Berserker Book V

by Blitzkrieger

Traitor, Heretic, fallen jedi, Leo Rock exiled from the Order. Leo and his Black Knights are on a mission to remind the Jedi of who they truly are, but in a galaxy that increasingly distrusts Jedi, enemies on all sides. He'll face not just Clones and Droids, but Maul's Shadow Collective. With little choice, Leo must assemble an army for the one thing the galaxy needs, revolution.

3. The Good Die Young

Chapter 3

The Good Die Young

JEDI TEMPLE

Council Chamber

The Council had gathered in their tower above the temple as rain pattered the windows with dark storm clouds rolling overhead. Holograms of Shaak Ti on Kamino, Mace Windu on Abraxas, Mundi on Mygeeto and Oppo Rancis elsewhere before them both stood holograms of Master Reus and Padawan Tyzen Xebec standing hands behind their holographic backs in front of them "So Rock and his dissidents are on Malastare?" Master Plo said tapping his claws.

"How many we can't be sure, but both Master Vos's former padawan and the rogue Jedi Sian Jiesel are there as well, along with the three padawans who escaped." Master Reus reported.

"Then we haven't a moment's delay, we must send reinforcements to Malastare to capture them." Master Oppo said through his long white beard.

"The Dug Council has been explicit in not allowing Republic troops to land on Malastare after the incident with the Zillo beast, allowing me to go and assist Master Yoda." Obi-Wan said to the Grand Master.

Windu didn't hesitate to refute it "I disagree, he's your former padawan, the emotional toll it would take and his knowledge of how you operate would make it hard for you to succeed Master Kenobi."

"I'm afraid I agree with Master Windu." Luminara said across from Obi-Wan and Mace who were about to butt heads again like two rams "We should send the 612th attack battalion to assist them, Commander Gandhi and his men are under your command correct Keelyvine?" Luminara asked her.

The holograms nodded at her "Yes, Commander Ganch and his men are effective soldiers, they'll be a welcome assistance in catching these heretics." Reus replied.

"In the meantime we should alert the Chancellor's office to get his approval so the Dug Council knows this is a joint Jedi and Republic operation now." Master Windu said. Tyzen fidgeted where he stood, his eyes dropping to the floor trying to mask his emotions, Yoda, every conscious of the padawans he trained, noticed this.

His ears perked up as he said "Padawan Xebec, something to say you have?" Yoda asked him.

Tyzen shook his head "N-no Master, it's nothing just worried about Padawan Dray, I think the death of his Master is what shocked him into running."

"Yes…. the death of Master Salmara was a loss to us all, what of the other padawans?" Master Windu asked them.

"They are padawans Maris Brood and Lotor." Master Koth said tapping his fingers on his chair.

Obi-Wan blinked "Lotor…."

"No last name, he was discovered here on Coruscant in the lower city." Koth explained.

"Both Lotor and Maris are highly skilled padawans, Maris was the first jedi in her generation to remaster the duel shoto baton and Lotor was on the verge of Knighthood before they stole away in the night." Plo Koon pointed out as the Council thought on it.

A pause started to grow. "This is troubling, the number of padawans attempting to escape has started to quell, but with their success it may embolden others?" Master Luminara said "The Council should find a way to sway them into giving up this idea, show them how dangerous it is outside the temple for young padawans?"

"Scold them even further, I doubt that will change anything." Obi-Wan countered getting all eyes on him.

"And what do you suggest Kenobi?" Plo asked him.

Obi-Wan paused scratching his beard "No, but what drove the other jedi away, not just Leo, was-" Obi-Wan stopped when he saw Mace Windu roll his eyes "I beg your pardon Master Windu is something wrong?" Obi-Wan asked him.

"You still refer to him as if he's your padawan, our brother, Leo Rock or as we should call him Napoleon Stark is a murderer, a traitor and a heretic, and the Jedi Council, no the Jedi Order can't afford to be soft on treason."

"I'm not, we're talking about the young jedi here, in this temple right now, but if you believe my position on the Council is compromised-" Obi-Wan started to say before he stood up "Then I'll step down if you ask it of me."

The entire Council was stunned, at a loss for words at Obi-Wan taking such a bold action right in front of the whole Council. "Leo was my padawan. Yes, I take responsibility for what's happened to him but was the Council before my time which some of you sat on responsible for denying him the same training and protection we all had under Master Yoda, that we're trying to give these padawans today?" The end of Obi-Wan's speech was a different side of him they'd rarely seen, Obi-Wan spoke firmly his voice rigid and without remorse for saying it to them.

