Hey, all of my loyal fans. How are you doing on this warm Sunday of February 19, 2017? I am well, as I am currently watching the original battle between Goku and Frieza on YouTube, and it is stellar! I have also watched most of two of the latest episodes of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and they are amazing. I can't wait to see the final two episodes of the season. So, how are you all doing after that shocking episode of Star Wars Rebels that premiered last night, as I am still reeling from the repercussions of that episode? I also wonder how MandoCommander will be able to integrate that episode into his stories, if he integrates it at all. And, speaking of fanfictions, I hope that any one of my twenty-two unfinished favorite fanfictions are updated soon, as I crave more fictional literature that can be read for free on one of my favorite websites. Anyway, I hope that you guys enjoy the latest chapter in my story, as it may be the last filler chapter in this story before the main plot kicks back into high gear. Well, I'd better get back to writing this story, as Robonino, Butch, and Chopper have a lot of work to do if they're going to infiltrate Darth Krayt's citadel and save their friends. By the way, I think that I will pull upon an idea from Star Wars: Legacy: Claws of the Dragon. I'm sure that once you read it, you'll know what it is. May the Force be with them, as they're going to need it if they intend to survive the horrors that await them inside. Oh, one last thing. Pesper, sorry for getting your username wrong when I thanked you in my last chapter, it won't happen again.
(February 20, 2017 Addendum.) Hello, all of my fellow Americans. How are you doing on this warm President's Day? I am doing well, as I already walked a couple of miles with my parents this morning, and we then went to Viva Chicken for lunch, where I had a great sandwich and fries with some awesome Gringo Killer Sauce. Currently, I am listening to an awesome theme from DBZ: The History Of Trunks on YouTube. It's titled Future Gohan VS. Androids Theme, and it is on coycoy88's page, and it is amazing! You have got to check it out for yourself. I promise that you will not be disappointed. Anyway, I hope that all is well with all of you, and I look forward to any reviews or questions that you might have regarding my stories, as I very much want some feedback. Well, I'd better get back to the story.
After having Chopper scan the area with his long-range scanning equipment, the three warriors found what they were looking for, a little-known entrance at the bottom of the citadel that was only lightly guarded, with two Sith guards watching over the entrance. Donning a Sith Robe that Robonino had stolen from a corpse at the battle site after he returned to see if any other of his friends had survived, only to come across a slaughter for both sides, applying some of Sabine's black paint on himself and Chopper in order to disguise themselves, and carrying several Yuuzhan Vong Thud Bugs that Vua Rapuung had secreted away on his being, which had the benefit of shielding the Patrolian bounty hunter from the Force, the three fighters quietly made their way down to the secret entrance, and, with Butch and Chopper distracting the two guards with the astromech droid's string of curses, Robonino shot two slow-acting toxic darts at the two guards, which would, over the next few hours, gradually kill the two Sith warriors while making it seem like natural causes.
With the sentries out of the way, the three fighters made their way into the citadel, where, after wandering about for two hours, they discovered that the One Sith were preparing for war, as they were, along with the elite Mandalorians, the Zygerrian Slavers Guild, and renegade corporate forces of Neo Death Watch, arming the citadel with heavy turbolasers, and shipping in massive amounts of cybernetic parts that neither Chopper or Robonino could identify. Remembering the reason that they were here, they quickly made their way to where a computer with a droid interface was available, and Chopper quickly plugged into, and found where Edaan was being kept, along with Vestara Khai and a Jedi Master named X2. The three fighters made their way to the cells, where, after bluffing their way through the first set of wardens, they ran into two Sith guards, and the woman who stood on the right said, "Halt! By order of Lord Krayt, no one is to enter this prison without his approval. State you name so we can confirm it with Lord Wyyrlok."
"My name is… Darth Nihl. And who might you be as to keep me from bringing Vestara Khai, X2, and Edaan Palpatine to Darth Krayt for interrogation, you worthless peons?" Robonino said with as much authority as he could muster.
