We need to end this war and put the Mob in it's place, whether through peace or force, if we want to save the Republic. But, to show you that I mean well, I will give the CIS one last chance to enter peace talks. But if they refuse, I'm done with them," he then turned to Tarkin. "Admiral, I want you to co-ordinate with the Navy. Be ready to deploy the Fleet against anything valuable the CIS. I want the rest of you to put together a delegation that will go and negotiate with the Confederacy. I'm going to make a call to Raxus. I'll arrange for a meeting on neutral ground where we can negotiate a peaceful settlement".

Padme breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you Chancellor," she said softly. Dalyell may have had a heavy-handed approach to dealing with revolutions, but at least he was willing to play ball, by extending a hand to the Separatists, and rolling back Palpatine's executive expansion.

"Where will the meeting be?" Organa asked.

"If they reject our proposal, and we have to force them to surrender, then we'll just go to Raxus and force an unconditional surrender," Dalyell said. "But if we can get a negotiated settlement, then perhaps a neutral system. Perhaps somewhere in the Mandalore system, that hasn't been bombed yet".

That got Lux's attention. His girlfriend was still on Mandalore. Perhaps he could give her a surprise.

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Mandalore, Sun'dari, Republic aid station near the Royal Palace, 16 hours after the siege lifts, 10 hours after the Coruscant Revolution began.

The Battle of Sun'dari was over, and so was the Siege of Mandalore ... for the most part.

There were small pockets of Shadow Collective resistance that were being cleared out all over the planet, but they were nothing that the Coalition couldn't handle.

Mandalore was free. But at a steep price.

Many of the Night Owls and their allies suffered dearly. So did Ahsoka's forces. The Sovereign and her sister ships suffered heavy damage, and the support vessels weren't fairing much better.

The Star-pilots were deeply exhausted, after flying constant missions day and night for three days. And the Infantry, Navel Personnel, and fight pilots suffered many casualties.

It was, however, no where near as devastating a loss as it was from Maul's reign of destruction across the Planet. Several of the major cities were destroyed, their radioactive remains still burning in the distance, causing an ominous glow in the night sky. But Maul was on the run, and his regime was toppled. And the majority of the cities survived.

Now it was time to rebuild.

Not just rebuild the infrastructure, but the lives.

That included the injured troopers from Ahsoka's forces. One of those troopers was an old friend. And sort of a mentor to Ahsoka in some ways. It was CT-7567, commander of the 501st, second-in-command to General Skywalker.

It was Captain Rex.

Ahsoka and Coric were visiting the wounded when they found Rex.

Coric was a veteran clone sergeant. He was one of the six (seven if you count Rex) original members of Torrent Company, who Ahsoka fought alongside since the Battle of Teth. He had short black hair and a scar over his left eye, much like Anakin's right eye. He had a sense of humor and a loyal friendship to Anakin, Rex, and Ahsoka.

The two of them stood over the injured Captain. Kix had placed bacta patches over each of the blaster wounds that were left by Gar Saxon, Maul's top field commander, who was still leading the remnants of Death Watch against the Allied occupation.

Rex stirred in his sleep every so often.

It made Ahsoka uneasy. Was he giving his last breath? Was he reacting to Kix checking his vitals every ten minutes? Was he about to wake up? Was he having a bad dream? Did it matter?

"I could've stopped this," Ahsoka said suddenly.

"What?" Coric asked.

"I could've been more careful. I could've been more alert. Then Saxon wouldn't have done this. And if I had stopped Maul, then ... at least I could've ... avenged Rex," Ahsoka said.

Coric placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Ma'am. You can't beat yourself up about it. You did your best. We all did. You need to keep it together, 'cuz with the General gone..." Coric started to say.

Ahsoka turned back swiftly and looked back up at him, with tears starting to well up in her eyes.

They all found out what happened to General Skywalker. The Council had told them that Anakin was killed while uncovering Palpatine's plot to take over the galaxy. He was going to be buried as a hero to the Republic, and to the Jedi Order.

(A/N: I'm sure you all undestand the dramatic Irony of this scenario. In this story, the Council lies about what happened to Anakin. They want to preserve his legacy as the chosen one who helped destroy the sith. Imagine what some Jedi would believe if they found out what Anakin really did).

The news about Anakin had devastated Ahsoka. She hadn't left her room since yesterday when she fell apart in the middle with her fight with Maul. The clones had worked hard to coax her out of her room.

Coric needed to fix this conversation, and fast.

"Gawh. Look, we need you to be strong right now. You need to step up to the plate. We're all going to get through this together as a regiment. As a family," Coric said, emphasizing the last three words.

Ahsoka sniffed, wiped away her tears, and smiled.

"Thanks Coric," she said.

"Why don't you get on out of here. I'll watch over the captain," he said.

She nodded and walked out of the tent.

Rex stirred in his sleep again.

But with his breathing mask on, no one could tell that he was smiling.

---

Bo-Katan Kryze watched as citizens started returning to the city.

This was the first time in months that many of these people could return to the city. But they were, unfortunately, forced to com home to rubble out in the streets. Many of these people were rarely able to return to their own homes, often finding out that their home was gone.

But nonetheless, Mandalorians were very good at bouncing back from disasters such as this.

They will rebuild.

Many people walked passed Kryze. A lot of them stopped when they recognized her, and stopped to shake hands with the 'Warrior Duchess', and sister of the late Satine.

But she wasn't really there to look for someone. She had to be sure.

"Mother?" She heard someone call out.

She turned her head swiftly to see a red-head boy in his late teens running in her direction. It was her son, Korkie Kryze. She ran in his direction, and they met in the middle. They dropped to their knees and threw their arms around each other. Korkie buried his tear covered face into his mother's shoulders, after not seeing her for several years. Some people clapped wen they saw them hugging. It was a sign of hope that Mandalore could be rebuilt, as well as the families and lives that were broken.

After several minutes, they let go of one another.

"Look at you, all grown up," she said in disbelief.

Korkie smiled. "You did it mother. You saved Mandalore. Aunt Satine would be so proud".

She smiled. "Yes, she would". She looked passed her son to see several of his friends looking at them. One of them was a pretty blond girl with blue eyes and light skin. Kryze smiled. "Are you going to introduce me to your friends?"

Korkie blushed and reluctantly led his mother over to his friends from the academy, who were also in the resistance. One of them was his girlfriend, Lagos.

It was going to be a long reunion.

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Mandalore, Republic diplomatic transport, en route to Sun'dari.

A Consular class frigate, with several V-Wings escorting it, was about to land in Sun'dari. What was left of it anyway.

It was carrying the people who were going to potentially negotiate with the CIS. In preparation for this possible dialogue, the Republic occupation force was going to be confined to Mandalore's orbit, while the negotiations would take place on Concordia.

Lux Bonteri, who was with several other senators, including Riyo Chuchi, Mon Mothma, Fang Zar, Terr Teneel, and Giddean Danu, looked out a window.

Smoke columns still towered over their points of origin in the distance. After they passed through the domed exterior of Sun'dari, they could see that rubble and debris had littered the streets of the once proud city.

"This place has seen better days," Riyo said.

"Ahsoka was right: the fighting here must've been brutal," Lux said.

"Hmm. The People of Mandalore are resilient. Now that the fighting is mostly done with, they can start rebuilding what was lost," Mon Mothma said.

The two younger Senators nodded in agreement before they looked back down at the city below.

Construction crews and volunteers were helping clear up the city. Soldiers guarded every point of interest. The consular ship swooped over the city. It touched down on a landing pad on top of the Royal Palace. The fighters all landed around the ship.

The Senators all embarked from the ship.

An armored figure with red hair and a petite form walked over to the parked ship. "Welcome to Mandalore. We're honored to welcome the esteemed representatives of the Republic," Bo-Katan Kryze, provisional leader of Mandalore, said.

"It is a pleasure to be here," Mon Mothma said as she gave a slight bow of respect before she extended his hand to Bo, which she took.

Bo-Katan looked past everyone at Lux. They looked at each other. It wasn't exactly friendly. "You again. Hm. I haven't seen you since you and your girlfriend burned our camp to the ground," she said.

"What's she talking about?" Riyo asked as the other senators looked at Lux with interest.

"Long story," Lux said.

"Well I suppose, since your girlfriend helped take back our world, we can let by-gones be by-gones," Bo-Katan said.

Lux gave her a light scowl. "I'll be sure to pass that along," he said.

"Very good. I'll have someone show you to your quarters," Bo said. She clapped her hands together, and a palace worker came running. Bo then walked back towards the Palace.

As they walked through the palace, they could see scorch marks, blasted open walls, and floor craters.

"Is this place stable?" One of the senators, Fang Zar asked.

"Don't worry. Everything is relatively intact. So we should be good," the worker said.

They passed by several clones occasionally. They were mourning.

"A toast, to fallen comrades," one said as he raised a glass.

"Here here!" They all said.

That's when Lux saw a familiar togrutan figure conversing with some of the mourning clones, including one who had bacta patches and a hover chair (Rex).

Ahsoka was wearing her post-Jedi outfit. Lux noticed that this new outfit was more conservative than her usual clothing. For this new suit, she wore a skirt, that had small slits on either side. It covered her eye-catching rump. The rest of the suit was still forming fitting, hugging Ahsoka's hour-glass figure just as good as it always has.

It looked like Ahsoka was deep in conversation with her men when she turned her head towards the column of politicians passing by.

