Well here is the new chapter, we'll start with a not so famous character death and the introduction of a new character from Star Wars: Rebels. I hope you enjoy.
LD: I do not own Star Wars
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Master Depa Billaba faced off agains the terrible separatist kaleesh cyborg General Grievous on Ryloth's capital of Lessu, as the clones and Twi'lek rebels fought to drive off the Separatist Forces. Master Billaba growled, before the arrival of the General Republican and Rebel Forces were making great advances on the retaking of planet Ryloth, however since his arrival and execution of the former Commander of the confederate forces in Ryloth the conflict had reached a stalemate since the previous 2 weeks as the General had been able to counter absolutely every one of the operations they had performed to loosen Separatist grasp on the planet and what was more since the fleet Grievous had brought with him had routed the Republican fleet reestablishing the Separatist blockade they had had to use guerrilla warfare to maintain such a situation. Which was almost impossible due to the Confederate treatment of civillians and feelings of Twi'lek rebels.
Without the civillian executions going on everyday Master Billaba would have been able to convince the rebels to wait before attacking the enemy's positions, but because the executions did indeed take place her arguments hadn't been heard by the rebel leaders who'd launched an attack to retake the Capital of the Planet and had forced her and her clones to come to the rescue and ended up in her locked in combat with Grievous as her Padawan, a young human male of about fifteen years of age known as Caleb Dume, lead the Republican troops in an effort to take back the Capital or at at least retreat with as fewer casualties as possible
The Cyborg General glared at the female Jedi as they both circled each other for the time to attack. So far Grievous only had two blades out but from a previous fight earlier that week Master Billaba knew that he was able to fight with four lightsabers at the same time so she paid attention to his every move parrying the tentative strikes the cyborg general threw at her and using her higher control over the Force, the General seemed to have from little to none at all to get the higher ground, although with his aggressive swords techniques he compensated such such a normally fatal flaw.
"You've made a big mistake coming here today Jedi" Grievous spat in a way that Master Billaba felt all the hate the cyborg felt for her and the Jedi in general. "You will perish here and so will your troops, the Confederacy will control Ryloth before sunset."
"You said the same thing the first time we met a few days ago. Yet here we are general." Master Billaba replied, I'm afraid you overestimate your abilities." After saying that she pushed him with the Force trying to get some distance since his last attack had almost broken her guard. The general seemed lige was going to fall on his back but his body was dessigned to prevent those kinds of things. Turning his head in a most unnatural way for most living beings. He acquired a reptillian position and regained his normal posture in a less than 2 seconds, not that the Jedi Master needed more than that. As Grievous launched himself against her again she received him and was able to cut off one of his hands.
Instead of crying of pain the Confederate general chuckled darkly and did what Master Billaba expected him to, he deployed his lower arms and took out two more lightsaber initiating an attack with all three of them. The Jedi Master trying to remain calm decided to concentrate on the present and concentrated in taking off another of Grievous's hands however the General seemed to sense her intentions and didn't leave any chance for her to take another. With her Force almost neutralyzed by Grievous body and growing tired by the second a feeling of dread began to appear on her mind. If she fell the battle would be lost and her troops truly doomed once Grievous concentrated on them and even worse, Caleb would surely be her 2nd Jedi victim.
Concentrating on her Padawan's Jedi signature she called him. Caleb who was leading an effort to push towards the separatist held palace stopped for a moment.
'Caleb retreat, this battle is lost, retreat and call for Republican reinforcements.' Depa told her Padawan.
'Master what about you?' Caleb asked feeling her in trouble.
'I'll keep general Grievous occupied' She informed him. 'I'll keep him occupied while you, the troops and the rebels escape.'
'That's suicide!' Caleb told her. 'I'll go and help you' he added.
'Caleb do what I say now!' Depa ordered as he blocked another of Grievous's attacks. Caleb sighed and looked around. They had taken enough casualties as it was, the Separatists still could call for reinforcements from one of their nearby camps and he and his Master had their clone troopers stretched too thinly all over the planet. They had been discussing calling for reinforcements of the Republic for a week but the rebels had seemed reluctant now it was a given they would need reinforcements and the battle was lost.
With a sad expression Caleb looked at Captain Zack, the clone captain of the scout forces of their army who fought alongside him. "Contact commander Marcus and General Syndulla we are retreating."
