ARC Troopers

Separatist attack! After the destruction of the Rishi Outpost, general Grievous and Asajj Ventress renew their attack on Kamino, home of the clone factories. Meanwhile aboard a Jedi cruiser, Jedi knights Sly Cooper and Neyla intercept a decoded message between the Droid general and the Sith Assassin.

After the destruction of the Rishi outpost a few months ago and intercepting a message between Grievous and Asajj Ventress, Sly and Neyla headed out for Kamino, but not before they contacted Shaak Ti and Ahsoka who were already on the Clone's home planet, along with Rex, Cody and the rest of the 501st. Before they broke contact to prepare for the upcoming assault, Neyla would ask Sly and Shaak Ti to give her and Ahsoka a moment to speak in private, which they kindly obliged to.

Ahsoka asked as she knew what it was that her fellow Jedi and master needed to tell her. "Grievous isn't attacking the clone facility on her own...is she Master Neyla?"

The tigress Jedi master shook her head 'no' and answered. "Ventress is going to be assisting Grievous as they attack the Clone facility. Due to your...feelings for Ventress, I had a feeling you'd want to be the one to try to reason with her."

The young Padawan nodded in agreement. "I know that I can get through to her, Master. All I'm asking for is a shot at her."

Neyla nodded as she understood and agreed. "You have permission to try to reason with Ventress, Ahsoka. But be careful, even though she might feel the same towards you...she is still loyal to the Sith and Dooku."

Meanwhile with Grievous and Asajj

The droid general and the Sith Assassin were having a conversation through hologram about their renewed assignment on Kamino. "All is ready, general. " The hologram of Ventress told Grievous.

"Good. We will attack Tipoca city 1st." Grievous said with delight.

"I have both the location of the clone DNA room and the clone trooper facility and barracks. "

"Both will be destroyed by my hands!" Grievous said with overconfidence.

"I don't think so, general. Count Dooku assigned this task to both of us!" Ventress reminded the cyborg general.

"But of course, assassin. I'm looking forward to meeting you." Grievous said with distaste for the With assassin.

At Ventress' location

Ventress broke off contact with the Droid general and spoke to a droid. "Are the aqua droids prepared for phase 2 of the plan?"

"Yes, mistress." The droid answered before Ventress walked up to the window, revealing that she was at the bottom of the Kamino sea. "I sense that Ahsoka is here. I... don't want to have to fight her because of my feelings for her, but I can't return to Dooku empty-handed. Oh please Ahsoka, don't try to get in my way." She thought to herself, hoping that she would not have to fight Ahsoka again.

A while later

After ending their conversation, Ahsoka had assisted Rex and Cody in preparing their defenses against Grievous and the Droid Army. As they were getting prepared, Hevy, Echo and Fives were greeted by 99, the janitor and they chatted while Ahsoka was surprised by how different the elderly Clone was from the others.

She then asked while whispering to Rex, so their conversation wouldn't be heard. "Rex, why does 99 look the way he does? I thought you and the rest of the Clones were created to look the same?"

Rex answered back quietly. "The reason why 99 looks that way Ahsoka is because for some strange reason he had several genetic defects during the breeding process."

While the Jedi and Clones had finished setting up their defenses and preparing themselves for the upcoming battle, Grievous and her Droid forces had arrived and engaged Sly, Neyla and their Clone pilots...which became a heated dog fight between the Republic and Separatist forces! Halfway through the battle, Neyla noticed how the Droids weren't really giving them a serious battle: as she, Sly and their pilots had shot down a number of Droid ships and suspected something was wrong.

She then informed Sly that she was going planet side. "Sly, I have to go back on the planet. Something's wrong. Grievous seems to be sacrificing her ship's, and that's not like her."

"I agree. I've got this battle under control, Neyla. Go see what's really going on and I'll be there when I can." Sly said with concern, agreeing with his secret wife that something was wrong.

Once Neyla had gotten back onto the planet, exited her ship and dived into the ocean, she was surprised to see a Droid attack ship deploying Aqua Droids to infiltrate and attack Tipoca City! "Oh hell, this is bad!" She thought to herself before she hitched a ride on 1 of the creatures and headed back to the city to help defend it.

While Sly led the Clones against the Droids in space, Grievous and Ventress, after getting inside the buildings and killing a few clones, were having a heated argument between them; over which one of them was more suited to lead the full-scale assault on Tipoca City. "Your skills are impressive, assassin. Perhaps a match for my own." Grievous said, impressed with Ventress' skills. "If you would just work under me, who knows what you could achieve."

"Count Dooku may have downloaded all the lightsaber fighting styles into what's left of your brain and taught you how to swing a lightsaber, general, but that doesn't make you my superior or my equal. I'll get the DNA, you will attack the cloning facility and barracks." Ventress said with disgust at the Droid general who had chosen to give up her flesh and blood for machinery.

Grievous then grabbed her arm. "That's fine, but I don't take orders from a mere assassin. Shall I provide you with a Droid escort?"

"Tch, there's nothing you have that I could possibly want, not anymore now that you've given up your flesh and blood for machinery!" Ventress said with disgust before she walked off. "And besides, there already is someone I love, but can't have...yet. Perhaps when this war is over, we can have a life together, my dearest Ahsoka."

Fortunately, Neyla had located Shaak-Ti and they turned the tables against the Droids by destroying them and facing Grievous to buy Rex, Cody, Hevy, Echo and Fives the time they needed to get their wounded brothers to safety. Sly contacted his secret wife and fellow Jedi, telling her that the battle in space was over and he was going to assist the Clones in defending the city. After helping the clones, he headed to the DNA chamber, as he knew that would be a main target.

