Chapter 24
Escape from Kadavo
ZYGERRIA
Count Dooku was approaching the slave capital of the Zygerrian empire aboard his solar sail starship, a droid pilot was flying him down to the surface while he conversed with a shrouded figure, Darth Sidious "Long ago the Empires of the Sith were built on the backs of slaves, for ours we will need Millions." Darth Sidious told him.
"What of the Queen's defiance in allowing the Jedi to live?" Count Dooku asked him.
"If her defiance continues, end her rule and kill them." Dooku's true Master ordered him "As you command Lord Sidious." The apprentice replied.
Sidious nodded "And… what of this known apprentice, what do you make of his progress?"
"We shall see when I command him to execute his former Master, himself." The Count said smiling at the mere thought "An astute test my friend."
Down below on the surface of the planet, Leo was looking up into the sky as Anakin had finished riding one of the Zygerrian bizraks with the Queen holding onto him tight. When they landed Leo watched them smugly seeing Anakin clearly upset at the whole situation.
"Have you considered my offer, Skywalker if you vow loyalty to me, I will free your friends." the Queen offered him as the Queen and Anakin flanked by two guards walked along the upper balconies. Behind the party none of the Zygerrians noticed a white and blue Astro droid tailing them past other Zygerrian court members. Artoo stopped when Leo noticed him from up above, Leo gave the droid a smirk and winked at him.
"It's not an easy decision." The Knight replied, scowling glaring up at Leo who looked up to see Count Dooku's solar sail starting to land next to the Rogue Shadow. Leo gave one last look to Anakin and like the Knight had done in the slave auction, Leo pressed two fingers to his forehead and saluted Anakin, before leaving to go greet his Master.
"Curious. I thought the Jedi were selfless placing the needs of others before their own." the three continued walking before Molec stopped in front of them.
"My Queen I bring word. Count Dooku is on his way here." he informed.
"Sooner than anticipated, make preparations for his arrival." she said walking forward and dismissing him. "So, even you have a master." Anakin accused.
"Dooku is not my master!" She snapped before regaining her royal composure.
"Perhaps you should not attend this meeting, can I trust you not to run away." she said with a smirk while holding her hand out for his saber. Anakin took it off his belt and pointed the end in her face. "I don't run away from anything, your highness." he growled before the two guards pointed their rifles at him and she chuckled before taking his saber and walking away.
Already there, Leo was standing before Count Dooku when Atai Molec walked in "Ah, Prime Minister Molec." Count Dooku said greeting him Molec smiled with his fangs for all to see.
"A title I am eager to use." He said giving Leo a sneer before looking back at Dooku and bowing "I thank you for arriving so soon Count, Zygerria will always be thankful for your support, now what is to be done with the Jedi?" He asked.
The Count stroked his beard "If the Queen will not kill Skywalker, we shall along with his companions."
"What of the female, the Queen promised she would be mine?" Atai asked, still bowing "Take her, a padawan is no threat to our plans." Count Dooku said looking at Leo did his best to hide his anger, hearing what would happen to them "Apprentice, it is time you proved your loyalty, go to Kadavo and end Kenobi's life."
Leo's eyes got wider then his own head "... yes my lord." Leo said bowing before he started to walk past Molec who passed him "I will enjoy the scug when she is mine boy." He whispered into Leo's ear.
The former padawan stopped "Be careful she's a handful." He said pressing on as the Queen entered, Leo gave a polite bow to her "Your highness." Before he left her with the Count.
Back outside on the palace walls, the two zygerrian guards had made Anakin back up towards the edge. Artoo beeped before bumping into one. "Get off, you miserable tin can!" the one it bumped into snarled. Anakin jumped off the edge and hung onto the side.
"Get down there and find that Jedi!" the guard ordered the second one.
"Yes, sir!" was his reply before running off, the guards looked down at where he'd been pointing and Anakin suddenly popped up grabbing him before tossing him towards the city. "Nice work, pal." the Jedi Knight complimented the droid before patting his head.
The Jedi jumped up to the higher balcony while Artoo flew up alongside him.
Up in the top of the palace, Ahsoka was still in her cell laying on the floor of her cage like a bird would. Even with the view of the city below her, her predicament was a bitter one. Her and Leo's conversation had stuck in her mind like a cancer when a shadow flew over her gaze.