Her face lit up a little and she smiled when she saw Lux. His eyes connected with hers, and they were caught in another one of their trances. Ahsoka looked like she would faint if she swooned over him anymore than she was already. And Lux was so focused on her beauty that he didn't notice a column in his way.

"Umpf!" the young senator grunted as he bumped into the column.

Ahsoka brought her hand to her mouth to keep herself from laughing too hard. Her men saw what happened and they all chuckled. The other senators all looked with interest at Lux's accident and chuckled.

Lux, while rubbing the bruise on his forehead, smiled sheepishly and continued onward with the rest of the delegates.

Riyo smiled before she elbowed Lux playfully. "And I thought Jar Jar Binks was clumsy".

"Ha Ha Ha, very funny," Lux said sarcastically.

They all continued down the hall until they reached their quarters. Everyone was given a room. Lux went inside and started unpacking his suitcase. His room had a pair of queen-sized beds, a refresher (bathroom), and a sliding glass door that led to a balcony that looked out over the city.

About ten minutes later, when he was finished unpacking, he heard someone clearing their throat behind him.

He looked behind him to see someone leaning against the open door-frame.

It was Ahsoka, who was wearing one of her famous crooked smiles.

As he looked up and down her body the way he did when they first met, Lux noticed that she wasn't wearing her leggings. She still had her boots, her top, her skirt, her arm braces, fingerless gloves, and armlets. Without her leggings, Lux had an excellent view of her slender, yet meaty thighs and calves. She was leaning against the door-frame with one leg crossed over the other.

He then noticed that her top was unzipped all the way. The zipper seams were caught on her nipples, giving her a plunging 'v'-neck that showed him her cleavage and her belly.

He smiled back.

"That was quite the entrance you made Luxie," she said as she stepped into the room and used her elbow to press a button behind her.

The door closed and she walked over. Her breasts, which were hugged very nicely by the material of her top, gently bobbed up and down with each step she took towards him. As she walked, her hips swayed from side to side. Her calves were jiggling. Her thighs, quivering...

She pressed herself against him, pressing her breasts against his jacket, and coiled her arms around his neck, before she smashed her wet lips against Lux's for a soaking kiss. Lux closed his eyes and puckered his lips to return the kiss, and then he placed his hands on the sides of her waist, rubbing them up and down until he rested them on her hips, and pulled her closer. They stood there making out for a few minutes, moaning inside of each other's lips.

When they broke apart, Ahsoka spoke. "And here I was, afraid that I haven't left an impression on you after all these months apart," she said as she ran the palms of her hands down his pecks, referring to his obvious attraction towards her, as was made clear by him not being able to look where he was walking only moments ago in her presence.

Lux smiled.

"Never. Your beauty will always stun me. And quite frankly, you're well worth the wait," he said as he placed one hand on the small of her back, his fingertips brushing her plump butt cheeks.

"Hmmm. I guess love does hurt," Ahsoka said as she looked at the bruise on Lux's forehead, from when he smacked into the column earlier. She stood on her tippie-toes to kiss it.

Lux smirked.

She smiled sheepishly and blushed before smashing her lips against Lux's again. They closed their eyes and deepened the kiss. Lux wrapped his other arm around her hour-glass waist, and pulled her towards the chair in the corner of the room. He sat down on it, while Ahsoka slid into his lap, straddling him. Ahsoka leaned in and pressed her bust against Lux's chest, her plump tits sliding against his jacket. She then placed her hands on his shoulders and pressed her lips against his again. Her knees were far apart as she straddled Lux, but her feet were cross at the ankle between Lux's knees. Lux placed one hand in the crevice between her neck and rear Lekku and ran the other one down her smooth, bare back until it rested on her rump.

In that moment, Ahsoka could almost feel the pure raw emotions coming from Lux through the kiss. His longing for her touch, the fear that she wouldn't return to him, the anxiety he felt when she was out fighting in the war. In that moment, Ahsoka wanted nothing more than to make it up to him, and show him that his patience should be well rewarded.

She moaned as she started to envelope Lux's lips with her own. Their tongues began to slowly duel for control of the other's mouth. Ahsoka let Lux win that battle to protect his male ego.

Lux allowed one of his hands to roam her body. They travelled up her waist, and along her shoulder and arm. He eventually brought it back down her back and down to rest on her rump, which he started to lightly squeeze.

They broke apart and stared at each other, their noses almost touching.

They smiled at each other and began to kiss again.

Ahsoka moaned in pleasure and began to lightly writhe her hips against Lux's pelvis, so she could feel the hardened bulge forming under his pants. She began to unzip his jacket, allowing her to snake her arms inside the jacket, and push her bust even harder against his second layer of clothing, causing her breasts to push together and threaten to plop out of her suit.

Lux noticed both of these actions. It meant that Ahsoka wanted more attention from him, which he was happy to provide.

He moved his other hand from her neck down to her butt cheeks. He reached underneath them to lift her up.

Ahsoka yelped and giggled.

She hooked both of her legs around Lux's waist, as he carried her over to the bed. When he felt his knees bump into the bed, Lux dropped her onto the mattress.

She giggled as she bounced up and down on the mattress, which was covered in soft silken bed sheets. He climbed down on top of her and dove in to silence her giggles by kissing her again.

Ahsoka fell silent and accepted Lux's kiss.

She was at a loss as to what to do with herself as the kiss placed upon her deepened into one of lust, passion and want. The way the young senator was gently gliding his hand over her lekku sent shivers down her spine as their tongues wrestled over one another for dominance, though it was more of a surreal and heated dance than a fight.

A small whimper escaped her throat as his other hand brushed against her breast and lingered there for a few seconds before he started cupping his hand over the clothed mound.

Togruta were so sceptical to even the tiniest touch in sensitive places, particularly in their Lekku and ... womanly assets. As a Jedi, she would have never been allowed to experience those feelings of intense pleasure in fear that such things would lead to the ever calling lure of the dark side.

But lucky for her, she was no Jedi. So the boy who cradled her in his arms and hands as he explored her mouth with his own, was no problem for her.

She hadn't in her wildest dreams expected to be doing this today. But when she saw that Lux Bonteri had been among the senators to come to Mandalore, she waisted no time in following the delegation to their rooms.

Her men would have no idea what was happening as they prepared to return to base, and be relieved by a new occupation force. But still, Ahsoka felt a little flustered about what her men would do if they came to look for her, and found herself beneath the Onderonian senator. But then again, it wasn't really any of their business.

'And what are they gonna do? Check every room looking for me. They've got better things to do,' Ahsoka thought to herself.

She pushed those thoughts away, but it was not a voluntary move. Her body had taken over her better judgment the second the senator from Onderon began to squeeze and caress the breast he had cupped in his hand, while his other hand moved quickly from her equally sensitive lekku to take a light grip of her bubbly behind.

Ahsoka was indeed a beauty to behold, as many female Togruta were. She stood at five and a half feet tall, boasting a perfect athletic body so eye catching with her fiery orange skin. Her pert D-Cup breasts, which often bobbed up and down with every step she took, would often draw the eyes of many onlookers without her knowing, while her voluptuous behind, supported by meaty thighs and calves, achieved that feat and more as it wiggled and swayed with each step she would take. None of these features had been lost on the masses; but unlike others unwilling to make a move on a beautiful young ex-Jedi Padawan, Lux had wasted no time in flirting his way into this position from the day they met, before finally laying her on the ground and enjoying the feel of her body for himself as an urge for something more began to build up inside him and cry out for release.

As he broke the kiss, Lux instantly noticed the glint of want and need within Ahsoka's crystal blue eyes. She acted so innocent... so fragile. But Lux knew better; she would have allowed him to do anything with her at that moment if he requested, or demanded, it of her.

Moving the hand that had come to rest on her rear to her cheek, Lux cupped the delicate flesh as the Lekku stripes of the girl beneath him blushed a deep purple. He didn't need to have the senses of a Jedi to know she was ready and willing to continue with this little affair.

Bedding Ahsoka had always been something he would find occupying his thoughts and dreams for nights on end, the sheer danger and excitement of taking a Jedi's flower for his own made him quiver just at imagining the scene, but Ahsoka's master terrified him, and made him hesitate for a while. He also didn't want to ruin her life as a Jedi, which was part of the reason he went after Steela back on Onderon, while still dreaming of being with Ahsoka.

With a wicked glint in his eye, the senator moved a finger over the young Togruta's purple lips, forcing her to pucker her lips and kiss his finger.

She was his prize now, his reward for going so long without having the opportunity to fulfil his one and only sexual goal in making this former Jedi squeal and cry out as he plundered her beautiful body.

"My darling, beautiful Ahsoka…" he began with a sigh, his tone smooth and unthreatening, unlike his lust-fuelled thoughts, "…I want you here and now. I want to make you mine."

His words were lost in the effect of his actions as he slowly manoeuvred himself to better grip at her clothes and he began to slide both of his hands up the bottom of her zipper, where it met her skirt. He ran his hands up her tight and toned stomach and they eventually slid into her already unzipped suit, and found her naked breasts underneath the fabric. He began to squeeze them for his own amusement in seeing Ahsoka's reactions. The quivering girl beneath him began to whimper and groan in pleasure.

They began to make out again as Lux began to grind his hips against Ahsoka's.

Lux grunted while Ahsoka moaned against his lips. He got out of his jacket and threw it to the side. He had a white button-up collared shirt underneath with long sleeves. Lux then went down Ahsoka's face, trailing kisses along her cheeks and jawline. He eventually trailed down her head-tails, his kisses alternating between her white and blue stripes.

