Death Trap, R2 come home and Lethal Takedown

Calm before the storm! A rare break awaits Jedi Sly Cooper and Mace Windu, as they travel through deep space aboard the Jedi cruiser Endurance. Preparing to board the frigent, the Jedi remain unaware that they are walking into a deadly trap.

Aboard the Endurance

Sly and Mace were traveling to the Republic Cruiser, the Endurance to greet the six current six year old Clone children accepted to attend the tour of the cruiser and skeet training session on the firing range. However, unknown to the five other Clone cadets, adult staff on the Endurance and two Jedi themselves...they had no idea that 1 of them...was Boba Fett, who was out for revenge on the one who killed his father.

Currently, a clone cadet trainer named Casher was talking to the 6 new cadets, telling them about what to expect from war. "War does not come with a guarantee. No soldier gets the promise of survival, safety or victory. But men, I assure you that every 1 of you will have his moment, and it is that moment when you're no longer a cadet, but a soldier."

The 1st cadet on the right then whispered to his friends. "That's the Jedi cruiser."

"You have the best training in the Galaxy, but no 1 can train you for when you look death in the eyes." Crasher told the cadets while leaning down at Boba. "What you do then and the soldier you become, that is up to you." He said before walking to the front of the line of cadets. "Docking begins shortly. Until then, dismissed!"

While the young cadets were walking down the halls of the ship, some of them were wondering who the new cadet was, even picking on him a little until a cadet named Jax defended him. Boba thanked him and introduced himself as 'Lucky' while making small talk with him.

After the ship docked with the cruiser, Crasher and his cadets came into the main docking bay while looking at a few grown clones in amazement before the doors opened to reveal Sly and Windu, who greeted the young cadets. "Good morning, young cadets." Sly said with a smile.

"Welcome aboard the Jedi cruiser Endurance. I am Mace Windu and this is general Sly Cooper." Windu said, introducing himself and his Jedi comrade.

"Today, young cadets, you'll be able to see how a real working Jedi cruiser operates, and you'll be able to serve alongside 2 Jedi Knights." Sly said with confidence to inspire the young soldiers in training, making the cadets speak in excitement.

That was when another clone trooper walked up to the 2 Jedi. "Generals, new order from general Neyla and Shaak Ti await you in the war room immediately."

Sly looked at the cadets with a bit of disappointment, as he was really looking forward to teaching the young children. "Another time then." He said before he and Windu went back to the cruiser. But what everyone didn't notice...was that Boba was looking at the dark skinned Jedi with pure hatred, remembering the day he killed his father and that his mother deserted him and turned herself into a cyborg monster because of it.

Later in the gun room

The cadets were doing target practice drills, with the Admiral of the ship, Killian, was the instructor. After seeing the clone commander blast a moving target, the elder admiral spoke with the cadets. "Looks easy, doesn't it? Well, looks can be deceiving. There's nothing more dangerous in all of space than a moving target."

"What do you use for targets, sir?" Jax asked, wanting to know what the moving targets used for practice were.

"Skeet, packed with explosives." Killian answered. "Now, this is my ship and my rules. I do not allow anyone on board but soldiers. Now, time for target practice." He said before looking at Jax, who took the other gun seat and prepared to shoot before the clone commander, Pond fired another skeet, which the young cadet missed before another cadet named Whiplash tried and got the same result before the admiral noticed the look that 'Lucky' was giving him, making Killian choose him to go next. 'Lucky' then saw the skeet moving and waiting for the right moment before landing a direct hit, which impressed everyone before Pond fired 3 more in attack formation, getting the same result as 'Lucky' shot all of them with 1 hit, much to everyone's amazement.

When Crasher informed his cadets that they were due on observation deck 13, they headed there while Killian was still impressed with 'Lucky.' "Now there's a cadet to watch."

While Crasher was taking his cadets to the observation deck, Boba snuck away and got out a comlink. "Channel 7 open and ready to receive Code 5 transmission." He whispered.