"Yes sir" The clone said proceeding to follow his orders. 'May the Force be with you Master' he told his Master over their connection.
Depa smiled. "You too my Padawan. Always." She said out loud and yet Caleb felt what she said and had to suppress his tears. Noticing Depa talking Grievous looking around and noticed the Republic and the Rebels retreating from the Capital and growled.
"Even if they retreat it won't matter your fleet is all but gone." That was true, the space above them was again blockaded by the Confederacy and there wasn't single Republican ship to help them. The only reason the confederates weren't using their full power and bombing the planet was because surely the Separatist Confederate Senate was blocking that option since the bombing of Tatooine and the burning of the Nubian citiesthe the Confederacy had been getting bad publicity and those pushing for Peace negotiations were gaining strength on their senate. "Your troops are scattered" Grievous continued. Also true, Depa had been forced to divide her Forces around the planet upon arrival and even though they had resisted and fought well until Grievous arrival the need for reinforcements was now obvious if they didn't want to be anihilated. "And without your Padawan is doomed." Also true. This thought made Depa lose concentration for just moment, moment Grievous didn't waste slashing her stomach open, stabbing her heart and decapitating her effectively ending the life of Depa Billaba just as the Republic and enemy last troops exited the capital and fought to retreat.
Turning around he saw one Tactical droid of the T-series approaching him with his magnaguards who he'd dispatched elsewhere earlier to deal with the Jedi alone.
"Milord the Republic and the Rebels are retreating. Do we follow?" The droid asked. Grievous smiled and laughed evilly.
"They just lost one of their biggest assets and all their chances of victory. Send the Commando droids to make sure the leaders die and tell all our outposts to attack the Republican and Rebel bases around the Planet" Grievous ordered smiling as he saw some of the last Republican and Rebel forces fall when the droids deactivated the energy bridge.
"At once" The tactical droid said leaving to relay the orders.
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Anakin, Ahsoka, Obi Wan and Kiara stood in the Council room as the council debriefed them on the situation on Ryloth. They had lost contact with the Republic's forces stationed on the Twi'lek homeworld. They all had felt their fellow member of the Council become one with the Force yet Master Yoda assured them her Padawan Caleb Dume was alive and the Republican Intelligence confirmed that the Confederate Forces hadn't pacified the world yet.
"That's why to Ryloth you four will go. Finally convinced the Senate to send another fleet to the planet we've managed. Easy it wasn't since the destruction of Master Billaba's fleet and our forces stretched so thin. Spread to many worlds both Confederate and Republican this war has." Yoda said.
Obi Wan looked at Yoda, then at Mace Windu, there was pain on his eyes for his deceased former Padawan despite the serious mask the Master always wore he could tell and certainly Yoda could too which would why he wasn't accompanying them on the mission.
"We will do our best Master" Obi Wan said. "To save the Padawan and take Ryloth back from confederate Control."
"I suggest you be careful Obi Wan" Qui Gon spoke. "We still don't know how far reaches the hand of the confederacy and the Sith on Coruscant. "There is a possibility they will be waiting for you."
"There is also the matter of the rebel forces, Cham Syndulla the rebel leader does not want the Confederates occupying his planet but he didn't want us to send reinforcements. Be very careful when dealing with him we don't want him to turn against us either." Mace Windu warned.
"Understood Masters." Obi Wan spoke.
"Go you may now" Master Yoda said dismissing them. The four Jedi bowed their heads in respect and retreated from the Council Room leaving the Jedi Masters alone.
"Master Qui Gon" Saese Tinn spoke. "From your warning I understand you've at least made some progress on the investigation.
"Very little." Qui Gon said. "I've been able to connect the transmission from the Confederate base to the Senate building, that's beyond any reasonable doubt, but I haven't been able to pinpoint the exact location. I was going to start working on that today."
"Will you need help?" Mace Windu asked in a professional tone pushing aside his grief once again.
"I will, I was thinking to ask Jedi Siri Tachi to come with me to the Senate building and continue with the investigation." Qui Gon said. "She is not on a mission."
"Wait a moment" said the hologram of Master Mundi who was on his way to Tatooine to drive off the Confederacy fleet from there. "I'll ask Ferus I believe she spoke with him shortly before we left yesterday."