"Which is why we need to cut this cancer out before it spreads." Mace said to him in holographic form, "None of us will ask you to leave this sacred Council Obi-Wan, but Mace has a point." Plo said calming him down, Obi-Wan sat back down as Plo stated.

"He spared me." Tyzen said out of the "Padawan." Master Reus said hushing him.

"What was that?" Luminara asked him, "... Le-, the heretic when we fought him before he could make a killing blow he- stopped, just short of cutting off my head." Tyzen said.

The masters exchanged curious or confused looks, so Tyzen continued "When you said… he killed Rhad Tarn I thought he'd kill me too, but he didn't Masters, perhaps there's still time to bring the Black Knights back into the order?" Tyzen said with a sense of optimism.

"Your padawans hope is admirable Master Reus, but these heretics have chosen their fate, Master Yoda to stop the future generation of jedi from thinking of even leaving to follow this heresy we need the order to know any and all jedi who follow Rock, will be excommunicated from the Jedi." Mace said with his conviction in every word.

Obi-Wan's eyes nearly jumped out of his head "What?" He gasped.

"We have to stop this schism, now." Mace said hitting the base of his armrest "Rock has dark side teachings who's to say he hasn't already started training his followers to use Vapaad, or worse force lighting."

MALASTARE

Black Knights hideout

Jedi exile and Black Knight, Jinx Vao was holding his hands out in front of them. Eyes shut tight, he focused every ounce of his will, soul and the force within him to his fingertips he didn't reach for anger, or peace, instead he sought the way between the two to find the balance he sought. Jinx stared down a bucket with a certain bald headed brown skinned jedi master who had horns, a nasty glare and mean words written by the younglings on it. Beads of sweat formed around his face and down his lekku when finally he felt it, he had found his inner strength to call forth the full power of a might storm and out from his fingertips spat the most pathetic, itty bitty spout of force lightning that was little more than a static discharge that someone would have from rubbing their socks on a wool carpet.

Gasping he dropped his arms groaning as he heard a slow sarcastic clap "Surely Kungs men will run in terror." Leo said behind his friend as he walked up.

"Oh go shave that poor excuse for a beard you got their snowball." Jinx hissed as Leo laughed, as he rubbed the stubble on his chin and cheeks they hadn't even met at his jawline "Sorry Jinx, you've almost got it." Leo apologized.

Jinx rolled his eyes "Just— tell me how you do it, what did Dooku say about it?"

Leo's joyful expression changed to a stone cold face of seriousness "Right, right, not like a Sith got it."

"It's not that." Leo said relaxing "When I first used force lightning with the dark side, I thought Obi-Wan was dead, when it was with the light, it wouldn't happen. I had to think of a stronger feeling than anger or peace."

"Ok, what is it?" Jinx asked.

Leo groaned pacing around him "It's… it's….it's like…." Leo tried to put it into words his hands raised fingers in claws like he was trying to grasp the idea in front of him

"It's-it's-it's-it's-it's- what are you a protocol droid on the fritz?" Jinx rhymed at him, Leo cocked a brow "I think O-Mer's poetry rubbed off on you." Leo and Jinx gave each other somber looks to one another remembering their cerean friend who died on Ruul.

"I miss him too." Jinx said.

Leo forced a smile, pausing for a bit "It has to be powerful, a powerful feeling that has meaning to you." Leo said pointing at Jinx then at the bucket "Only then can you…. channel it into force lightning." Leo explained.

Jinx listened to him "But you told me that power isn't good or bad-" "It's how we use it, yes, and to use this power you need a happy bad memory."

"A karking what?" Jinx asked Leo, arms crossed, "Something that is both joyful and painful to you, that's how I use force lightning." Leo said, leaning in toward Jinx.

Jinx's mouth was ajar, his tongue rubbing the back of his fangs "So like a hangover?" The twi'lek

Reeling back "What?" Leo asked confused "You know you had a good night, but then you woke up hungover? You kind of regret the hangover but you're glad you went out and had fun?" Jinx explained.

Leo thought about it for a few seconds.

He thought.

And he thought.