"Boba, is that you?" The voice of Aurra Sing asked.

"It is."

"I'm sending you the data now."

After receiving the data, Boba headed to Windy's room, after briefly encountering 2 come troopers and planted an explosive tripwire at the inside of the doorway and quickly headed back to the other cadets after encountering the Jedi he hated on the way and correctly answering a question that Crasher asked him.

As Windu was about to open the door to his room, a clone trooper walked up to him. "Sir, general Cooper requests your presence on the bridge."

"I'll be there shortly." Mace said as he opened his room door, unaware of the tripwire.

But before he went inside, the trooper spoke again. "The general requested your presence... immediately, Sir."

"No rest for the wicked, I guess." Windu said before giving the data file to the trooper. "Put these in my room, will you?"

"Yes sir." The trooper said before going into the room as Mace began going to the bridge, triggering the tripwire, destroying Windu's room, killing the trooper and severely damaging the Endurance in the process!

Mace used the Force to open the closing doors and to pull the trooper to him before going to the other side of the doors before they closed. The dark skinned Jedi then took off the trooper's helmet before realizing that the trooper was dead, much to his sadness. A few minutes later, Sly, having been informed about the explosion, quickly went to Windu's destroyed room and walked up to Mace. "You're lucky to be alive. What about our trooper?"

"Dead." Windu answered.

"This was not an accident." Sly said, knowing that the explosion was not accidental.

"Agreed."

Sly then thought of something. "Ship's navigation system is nearby."

Windu then got on his comlink and contacted Killian. "Admiral, what is the status of the navigation systems?"

"Hobled, but not destroyed. System is repairable. I've ordered all engines to shut down until we're fully operational again." The Admiral answered.

"Any signs of attack ships?" Sly asked.

"None. But we'll keep scanning. Until we get navigation back, this ship is an easy target. I won't have it. Killian out."

"Inform everyone about the killer, Windu and I will check the reactor core in case he tries to blow that up as well." Sly ordered the Admiral before they headed for the reactor core room. "If navigation wasn't the target, hitting your room was intentional. If the assassin finds out you survived, they'll head to the reactor and blow it up to finish the job." Sly told his comrade, making him nod in agreement.

Meanwhile with Boba

After hearing that Windu survived the tripwire, he snuck off again and contacted Aurra, who told him to head to the reactor core and then blow it up, which he reluctantly did as he got to the core room in a matter of minutes. While Boba attempted to damage the cruiser's main reactor core, he was discovered by Sly, Windu and Commander Ponds who ordered the young Clone to stop his actions...only for the young boy to rudely tell Ponds to shove his orders, much to the older Clone's surprise!

Boba stated while glaring angrily at Mace. "Mace Windu...so we meet again."

The dark skinned Jedi Master asked, confused by his choice of words. "Again?"

Sly asked after hearing the young Clone's words. "Master Windu...do you know this boy?"

The young 'Clone' scoffed at his reaction and added. "You don't remember me...do you?"

Mace asked as he slowly began to recognize the young boy. "How do we know each other?"

Boba stated cold and plainly. "We met...during the 1st Battle of Geonosis, where you Jedi ruined Count Dooku's plans in the Gladiatorial Arena...and where I witnessed you murder my father: Jango Fett."

Mace and Sly stared at each other, shocked/horrified as they immediately recognized the boy after hearing the name of the bounty hunter they used as the template for their Clone troopers! The dark skinned Jedi Master would ask while recovering from the shock. "You're...Jango Fett's son?"

Boba stated with a dark grin on his face. "That's right...murderer. I'm the son of the bounty hunter...whose DNA you Jedi scum had the nerve to use to create your Clones and of the senator Carmelita from your homeworld, Cooper, who deserted me and turned herself into that cyborg monster!"