Looking up to the top of the cage she saw her Master, standing over her to save the day "Well, hello Master took you long enough." she greeted and teased a bit weakly as he stood in her cage.
"Well, I knew you had a nice view." he teased back before jumping back onto the balcony and using the Force to place the cage on it. He then used the Force to rip part of it off so she could get out. "Are you okay?" he asked, helping her up. Ahsoka used the Force to break the collar in half.
"I sense a disturbance in the Force." she said, dropping it to the ground.
"It's Dooku I need you to get our ship. Here, take this comlink." he said before turning around, they both saw the Rogue Shadow was slowly beginning its departure from Zygerria heading straight for Kadavo "Leo, where do you think she's going?" Ahsoka asked her master.
Anakin squeezed his gloves into fists "No where good, go get the ship we'll need a quick escape I'd wager." He said before running off.
"Where are you going?" she asked, folding her arms. "The Queen knows where Obi-Wan is, hold onto that comlink and wait for my signal." he said before jumping higher. "Come on, Artoo." she said, turning around before suddenly stopping and gasping in fear.
KADAVO
The Rogue Shadow landed on the surface of the volcanic world, at the Zygerrian education center perched in the mouth of a dormant volcano. As Leo walked into the base he passed by the torgurtan slaves of Kiros. The doors to compound opened up, the blue furred Zygerrian Keeper Argos came out on his hover chair laughing "Hahaha, welcome, welcome, welcome my friend please come in." Keeper Argos said as Leo approached him out from behind the ship Turok had emerged with two RG-4D's holstered under his arm right arm and at his left hip.
"The generous Count Dooku's apprentice, Leo Rock we are honored to welcome you to my facility-" "Be quiet." Leo told him coldly "Pardon?"
"Kenobi and the man he came with, bring him to your command center, Count Dooku would like to speak with them, before they're executed." Leo commanded.
Keeper Argos's face was aghast "But the Queen-" "Is no longer in charge of your Slave Empire." Leo told him taking a step to keep Argos in his chair, he leaned over gettin right in the blue fur balls face.
Argos leaned back in his chair "Ah… right, yes it was time for a regime change anyway."
Leo followed the Keeper into the compound and gave one look at Skell before nodding, the trandoshan gave a soft nod back before following.
Leo was led into the belly of the compound before they came into the very heart of Argos's operation. There was a holotable in the center with three Zygerrians manning consoles with guards at each entrance, the room was illuminated with an orange lava tinted glow. Leo looked down at one of the consoles seeing the video feed of the Zygerrians torturing the Kiros colonists with electro whips, their bare fists and all manner of unspeakable depravity slaves could do to their prey.
The doors to the command center opened, followed by Rex and Obi-Wan being pushed in and onto their knees. Leo held his hands behind his back to hide his trembling fists, Obi-Wan's white robes had been torn and whipped with burn marks covering the robes as much as the bruises on his and Rex's faces, their necks shackled with slave collars. When they saw him Obi-Wan gapped but it was Rex who showed the most surprise "Leo, its true… you are a traitor." The clone said in shock
"Master Kenobi, someone wishes to speak with you." Argos said approaching Obi-Wan from his hover chair.
Argos pulled back to let the Holotable activate to reveal Count Dooku, arms crossed "Obi-Wan Kenobi, in chains again I see, look how low your former Master has fallen my apprentice?" Count Dooku said, looking to Leo, who glared down at Rex and Obi-Wan.
Obi-Wan may have been beaten, bloody, maybe even broken but not his sarcastic wit "Count Dooku, still afraid to get your hands dirty." Obi-Wan said on his knees up to the hologram.
Count Dooku didn't rise to the taunt "I would gladly make an exception in your case, my friend I wanted to say a proper farewell… before your former padawan did it for me." The Sith Lord replied as Leo walked over and turned on one end of Exar Kun's lightsaber and held it up to Obi-Wan's neck.
Rex started to stand "Leo no, you can't- aaaaahh!" Before Rex could fully rise to his feet his electro collar forced him back onto the floor.
Leo gripped his lightsaber tight, looking down at Obi-Wan who stared up at his former padawan "You don't have to do this Leo, you're better than this you aren't Sith."