Then he thought some more and said "Yeah, kind of but no; it has to be a memory of something that you really cared about and then it was ruined, like lighting it has to be hot and cold and then- BOOM." Leo said to him before he turned around and shot out force lightning out of his hand.

Jinx looked at the bucket with the crude drawing of Windu, "Okay…. I think I got it."

Leo backed away from the bucket and Jinx focused on it, he held up one hand, he closed his eyes, looking into his memory he took a deep breath, in and out before Leo saw a single tear roll down out of Jinx right eye and down his green cheek before Leo watched the air around Jinx's fingers shift before bolts of force lightning erupted out of his hand and zapped the bucket across the room and into the wall "YESSSS!" Leo shouted. Jinx opened his eyes and looked at his hand still smoking from the lighting before Leo flung his arms around his shoulders "You did Jinx, you did it!" He shouted.

"I-I did." Jinx said as he jumped back at him "I can use force lightning… I CAN USE FORCE LIGHTNING!" Jinx shouted as the two boys high fived and turned it into a strong hand grip.

"So what was it?" Leo asked, grinning like a fool.

Jinx's celebratory expression faded, he grew somber "... when we're on Wasskah, before you and Ahsoka saved us." Jinx said "The three of us were alone, Kalifa had found some fresh berries for us to eat, O-Mer agreed to taste them to make sure they were safe they were, until he said they were okay and his voice had become so high pitched he sounded like an astro droid, the berry's were filled with Helium." Jinx said as he started to laugh but his eyes were getting red and puffy, getting watery his voice cracking "He sounded like a youngling- then Kalifa grabbed some and ate the berries, so I joined i n and we sounded so stupid the whole night laughing and-and-"Leo grabbed Jinx pulling him into a hug. Jinx dug his fingers into Leo's tunic and squeezed crying.

"I got you brother, I got you." Leo said as he held him, Jinx made no noise; he just let himself cry in silence before he pushed off, wiping his eyes.

Leo waited for Jinx to say something as he dried his eyes "... Guess that's why the Masters never tell us to use pain?" He said wiping his eyes.

"It's can do that?" Jinx said looking at the mangled bucket the metal twisted and dented while charred.

"I don't know about that Jinx, they wanted to protect us from it but I think they made a mistake." Leo said as he paced a bit "Light, dark Jinx, they're just two sides of the same coin, it's how we use it that matters brother." Leo said, holding out his hand letting a small storm of lightning around his fingertips. "The same way the force can be used to unlock a door, or smash it open; force lightning can jumpstart a ships engine, recharge power cells, maybe even sear wounds while it can inflict worse ones, one thing I know the Masters taught us that was true." Leo said, closing his fingers around his palm into a fist "All things are possible with the force."

Jinx looked at his hand the memory still fresh in his mind the force bolts of electricity still spat out around his fingertips "Who knows what other powers we can uncover?" He said.

"I've thought about that myself, but maybe we should-." Leo cut himself off when he sensed they weren't alone. Unbeknownst to either of the young men, Tholme had been watching their 'training' with eager eyes until Jinx noticed him, Leo followed his gaze to see Tholme standing there leaning his cane. "I'll leave you two to talk." Jinx said walking out of their training room.

When he was out of the room Tholme approached Leo "Are sure that's wise?"

"What?" Leo asked him, still smirking, proud of Jinx.

"Training Jinx in force lightning, he doesn't have the same experiences as you there's no telling what that kind of power can do to him?" Tholme expressed his worries to Leo who was grinning, turned serious.

Leo put his hands on his hips "Jinx needs this, he needs something to occupy his mind, did you know he and O-Mer spent years on that moon with other padawans, they just happened to be the luckiest."

"You think he still blames himself for what happened to O-Mer?" Tholme asked, Leo didn't answer "Or do you still blame yourself?"

"Of course I do." Leo said quickly in a horse whisper "If I could go back, I'd make it so that it was just me and Bulq who went, but we can't change the past, only the future." Leo said, watching where Jinx had gone, "And if that means giving my friends all the tools to protect themselves then I'll do it." Leo replied to Tholme who rubbed the golden beak of his raven cane.

He paced ahead "Then we should probably start thinking of advancing the younglings' training, assigning padawans to Masters?"

Leo held up a finger "Let me stop you right there, no way I'm taking a padawan?"

"And what was that with Jinx?" Tholme asked him turning around pointing the head of his cane to him "Jinx is the same age as me, and speaking of age I'm not nearly ready for that kind of responsibility."