Before anybody could stop him, Boba had tossed a grenade that severely damaged the Endurance's main reactor core...and also created a huge hole that destabilized the Republic cruiser! During the chaos and confusion, Boba had blended in with his 'fellow Clone cadet' and evacuated the damaged vessel while Sly and Windu assisted the crew in abandoning the Endurance...while Commander Killian stubbornly refused to abandon ship, despite Sly's and Pond's pleads before leaving the incredibly foolish captain to die with the soon to be destroyed ship. Meanwhile, Boba's escape pod was found and retrieved by Aurra and Bossk, who praised the young bounty on a job well done and stating that he was just like his father...much to his deep pride. But he was reluctant to leave the other cadets behind due to forming a friendship with Jax but did so anyway, despite Jax still having hope for Boba. A short while later, Sly and Windu, who had evacuated from the ship in their fighters, found the cadets and told Crasher where he could pick them up.

A bit later

After surviving the destruction of the Endurance by the hands of bounty hunter, Boba Fett and transporting the crew members that were fortunate to evacuate, Mace Windu and Sly traveled to the planet Vanqor, while hoping that Commander Ponds, Admiral Kilian and other survivors had survived the crash. Once he and Windu entered the planet's atmosphere, they located the remains of the Endurance and after finding a suitable area to land their ship, the two Jedi and their droids: R2 and R8-B7 immediately entered the destroyed vessel and searched for survivors...only to find several bodies of dead Clone troopers that had been mysteriously executed.

Mace naturally assumed that it was Boba who murdered the surviving Clones...as he showed no hesitation to kill the crew before he sabotaged and destroyed the Endurance...while Sly wasn't so sure, as R2 informed him that his sensors had picked up life forms before they entered the remains of the destroyed cruiser. The two Jedi then sent R2 and R8 to search the rest of the ship for any survivors while they headed to the bridge...only for the two Droids to be ambushed and attacked by Gundarks, which ripped apart R8 and badly damaged R2!

Meanwhile with Sly and Windu

The 2 Jedi eventually reached the bridge...only to find more dead Clone troopers and a haunting souvenir meant for the dark skinned Jedi master: the Mandolarian helmet that belonged to Boba's father, Jango.

Mace stated simply as he picked up the helmet. "This is all my fault, Cooper."

The raccoon Jedi would ask, confused about what his fellow Jedi ment. "What is?"

His fellow Jedi and master answered. "This: the attack on the Endurance, all the Clones who died from the explosion. None of this would've happened if I hadn't killed Boba's father right in front of him!"

Sly would state softly while putting a hand on his shoulder. "You did what you had to Mace. Boba's father was working for Dooku and the Separatists. He was hired to assassinate Senator Amidala and assisted in murdering our fellow Jedi during the Battle of Geonosis. Plus, if you hadn't killed his father, another Jedi would've and he would still bear a grudge against us." Before he added firmly. "Windu, you can waste valuable time blaming yourself for something that was completely out of your control or we can rescue Ponds, Kilian and the survivors. What's it going to be?"

Knowing that the raccoon Jedi was correct, that he was wasting precious time wallowing in self pity and that was more than enough to snap him out of his guilt trip, Mace nodded in agreement, knowing their mission still stood...before Jango's helmet started giving off a soft beeping noise...and they immediately took cover, before it exploded and damaged the vessel even further, while Boba and his fellow bounty hunters watched on from a distance, with Ponds, Kilian and a deck officer as their prisoners. But Boba, wanting to make sure Windu was dead, insisted that they go check out the cruiser, much to the cowardly Castas, protests but he went along with it after Aurra told him that they could make a profit by confirming that Windu and Sly we're dead by bringing Dooku their heads.

Meanwhile with R2

The Astro droid eventually repaired himself from all the damage he received from the Gundarks before going to the destroyed bridge of the ship, looking for Sly and Windu before he found them, trapped under the debris of the bridge. He tried getting them out but Sly stopped him. "No R2, go back to the fighters and contact the Temple. Go...get...help." the raccoon Jedi said before he passed out.