Robonino's impersonation was enough to fool the man on the left before the woman said, "Wait a minute. I know exactly who you are, Robonino, C1-10P, and Butch! DIE!" With that said, Butch and Chopper launched themselves at their larger opponents, and, after holding them off for a brief period of time, the two Sith 's legs were slit by Robonino, who had a beskar dagger that he took from a dead Mandalorian, and, once they fell to their knees in pain, he slit their necks, killing them instantly.
After wiping the blood off of his blade and picking up the three lightsabers that the two Sith carried, Robonino said, "Well, we'd better hurry, as I'm sure that the entire Sith order picked up on that disturbance in the Force." Robonino nervously said, which earned an approving grunt from Butch, and a nod from Chopper. The three saboteurs then entered cellblock 23.
Five Minutes Earlier, Inside Cell Block 23
"Ah. I feel like such an idiot! What was I thinking, believing that I could redeem Krayt to the Light Side?" Edaan berated himself as he punched a wall in frustration, leaving his left hand a bloodied and battered mess.
"Edaan, calm down. No one ever said that you were a fool." X2 said in a consoling tone in order to ease his younger compatriot's mind.
"True, but I'm sure that you two and the others were thinking it." Edaan bitterly replied before he continued, saying, "How could we not have realized that a Sith shrine, a karking shrine, for crying out loud, that contained Force-knows how many Sith artifacts, has been underneath the Jedi Temple on Coruscant for five thousand years?! What does that say about the vaunted wisdom of the Jedi Order if we can't figure out what's literally right beneath us?" He then sank to the floor, and despondently said, "I see that I was arrogant in my thinking to think that it would be so easy to vanquish the Sith, and that I grew overconfident with my abilities and skills to see the danger that I put all of us in."
"Edaan, if you don't get ahold of yourself within the next ten seconds, then I will use the Force to smack you upside the head so many times so you'll be hurting for days." Vestara said, more than fed up with Edaan virtually giving up the fight, as well as shouldering all of the blame for what has transpired.
"But, Vestara, it was my fault that so many of us got killed, and I'm the reason that we're awaiting who knows what from the Sith." Edaan protested, not understanding why Vestara was berating him.
"Wrong, Edaan. You are not an arrogant person. You are one of the most humble and gentle people that I know. And everyone that came with you to Korriban knew the risks that entailed this mission, but they followed you because they believed in you, and the survivors still believe in you. Are you going to abandon them all to a fate worse than death in order to appease your pathetic guilt?" Vestara passionately countered, shocking Edaan as to how much the former Sith believed in him after such a short period of time.
After realizing that the young Jedi was simply wallowing in self-pity and virtually whining over a setback, Edaan ardently said, "No. We're going to survive this if we work together, and, once the Shadow Alliance gets here, we're going to excise the Sith's influence across the galaxy once and for all!"
Vestara smiled in response, and she said, "Good. There's the Edaan that I know."
X2 nodded, and then said to Vestara, "Vestara, you were a member of the One Sith for some time, you must have some idea of what they're up to. What are the One Sith's capabilities, as well as their chances of beating the Shadow Alliance?"
"Well, they have at least two twenty-two hundred Sith alive, but we took a good chunk out of their numbers before what was left of the strike team was captured, and I imagine that the strike team further reduced the amount of foot soldiers that the One Sith have by a significant amount when they were in Dreshdae. But, I have a couple of ideas as to what the Sith are up to." Vestara said.
"Well, don't keep us in suspense, Ves. What's Krayt up to?" Edaan nervously said, as he had a feeling that he would not like the answer that his friend had.
"Well, I know that he has a cloning program up and running that's led by a Kaminoan named Nala Se, who-" Vestara began before she was interrupted by X2.
"Hold on, Vestara. Did you just say Nala Se? AS in, the same Nala Se who was one of the chief engineers behind the Grand Army of the Republic?" X2 astonishingly asked, with Edaan similarly shocked as his jaw fell agape, and his brow then contracted in anger and disgust.
"That's correct. I assume that you know her, X2, given your origins as a Jedi clone grown on Kamino?" Vestara said in confirmation.