"But leading a band of renegade jedi across the galaxy in a crusade against evil and corruption is your responsibility?" Tholme asked him, leaning on the cane with a sarcastic smug look at him. Leo rolled his eyes chuckling "It's more than that." He said walking over to the exit, Tholme following him.

Tholme didn't say a word, he just listened "Urrrr, I'll tell you later have we heard anything from Aayla?"

Tholme tapped it on the floor "... We've gotten some interesting news from Aayla."

"What is it, word on Kungs movements?" Leo asked.

Tholme nodded, taking out a holodisk and turning it on to reveal Kung and the Doge arguing over the refugees not being taken off planet sooner "Is that?" Leo asked.

"The leader of the Dug council Nahka Urus, Aayla sent this recording just within the hour, now we know why the Dugs haven't been doing anything about him." Tholme said to the gathered assembly of black knights and the padawans who they'd taken into their protection. They'd gathered in the mouth of the mind under the rogue shadow to hold another council just after Tholme and Leo had spoken about. The younglings had all spread out around the area with Gungi and Byph sitting on some crates, Ganodi and Zatt standing beside Sian, K'Kruhk was sitting on the floor in a meditative position. Jinx was beside Petro and Katooni while Dray, Lotor and Maris were across from Leo who was behind Tholme.

"This is troubling, to think the Dug Council was this corrupt, we must send this to the Council on Coruscant." K'Kruhk urged them all.

Jinx stepped forward "What, are you serious?"

"I agree with Master K'Kruhk, this evidence is enough to bring the authorities down on both Kung and the Doge and we can leave Malastare before Reus brings in reinforcements to capture us." Tholme said, turning off the hologram.

"No." Leo said behind Tholme, arms crossed.

Tholme blinked at him in surprise "Are you serious?"

"Yes I am, let's say we give the evidence the Council they'll turn it over to the Senate for approval, they'll debate the lives of a few hundred slaves versus their precious fuel for the war effort and by the time they come to a decision, how many more hundreds of innocents have been taken by Kung and this Shadow Collective, worse Kung escapes Malastare and starts all over on another planet overrun by refugees. I say, no, no more waiting, no more running away." Leo said, lowering his hands to his sides clenched in fists "Now we run toward".

The other jedi at the council all looked at Leo then at Tholme "Then we put it to a vote, but considering Aayla and Vos aren't here we won't count them." Tholme said to everyone.

"All in favor of sending the evidence to the Jedi Council and leaving Malastare?" Tholme held his hand up followed by K'Kruhk, Zatt, Gungi, Ganodi and Sian.

"And everyone who wants to put an end to Kungs cruelty now?" Leo asked hand up, Jinx was obviously the first to raise his, Petro and Katooni, followed by Lotor then Maris all heads turned to Dray, the last one to vote. The boy shrunk behind Lotor and Maris who parted so everyone could look at him, he hadn't cast a vote for either.

"What will it be, Dray?" Leo asked.

He looked at Leo then at Tholme before he gulped "You can't ask a child to make that choice?" Tholme suddenly blurted out "And we can't ask him not to stand by as evil happens?" Leo asked him.

Dray grabbed onto his wrists rubbing them "I'm with Leo, we stop the slavers now."

Leo looked at Tholme who returned it with a nod "Then we need a plan." Tholme said plainly.

"And you have one?" Leo said, smirking "Of course I do." Tholme said back.

IMPERIAL PALACE

Landing Pad

A Republic Venator Class Cruiser was descending down over Malastare, a series of gunships flew around landing around the palace and three in front of Master Reus and Tyzen, the Dug Council without the doge but instead his assistant who stood behind them. When the gunships landed it opened with full squads of clone troopers in bright scarlet striped white armor it wasn't the dark crimson of the Coruscant guard, an Arc trooper wearing a full shoulder pauldron that was painted all scarlet, his arms and legs were painted the same bright red, the thigh pieces were all red with scraps of white from where the paint was chipped, the his helmet that had small gaps of white on the forehead with the rest painted white, small spikes of red dotted the rim of his helmet. He carried two blaster pistols on his chest as he approached Reus.

"General Reus, Commander Xebec, reporting for duty." The clone said as he removed his helmet. HIs head was clean shaven with a goatee, two scars were on the left side of his head, a battle flag from combat.

"Good to see you again Commander, how soon are you and your men prepared to move out?" Reus asked.