R2 went to do what his Jedi friend told him but on the way to the fighters, he saw the bounty hunters coming to the ship on speeder bikes, most likely to look for the bodies of the Jedi. Knowing he couldn't let that happen, R2 used debris of the ship, a terminal for the door that led to the bridge, crates and the grenade of a dead clone trooper to stop them, which eventually worked as they thought the ship was falling apart while they were looking for the bodies. Aurra then ordered Bossk to fire up Slave 1 and blast what was left of the ship to pieces.

R2 had gotten to the fighters and after dealing with a Gandark with Sly's fighter, he tried to contact the temple in Windu's but the communications off the planet were being jammed, forcing him to launch the fighter and go into space. Unfortunately, the Slave 1 gave chase and Boba was firing the guns at it, thinking that Windu had survived. Despite nearly getting blasted, R2 used careful timing and evading to get into Windu's hyperspace ring and get to Coruscant. After getting to the Temple, R2 quickly headed to the war room, where Master Plo Koon and Qymaen were planning strategy together before the Astro droid came in and showed Sly's SOS and alerting the Jedi Council that Sly and Mace were in danger from Boba and his allies on the planet of Vanqor.

Qymaen, not wanting to lose another friend, turned to Plo Koon. "Master Join, prepare my ship. We're leaving immediately." He said with urgency.

"Of course, my friend." Plo Koon said as he and Qymaen went to prepare for their rescue mission.

Meanwhile back on Vanqor

Sly and Windu were still trapped under the debris before Windu woke up and looked at his Jedi comrade. "Sly? Sly, are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm okay. R2 is... going to get help." Sly said as he coughed.

"You put your faith in your droid, Cooper?" Windu asked, doubting R2.

"R2 is resourceful, Windu. Trust me when I tell you he's not like the other droids. He'll come through." Sly said before they heard the ship blowing up around them.

That was when they saw 3 gunships hovering over them, 1 of which had Qymaen and Plo Koon inside them, who used the Force to hold the ship steady while the clones rescued Sly and Windu from the debris before the bridge blew up completely. After getting away from the destroyed ship, Sly and Windu were being taken into the gunship. "A few burns, but nothing a bacta tank can't heal, my friend." Qymaen said with a smile as he patted Sly's shoulder.

"Thanks, Qymaen." Sly said as he shook his friend's hand.

"Droid, come here." Windu to!d R2, who did just that. "I can see why your master puts so much faith in you, little 1. Good job." The dark skinned Jedi said with a rare smile. "And...thank you...Sly, for getting me out of that self pity episode." He said while using Sly's first name, something he rarely ever did.

"Well, if you did that with Sly and the rest of my team more often, Windu, I may start thinking of you more positively." Qymaen said with a smirk, knowing that Sly bested Windu in something.

"Hugh, learn to follow my orders more often, SheelaI and I may do that and call you by your 1st name...when you best me in something." Windu said in his usual tone as they entered the gunship, headed to the cruiser and back to Coruscant, where the 2 Jedi were taken to the medical center.

Later on

Both Sly and Mace were discussing about their next move to find Boba and his fellow bounty hunters, as they still had Ponds, Admiral Kilian and a surviving deck officer as their hostages. That was when both Master Plo Koon and Qymaen had entered their resting quarters, informing them that Boba and his mentor Aurra Sing had just contacted the Temple before they witnessed a live holographic message being broadcasted from the bounty hunter's ship, with Boba holding a laser pistol to the back of Pond's head...but noticed that the boy couldn't bring himself to shoot the Clone Commander...until Aurra did it for him!

Sly stated sadly while glancing towards the dark skinned Jedi master. "That...that was Ponds."

Qymaen stated as he carefully studied the interactions between Boba, the hostages and fellow bounty hunter. "Apparently Jango Fett's son is against killing innocent people...which is he why couldn't bring himself to execute Commander Ponds."