The young senator was rewarded with Ahsoka's giggling.

He tried to suck on her neck. But the bodysuit she was wearing had a collar that wouldn't it.

So he improvised.

His hands still rested on her plump breasts underneath her dress. His hands clenched and unclenched, making the soft mountains of flesh sink and rise with his fingers.

This made Ahsoka sigh and throw her head back into the pillow.

Lux then went down to the unzipped seam of her suit, over her chest. He had an excellent view, which showed off her breasts. He squeezed them together, making them look like they'd plop out and make her dress explode. He swore that he could see her nipples threatening to slip out of the suit. He then dove down and buried his face into her breasts.

Ahsoka closed her eyes, and arched her back. She stretched her arms over her head and pushed her breasts up into the air, as her lover began to rub his cheeks back and forth between her bust, enjoying their warmth and softness, even using his tongue to lick the valley in between.

"Mmmmh," Ahsoka started humming, in response to her lover's gripping massage, showing Lux how soothing it was for her. She brought her hands up and began to bury her fingertips inside of Lux's hair, as he continued rubbing his cheeks even harder into the soft orange breasts that he loved resting his head on.

But before the lovers could continue their little escapade, they heard a knock at the door.

The two of them gasped.

They both sighed in disbelief, but Ahsoka found herself giggling a little.

"You've got to be kidding me!?" Lux exclaimed through clenched teeth.

"You have to learn to have fun with it Luxie. Now go see who it is," Ahsoka said before kissing his forehead.

"This is going to be humiliating," Lux said, referring to the massive bulge in his pants. He got up and went over to the door.

He answered the door.

It was Senator Riyo Chuchi.

"Riyo? Uhm..hello," Lux said.

"Hello Lux. The others just wanted me to let you know that we'll be going to Concordia tomorrow after we inspect the troops tomorrow. The ceremony will be tomorrow at 8:00. am," Riyo said.

"Thank you. I'll uh ... be there tomorrow. Thank you" Lux said, a little nervously.

Riyo noticed that Lux's fair skin was flushed pink.

"Is everything alright?" She asked.

"Nothing's wrong. I just..." Lux paused, briefly hesitating to speak. "...I have company right now," he finally explained.

"Hi Riyo!" Ahsoka called out from inside the dimly lit room.

"Oh, Ahsoka! May I come in and say hello?" Riyo asked.

Riyo and Ahsoka were close friends. When she left the order, Riyo gave her a job on her security team. And when Ahsoka left Coruscant, Lux begged Riyo to tell him where Ahsoka went. Come to think of it, Riyo was the reason these two are together.

But Lux was alarmed. He swiftly blocked Riyo before she could try to walk in, alarming her slightly. "Uhm, er, not tonight. I, we, uhm. We're kind of in the middle of something," Lux tried to explain.

Riyo looked confused. "In the middle of what?" She asked before she looked down and saw the large tent in Lux's pants. The second her eyes met his bulge, she swiftly looked back up to Lux's face. "Oh! I see," she said, with her cheeks blushing a deep purple. Lux looked off to the side a little embarrassed, his cheeks bright red as he was stunned into silence. "In that case, I'll get out of your hair," Chuchi said as she walked off, blushing feverishly. "Goodnight Senator".

"Same to you," he said as Riyo walked off back down the hall. He closed the door, locked it, and sighed in relief. "Finally".

Lux walked back around the corner.

Ahsoka was laying down in the bed underneath the sheets. But all of her clothes and boots were piled up next to the bed, with her sabers on the nightstand.

Lux knew what that meant.

Ahsoka sat back up in the bed and stretched. The sheets fell down from her shoulders and down to her waist, revealing her breasts and stomach. She leaned back and propped herself up with her palms on the bed sheets.

Ashoka's lifestyle as a warrior did her body well, as not a single bit of body fat was visible on her well-trimmed stomach, which was skinnier than her hips and bust, giving her a perfect hourglass figure.

Her perky melons rose and collapsed with each breath she took. The hardened nipples moved in tiny circles everytime her breasts heaved with anticipation.

Lux was mesmerized by the naked, and heavily breathing, goddess sitting in his bed, waiting for him.

"Now ... where were we, Luxie?" Ahsoka asked with a seductive smirk.

(WARNING: LEMON SCENE STARTING. You've been warned.)

Lux snapped out of it and smirked.

He quickly started to take his clothes off one layer at a time. Lux continued to undress until he was left only covered by a pair of tight fitting black boxer shorts, which were failing to keep his now raging hardness in check.

The young Togruta's eyes never left the senator as he removed his clothes to once again equal her in terms of their shared nakedness, but almost as soon as Lux had removed his pants, her eyes had locked on to, and not moved away from, the bulge, making her bite her lip and squeeze at her breasts once again as she anticipated what was going to happen next.

The sight of his girlfriend massaging her own breasts was so ...oh so... intoxicating, he worried he wouldn't be able to control himself, lest he explode in orgasm at that very second as he drank in every inch of his fragile orange lover's quivering body and ran every different way he would make love to her through his head.

Without hesitating, he quickly and finally slipped out of his always tightening boxer shorts, releasing his throbbing, seven inch penis as it pointed at Ahsoka, and twitched when he saw the wide eyed look she gave it.

Ahsoka then looked up at him and smiled seductively. Her predatory instincts quickly boosting the adrenalin as she eyed the symbol of her hidden lusts. Her inborn instincts were driven wild by the sight; planting thoughts into her head she never would have even imagined were her own, were it not for her leaving the Order.

Placing a knee on the soft quilts that covered the bed, he lied back down on top of Ahsoka, who still had bed sheets covering everything below her bikini-line.

He started planting wet kisses on her tight and toned stomach as he trailed upwards towards her chest. He could feel his hardness pushing against the sheets beneath them.

Within a second he went underneath the sheets with her, allowing him access to the quivering girl's hot and smooth body. He lowered his mouth and took one of her nipples in with a gentle suck. He groped the other breast with one hand, and moved the other one down onto the sheets to steady himself.

As Lux suckled on his prize, small gasps began to escape Ahsoka's parted lips.

Her primal needs were in full control of her body, and her mind began to close down as pleasure began to drown out her thoughts. Her heart was beating fast against her chest, and thundering in her head, as Lux's wet tongue continued making circles around her pert nipple, sending more and more shockwaves down to her core. He eventually gave Ahsoka's other breast the same treatment, sending more of the same shockwaves throughout her body.

Lux grabbed Ahsoka underneath her thighs and stood up in a kneeling position, with Ahsoka's legs still wrapped around his waist. He was kneeling and holding Ahsoka's hips, while Ahsoka's shoulders were still on the bed. He then began to mercilessly slam his hips into hers.

"Mmmmh! MMmmmmmhh!"

The unexpected sensation made Ahsoka arch her back and squeal with pleasure as she felt Lux's hardened cock pounding into her core.

Because there's less skin contact between them, Ahsoka instinctively grasped at her bobbing breasts with both of her hands and gently massaged them, as she was pleasured by her lover.

In his kneeling position, he boldly thrusted his hips into hers, penetrating her deeply.

After a few moments of this position, Lux stopped, lied back down atop Ahsoka, and continued to pound into Ahsoka's midsection.

After a few moments, Ahsoka's Lekku started to make a purring noise. It meant that Ahsoka was experiencing pure bliss. Lux knew what that meant, and he began to push his erection deeper into Ahsoka's body with each thrust. She gasped, closed her eyes, and threw her head back into the pillow.

Her moans aroused Lux further, and he began to thrust into her at a faster rate. Ahsoka arched her back and pushed her bust up into Lux's chest, and threw her head back over the pillows

In return, he rested his chin on her shoulder and pressed his face in between her cheek and Lekku. His hot breath tickled her neck.

"Dear God! I love you Ahsoka," he breathed into her neck.

She didn't say anything in return. Instead, he merely moaned and gasped, sighing his name here and there.

"Aahh! Mmmh! Mmmmmh! Uuh! LUuux!"

Lux coiled his arms underneath Ahsoka's shoulders. Ahsoka buried her fingertips in Lux's hair as she wrapped her legs around his waist.

Lux's grunts and Ahsoka's sighs were in perfect rhythm with Lux's pelvic thrusts.

Their bodies began to moisten and both lovers continued to moan in pleasure as they rubbed their slippery bodies against one another's.

Lux, to his credit held himself firm despite the orange teen girl's movements. He had a bit of experience with the acts of sex from the night that he and Ahsoka made love near that pond on Shili, after escaping that Separatist Destroyer. That night, they shared a night of hot, blistering passion with each other after swimming in the small creak for hours. His memories of that night and the actions he had performed and perfected on his Togrutan lover proved to be just effective at this moment, as Ahsoka continued to thrash, moan and shudder under his well-aimed thrusts into her wet entrance and moved his hands up so as to take a hold on Ahsoka's plump, feminine melons, and begin moulding them like clay.

"Ahsoka… my beautiful love." He spoke softly and lovingly down at her as he moved to gently nimble at her neck and whisper in her Lekku, "Cum for me, my sweet…"

Moments later, Ahsoka felt a throbbing sensation in her core. The flood that had threatened to burst from inside her finally achieved its victory and orgasm washed over her like a hot river of blissful perfection. She gasped and shuddered, writhing her hips to meet Lux's thrusts as her walls began to tighten around his hardened member like a vice. Lux felt the wet gush of her juices squirt free onto his lower body and the sheets beneath them.

