Chapter 18

The Conqueror, in Orbit Around Ryloth, the Ryloth System

Mothra plunged her legs repeatedly into the Conqueror's hull. She sensed that Ahsoka was in danger, and was doing all she could to get to her.

The Conqueror's laser turrets fired hundreds of crimson bolts at her, but she wasn't hurt, only annoyed. She glared at the turrets, and released a pulse of energy from her wings. The energy pulse weakened the hull significantly and shut down the turrets.

However, the other Separatist ships were active and well-armed. They fired their weapons at her relentlessly, but she was saved by Rodan.

The fiery reptavian flew directly through the Separatist cruisers, his body experiencing little more than a dull ache from the impacts. He was ready for another crack at the immense fleet.

He rammed his head into another cruiser as his talons crushed a squadron of Vulture droids. He flew through the fiery explosion and circled back for another round.

Suddenly, the stars darkened as a cloud of gas appeared around the fleet. Yellow lightning flashed in the dark nebula, forming a ball in the very center. The ball grew in size and sprouted wings, two tails, and three heads.

"Ghidorah," Rodan growled.

"Hello, fire chicken," Ghidorah jeered.

Rodan shrieked as he flew through the nebulous clouds, his talons sharp and ready to tear. Ghidorah, however, also possessed talons, and locked his with Rodan's. Rodan screamed and tried to get the dragon to let go, but Ghidorah was stronger, and held on tight as his heads bit into Rodan's helpless body.

In pain, Rodan flailed his wings around, throwing Ghidorah off-balance and sending him crashing into a Separatist cruiser. The lightning surrounding his body flashed into the cruiser as he collided, frying the electronics on board. Rodan flew in place as Ghidorah recovered.

"That's for calling us 'weak!'" Rodan roared.

Ghidorah raised his heads and smirked at the hawkish creature.

"You still are," he growled.

Rodan kept his anger in check and flew around Ghidorah, repeatedly smacking his heads with his wings and talons. Ghidorah couldn't keep up, as Rodan flew in and out of the nebula that Ghidorah himself had created. In anger, Ghidorah spread his wings and screamed, firing electricity everywhere. Rodan flew as best he could, but a lightning bolt caught him in the chest. He shrieked in pain as he careened towards Ghidorah.

Ghidorah was about to fire his lightning breath at Rodan again when he was attacked by Mothra. The divine moth grasped his middle head tightly. The other two heads moved to fire their electrical beams at her, but she saw it coming and released another pulse of energy, scorching all three heads.

Ghidorah did a forward somersault and threw Mothra off of him. He glared at her with his six yellow eyes, his blackened heads enhancing the effect.

As his necks glowed yellow with electricity again, a beam of blue light shot right through the middle head, burning it clean off. The remaining two heads panicked as Mothra and Rodan tore through his wings and threw him to the planet below.


The Great Desert, Ryloth, the Ryloth System

Godzilla watched as Ghidorah's two-headed body fell to the ground. The King's back glowed blue from his sniper-like attack.

Ghidorah rose shakily, the heads unable to control the body correctly. They hissed at Godzilla as he approached.

"You fool! It's only a matter of time before my plan is complete! Soon, you and your weak friends will be nothing but faint memories!"

Godzilla grabbed both heads and pulled them close.

"If that happens, I will gladly accept it, because by the time it does, I'll have chosen my own champion."

Ghidorah opened his mouths in anger and tried to fry Godzilla one last time, but Godzilla reacted quickly and bashed their heads together with all his strength, rendering them unconscious. Godzilla summoned his Atomic Breath and blasted it through Ghidorah's heart, rendering him dead in an instant.

His opponent gone, Godzilla reared his head up and roared in victory.


The Resolute, in Orbit Around Ryloth, the Ryloth System

"I'm really worried," Master Unduli said.

"About the giant moth ripping into the same ship as all our friends?" Secura asked.

"Yeah, but also about Ahsoka."

"Why?"

"She's been acting weird since she and Noc-Ta went to Kelor. It's like she's a different person."

"Are you thinking what I think you're thinking?"

Unduli shared a look with Secura.

"I really hope it isn't what I'm thinking," Unduli said, "but I can't get the idea out of my head."

"Well, we can't do it ourselves," Secura replied. "We'll ask Skywalker to do it. She trusts him."

The two Jedi returned their gaze to the Conqueror.

"I hope she does."