The raccoon Jedi stated as he noticed the saddened and horrified look Boba had on his face as well, as did Master Koon and Windu. "I noticed that as well. So...that must mean that Boba isn't that cold blooded, unlike Aurra Sing." Sly said as he glared angrily as he saw the hologram of the heartless bounty hunter, as she had assisted Cad Bane when he attempted to hold Padme, Senator Bail Organa and other Senators hostage while demanding the release of Ziro the Hutt...and how she murdered Republic Senate Guards in cold blood with absolutely no remorse.

Mace stated while mourning the death of his friend and trusted field Commander. "If they executed Ponds, then must mean that Admiral Killian and the surviving deck officer are still alive."

Sly asked as he feared what Aurra had planned to do with the remaining hostages. "Yeah, but for how long? If Aurra executed Ponds, what is she going to do to Killian and the deck officer?"

Knowing that the raccoon Jedi master was right, as they witnessed first hand how much regard Aurra held for life, Qymaen stated as he knew the most logical method to discover where Boba, Aurra and their crew were heading. "In order to rescue the remaining two hostages, we'll need to learn where the bounty hunters would go to keep a low profile: which would have to be a star system or planet that the denizens wouldn't turn them in."

Plo Koon stated as he nodded in agreement as he knew where Qymaen was getting at. "And the most logical way to discover where Aurra and Boba are going...is through their underworld criminal contacts here in Coruscant."

Knowing they couldn't allow Sly or Mace to the lower levels of Coruscant, as they were still recovering from their injuries, both Qymaen and Master Plo Koon had ventured out to the seedy streets of the slums. After getting the location of a well known bar where bounty hunters all across the galaxy came to drink and do business, General Sheelal stated before they stepped inside. "Master Plo Koon, I humbly ask that you wait outside while I obtain the information we need."

The Jedi Master knew that his new friend's methods were very extreme, so he stated firmly but gently. "General Sheelal, even though we are Jedi, we do not use our combat skills to beat information out of people, even if they are criminals."

Qymaen stated strongly and firmly. "And those criminal scum will not tell us what we need to know just by asking. Sometimes, aggression is an appropriate method, especially while dealing with bounty hunter filth. And besides, as I've said before, I'm no Jedi, despite me fighting alongside you and the others."

Knowing that the ex Sith and Droid General was correct, as both Admiral Killian and the deck officer were running out of time, Plo Koon had simply gave Qymaen five minutes to get the information they needed to find Boba and his fellow bounty hunters, which General Sheelal smugly stated he would get the info they needed in merely two minutes. After stepping inside the bar and only ten seconds...Plo Koon had heard loud cries, as chairs/stools were being discarded around and blows were being traded...along with several bounty hunters being thrown out the walls of windows. After he stepped inside, Master Koon would spot Qymaen holding a stunned Twilek bounty hunter known by the other patrons as Fong Do by his throat and whispered something in his ear, which caused him to stare at the former Droid general in fear before he turned to the Jedi Master. "This man here is ready to talk, my friend."

Fong Do then informed both Plo Koon and Qymaen that a member of Boba's group, Castas had contacted him from a bar on the planet Florrum over an hour ago, claiming that he was through working Jango Fett's brat and Aurra and had information that he was willing to sell...before being executed by Aurra herself.

Qymaen muttered underneath his breath. "Why did they have to flee to Florrum?"

Master Koon asked as he could tell that his friend and ally knew the planet. "You're familiar with that planet?"

Qymaen answered truthfully, "Unfortunately, I do Master Koon...as Neyla, Shaak-Ti and I have history with the locals, as they double crossed us after they supposedly 'captured' Dooku, especially their leader, Hondo."

"Then... we're off to Florrum." Plo said as he and his friend headed back to the surface to get transportation to Florrum.

Meanwhile on Florrum

Aurra was in Hondo's office with Boba, telling the pirate leader about everything that had happened during the last few days. "Well, my dear, you are in an interesting predicament once again. Getting involved with the Jedi is never a good idea."