"Oh, yeah. She, along with Ko Sai, purged the army of any 'deficiencies', which almost always meant murdering any clones that didn't fit their perfectionist standards. She especially hated me and my brother, X1, for our gifts in the Force, even though they barely manifested themselves in us when we were training for the GAR." X2 disgustingly said, while Edaan gritted his teeth in anger upon being reminded of the name, which the two other Force-Sensitves that were in proximity to Edaan, and X2 said, "I take it that you know of her, Edaan?"
"Oh, I wish that I didn't, Master X2. Nala Se was, in addition to being the demented schutta that she was, was also one of the few Kaminoans that knew of the control chips that were placed into every clone in order to ensure that when my ancestor activated Order Sixty-Six, the clones would follow it without question." Edaan hatefully said, shocking both X2 and Vestara, as they did not know about any control chips that the clones were implanted with.
"Hold on, Edaan. What do you mean by 'control chips'?" Vestara asked, more than a little confused by what Edaan was referring to.
"What, Ship or Krayt never told you of this?" Edaan skeptically said, upon saying those words, Vestara shook her head in denial, leaving a stunned Edaan before he continued, saying, "The spirit of Qui-Gon Jinn told me the story. During the Outer Rim Sieges, a clone trooper that went by the name of Tup went insane and killed a Jedi General named Tiplar, leading to an investigation by the Republic that was covered up by the Kaminoans as a virus from Ringo Vinda. However, one of the clones assigned to the investigation that was named Fives conducted his own investigation, and, after meeting with Sidious on Coruscant, he discovered that every clone upon becoming a Stage 3 embryo, was implanted with an inhibitor chip that would brainwash every clone into thinking that the Jedi were traitors to the Republic, and were to be executed on sight. Only a few clones resisted the order, whether due to a greater degree of willpower than their brethren, or having no chip in them at all due to unforeseen circumstances, or another unseen variable, and helped a few Jedi escape the Great Jedi Purge that followed Order Sixty-Six."
"How did Qui-Gon discover this knowledge, Edaan?" X2 said, not believing what he had just heard, as he thought that Fives tried to kill Palpatine due to a virus, not upon discovering a massive conspiracy.
"Yoda told him of what he learned from the reports that Sidious gave to the Jedi Council, and I learned a few more details that another clone learned about in his own investigations, a Clone Trooper Medic by the name of Kix." Edaan said, causing X2 to gasp in shock, and he then said, "I take it that you know of the name, X2."
"Yes, I do. Kix was the best medic that the 501st legion had during the Clone War, but was kidnapped by Separatist forces, and was never heard from again. How could he have survived for all of this time?" X2 disbelievingly said.
"Well, he was placed in stasis until twenty-one years ago, and joined a group of scavengers and smugglers under the command of a Delphidian named Sidan Ithano, who rescued him from stasis, and in return, Kix helped Sidan and his crew uncover various Confederate catches that remained undiscovered until that point. I found Kix during a mission to Napdu several years ago, and, once he told me of his story, I convinced him and his crew to tell his tale to the Jedi Council. They were generously paid for their time, of course, and I let them go on their merry way after that. I never saw them again." Edaan wistfully said as he wondered what became of that clone medic.
He then broke out of his reverie and asked Vestara, "Well, if Nala Se is working for the Sith, then there's bound to be a cloning program going on. Are there any other major projects going on that we should know about?"
"Well, there were rumors that a doctor by the name of Aphra is working on a big cybernetics project for Darth Krayt, but I couldn't learn too much about it, as it was a closely guarded secret, and only Darths Wyyrlok and Krayt knew what Aphra was up to." Vestara explained, causing Edaan's eyes to widen in shock.
"Did you just say 'Aphra'? As in Ceheli Lona Aphra, a rogue archeologist who was Darth Vader's former partner and right-hand woman during Doctor Cylo's insurrection against Sidious after the Battle of Cymoon 1, which occurred about a year after the Battle of Yavin, before she was double-crossed by Vader and left adrift in space?" Edaan disbelievingly said, causing Vestara to nod her head in confirmation, before he asked, "How did she survive the vacuum of space, and are her two personal droids with her?"