Neyla, on the other hand, headed after Grievous, as she was looking to finally destroy her for good. She quickly found her and they activated their lightsabers and began fighting, with Grievous using all 4 of her blades and Neyla using both her blades. The fight took them outside and after fighting a bit more, an aqua droid broke the platform they were on, causing Neyla to fall off before Grievous checked and thought she had fallen into the water, making her laugh in delight before she used 1 of the Kamino ships to escape, but unknown to her, the Kamino creature had saved Neyla again.

Meanwhile with Ventress

While Asajj had infiltrated the DNA storage facility...she paused after seeing Ahsoka guarding the building herself with her lightsaber drawn out. Asajj softly requested the young Padawan to step aside. "Move out of the way, Padawan."

Ahsoka stated softly. "I can't do that Ventress...and I can't let you take the Clone sample." She then stated after Asajj had taken out her own lightsabers. "I don't want to fight you Asajj."

Asajj stated while feeling conflicted, due to her loyalties to Dooku and her feelings for the young Padawan. "I...I don't want to fight you either...Ahsoka. But I can't return to my master empty handed."

Ahsoka stated softly as she didn't want to fight her...but knew she had to. "There must be another way."

Asajj stated simply and somberly before charging in. "There isn't, my lovely princess."

They then charged in, matching each other and deflecting the other's blows with their sabers, but neither of them were willing to fight each other, causing them both to hold back. After attempting to use a Force Push to knock Ventress off guard, the Sith Assassin effortlessly dodged and countered with a Force Push of her own, shoving and pinning the young Padawan against the wall behind her. Ahsoka attempted to free herself from Asajj's grip, but her connection to the Force was stronger than her's...and the Sith had slowly approached her, with her lightsabers deactivated.

The young Padawan gave Asajj a pleading look, as if begging her not to deliver the Clone sample to Dooku...but she sadly glanced down, showing she couldn't betray the Sith even though they would eventually betray her. Asajj stated softly with remorse. "I'm sorry, my lovely Togruta princess." Before she placed a soft kiss on Ahsoka's left cheek and lips before putting her to sleep with the Mind Manipulation technique and settling her down before stealing the clone sample of Jango Fett. Before walking away, Asajj softly caressed the young Jedi's cheek with her free hand before drawing her into a gentle hug and giving her another kiss on the lips, feeling guilt for having to fight the young woman who was trying save her from the Sith...and hoping that one day she would forgive her. "Forgive me, my princess. I... love you. I promise that 1 day, I'll come to free you and we'll be free to love each other and be free from the Jedi and the Sith." She said as tears came from her eyes before she left the room.

But before Asajj could get far, she encountered Sly. "Hello, Ventress. Where's Ahsoka?" Sly asked with concern for his apprentice as he drew his lightsaber.

"She's safe in the room. Don't worry, I didn't kill her. Why would I want to hurt my future apprentice? When she's ready, I'll bring her over to my side, and together, we will eventually destroy Dooku and Sidious and rule the universe!" Ventress said, wanting Ahsoka as hers but lying about ruling the universe, as she didn't want that, only a peaceful life with Ahsoka by her side as her lover.

"Stop lying to yourself, Ventress, I sense your real desire. You do want Ahsoka, but as your lover and living a peaceful life with her. If you turn against Dooku now, you could still have that." Sly offered, willing to let Asajj be with Ahsoka, but not as a Sith.

"No! I won't let you or any of your Jedi friends turn me into a being with no emotions or feelings, and I won't let it happen to Ahsoka either! When the time is right, I'll take her away from all of you and we'll finally have true freedom!" Ventress vowed before engaging the raccoon Jedi in lightsaber combat, being evenly matched as Ventress was fighting more for Ahsoka and her freedom, making her a bit more stronger than before, which Sly noticed, causing him to mentally smirk, knowing that the time for Ventress' redemption was getting closer.

The fight took them all the way outside of the building, where they stopped fighting after Sly landed a kick on her as a clone quickly grabbed the DNA sample, followed by more clones, who had destroyed all the droids with the help of their cadets and 99, who had sacrificed his life for his home and brothers, much to their sadness, as they now saw that 99 was truly a good soldier.

Ventress got back up and deactivated her lightsabers before seeing Grievous' hijacked ship fly up to her before she looked at Sly. "Mark my words, Cooper: I will come for Ahsoka 1 day, and I will free her from the Jedi and you!" She vowed before she jumped on the ship and entered it before the 2 warriors left the planet, with Ventress thinking of Ahsoka the whole time.

Later on

While Hevy, Fives and Echo were promoted to ARC Troopers due to their bravery and heroic acts at saving their brothers and home, Sly and Neyla had found Ahsoka and Sly informed her of what he saw in Ventress: how she'd been thinking of the Togruta and had wanted her as her lover, and that she was 1 step closer to her ultimate redemption. All that was left was for the Sith to betray her, as Asajj herself knew that they would,dad that was the Sith way. Ahsoka could only pray that the 1 she loved could only be saved before Dooku and Sidious decided to eliminate her, either Dooku because of failure...or Sidious because of his paranoia and fear of Asajj's growing power in the Force.

There you go, my friends, the chapter is finally complete. Next is the Nightsisters episode, but it will be called Asajj's redemption and salvation instead. Rate and review. See you next chapter, my friends.