Despite his words Leo was more focused on Count Dooku's eyes on his back "But I was never a jedi was I, even when I was your padawan you feared me like a Sith, so why not make it official." He said, starting to raise his lightsaber.
But before he could strike Obi-Wan down with all his hate one of the Zygerrians spoke "Keeper Argos, slave ship Tecua making an unscheduled landing?"
Everyone looked to the bridge officer who spoke "Skywalker." Dooku said.
"There here for the slaves Master and their friends." Leo said up to him looking back at Dooku then at Rex and Obi-Wan, "Quite right my apprentice, Kenobi tell your young friend if he does not surrender we will kill all the colonists." Dooku told him.
Ahsoka and Anakin, along with Artoo had Jedi changed back into their normal attire after landing and made their way out of the ship after evading turret fire from the towers making it other door with Artoo following after Anakin contacted Plo. A few seconds later the four cannons on the towers near the entrance opened fire on their ship and destroyed. They quickly ran for the door as the cannons started shooting them but were too late as the door closed and locked. "So much for our ride home." Anakin said as they hid against the door.
"What now?" Ahsoka asked as he grabbed his lightsaber. "We get through the old-fashioned way." he said, starting to cut a hole in the door.
Just as he was halfway done, Obi-Wan's face appeared on the small screen by the door. "Anakin, i'm glad to see you but i'm afraid our host feels otherwise." the Master said.
"Well you can't make everyone happy, Master." he replied as a turret laser came close to hitting the two "They're threatening to kill the slaves unless you surrender." Obi-Wan said.
"It's good to see you're always ready to negotiate but i've had enough bargaining with slave drivers." he replied into a camera, Leo had his lightsaber pointed at his neck looking at him then at Count Dooku. Rex was looking at them both still under guard by two of the slave drivers when he noticed Leo's hand was trembling and a drop of sweat was going down his neck.
"Anakin, you must realize this is a fight you cannot win alone." came his former master's reply.
"Who said I was alone?" Anakin asked with a smirk.
Back in the command center the same bridge officer who spoke about the Jedi's attack spoke again "Keeper, a fleet of warships has dropped out of hyperspace in sector six."
"Jedi reinforcements." Keeper Argos said to Count Dooku, Leo suddenly grabbed Obi-Wan with the force holding him off the floor choking him "Call them off old man." Leo ordered.
Gasping for air Obi-Wan choked out "You'll kill me like you killed Selene- ack." Obi-Wan told him.
"Yes, yes- do it my apprentice, kill him, strike him down with all your hatred and your journey to the dark side shall be complete." Count Dooku said goading Leo into doing it.
"With pleasure my lord." Leo replied when the entire compound shook from the shells of Republic cannon fire, in the ensuing explosion the hologram of Count Dooku vanished "Keeper our communications system was knocked out, we've lost contact with Zygerria and Count Dooku." One of the crew said to the Keeper before the door on the other end of the room opened and Turok came in.
With that Leo dropped Obi-Wan onto the floor "Took you long enough." Leo said before he activated the other end of his lightsaber and like a lance through it right into Keeper Argo's chest making him fly straight into one of the consoles.
"Keeper!" One of the guard screamed before Turok opened fire on every Zygerrian he saw, before the guards could attack the trandoshan Leo held up both hands blasting them into the walls and forcing them to grab their throats from being choked with the force. Leo quickly snapped their necks like twigs, in less than a minute Turok and Leo had killed every person in the room.
"What… just… happened?" Rex asked looking to Obi-Wan who was still on the floor holding his neck, Leo walked over to Keeper Argos's corpse and tore out his lightsaber before walking back over to Obi-Wan "Master, we need to talk." He said holding his hand out to him.
Back outside Plo Koon led a squadron of RC-170 starfighters and gunships from the atmosphere and made their way to the prison with Plo leading them. The attack force opened fire on the towers and Zygerrians that came outside to shoot "I hope you told Master Plo not to destroy this facility, before we get off of it." Ahsoka said to Anakin. "Yeah, all of us and the slaves." he replied, finishing with cutting a hole and kicking it in.
"We'll need a bigger ship." she said as they entered one at a time. The other two ignited their blades and deflected a few shots before Anakin took out all three Zygerrians that were attacking.