Lux grunted and began to push harder in order to keep pleasuring himself and Ahsoka. Moments later, Lux's scrotum clenched and a throbbing sensation travelled along his shaft before he thrust as deep as he could one final time.

He grunted as he coiled his arms around Ahsoka's waist and held her close, as he began to pump his hot and sticky substance into Ahsoka's body.

The full feeling followed by the flow of Lux's seed into her womb sent Ahsoka's orgasm into overdrive as she squealed out loudly, before lifting her head up to bury herself in her lovers warm shoulder.

Her lekku twitched and vibrated almost violently as she was filled up to the point of bursting once again, though all she could think about was how good it felt, how together they had shared a warmth that she hadn't experienced with him in months. The feeling was love and she felt it for Lux in the same way she knew he felt it for her. She smiled into his shoulder as he grunted and hummed lowly as they collapsed together onto the bed in a heap, spent and left to bask in the blissful aftermath of their love.

Lux chuckled lightly as he rolled the two of them over and allowed Ahsoka to lie on top of him, his throbbing member still stuck deep inside her as they stared into each other's eyes and shared another long, loving kiss. They lay there for what seemed like hours, trying not to drift off to sleep in each other's arms as they continued to lock their tongues in a battle for supremacy neither were worried about losing.

As they continued making out, the sun began to finally set over Mandalore's desert horizon, shining its orange rays through the translucent dome that covered the city, and cast orange light into the dimly lit room. The lights eventually disappeared behind the horizon, shrouding the room, and the kissing lovers, in near total darkness.

After a few minutes, Lux began to slowly rub his softening penis back to hardness inside Ahsoka's leaking midsection in an effort that made the girl break their kiss for but an instant before she reengaged their battle with even more fire than before.

He began thrusting into her once again, taking a firm hold of her round and firm buttocks with each hand as he allowed her to ride him, her moans filling his ears like a sweet song as he watched her raise herself up to her knees and bounce on him as naturally as a seasoned veteran of the act.

It was their combined moans that had however distracted them from any attempt at discretion, though in truth that had gone out the window as soon as Ahsoka had reached her first orgasm that night under his hard thrusts.

Neither of them even thought about the consequences of the rising volume, much less the attention it had attracted from outside the door to them.

"Lux…! Oh! Lux! I love yeeeeoooohhhaaaaahhhhhh!" Ahsoka moaned, and then squeeled out as she once again felt the raptures of orgasm wave over her entire body and she impaled herself on the senator's penis, as Lux too let out a loud groan and filled her up once more with his hot, life giving seed.

No matter what bad thing they've experienced in their recent memories, they could both forget about it that night as the sounds of their love making could drown out their painful thoughts, and be heard down the hall.

(Lemon scene ends)

---

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Conversation between Chancellor Dalyell of the Republic and Bec Lawise, the current public leader of the Separatist Parliament.

Dalyell: "Premier Deschenko. I'm going to get straight to the point: This War. Needs. To end. But it won't end with a total Separatist victory. So, I would like to make one final attempt to make peace with the Confederacy of Independent Systems".

Bec Lawise: "I'm sure we could agree to a white peace if you cut your military budget, shut down the cloning facilities on Kamino, pay reparations to our people, and perhaps give up some of your territory, then maybe in return, we will come to the negotiating table".

Dalyell: "I won't accept those terms. I will only accept a white peace or your total surrender. And I am begging you to accept the former".

Bec Lawise: "Is that a threat? I'm not surprised. Your Predecessor was a warmongering tyrant, so I wouldn't expect anything less from you".

Dalyell: "He was a closet tyrant who conspired with your predecessor, who was a more open tyrant. Which is why I feel that we should stop this fighting. Both sides have been played from the start".

Bec Lawise: "NO, your side was played! Our problems were real. Your Republic was crushing us under the weight of its oppressive boot. You will not spit on Count Dooku's great legacy or his name! He was our Hero. He gave us a voice."

Dalyell: "You're right. Your problems were real, because my predecessor did drive you away. But he and Dooku were conspiring to do so and create the war. Dooku gave you a voice, and you can continue to have your voices heard. I implore you, accept my offer. Agree to negotiate peace. We will allow you to keep your independence. That is something that I can assure you that Palpatine would never do".

Bec Lawise: "Never! We will fight to our last breath. We will fight until you have to charge over mountains of your fallen slaves, and through debris fields of your fleets, to attack us. And then one day, when your Republic is ripped apart from the inside, we will march across the burning ruins of your disgusting Capital, and raise the Banner of the Separatist Alliance over your Corrupt Oligarchy".

Dalyell tried to say something before the transmission was cut off, ending the holographic conversation. Dalyell leaned over in his seat and held his forehead before gently massaging the part of his head that started to pulsate.

Bec Lawise was obviously a true believer ... and a fighter. Either that or he was feeding a massive ego.

Perhaps both.

But he didn't know what was in store for him by walking away from the negotiating table.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Executive Directive from the Chancellor's office.

From: Office of the Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic Congress.

To: The Admiralty of the Republic Navy.

Subject: Hammer of Dawn Deployment.

Valiant warriors of the Republic Army and Navy, despite our greatest efforts, the CIS has once again refused our generous offer of peaceful negotiations. Because of this, it has been concluded that the Confederacy has no intention of ending this war peacefully, and therefore must be neutralized as a threat if the war is to end, and if the Republic is to survive. You are hereby authorized to swiftly bring the enemies of the Republic to heel through any means necessary, or possible. That includes the full arsenal of the Republic Navy. We must destroy the CIS's will, and ability, to fight. You will do whatever you conclude is necessary to cripple the Confederacy's ability to wage war by targeting their droid, equipment, and ship-building capabilities, to ensure total victory for the Galactic Republic.

Signed: His excellency, Tomas Dalyell, Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Congress, and Commander-in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Galactic Republic.

Message ends.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Kashyyyk, Republic Base near Kashirro.

"This is Commander Gree. We are about to be overrun. General Unduili is wounded, and General Vos is missing. The Seppies are knocking on my door. We can't hold them much longer!" He shouted into his com-link.

No response.

Gree and his men from the 41st Elite Corps, along with the Wookie natives, were in the middle of a fight for their very lives.

Red plasma crashed down all around them. Sand was kicked up by the concussive force, and the screams of wounded Clones and Wookies alike filled the air.

Ever since Master Yoda left for Coruscant, and the revolution started back in the core, the Republic has halted all major offensives into the Outer Rim. This emboldened the CIS to launch an offensive of their own. They went over the border in several sections, attacking GAR supply routes, isolated Republic outposts, and even attacked critical systems, like Kashyyyk.

The Republic Fleet suffered heavy casualties in orbit before scattering across the system. Now, after being been given control of the skies over Kachirro, Separatist warships were hammering the place.

Red laser bolts slammed into the beachheads and treetop buildings of Kachirro.

The RSV Tranquility was still parked behind the beach and concealed by the trees.

It used its cannons to provide artillery support for the troops on the beach, and its dwindling fighter compliment fought desperately to hold off the CIS warships.

"Shit! No response!" Gree exclaimed.

Just then, several Hyena bombers swooped by, ready to drop their payload on the Tranquility. The ship's cannons woke up and blasted away at the enemy bombers. Several bombers were downed, but a few dropped their payload on the Star-Destroyer. Explosions blossomed all over its hull. The shields glowed and popped. The ship itself suffered multiple hull breaches. The ship was still intact, but its cannons fell silent, and fires raged across the ship.

Confederate forces continued the assault in the air and on the ground

"Sir, what are we gonna do?!"

Gree looked around. The city was on fire, the ship was on fire, and his men had no where to go.

"Fall back behind the sea wall. We'll draw them in and fight them on our terms!" Gree ordered.

"You heard him fall back!" A clone shouted as they continued fighting.

The 41st Elite Corps, along with elements of the 501st Legion, and the Wookie natives, had been beaten back by Separatist forces, which were advancing on the Kachirho sea wall and attempting to destroy a crucial energy refinery.

As the Republic retreated, the Separatists advanced, but not after paying a price first. Republic fighters continued to swoop down and strafe the beach, blasting the Separatist forces apart.

Republic artillery pieces continued to blast the Separatist tanks into chunks of metal debris.

Eventually, Commander Gree managed to lead the surviving clones and Wookies inside the city's outer wall.

"This is it, men. We have to hold this wall until reinforcements arrive. No retreats. No excuses." Gree said into his communicator, rallying his men for battle.

"GGRRRRR!" The Wookies chanted.

"OOHAH!" The Clones called out.

Everyone took up positions in front of the main entrance and the towering logs that were wove together to for Kachirho's great wall. Defending the city from inside were two concussion turrets and multiple clone scout troopers, who prepared fire on the advancing enemy snail tanks and the droid forces. TX-130 light hover tanks and AT-RT scout walkers moved into position. Clones and Wookies took cover and aimed their weapons at the wall.

Suddenly, Separatist firepower began to blast the wooden wall apart, blowing holes into it. That's when the walls came crashing down, and the first wave of Separatist battle droids and snail tanks came charging in like ancient cavalry.

"FIRE!" Gree shouted before the Clones and Wookies blasted at the invaders with everything they had.

Blaster bolts, artillery fire, rockets and grenades were fired into the horde of charging droids. Clusters of droids that packed together were wiped out. After a few minutes of being blanketed by Republic firepower, the Separatist offensive began to stall out.