"Apparently, Black Krrsantan rescued her from space, and the two, along with her two murderous droids, 0-0-0 and BT-1, traveled the galaxy in search of rare artifacts for profit, and even ran into Luke Skywalker and Han Solo sometime after Vader betrayed her, before they were recruited into Krayt's Sith order as proxies around height of the Yuuzhan Vong Invasion." Vestara explained, and, just as she finished speaking, the cell door opened, and revealed three very familiar faces that Edaan and Vestara were amazed to see, while X2 looked on in shock as a tuk'ata ran up to Edaan and began to lick his face with joy, while a Patrolian that was covered in intricate Sith tattoos looked on in amusement, a tuk'ata hound barked in joy upon seeing Edaan and Vestara, and a black C1 astromech droid set to work on deactivating the cell doors.
"Well, seems that we've arrived just in time to save the day, boss." Robonino confidently said.
"Robo, I have never been so glad to see you." Edaan said in relief as Chopper finished shutting down the electrified cell doors, and Butch leapt on Edaan with joy, with an amused Vestara looking on as she got up from her cell to stretch.
X2, on the other hand, got up after a brief struggle, and said, "Uh… can someone explain to me what is going on here?"
"Let me guess, you're another prisoner that the Sith have been keeping prisoner?" Robonino nonchalantly asked before he continued, saying, "Well, my name is Robonino, and Edaan here is my best friend, and I am busting him and the rest of my friends, including Vestara here, out of this madhouse. Whether or not you follow is entirely up to you, but I suggest that you take it, as we only have a short amount of time before the rest of the One Sith arrive to capture us."
"Well, I can't say no to an offer like that." X2 said as he grunted and fell over, revealing a long series of scars that crisscrossed his lower body, and he then sadly said, "Well, that was embarrassing."
"X2, you're in no condition to fight. Here's the plan, Vestara and I will release all of the prisoners in order to distract the guards, while you get X2 and the others to safety, and relay a message to the Shadow Alliance on Mandalore. With luck, we'll be right behind you." Edaan ordered of both the older Jedi and his longtime friend.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Sorry, boss, but that plan's a no-go, as we're not leaving without the two of you." Robonino ardently said, with Butch barking in approval, forcing Edaan to sigh in exasperation at the waste of time.
"Robo, this is not time for a debate. Just do what I say!" Edaan barked out as he used the Dark Side to briefly make his eyes flash yellow in order to exemplify the urgency of the situation.
"O-okay, boss." Robonino fearfully said, as he never saw his friend's eyes change color like that, or at all, for the matter. He then reached into his backpack to reveal three Sith lightsabers, and gave one of them to each of the three newly liberated prisoners. "I have a feeling that you're going to need these if you intend to survive the army of Sith that are coming your way." He then said in complete seriousness. "So, how are you two going to divert the Sith from our positon, as it will take a while for us to get X2 here out of this hellhole?"
"We'll go first, and release every prisoner that we find in order to throw the Sith into disarray, giving you guys the time they need to get the others out of their cells, as well as their equipment, which should be in the citadel's armory or artifact room." Vestara said before she turned to X2, and said, "X2, it's up to you to tell the Shadow Alliance about all that we've learned, so they can take the necessary steps to finishing what Edaan started. Understood?" After seeing him nod in understanding, she said, "Good. May the Force be with us all." With those words said, Vestara motioned for Edaan to follow her, with Butch in close pursuit, both exasperating and amazing Edaan with how loyal Butch was to his master.
"All right, all right, boy. You can stay." Edaan said in mock defeat, earning a pleasing bark from the tuk'ata hound, and an amused smile from Vestara, and the three soon ran into their first group of prisoners, a mixed group of a dozen people of various species, who looked at the three fighters with suspicion and hate. Edaan quickly and passionately said, "If you want to remain the victims of the Sith, then you can stay in your cells. But, if you want to fight your way to freedom, then follow me, and you shall have your righteous vengeance against your captors!"
Upon hearing those words, all but one of the prisoners' eyes lit up in glee, and rose up in order to follow Edaan and Vestara to their battles. The small army then came across a group of five Sith, and the leader of them shouted, "GET BACK IN YOUR CELLS, OR YOU'LL ALL BE SKEWERED BY OUR BLADES!"