Back in the Command Center, Leo broke the handcuffs off Rex's neck and Turok walked over to Keeper Argos's body dragging the fat sleemo out of his chair and throwing him onto the floor rummaging through his robes pockets "Leo, I don't understand?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Remember what I said before I left master, do you trust me?" Leo asked, walking over to a monitor in the corner showing an outline of the lower level slave pins.
Obi-Wan nearly got closer "Do we have a choice?"
"Do we really need to keep Rex in the dark?" Leo asked him looking back at the still very much confused clone trooper who'd picked up a zygerrian blaster pointing it at Leo "General, what is going on?" Skell held out one of his blasters again "Watch it blaster boy." Turok hissed getting up holding a key guard and throwing it to Leo.
Kenobi turned around getting between Rex and Leo, "Rex, you have to promise me that you won't speak of any of this to anyone, even Anakin or Ahsoka. '
"What?" Rex asked, still confused, "Oh for Stars sake Rex, I'm a spy!"
The Captain's jaw nearly hit the metal floor "But- you killed General Selene, General Kenobi confirmed it."
"How else do you think I'd get Count Dooku to take me as his apprentice if I didn't 'kill' a jedi?" Leo asked as he plugged in the key getting master control over the whole station "Here, the slaves are in the lower section, the stations taking heavy damage and it won't stay up for long." Leo said over to Obi-Wan.
Obi-Wan walked up next to him looking at it "I see, Rex contact Master Plo and inform him to move the cruiser in for a rescue operation." Obi-Wan ordered.
"Uh- y-yes General." Rex said, he was still unsure if he should take his blaster away from Leo but did so anyway.
When Rex started to make the call Obi-Wan leaned in "Have you found them yet, the Sith Lord Dooku serves?"
"When you told me about it when he captured you on Geonosis I wasn't sure if it was true, but with how the war and our intelligence is going back and forth I'm sure this Sith Lord, this Darth Sidious must be controlling the Republic somehow." Leo whispered to him as he started to slice into the controls "Rrr a failsafe give me a moment." Leo asked.
Obi-Wan looked over at Rex "Do you have any proof?" Obi-Wan asked.
Leo shook his head after he hacked into the terminal "Not yet, but I do have this." Leo said reaching into his robe and pulling out a disk "Separaitst fleet movements and targeted worlds, schematics for experimental weapons the Separatists are developing and more." He said handing the disk to Obi-Wan.
"Good work, with this and giving us Roshti's location on Zygerria time to come in." Obi-Wan told him starting to go over to Rex "I can't Master I have to know." Leo said back.
Whirling back around "It's too dangerous Leo-" "It's too dangerous to turn back now Obi-Wan, please… do-you-trust-me?" Leo asked reaching out his hand to Obi-Wan. Looking down at his hand then up at the sith eyed and white haired adolescent before him, Obi-Wan tried to see the once promising red haired padawan fighting to stay there "And if you fall to the dark side completely, not just this- pretending?"
"Then I'll ask you to be the one to kill me." Leo again offered his hand still out "Very well… I trust you." Obi-Wan said, taking his hand.
A spark of hope appeared in Leo's eyes and a flicker of green reappeared in his pupils "I will find this Darth Sidious, Master I promise." Leo replied when the doors to the control room burst open "Incoming!" Rex said as a wave of guards came rushing in.
"The Jedi killed the keeper, take your revenge." Leo said using the force to push Obi-Wan away feigning he was still on the Zygerrians side, Rex and Obi-Wan dove behind the cover of the holotable as the Zygerrians came in "Better hurry Master, this place doesn't look like its got much longer neither do the colonists." Leo said backing up to the other exit with Turok. When they disappeared behind the blast doors Rex gave Obi-Wan a look wanting to know what the hell was going on "Not a word to anyone Rex."
Rex gritted his teeth "I'll do my best General."
On the other side of the door, Turok and Leo could hear Rex and Obi-Wan engage the Zygerrians "A dangerous game Leo." Turok said following him "That's what makes it so much fun." Leo replied before they started to run down the hallways.
Back in the compound hallways, Anakin and Ahsoka made their way through the prison as quickly as they could. "I cannot move the cruiser in for the rescue operation until those enemy cannons are destroyed." Plo said over Anakin's com.
"We'll take care of those cannons Just make sure that cruiser gets down here we're running out of time." Anakin said before cutting off.