Ganch smiled "Whenever you're ready General."

"Good, have your men assemble outside the palace with transportation, I'll brief them on our objective." Reus said.

Later, Ganch and Tyzen were overseeing the unloading of ground transports for the troopers, three dozen clones were assembled around them, loading them up with provisions and anything else they would need. Moments later Reus walked out of the palace with some of the Dug Council members and some guards "So do we have the Doge's permission to go?" Tyzen asked her.

"The Doge is indisposed I'm afraid, but the Dug Council has voted in favor of ridding Malastare of this blight of traitors." One of the Council members said.

Reus nodded "Thank you Councilman, now I must address my men." Reus said.

Ganch walked over to the clones "Atten'Hut." He barked at them, all the clones got in line and helmets under their right arms stood at attention for Master Reus and Tyzen. "Troopers, our mission here not an easy one we are hunting a rogue jedi." Some of the clones looked at one another unsure of what they had just heard. "The Former General and Jedi Knight, Leo Rock is hiding in this world with a handful of other traitors, also jedi." Reus said.

"She can't be serious, we're hunting jedi?" One clone whispered next to another "You heard her." The other said as she continued.

"Rock is to be considered extremely dangerous, not just for being a jedi, but also that he has a handful of clone troopers under his control." She explained, this got Ganch's attention.

"A full squad with two ARC troopers, I know some of you may have some reservations in fighting other clones so that is why I am issuing non lethal rounds only for the clones and jedi he's manipulated." Reus said to them.

"But should you encounter Rock, lethal force is authorized." Reus added.

Meanwhile, up on one of the purple jagged hills of Malastare, both Jax and another clone were watching the 612th prepare for their mission, Jax had thrown on an ammo vest and sash around his armor, his helmet off his dark brown hair was starting to grow shaggy with a beard around his ace "That's not good, we better warn the General." Jax said next to the other clone they slid off their position and two the land speeders the padawans had arrived speeding off back at the mine.

Back at said mine, the Black Knights were loading up the ship, Leo had thrown on a poncho around his mantle hood with Jinx wearing a gray one. Tholme had on a ratty looking one with stains and so did the others behind him. Tholme had his cane drawing out the ruins the valley was oval shaped with three buildings, the pyramid at the back, a series of pins on the left and on the right the barracks "So we're all clear on the plan, Leo, Jinx and Sian go to Pixelito city, find a way to get 'captured' by Kungs men to infiltrate his fortress." Tholme dragged the cane through the gate toward the pyramid.

"Assuming you'll stay true to your word bounty hunter?" Tholme asked looking up at Turok who had his claws looped around his belt "I'll get you in and I have a name." Turok hissed.

"Once we're in, Turok will unlock our shackles by then, Master K'Kruhk, Myself and the padawans Lotor and Maris will have disengaged the defenses and their Aayla their communications inside so they can't call for reinforcements." Tholme explained.

The younglings were poking their heads over one another to get a better look "Okay, what about us?" Katooni asked.

Tholme gave Leo one unsure look but Leo just stared back "Crowd control." Leo said.

"Huh?" Petro asked "They'll have a lot of prisoners, a lot of blasters going off, Petro I want you and the rest of the younglings to get the people to cover or out of the ruins all together." Leo told them.

Petro slammed his foot in protest, reaching for his saber squeezing it "But we can do more, let us fight with you." He offered him.

Leo ruffled his black locks playfully "You are helping Petro, but fighting to take life isn't as hard a task as protecting it." Leo said, Leo turned next to Dogma and Fives with the other clones.

"Dogma, Fives you and your men are our sharpshooters, take out sentries, snipers any of Kungs men holding a blaster, but Kung he's mine." Leo told them taking over the battle plan from Tholme.

Dogma and Fives nodded "Understood General, feels good to get back into a fight." Dogma said.

"What about Kung?" Sian asked, heads went to the Devaroian Master, she had been silent most of the conversations but now she spoke "What about him?" Jinx asked.

"We're taking him prisoner to stand trial, right?" She asked Leo. The older jedi all exchanged looks back and forth across the war council before Leo pressed his lips "It is the jedi way." K'Kruhk said in agreement with Sian.

Maris scoffed, clicking her teeth "Something to say young one?" Sian asked the zabrak, "Uh yeah, he's a karking slaver, their scum of the galaxy and slavers are the lowest of the low. Why should we show him mercy?" She asked them.