This allowed the Republic to charge out of the city, over the remains of the sea wall, and bring the fight to the Droid Army.

Droids had their arms ripped out of their sockets by raging Wookies who used their bare hands. Clones blasted droids point blank and hacked away at them with their laser bayonets.

A Wookie named Chewbacca grabbed a battle droid and used it as a shield as he charged at a group of battle droids, firing his bow-caster as he went. He roared out a battle cry with the rest of his fellow warriors.

"For the Republic!" one clone shouted as he fired his DC-15L at the enemy.

"Come on you clankers," another clone said, taunting the droids with a signature slang term.

The battle raged even harder. Republic cannons that were still operating on the RSV Tranquility blasted away at the CIS warships in defiance. Wookie catamarans and Republic fighters continued to hold off the CIS warships.

Sep dropships were blasted out of the sky before they could land more troops in front of the city.

Republic Tanks and infantry began to launch their counterattack, with the intention of pushing the enemy ground forces back into the lake.

But just as they left the city, ad went to retake the beachhead, the clones and wookies all stopped. They saw an entire new army of fresh battle droids. Their were thousands of droids, and dozens of tank, which began to pound away at the Republic and Wookie forces, forcing them to abandon the counterattack.

The CIS warships, which were still hovering over the lake, blasted the city with an even greater ferocity.

Juggernaught Tanks were blasted apart, treetop platforms tipped over after their supports were blasted apart underneath them, and fires raged everywhere.

"Is there anyone there? We Need Support. RIGHT NOW!" Gree shouted into his comm-link.

"This is Captain Jan Dodonna of the Republic Navy. We read you Commander. What's your situation?" The voice asked.

"Sir. I've got the entire Sep Navy knocking on my door! We need air support, AND WE NEED IT NOW!" Gree shouted.

"Alright Commander. Mark those targets and we'll see what we can do," Dodonna said.

"Aye Sir. Someone mark those warships," Gree ordered into his com system.

---

Delta Squad had been on the planet for weeks now. They rescued Wookies that were being held by the Separatist advance forces, they destroyed a large supply base, and even cut off the Droid army's attack routes into Kachirho, forcing them to take their army straight into the gauntlet of Republic and Wookie firepower.

But now, the Seps were back, and Delta squad needed to help stop them once again.

"Delta Lead, the Republic Navy needs the exact coordinates of the Separatist warships. Use your laser designators to paint those warships. Then I'll send the information to Captain Dodonna," A clone said over Delta Squad's comm-links.

"Roger that Advisor," Delta 38, aka Boss, said as he and his men came up on a ridge that overlooked the entire lake. They could see the Separatitst warships bombarding the city far of in the distance. "This looks like a good spot. Let's get to it squad".

The commandoes pressed a button on the sides of their rifles and flashed a blue laser beam that they used to sight the Separatist warships. As they hovered their beams over the warships, the Advisor was able to see where the beams stopped, realizing that that was where the ships must've been.

When the squad was almost done, a laser blast flew over their heads and hit a tree next to Scorch. He turned around and saw at least a dozen Separatist-aligned Trandoshan mercenaries heading up hill through the brush to attack them.

"Lizards Ho!" Scorch exclaimed. He turned around and started firing on the advancing lizards.

"Sev, keep lazing those targets, we'll deal with these fierfeks!" Boss said as he and Fixer turned to join Scorch in driving the lizards off.

Sev turned back and continued to use his rifle's laser designator to paint the enemy warships above the lake with a massive sign that said 'kick me'. But that's when one trando-merc got passed his brothers and tried to cut him up with dual daggers. Sev swiftly turned around and tried to train his gun on, but the trando knocked it out of his hand and lunged at him. But before he could stick down daggers into Sev, he grabbed the lizard's wrists and held them still above his head, the daggers hovering near his helmet. But then he leaned back and swiftly head butted the lizard. Green blood began to pool out of its nose. Some of it even got on Sev's helmet. He then raised his leg and kicked the lizard as hard as he could into its stomach, forcing it to double over. It dropped its daggers to hold its stomach. That's when Sev extended a blade from his wrist vambrace. The lizard looked up with fearful eyes as Sev slashed it across the throat, spewing green blow everywhere. The lizard fell back and gagged on its own blood before finally dying.

The other commandoes finished off the trandos, who were wiped out to the last lizard.

When they were done, Boss looked back at the enemy fleet.

"Alright, now that that's out of the way, get back on those laser designators. We've got a city to save," Boss said.

"You think they'll name a city street after me?" Scorch joked.

"Yeah, Scorch avenue. That sounds like a safe road," Sev said.

"Stow it Deltas," Fixer ordered the squad's resident wise-asses.

They finished lazing the targets. Now it was time to watch their work pay off for the entire planet.

---

Moments later, Dodonna got back on the comm to speak to Commander Gree again, who's forces were still fighting for their lives to save a burning city.

"Got it. Targets marked. Just sit back and enjoy the show, gentlemen," Dodonna said.

For a few minutes nothing happened.

Suddenly, the gray clouds started to glow blue. Then several powerful beams split the clouds apart and made contact with a hulls of the Sep warships. For a couple seconds, it seemed like the blue beams connected the CIS warships to the clouds. Then suddenly...they exploded. Entire sections of the ships disappeared in a brilliant explosion, before what was left of them crashed into the lake below. The Separatist camp on the other side of the lake was also wiped out. The entire Separatist invasion force was wiped out by a giant eraser made of white hot plasma.

Every Clone and Wookie looked up to see what had just happened. Normally, they'd be celebrating. But the way their victory was achieved stunned them beyond any rational thought.

"Damn," one of the clones exclaimed softly.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Felucia, Outer Rim.

On the fungal forests of Felucia, Aayla Secura and her men from the 327th Star Corps were fighting an uphill battle...literally.

She and her man were fighting for their lives. The CIS forces had dozens of heavy cannons in the hills and clifftops overlooking the region. They were firing down on the Republic forces.

Clone troopers that were concealed in the trees tried to fire up at the cliffs.

Republic troop transports stayed back to avoid the CIS firepower. It didn't work for some of them.

AT-TE walkers used their powerful cannons to fire on the CIS forces on the high ground. Some CIS emplacements were blasted off the cliff. But the majority were still active

Separatist cannons and Spider walkers fired back, blasting the walkers. The damaged and burning walkers collapsed, their crew stumbling out to avoid the flames.

Jedi knight Aayla Secura ... who was wearing tight yoga pants to show off her beautiful rump, a tube top that hugged her large breasts and show off her beautiful stomach, and high-heeled boots ... was in the middle of it all.

As she deflected blaster bolts that were coming her way, her large breasts jiggled with every move she made. Commander Bly and his men fired up at the mountain fortress. Republic tanks exploded left and right. Several Gunships were shot down trying to get supplies into the area.

"Commander. Is there any way that we can take out those cannons?" Aayla asked in her native accent, as she deflected more and more laser shots with her blue saber.

"Sure, with a few battleships maybe!" He exclaimed.

but then, out of no where, several blue beams shot through the sky and slammed into the CIS positions. They slowly moved across the hilltops like a giant destructive eraser. Massive walls of fire rose up over the fungus. Thousands of birds flew out of the burning forest, trying to get away from the fire.

Everyone looked up in horror, surprise, and relief.

"Bly, was that ours?" Aayla asked.

At that moment, dozens of Republic fighters, bombers, and gunships flew down from orbit to the burning hilltops.

"I guess so," Bly said.

When Aayla was done watching the burning hilltops, she signaled to her men to move forward. "Everyone, advance!" She called out.

The Republic convoy got moving again.

Aayla and her men moved up to the CIS fortifications on the large hilltops that looked out over the landscape in every direction. They secured the area without encountering any resistance.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Mygeeto, outer rim.

On the crystal world of Mygeeto, The Clone and Droid armies were fighting for control of the city. A long bridge connected the two sections of the city. The Republic side and the Separatist side.

A massive snow storm hovered over the battle.

Ki-Adi-Mundi and Commander Bacara were leading their Galactic Marines from the 21st Nova Corps in a fight to take the other side.

"Come on!" Mundi called out.

As the Republic began to advance across the bridge, several Octuptarra tri-droids towered over the CIS positions on the other side.

They fired their heavy cannons at the bridge.

"Incoming!" Bacara shouted.

The bridge was hit by dozens of plasma blasts. It eventually started to give way.

"It's breaking away!" Captain Jet shouted out.

"Get clear! Get off the bridge!" Mundi ordered.

Everyone started to get clear, but many weren't fast enough.

The bridge fell into the deep gorge below, along with dozens of clones and several armored viechles.

Bacara could see the other side. Jet trooper droids and several hovering octuptarra tri-driods were amassing near the other side, ready for a counter-attack.

"Stand by. Get ready for them to counterattack!" Mundi called out as his men assumed a defensive stance.

A few moments later, the gray clouds began to glow blue.

"Now what?" Jet asked.

Suddenly, several blue plasma beams split through the dark storm clouds and came crashing into the ruined and deserted city on the other side. The droid army was wiped out along with the city. Everyone was shocked. The city was just gone. And the Republic was just about ready for an attack that would obviously never come.

"What just happened?" one Clone asked as everyone stared at the burning city in disbelief.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Raxus, capital of the CIS, office of acting Separatist Parliament leader, .

The acting public leader of the Confederacy of Independent Systems, Bec Lawise, looked at the monitors in front of him.

They showed the raw destructive power that the Republic Navy was capable of.