"I'm going to go help my people I'll see if I can buy us some time." Ahsoka said.
"Good luck." Anakin replied before she turned towards the holding area followed by her.
The Ahsoka, turned and ran down another hallway before she came to a crossway and on the other end of the hallway saw Leo and Turok, she stopped dead in her tracks tearing out her green lightsaber and held it up ready to fight, "Don't move, we've got this place surrounded." She told him.
Leo waved Turok to go on "It's me or your people Ahsoka." Leo said not even drawing his sword "Besides we both know which one you'll choose." He said before he walked off. Ahsoka ran down the hall after him before stopping to see the junction he was walking out of led straight to the holding cells "I'll stop you Leo, do you hear me you'll pay for this- I'll hunt you down to the ends of the universe if I have to I- I HATE YOU LEO!" She screamed at him
She saw him still walking away before she turned around to go rescue her people, Leo emerged from the compound where Turok was waiting at the entrance having heard everything "A very dangerous game Leo, still fun?"
"Not like this, come on we're leaving." He said before they ran to the Rogue Shadow boarding it quickly and taking off.
Back inside Ahsoka's arrived in front a blast door and looked around for a way to open it. Ahsoka found the screen and pressed it a few times before the door opened. A small group of Togruta were on the other side while the floor they were standing on was moving back. They quickly jumped across and looked around for a way to stop the floor from moving. "We're all clear, Master Plo. Bring the cruiser down to the landing pad." Anakin's voice came over their coms after destroying a tower.
When he saw the Rogue Shadow escaping "Master Plo have your fighters go after that ship." Anakin ordered "There's no time Skywalker, we must save the colonists first."
"But thats Leo, we have to stop him now." Anakin said into the comlink "Patience Skywalker, another day, Admiral begin moving the cruiser down to the landing pad." Plo ordered.
"Cancel that order, Master! There's no way to get the people out of the holding cell and up to the landing platform, but I have an idea we need to have the cruiser move in underneath the facility we can escape onto the ship, if Admiral Coburn can get close enough." Ahsoka suggested.
Up in the sky's Leo was sitting in the Rogue Shadow cockpit as Turok flew them out of there watching the station starting to fall apart while the cruiser got into position "Get out of there, get out of there." Leo said over and over.
A few minutes later, five clones with jetpacks shot cables from their rifles that attached to the ceiling of the room. Ahsoka turned and addressed the other Togrutas. "Okay, everyone. Get ready. We'll have to go by groups." she said, earning nods before they started to make their way down the cables. One female missed the cable and fell with a scream. Ahsoka quickly dived and landed on the top of the cruiser before catching the woman in her arms. "Gotcha." he said, smiling even though she couldn't see it. The woman blushed and smiled back before he set her down as the others landed beside them, two more fell as the floor was almost retracted, but luckily they were caught by clones and set down. "That's everyone. We have to go. The facility's breaking up." Wolffe said before they ran towards one of the top entrances.
Letting out a sigh of relief Leo leaned back in his chair "New she could do it." Leo said "She sure is something, so where too?" Turok asked him.
"Back to Serenno and my Master." Leo said leaning up and getting out of the chair
"Back to Serenno?" Turok asked, stunned "You sure?" Turok asked him.
Leo gave a firm nod taking out his lightsaber and holding it out "Games not over Turok, the Count will know I failed by now and I'll need an excuse." He said when Turok saw the lightsaber.
Turok got up letting them go into autopilot before the jump "If you want it to be convincing…" Turok took the lightsaber "It'll hurt."
"If it were easy to be a spy, everyone would do it, just not the face. I already got one scar." Leo asked him before Turok turned on the lightsaber.
REPUBLIC FLEET
Hangar
Once back aboard the Star Destroyer, the Jedi and Artoo walked with Roshti through the hanger. "I thank you, Jedi, and the Republic for saving our lives." he said as they stopped. "Ahsoka is the real hero without her creativity, I don't think we would have gotten your people to safety." Anakin said with a smile as Ahsoka looked sheepish with a shy smile on her face and Plo placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Indeed. Padawan Tano, may I have a word in private?" he asked. "Of course." she agreed as the Jedi bowed their heads before walking off.
Roshti who smiled at the young Togruta. "Ahsoka, you have done a great deed for your people today." he said as her smile fell.
"You're sad?" she asked.