"Compassion has always been a pillar of the Jedi Maris, even to our enemies." Lotor reminded her by putting a hand on her bare shoulder.

She pushed him off "Did he show mercy to all the people he captured, enslaved?" She asked.

"She makes a fair point, and I offered Mercy already for him to leave but he chose to stay." Leo said to the others "... We try to take him alive, Master Reus and the Council can have what's left of him after." Leo said, making Sian and K'Kruhk sigh in relief that Leo was willing to take the harder path then the quick and easy.

Tholme stood up "Then it's settled, let us prepare."

Each of the teams got ready for the mission, Ganodi and the younglings boarded the rogue shadow making sure everything was up to spec. Proxy assisted Ganodi with diagnostics in the cockpit. Outside K'Kruhk, Tholme, Maris and Lotor worked to prepare the clones Arsenal of weaponry, rocket launchers and sniper rifles were loaded. Lotor was stuffing rockets into a backpack when Leo approached him.

"Lotor, Maris a word?" Leo asked, Dray noticed he wasn't asked to join them but kept working.

Walking away from everyone Leo turned to face the two padawans who were only a year or more younger than him "This is one our largest operations yet, mostly we've chased down pirates or bandits on distant worlds so I need to know you two won't do anything drastic." Leo said.

"Drastic?" Maris asked "We're about to assault a fortress with a handful of jedi, how much more drastic can you get?"

"Tell him about that time with the Rancor!" Jinx shouted over at him "Shut up."

"Rancor?" Lotor asked him, Leo shook his head dismissing him "What I'm saying is stay close to the other Masters, but what I really wanted to talk to you about is why did you all come here?" Leo asked.

Maris and Lotor exchanged glances, her red eyes to Lotors brown blinking a few times "Because you're right?" Maris asked him.

"Why?" Leo asked.

Maris paused, shaking her head "I love being a Jedi, I loved living the temple on Coruscant, the adventures across the galaxy but something was wrong, when you called out the Council in the grand hall I was there too and I agree, we aren't Generals, that jedi are dying needlessly." Maris said.

"And then there's what happened on Ruul?" Lotor pointed out, Leo turned to the young padawan with blonde hair "What did you here?"

"The Council declared that you and the other jedi here, were following Master Sora Bulq that you and Bulq were plotting to overthrow not just the jedi but the Republic, that you killed Rhad Tarn and when you surrendered it was a trick to escape again, like you did but that's not the whole truth is it?" Lotor asked him.

Shaking his head Leo took a second to gather his thoughts "No, it isn't."

"I knew it." Maris said as Leo held up his hand "I did kill Rhad Tarn." Leo confessed "I live with it every day, Bulq and I had been working together in secret not on a coup against the people in power but, something else, something I'll tell you after we take down Kung. After the battle in the grand Hall, Bulq, myself, Jinx and a small number of other jedi went to Ruul to meet Master Tholme and the others." Leo said, pointing back to them. "I tell you with all honesty, I didn't know what Bulq was planning, he may have been turning me against the Council or was already opening my eyes to what we already knew, the Jedi Council was failing the order."

"But what was Bulq plan then?" Maris asked him.

Leo answered "Master Bulq had been turned by Count Dooku, he wanted not just to stop jedi from dying but from serving all together he believed that he Jedi should rule the galaxy as Lords, so we fought but before we could take him prisoner he took his own life." Leo said shaking his head.

"A coward's death." Maris hissed, Leo glanced at her "No one is a coward for dying for what he believes in." He said under his breath.

"But if Master Bulq was to blame, why did you still run?" Lotor asked him.

Leo gave him a stern look "Because like Sora Bulq and Barriss Offee, they were right the Jedi are on a path to self destruction, we've forgotten who and what we truly are, Knights, peacekeepers, protectors of the innocent."

"But the Black Knights are?" Lotor asked "The Black Knights are still Jedi, but we think the Order needs to change if it's to survive I need to know I can count on you two, and Dray unless you want to go back to the Order after this is over?" Leo suggested.

"Go back?" Maris asked "No one is here against their will, Aayla only stays because the younglings chose to stay and I vowed to protect them and anyone who else wants to." Leo said to her.

"That's why you fought Reus and Tyzen?" Lotor realized.