Fleets were blown apart. Naval yards, airfields, droid/vehicle factories on the frontline were blown to pieces and left to burn. Clone forces marched over the remains of their droid counterparts without any resistance whatsoever.

The use of this new weapon by the Republic was reported on 29 different worlds in the outer rim. All were fortress worlds, some of which were close to Raxus and several other Separatist core worlds.

The Siniteen male was witnessing the end of the world. And whether he knew it then or now, he had agreed to keep on fighting his way to the destruction of the Confederacy.

He wasn't the only one watching it. This was being transmitted by the Republic all over the galaxy. It was supposed to be a show of force. According to the CIS's intelligence organizations, It was working. The revolution in the core, as well as all further threats of secession, was dying down planet by planet until the mob scattered, surrendered, or fled underground.

There was a knock on his door.

"Come in," he said.

It was his secretary.

"Sir. You have a call coming in. It's Chancellor Dalyell," she said.

With a deep breath, he contemplated the news after a few dozen rapid heart beats.

"Put it through," he ordered, as his hands shook a little.

Seconds later, Chancellor Dalyell's image appeared on the holo-projector on his desk.

"What do you want?" He asked, his yellow eyes full of contempt and slight terror.

"Chairman Lawise. You've seen the power of the Hammer of Dawn. You've witnessed our destructive capability. I gave you a chance to end the war peacefully, and walk away with your independence and sovereignty intact. But you've tried my patience, and you failed. Now I have new terms: Unconditional Surrender. The Separatist droid armies will shut down. The Separatist Navy will be impounded and eventually dismantled. Full Military Access will be granted to the Republic Army and Navy. And all former Confederate territory will be subject to a Military occupation until you've been reintegrated back into the Republic," Dalyell said, laying out his terms.

Everything he was saying made Lawise feel sick. He brought his hand up to his giant head to massage a headache.

Dalyell continued.

"If none of these demands are met, then I will have no choice but to instruct the Republic Navy to unleash the full power of the Hammer of Dawn upon your cities. Your fleets. Won't. Be able. To stop us." Dalyell said, emphasizing the last 8 words, venom dripping from each one.

Lawise's hands started to shake, and sweat began to pour down the side of his large head.

"B-but, millions would die," he said.

"Billions already have," Dalyell casually stated, making Deschenko's throat swell up. "I'll give you one week to accept my offer. You know how to reach me".

Dalyell's hologram disappeared, leaving Deschenko alone in his office with his thoughts.

This was the end of the CIS as he knew it.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Unknown Location.

Ahsoka found herself surrounded by fog.

It was so thick that she could've cut it apart with her lightsabers.

She looked around, confused.

"Hello?!" She called out. Her voice echoed through the fog.

A hissing noise called to her.

It sounded like the hissing noise was saying 'Ahsoka'.

This peaked her interest.

"Is someone there?" She asked.

All of a sudden, the fog lifted, and the world around her was on fire. Bodies littered the ground around her. Many of them were Clones and Jedi, including younglings. Many more were men, women, and children. On closer inspection, it looked like Coruscant. Its mighty skyscrapers were on fire or knocked over. In the distance, the Senate building was ripped open, like someone placed a grenade inside of a doll-house.

The Jedi Temple's towers were damaged, while the roof was on fire.

Every part of what she was seeing was beyond disturbing.

"Ahsoka," someone said behind her.

Someone from the corpse pile limped towards her. She almost screamed. But, when she looked closer, she saw who it was. Her old master, Anakin Skywalker.

"Anakin?!" She exclaimed. She went over to him, to keep him from falling forward.

"What happened?" She asked, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"The..." He coughed. "...The Sith. They did this. We tried to fight them off, but - Urgh! - you weren't there. Why weren't you there Ahsoka? Why did you leave us when we needed you the most?"

Ahsoka was in utter shock.

"What? No! I was trying to help others," she said frantically, even more tears rolled down her cheeks.

"But I needed you here. You failed Me! You failed all of Us!" he accused her, before a pair of red blades jutted out of his chest.

Ahsoka screamed and stumbled backwards onto the ground as her old master was killed right in front of her.

---

Ahsoka abruptly woke up in a cold sweat, propping herself up on her elbows.

Ahsoka gasped in a deep breath while clenching the sheets with her hands as hard as she could. For a moment, she struggled to remember where she was ... and to remember why she was naked. She looked to her left out the window. It was still dark out.

She felt warm flesh beneath her. It belonged to someone that was equally naked beneath her. It was her boyfriend, Lux Bonteri, who was asleep and naked after a fantastic night of love-making.

But instead of focusing on the pleasant activity last night, she focused on the nightmare that she just had. Then she started thinking of her Master. Her master, who was now dead (A/N: according to the Jedi Council). She choked up and started to gasp. Tears welled up in her eyes before they streamed down her cheeks before the sobbing began.

After a few minutes, Lux stirred in his sleep. He moaned and tried to look up through his squinted eyes. But when Ahsoka continued to sob, he eventually woke up. He yawned very loudly and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.

Lux then realized that his lover was crying.

He turned a light on, dimly lighting up the dark room. Then, he propped himself onto one arm and he ran the other one up and down Ahsoka's Lekku.

"Ahsoka, what's wrong?" He asked with concern. Almost immediately, she threw threw herself on him and pinned him to the bed, before burying her face into his shoulder, her tears getting his shoulder wet.

She sniffled hard. Lux was shocked, but he ran one hand up and down her back. He patted and stroked her lekku with the other. "He's gone. My master's gone. I failed him," Ahsoka said as she continued to sob.

"What are you talking about?" Lux asked. "The planet's been liberated".

"But Maul got away and Rex was nearly killed. And now Anakin's dead. I wasn't there when he needed me," she said as she sniffed and sobbed.

Lux, having suffered through a few tragedies of his own, understood what Ahsoka was going through. He didn't know much about being a Jedi, but he knew one thing: The bond between Master and Apprentice was unbreakable.

She laid on her side and Lux comforted her until she settled down.

He leaned over and kissed her lekku.

"Ahsoka, I understand what you're going through. But, you didn't let anyone down. You did your best. You pushed 110% every time. If you're master was around right now, then he would be the proudest Jedi in the galaxy. No, the proudest person in the universe. In fact, I'm proud of you Ahsoka," Lux said.

Ahsoka sniffed again and wiped away her remaining tears.

She looked at him, her Lekku turning a darker shade of blue. Her cheeks were tinted pink a little.

"Re-really?" She asked in a choked up voice.

"More than anyone," he smiled, before cupping her cheeks with his hands, using his thumbs to wipe her tears off of her cheeks.

She sniffled again and wiped her eyes. But then she smiled.

"Thanks Lux," she said her pressing her lips against his. They smiled.

Then Lux pulled her head into his chest again before he kissed the tips of her montrals.

"Okay," she said obediently before snuggling her face into his neck. "I love you Lux," she said.

"I love you too Ahsoka," Lux said.

A couple minutes later, they both drifted off to sleep.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Message to office of Supreme Chancellor Dalyell, from the planet Raxus.

To: The high office of his excellency Supreme Chancellor Tomas Dalyell.

From: The high office of Chairman Bec Lawise of the Separatist Parliament.

Subject: Surrender.

"Chancellor, after having a few hours to think of your demands, and the consequences of ignoring them, I have decided that there is no choice but to accept them. After bringing this news to the Separatist Senate, they have also come to accept that the Confederacy of Independent Systems continued resistance is futile. You have defeated us, and we accept that. We have decided to began the process of deactivating or military infrastructure, and we would like to invite you and any delegates from the Republic Senate that would like to preside over the Armistice between our two peoples."

-Chairman Bec Lawise, acting Public Leader of the Confederacy of Independent Systems, acting Commander-in-Chief for the Separatist Droid Army and Navy.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Royal Palace, Sun'dari, Mandalore.

Lux could hear a strange beeping noise in his sleep.

He slowly woke up.

When he opened his eyes, his vision was fuzzy. As he started blinking, his vision came into focus.

With his eye sight fully cleared up, he could see the beautiful togrutan that he made love to last night still laying on top of him.

Ahsoka stirred a little in her sleep. She groaned as she struggled to wake up.

Lux smiled down at her before stroking her head tails with one hand, while holding the small of her back with the other.

She moaned lightly in pleasure before snuggling her head into Lux's chest.

That's when he remembered that he heard beeping in his sleep.

It was his com-device. It was giving him a notification.

He looked at him and read the time.

7:15 AM.

He then remembered when Senator Chuchi said that the Senatorial Inspection ceremony started at 8:00 AM. He had 45 minutes to get ready and go eat breakfast downstairs.

Lux turned his head back to Ahsoka, who was not only awake, but staring right at him. She was smiling. Her blue eyes sparkled like two crystal pools. "Why good morning," Lux said with a smirk.

Ahsoka reached to scratch Lux's cheek. "Hm. Good Morning to you too".

She leaned in and pressed her lips to Lux's. She moaned against his lips.

They broke apart to look into each others eyes.

"You know, I've never slept in a nice warm bed with a girl to share it with," Lux said as he glided his hands up and down Ahsoka's waist. Neither of them noticed, but Lux was still inside of Ahsoka. His member began to stiffen and spring up inside her flower.

"Mmmmmh. And I've never gone to bed with somebody inside of me," Ahsoka said when she noticed it.

Lux smiled.

But he remembered that he didn't have any time for more fun with Ahsoka.