"That won't be necessary she returned two days ago from escorting Bail Organa to different planets on his campaign to get aid to those more affected by the Separatist sieges." Adi Gallia Siri's former Master spoke. "I'm sure she'll meet Obi Wan on the spaceports before he leaves" She added with a light smile.
"I was also planning to see my former Padawan off so I'll debrief her about the details there." Qui Gon said.
"Careful you must be when investigating this conspiracy on the senate." Yoda spoke with a concerned face. "If hiding in the heart of the Republic that kind of Darkness is, extract it before it further contaminates the democracy we must or the consequences unforeseen will be."
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Like Adi Gallia had told him Siri was indeed on the Spaceport saying her farewells to those departing on the mission to his surprise his wife and children were also there as well as the Lars family and Padme. His twin daughters, Karin and Molly saw him approaching the group and ran towards him hugging him as he knelt down to receive them. With one of them on each arm he approached the group and looked at his wife, who was holding their infant son, inquisitively as she was supposed to have departed on a mission already.
"I thought Admiral Schmidt's fleet has already departed to deal with the pirates dealing with the Confederacy?" He asked.
"Change of plans, he's decided that I am to serve in the fleet going to liberate Ryloth." She replied nonchalantly.
"Without consulting with the High Command?" Qui Gon asked. He knew of the bad blood history between his wife and her superior officer but he hadn't thought him able to skip military protocol just because of it.
"Oh he did consult them. I'm the only one he didn't tell prior to the last minute." Sarah said clarifying his thoughts. Qui Gon nodded and pitied her subordinates right now. Since his wife was unwilling to liberate her frustration in front of their children and friends he was quite sure she would liberate it on her crew.
"And the twins, weren't them supposed to be at the Temple?" Qui Gon asked changing the topic.
"Well they were supposed to, but they were creating some troubles, you know they haven't adjusted just yet so the Master in charge of them asked me to take them home and since my sister is currently off planet I didn't know what to do with them." Sarah explained. "Luckily I ran into Shmi and the rest here and she offered to take care of them until you could."
Qui Gon nodded and looked at his daughters. "You shouldn't cause troubles for others." She scolded lightly leaving them on the ground, where they went to join Pooja and Ryoo, their newest friends. He looked at Shmi. "Thank you for your offer."
"It's no trouble really" she said as the four children began playing around the spaceport. Qui Gon kissed his son who slept on his mother's arms on the forehead and looked at Kiara, Obi Wan, Anakin and Ahsoka.
"Please be reminded of what I told you there is the possibility that they know of the plan. Be extremely careful." Qui Gon said.
"We will Master." Obi Wan said breaking the hug he was sharing with Siri. Commander Cody approached the group.
"Generals, Commanders, the fleet is ready." The clone informed.
Anakin nodded "Thank you Cody we will be there shortly" the clone replied a brief "Yes sir." and left the group to say their goodbyes. After Sarah left their youngest on Shmi's arms she kissed Qui Gon goodbye.
"Be very careful." He told her and she smiled.
"Aren't I always?" She asked retorically. He chuckled as she broke the hug and headed for her ship. With Kiara following her. Qui Gon turned around and saw Anakin, Obi Wan and Ahsoka saying their goodbyes. The three of them looked at him and he smiled.
"May the Force be with you always." Qui Gon said.
"With you too" Obi Wan replied for the three of them. Qui Gon stood with the group of people as the fleet began the take off procedures a few minutes later. When the fleet wasn't more than a few dots in the sky he looked at Siri, who was looking worriedly at the sky.
"He will be alright." He reassured her and looking at Anakin's family he added. "They will be alright, I have faith they will all return to us safely."
"I hope you are right Master" Siri replied finally looking at him.
"Siri." Qui Gon said reminding himself of why he had truly gone to the spaceport. "I have a mission and I need your help with it."
"A mission? Here on Coruscant?" She asked. Qui Gon nodded and noticed that Padme was also listening in. He paused for a moment and decided that having a senator aiding them as well would be an advantage.
"I would appreciate your help as well Padme." He said with a light bow.
"What for?" Padme asked with curiosity.
"To uncover the actors and make a little clearer the reasons behind this war." Qui Gon replied.