"Aurra, we've got a ship coming in. Jedi by the looks of it." Bossk said through Aurra Sing's communication device.

This brought an evil smile to Sing's face as it also got Boba's attention. "About time Windu showed up. Move Slave 1 to the outskirts and get the hostages ready." She said before looking at Hondo. "Will you help me or not?"

Hondo finished his drink before giving his answer. "I will not help you, but I will not hinder you either. This is your fight, not mine." The pirate leader said before they saw Slave 1 move to the outskirts.

A bit later

The ship transporting Qymaen and Plo Koon landed on the base as Hondo walked up to them. "Ah, general Qymaen, my old friend. It's nice to see you again."

"I assume that you're walking us into a trap, Hondo?" Qymaen asked with annoyance at the pirate leader.

"Yes, I am. They're waiting inside the bar, but I have no idea what she has planned for you." Hondo answered truthfully.

"And why are you telling me that, Hondo?"

"To assure you that I am not involved in this, general. But I do wish you luck, my old 'friend.' Hondo told his 'old friend.'

Qymaen and Plo Koon then confronted both Arrura and Boba inside the pub, demanding to know where Killian and the deck officer were. When the two bounty hunters refused to the two allies where the hostages were, Qymaen quickly used 1 of his lightsabers to cut Sing's communication antenna and after a brief, but heated standoff with Plo Koon restraining Boba and Qymaen placing his lightsabers to Aurra's throat and telling her to surrender...which she simply refused and tried a sneak attack that was avoided! After a brief fight, Sing abandoned Boba to the Jedi, much to his great distraught as his 'mentor' left him while Qymaen gave chase.

Plo Koon attempted to persuade Boba to tell him where Killian and the deck officer were being held, but he strongly refused...until Hondo changed his mind, by reminding him that his father was an honorable man and that Jango would want him to be the same person...which convinced him to tell Plo Koon where the remaining hostages were.

Meanwhile

Qymaen gave chase to Sing, who had stolen a speeder bike and headed for the outskirts as the former Sith and Droid general did the same. After he received the location of the hostages from master Koon, Qymaen headed that way while Sing continued down her path. As Bossk was about to shoot the hostages, Qymaen appeared and shot the bike's guns at him, making him jump out of the way before the former droid general jumped behind the hostages and cut their bindings with his lightsabers, allowing Killian to get Bossk's weapon and point it at him!

Suddenly, Sing appeared and crashed into Qymaen's bike, creating a distraction for her to enter Slave 1 and begin to take off. Qymaen saw this and got angry. "No way, you're not getting away!" He yelled as he threw his green lightsaber at the left stabilizer and jumped on the cockpit of the ship, stabbing it with his lightsabers and breaking it, making the ship start to come down as Qymaen jumped off it before it crashed in a fiery explosion, seemingly killing Sing.

Later

After they rescued Admiral Killian and the deck officer and returned to Coruscant, where Sly and Mace were waiting for their arrival, Boba and Mace were face to face. The small bounty hunter would state, "I know that I did horrible things...and I never meant for things to spiral out of control like they did: I never wanted to endanger the clone cadets and crew members. But I still want you dead Windu! I'll never forgive you for killing my father, never!"

The dark skinned Jedi Master stated simply. "Well...Boba, you're going to have to...as that's the only reason the Council and I are willing to let you live."

Before the Clones walked him to prison, Boba stated softly after calming down. "Just...let the cadets that I was with on the Endurance know, especially Jax that I said I'm sorry. My argument had nothing to do with them...that it wasn't personal."

Sly stated softly. "Funny thing Boba...Jax asked me to tell you that he forgives you."

Boba smiled softly as Jax was the only clone cadet that he actually liked and said. "Good...good." Before he was taken away.

There you, go, my friends. The chapter is finally complete. Next is the Assassin episode, with Qymaen in Ahsoka's place. Rate and review. See you when I see you, my friends.