He sat up and lifted her off of him. As she lied down in the silk sheets of the bed, he got off the bed and walked towards the refresher. "I have to be out of here in about 20 minutes," Lux called out to her.

Ahsoka looked up at the ceiling with a scowl. She just sat there for about 15 minutes, thinking. She got up and started putting her post-Jedi clothes back on, but she kept it slightly unzipped, showing off some of her cleavage.

Lux was already done showering, styling his hair (which was styled the way it was at the beginning of A Friend In Need), brushing his teeth, and shaving. He was all dressed up and ready to go ... except for his jacket, which he noticed that Ahsoka was wearing over her outfit, but unzipped.

The sleeves were too long for her, as her hands were no where to be seen.

She stood before him with a pouty look.

He arched one eye brow over the other as he looked at her.

"Do you have to go Luxie?" Ahsoka asked as sweetly and innocently as she could.

He smirked before walking up to her.

His hands went into the open jacket that she was wearing and coiled around her body, where they rested on her hips. She still looked up at him with a pouty look. He brought one of his hands up to hold her chin.

"Look. I know that you've been looking forward to spending time with me. I've wanted the same thing too. I was so worried about not being able to see you. But ... We still have our responsibilities to our colleagues. All I need from you is just a couple more hours and I promise you that I am all yours," Lux said.

Ahsoka's pouty look disappeared and turned into a smile.

She stood on her tippy toes, coiled her arms around Lux's neck, pushed her bust against his chest, and looked into Lux's eyes with their noses almost touching. "Alright," she said before she smashed her lips against Lux's. He pulled her in, with one hand on her hip and the other on her cheek. Their tongues began to explore each other's mouths. Ahsoka practically swallowed Lux's lips as she pulled him deeper into the kiss.

When Lux broke away from Ahsoka's lips, he went behind her and lifted the jacket off of her shoulders.

He threw it on and prepared to step out the door.

"I'll see you later, my little 'Soka," he said, using the nickname that Plo Koon used for her, which she told him about.

Ahsoka smiled, blushed, crossed her arms over her chest (smashing her jugs together and making them look like they'd plop out of her bodysuit), and gave him a little wave.

He smiled back at her and took off down the hall.

After grabbing a quick bite to eat, he ran outside to meet up with his colleagues, who were on a stage in front of several files of Clone Troopers from the 501st Legion, and their officers.

Mothma and some of her colleagues were deep in conversation.

Riyo saw Lux coming and flagged him down. He walked over.

"Good morning Senator. I take it you had a 'pleasant' night?" She asked, emphasizing the word 'pleasant'.

Lux gave her a blank stare. Then his cheeks turned pink when he figured out what she was implying.

Dear God! She must've heard me and Ahsoka last night.

"Uhm, uh, Y-you ... you could say that," Lux said as they waited outside.

That's when they heard a clone officer shouting.

"ATTEN-SHUN!" He shouted out. The Clones all snapped to attention and a band began to play a patriotic Republic song, "All Stars Burn As One".

The Senators all stood still as a hologram of Chancellor Dalyell walked onto the stage in front of the Clones.

"Wait a minute, the Chancellor's here? Why?" Lux asked.

"He wanted to share the great news the 'heroes of the 501st Legion' personally," Riyo explained.

"What great news?" Lux asked.

"Shh," Riyo hushed him. "Watch".

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Holonet news broadcast of Chancellor Dalyell's address to the Elite 501st Legion.

"Brave warriors of the Grand Army of the Republic. I would like to congratulate you on your efforts in liberating this planet, who's proud history is rich with honor and glory. Because of you, millions of people are now breathing the fresh air of Liberty. And because of You, Darth Maul's reign of terror and destruction was halted in its tracks."

The assembled troopers clapped in response to Dalyell's speech.

"We are also gathered here today to recognize the great achievements made by members of this distinguished unit. For Bravery, self-sacrifice, and for voluntarily going above and beyond the Call of Duty, I would like to nominate Commander Ahsoka Tano with the Cross of Glory, which is the highest reward obtainable within the ranks of the Grand Army".

Everyone cheered.

"And it because of your honorable service to the Republic, I believe that it is high time that members of the Clone Army be given the right to settle on whatever planet each individual chooses. I believe that you have earned the right to vote in the free elections of the Republic that you have served without question. And it is time that you be provided with wages for your service".

Every offer Dalyell made, made the clones cheer.

The Chancellor waited for them to stop before he continued.

"I have also come here today, to announce the greatest piece of news that we've received since the beginning of this war," the chancellor said before he paused. "At 0630 hours this morning, I have received word from the Confederate Premier, Bec Lewise, that the Confederacy of Independent Systems are requesting that peace talks be held on the planet Raxus, and discuss unconditional surrender."

This got the loudest cheer of all. Everyone clapped, cheered, and whistled in response to Dalyell's announcement.

But then he raised his hand, and prompted everyone to settle down.

"However, much remains to be done. Yes, the CIS are surrendering. But the hard part is yet to come. We, the Senate, the Military, and the People of the Republic, must all work together to ensure that Freedom and Prosperity may once again reign supreme over a peaceful Galaxy. Alright, I have to leave now to attend a meeting in the senate. Thank you for your time, God bless you, and may your service to liberty loving people across the galaxy always be remembered by future generations".

Dalyell's hologram disappeared in the presence of hundreds of cheering clones.

The assembled senators couldn't help but feel impressed. Dalyell may actually keep the Republic together and end the war at the same time.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Royal Palace, Sun'dari, Mandalore, events concurrent to the peace conference.

With Lux at the ceremony, Ahsoka had to find a way to pass the time. So she decided to take a stroll around the palace. Ahsoka had breakfast with her troopers and then went to visit Rex in the infirmary.

The 501st Legion had a new General, who was on his way to Mandalore with the rest of the Elite division, and Yularen's fleet.

His name was Belth Allusis, a respected General. A polite and selfless individual, Master Allusis was a respected member of the Jedi Order and was liked by his peers for his sharp wit and sense of humor. He was also a well liked General, who cared deeply about his men. He would be the perfect candidate for filling the shoes left by Anakin Skywalker.

Rex also told her that Anakin would've been proud of her achievements on Mandalore. Everyone was taking it hard, but they would through it as a unit. If the clones were all brothers, then Ahsoka was the younger sister. And they were all mourning their father.

---

After a few hours of strolling the palace, she eventually went back to her room.

She meditated for a little, reciting the Grey Jedi Code here and there.

Flowing through all, there is balance.

There is no peace without a passion to create. There is no passion without peace to guide.

Knowledge stagnates without the strength to act. Power blinds without the serenity to see.

There is freedom in life. There is purpose in death.

The Force is all things and I am the Force.

Gray Jedi basically walked the line between the dark and light sides of the force. Long ago, Leor Danal first came up with the Gray Jedi Code for the first time while in a Force Trance.

"There must be both dark and light. I will do what I must to keep the balance, as the balance is what holds all life. There is no good without evil, but evil must not be allowed to flourish. There is passion, yet peace; serenity, yet emotion; chaos, yet order. I am a wielder of the flame; a champion of balance. I am a guardian of life. I am a Gray Jedi."

Ahsoka started following the ways of the Gray Jedi Order a few weeks ago, finding it to be more in line with how the galaxy works.

She continued to meditate for a while.

Then she started to think about her master.

A single tear went down her cheek. "I'm sorry Skyguy. I couldn't be there for you."

Then she went into the refresher.

When she was inside, Ahsoka brushed her teeth and took a shower. As she stood underneath the shower-head, allowing the warm water to flow down her beautiful curves, she pondered about what could've been, had she been by her master's side.

'Just like the old days'.

---

After taking finishing her shower, and seeing Lux return from the ceremony, they decided to call it a night.

They both got their pajamas on and laid down in the bed.

Lux was wearing a gray shirt and blue pajama pants.

Ahsoka, on the other hand, was never afraid to show skin. She wore a cream colored pair of silk pajama pants, and a matching top. The top had long sleeves, but was very short. Most of her navel below her chest was exposed, and it had a v-neck that showed off her breasts, which the top hugged very nicely.

She snuggled in close to Lux.

Their was a tray of dirty dishes on a table at the front of the room from when they ordered room service.

The holo-monitor was on as well. The two of them had been watching holo-vids for a little while.

As they lied down, Lux began to stroke Ahsoka's montrals very tenderly. Shivers went up Ahsoka's spine, as Lux's actions triggered the memory of how he pleasured her last night. The erotic memory caused her to arch her back and push her clothed bust even harder against Lux's.

She smiled and her Lekku began to purr in response to Lux's touch, before she snuggled her head into Lux's neck. She then propped herself up with her elbows and leaned in. She gave him a peck on the lips before she started planting kisses all over Lux's face, leaving behind some of her purple lipstick. She trailed her kisses down his jawline and neck before resting her head down on his pecks.

She shivered and giggled before pressing her lips against his again.

"So. How did the ceremony go?" Ahsoka asked as she gently rubbed Lux's smooth jawline with her fingertips.

"It went fine," Lux said, before his eyebrows flared up. "Oh, that reminds me..." Lux tried to say before Ahsoka's com-link went off, startling both of them.

"Uuucckkkhhh! Just once, can't I just catch a break?" Ahsoka said before she used the force to pull her com-link over. She pressed the button and saw that it was actually a message. "Hm, it's a message."

She pressed the button and read what it had to say.

'All 501st units are to head for the Sun'dari docks immediately. We are going to be relieved by the 3rd legion, who will continue the occupation. We'll be leaving in an hour to rally over Concordia. There, we will be linking up with General Allusis and the rest of the 501st for a new mission,' the message read.