Upon hearing those words, the Yinchorri among the newly liberated prisoners laughed, and said, "Oh, how I've longed for the day that I could bathe my hands in the blood of you Sith maggots." He then charged at the Sith with a ferocity and speed that no one could match, ripping apart two of the Sith before being pierced in the heart by the lead Sith Lord. However, seeing two of the Sith's number die so easily emboldened the ten other prisoners, and, in a matter of moments, with the help of Edaan, Vestara, and Butch, the three remaining Sith were literally ripped apart or cut to pieces by the convicts.
After the carnage died down, a middle-aged male Zabrak asked Edaan, "Thanks for the rescue, we've been captive by the Sith for years, and we've lost a lot of friends to those brutes. I have to admit, I didn't think that Kitai would be one of our rescuers. So, just who are you? A Jedi, probably, given with how well you used that blade."
"We have little time, so I'll be brief. I am Jedi Knight Edaan Palpatine, yes, that 'Palpatine', and we're going to liberate as many prisoners as we can so that we can give time for my friends to escape with critical information that will bring down the Sith for good. Vestara is coming with me to atone for the damage that she helped cause. Are you in, or do we go our separate ways from here?" Edaan quickly said.
After looking at each of the nine other prisoners, who nodded their heads in affirmation, the Zabrak said, "We're in. Where do we go from here?"
Edaan looked down at the dead Sith, and said, "Do any of you know how to use lightsabers, as I can sense that most of you are strong in the Force?"
"Yeah. Most of us were from various Force sects that each emphasized combat with the blade." Said a Bothan female who used the Force to pull one of the fallen lightsabers to her extended hand.
"Good. With luck, you'll each get a lightsaber before long. Let's move out!" Edaan said as he and Vestara led the way, while he prayed to the Force that most of these people would survive in the likelihood that they were caught after a long and vicious fight.
Meanwhile, In Darth Wyyrlok's Chambers
"Master, the Patrolian has revealed himself, and has released Edaan, Vestara, and X2. I am ordering all available forces to intercept the six fighters, and I am about to head down to personally contain the situation before any of our prisoners can escape the Citadel." Wyyrlok said as he kneeled to the hologram of his master.
"Belay that order, Wyyrlok. I will go down to the prison myself in order to crush Edaan's rebellion. Our prototype Sith Troopers need a test drive anyway, so Edaan's ironically enough, played right into our hands." Krayt viciously said as a savage grin covered his face, with Wyyrlok's eyes shooting up in shock.
"The Sith Troopers? They're already ready for combat?" Wyyrlok incredulously said as he absorbed what Darth Krayt had just told him.
"Yes, my loyal servant. Aphra and her staff have proven to be a most wise investment. Make sure that no Sith interfere in my hunt, or there will be consequences." Krayt simply said as he disconnected the transmission, leaving a stunned Wyyrlok to contemplate the introduction of the Sith Troopers, and their implications for the One Sith.
And, that's a wrap on this action-packed chapter. Sorry if the first part of this chapter didn't make much sense, but if I went into too much detail, the chapter might never have been finished. So, tell me what you think about all of the implications of this chapter, and what it might mean for this saga. What did you think about the inclusion of Kix and Sidan Ithano in my saga, as I wanted to include Kix in my stories for quite some time now? Oh, and what did you think of the early introduction of the Sith Troopers, as that is the project that Black Krrsantan inferred to several chapters ago? I hope that you enjoyed this chapter, as there will be plenty of additional surprises for the heroes and villains of this glorious saga. So, onto real life. As of today, on February 21, 2017, I got the 2016 edition of Ben-Hur, Transformers: Armada: The Complete Series, and Transformers: Cybertron: The Complete Series from , and I can't wait to watch all of them. Oh, and, one week from now, I start training on my third job. In additon, next Tuesday is my 22nd birthday, as that's always exciting. One more thing, as of yesterday, I ordered a book on Eisenhower and the Middle East from Amazon for under seven dollars, shipping included. I can't wait to get that book and read it one day, as it promises to be an exciting read. I hope that all of you enjoy my works, as the best is yet to come. May the Force Be With You, and Long Live the Expanded Universe!