"Well, you and the Jedi have done your best, but I do not think our people will recover from this horror anytime soon." he said as they stopped.
"I understand, but in the end, surviving this will only strengthen the people." she said softly with an encouraging smile.
Governor Roshti continued on beside her with a new sense of hope in his voice "Perhaps. And perhaps the people of Kiros, will also join the Republic." he replied with a smile. "I think that's a wise choice, Governor." she replied.
Obi-Wan stood next to Anakin who was smiling with pride at his Padawan's efforts in saving her people from a life of slavery "You must be very proud Skywalker of your Padawan?" Master Plo said with Obi-Wan next to him "I am beyond words Masters." Anakin said before he noticed his pride seemed to open a wound in Obi-Wan who was thinking of his own padawan and the secret they held.
"I'm sorry again Master, we let Leo get away but he won't be able to escape us for long." Anakin said hands on his hips "I know Anakin, I know." Obi-Wan said walking away.
"It is never easy to lose one's apprentice, especially to such darkness." Master Plo said beside Anakin "I can't imagine a worse fate."
Obi-Wan left the company of the other Jedi and walked around the hanger till he found Rex, getting back into his clone armor holding his helmet in his hand "Captain?"
Rex stood up "General, are we going to talk about what happened back there?"
"You have a right to know I suppose." He answered him.
"Yeah I'd say so?" Rex asked agitated and rightfully so, Obi-Wan and he were hidden behind the walls of a large gunship so they could speak in private "When Leo and I were away I told him of a conspiracy that Count Dooku tried to tell me about a plot against the Jedi and the Republic, at first I didn't see it as any truth but as the war went on I began to see a pattern." Obi-Wan explained to him "That these Sith are somehow behind the war?" Rex asked him.
Obi-Wan scratched his beard "We aren't sure, but with the Siths interest in Leo as is it made him the perfect candidate to become a spy right in Dooku's inner circle, with the information he's given us we'll be able to verify what our spies are telling us is true or not it was his idea he wanted to propose it to the Council but, the time never seemed right with how things turned out." Obi-Wan elaborated.
"And find this, what was the Sith called again?" Rex asked him.
"Better if you don't know, the success of this mission requires as many people knowing as least as possible." Obi-Wan exclaimed "So the escape, that was staged?"
Obi-Wan shook his head "No, more was Selene hunting him down."
"I wanted to ask, so General Selene is alive?" Rex asked him "She is hidden in one of our secret outposts recovering from her wounds before he left Yavin 4, Leo tended to her wounds and left a holorecording explaining his intent." Obi-Wan said.
Rex let out a groan "Why are all jedi so complicated?" He asked "It's the nature of our job Captain, the nature of our job… so can I trust you to keep this secret?"
Rex looked out at the clones in the hanger and at Ahsoka now speaking to a proud Anakin "If it means it keeps them safe, helps us win the war I will General I just hope Leo is okay.
SERENNO
The Count's Palace
The force lightning coursed through Leo's very bones as Count Dooku tortured him "Failure!" Leo was tumbled down into the palace floor, he was now as beaten and bruised like his master by the slavers, but instead of a whip it was the dark side of the force.
"Incompetent… weak… he was right there and you let him go?" Count Dooku scolded taking long strides toward the writhing moaned holding onto his arm which had a deep lightsaber gash in it "Skywalker arrived… against the two of them I fought as hard as I cou- ack" Count Dooku lifted Leo off the floor force choking him and throwing him into the nearest wall before smashing him against another, and another, before slamming him onto the floor and crushing him into the metal
Count Dooku snarled and brought Leo up to his knees and held out his hand electrocuting him with another wave of force lighting "Excuses, give me one reason why I shouldn't kill you right here and right now?"
He released Leo to let him fall down on the floor, on his hands and knees "Because Master… I can help- AAAAHHH!" Count Dooku electrocuted him again this time on a higher voltage, making him skid to the back of the room.
"You, help me, how could you possibly know that could help my purposes?" Count Dooku asked.
"I will serve you until I die Master… my life is yours…" Leo stammered, spitting out blood "Hrrrrr we shall see for now, you will learn discipline." Count Dooku raised both his hands and unleashed a force storm of lightning on him, causing him the agony of what a patriot did for his nation and friends.
Gotcha.