"What does it say?" Lux asked as he stroked her montrals with his knuckles.

She looked at Lux, who she was still laying atop of.

"The 501st is being relieved by another unit, and are being sent on a new mission," she said.

Ahsoka still had a military communicator. She didn't give it back yet, so she still got notifications from the Military. But she wasn't in the Army, at least officially, so she wasn't really obligated to serve the Republic. But still ... she was obligated to serve her men.

"Are you going with them? I thought you'd like to come with me to Raxus," Lux said as he ran his hands up and down her bare waist.

"Well Lux, the war's over, but it looks like the peacekeeping operations begin," she said.

"But do you have to go? I'm sure the Republic can do this without you. Besides, you haven't even been reinstated into the Army," Lux said as he sat up to hold her.

Ahsoka smiled and planted a kiss on his nose and scratched his hair.

"I know Lux, but ... I can't, in good faith, let the boys down," she said before she paused. "They'll need the moral support now that Skyguy's..." she paused before lowering her head, "...not around."

Lux looked up at her with a blank stare as he digested what Ahsoka said.

"I have to go now Luxie," Ahsoka said as she got up to change into her gray outfit.

When she was all packed up and at the door, Lux walked over to her.

He pulled her into his embrace and rested his chin on her shoulder. "I meant to tell you that at the conference, the Chancellor said that he was nominating you to receive the Cross of Glory." This caught Ahsoka off guard. "Promise me that you will come back to be receive it, and then come back home to me," Lux said.

Ahsoka returned the hug and scratched the back of his head. "I promise. And tell the Chancellor that I'm honored," she said.

"I will," he said.

Lux pressed her lips against hers. Ahsoka puckered her lips and deepened the kiss. She then pushed up against Lux's body, enjoying the warmth of his body heat permeating him. Lux sucked on Ahsoka's upper lips, while she sucked on his lower lip. Ahsoka moaned against his lips before breaking the kiss with a wet smooshing sound. She smiled at him lovingly like she always did when they were around each other. He did so as well.

"I love you 'Soka. May the force be with you," he said.

She smiled. "I love you too Luxie."

She pecked his lips, picked up her bag, and walked out the door.

When she was outside of the palace, she hitched a ride on a speeder that was heading for the docks, where she then grabbed a Gunship that was heading back up to the fleet.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

RSV Indomitable, in orbit above Concordia Moon.

Beth Allusis, the 501st Legion's new Jedi General, stood in front of several dozen clone troopers and officers. His speech was about to be broadcast across the fleet.

He had silver armor around his torso, and wore his black hair in a tight bun on the back of his head.

"Soldiers of the Clone Army, I understand what you have all been through these past few days. You have all lost comrades in the field of battle. You have lost many of your brave brothers in arms across multiple fronts. And most tragically, you have lost your commanding general. I cannot begin to fathom what you are all feeling right now, but I believe that he would want all of us to continue fighting for what's right. but the people of the Republic, and his excellency Chancellor Tomas Dalyell, are all asking that you once again give your services over to the Republic for one final battle. This is it. This is the end. When this is all over, the Republic will finally be free from the fear of destruction that we have all felt for so long. Let us go into battle one last time to honor our fallen heroes".

General Allusis was given a round of applause by the assembled troopers.

After a few minutes, the applauding died down.

"Now get yourselves sorted out. We arrive at Murkana in two hours. Dismissed," General Belth Allusis ordered.

The gathered troopers dispersed and went to different parts of the ship.

He began to walk away when he came face to face with Ahsoka Tano.

"Master Allusis," Ahsoka said before giving him a slight bow of respect.

"Miss Tano," Belth Allusis said. "I've heard a lot about you. You volunteered for that little slice of hell down there. That can't go unnoticed. I've also noticed that you've been nominated to receive the cross of glory. Congratulations," he complimented.

"Thank you, master," she said.

"Now, I don't know if you've decided to rejoin the army or not, but based on you being here, I'm guessing where you lean towards right now," he said. Ahsoka nodded. "But whatever you decide, I hope that you can join us in our mission to Murkhana. I could use a liaison that this Legion is familiar with".

Ahsoka nodded, knowing that Belth was hinting at his inexperience with this legion.

"I'll do it," she said.

They shook hands.

"Excellent. Alright, get settled. We're arriving in two hours," he said.

She saluted.

"Yes Master".

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Raxus Secundus, Capital of the Confederacy of Independent Systems.

High above the Separatist capital of Raxus, a task force of Republic warships jumped out of hyperspace, amidst the massive fleet of CIS warships that hung in orbit around the planet.

The ships were going to carry the delegation meant to go to Mandalore over to Raxus.

It was from here that the War would end.

Whatever happened in the next few hours, on this planet, would decide the fate of this conflict ... and the galaxy.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The Works, Coruscant.

Vader and Sidious were watching the monitors on a screen nearby.

The Holonet broadcast was talking about how the Confederacy was agreeing to an armistice after the deployment of the Hammer of Dawn.

"Master, if the Separatists are surrendering, then distracting the Jedi will become much more difficult."

"No. The Separatist parliament, and many of their worlds, may be surrendering, but the real architects of this war are still at large."

Vader was confused. But then he came to the realization of what his master was talking about.

"The Separatist War Council?"

"Yes, Viceroy Gunray and the other councilors still have control over many of the Separatist fleets, and the droid army. And they still have my resources that we can use to cut out the disease that has infested the Republic and the Galaxy," Sidious said as he activated a hologram of some object. The red and orange hologram resembled an eyeball.

Vader didn't know it yet, but it was one day going to be an instrument that his new master would use to rule the galaxy through total fear.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Senator Padme Amidala's apartment, Coruscant.

A DC0052 Intergalactic Speeder pulls up to the veranda landing of Padme's apartment.

The cockpit of the sleek yellow Galactic Speeder opens, and a hooded figure emerges and walks onto the veranda. An alarm goes off deep in the apartment. The figure stops before a security curtain that protects the veranda. C-3PO enters the veranda and approaches the figure.

"Hello, might I help you . . . Oh, it's you, Master Kenobi. Come in, quickly," Threepio urged

The security curtain disappears, and the figure lifts his hood. It is indeed Obi-Wan. The alarm stops sounding.

"Has Anakin been here . . . ?" He asked.

"Yes . . . right after Palpatine's...suden removal."

Padme came down the stairs in a robe. Threepio decided that this was probably the best time to leave, which he did.

"Master Kenobi!" Padme exclaimed.

She embraced Obi-Wan.

"Obi-Wan, I glad to see you. After everything that has happened..." Padma started.

"The Republic is on the brink of collapse. Padme... The Jedi Order has ...been forced to take drastic measures," he said.

"I know, it's hard to believe everything to which we've dedicated our lives was nearly destroyed from within. Why did the Jedi overthrow the Chancellor?" she said.

"The Chancellor has been accused of treason, and he's on the run," Obi-Wan said. "I'm here looking for Anakin . . . When was the last time you saw him?" Obi-Wan asked, a little frantically.

She looked confused, and a little concerned.

"A couple days ago, but not recently," Padme lied.

Obi-Wan saw right through it. But he remained calm, not wanting to press her, and make her feel like he was being interrogated.

"And do you know where he is now?" He asked.

Padme looked down. She did know where he was, but she knew where his current loyalties were, and they weren't exactly with the Jedi Council's at the moment, if that was still the case.

"No," she ultimately said, untruthfully.

"Padme, I need your help. He's in over his head right now" Obi-Wan said.

"From what?" She asked.

"From himself," Obi-Wan said before he sits down. "...Padme ... Anakin - he's a fugitive." he said slowly, ever so slightly emphasizing each word.

Padme looked at him almost in shock.

"How is he a fugitive?" She asked.

"He helped the Chancellor escape from us. He's confused right now, and we need to bring him and ... work things out," Obi-Wan said. He was trying to be subtle. He wasn't revealing anything about the Sith. There was no way she would believe it now.

Truth be told, he was still having a hard time himself.

"Well, I'm sorry Obi-Wan. I don't know where he is now," she said. But he can't have gotten off of the planet with the blockade, could he?" She said, telling Obi-Wan a half-truth of what she knew.

"Probably not," Obi-Wan said before his com-link went off. He answered it. "Yes, Master Yoda?"

"Obi-Wan, discovered Palpatine's hideout I have. Move quickly we must." Yoda said.

Wherever Palpatine was now, Anakin was probably close by, which is why Yoda contacted him in the first place.

"I'll be meet you there, Master," he said before turning off the com-link. He turned to Padme, who was at the balcony, looking out over the city. "I must leave senator. But if you see Anakin, I want you to contact me," he said.

She didn't turn to him. But she answered, "I will".

Obi-Wan turned to leave. But before he did, Padme turned and called out after him.

"Obi-Wan!" She called out. He turned to her while in the doorway. "Anakin is very confused right now. And with the Chancellor overthrown, he may see it as an unjust coup, and an attack on a close friend. So please, try to reason with him ... and promise that you will make sure he returns safely."

Obi-Wan looked at her, and he nodded.

"I will," he said before he turned back ad went out the door.

Then Padme looked back out over the city, just as tears began to flow out of her eyes and stream down her cheeks.

'Please Ani, be careful. I...' she placed her hand on her swollen belly, '...we - need you to come home'.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

there's part 25 for you folks. Hope you enjoyed.

Review, Review, Review.