"Well I'm staying." Maris said hand on her chest, Lotor smiled "As am I, if I'm going to be a Jedi Knight one day I want it to be fighting to keep the innocent safe, not for the Councils war."

Leo smiled at them putting his hands on each of their shoulders "Welcome then, to the Black Knights." Leo said before just then, Jax and the other clone arrived pulling up to a screeching halt "Just in time, we need a speeder to get to Pixelito." Leo said seeing him, Leo, Jinx and Sian approached the speeder just as Jax got out running toward him "General, general we got trouble."

"What is it?" Jinx asked.

"General Reus has brought reinforcements, scarlet armor, the 612th by the looks of it." Jax reported to them as Dogma and Fives came up.

"612th? That's Ganch's battalion?" Fives said knowing them "They looked like they were about to move out of our position." Jax added.

Leo nodded "Well good thing we're leaving, get onboard the Rogue Shadow, Dogma and Fives will prep you on our mission." Leo told him.

PIXELITO

Capital of Malastare

Not far from the Imperial Palace, like the great tower Pixelito was carved into the jagged purple majestic mountains of Malastare. The city was a crowd of towers with yellow tinted windows, spikes of purple rock and rounded corners for the lower strictest. With high walls patrolled by the Imperial troops of the Dug council gathered around the walls was a sea of shanties and tents set up by the refugees from worlds across the galaxy. They were Gran, humans from Onderon to Christophsis, Twi'leks, Zygerrians, Rodian, Umbaran, ugnots, etc all of them pushed in the shadow of the city walls. A large crowd amassed at the city gates shouting and protesting to be let in, a line of Dugs mounted on insectoids kept their pikes raised as the people yelled out for help.

On top of the wall, Doge Urus looked at them with disgust, "Pathetic vermin." The Dug grumbled as he walked across the battlements to one of the Imperial Captains "Is the latest shipment ready for our friends?" The Doge asked.

"Yes my Doge, they're preparing to move out as soon as you let the refugees know." The captain said.

The Doge sighed in annoyance "The sooner Malastare is free of these parasites the better." Turning his palms the Doge waddled over to the gate "GOOD PEOPLE GOOD PEOPLE." He shouted to them, calming the crowd with a response.

"I NAHKA URUS DOGE OF MALASTARE, HAVE PREPARED A RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM FOR YOU." He shouted as a series of large land transports pulled up to the refugee camp, the were almost twice the size of Republic tanks with massive wheels and pulled up across the camp lining the borders lowering their backs with ramps. "THESE TRANSPORTS WILL TAKE YOU TO TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATIONS UNTIL THE REPUBLIC CAN ASSIST IN YOUR RELOCATION." A cheer went up among the refugees as standing in the crowd among them with their hoods up Sian, Jinx and Leo were the only ones not cheering.

Leo looked over at his friend Jinx "We know that's a lie." Jinx whispered.

"Quiet we need to focus, come on." Leo said back to him as they headed toward the trucks.

"Are you sure we can trust this Turok, I don't like the idea of a mercenary holding onto your lightsabers?" Sian said in a whisper to Leo as they walked up the ramp to the truck.

Leo didn't answer at first "I trust him, he believed in me when I was at my worst, I should do the same." Leo said back to her as they walked into the truck, everyone crowding in behind them.

"You're putting an awful lot of faith in this trandoshan." Sian said as she sat down next to him and Jinx.

"If we don't have faith in people, Sian, what do we have?" Leo asked as the transport filled up to the brim and the door began to shut behind them.

MOUNTAINS

Kung's Fortress

Ahead of the refugees, up in the mountains a group of Kungs Gran and black sun mercenaries were patrolling the outer paths of the mountains when some rocks fell ahead of them. The squad of slavers leader, a gran with a goatee held up a fist to halt them he raised his blaster before all of a sudden a shadow cast over him, in less than a minute Tholme, K'Kruhk, Lotor and Maris had disarmed the bandits and tied them up with their own whips. Tholme looked around for any other threats, "Come we need to get into position." He ordered the others, the Jedi followed him and so did Dogma, Fives, Jax and the squad of renegade clone troopers who had relieved the bandits of their blasters.

The jedi got into position and looked down at the fortress, "Master how will we know when to help Master Rock?" Lotor asked.

When nobody answered him Tholme spoke "When the fighting st-" Tholme cut himself off as he looked up to the sky, descending from the clouds was the last thing the Jedi expected to see, a ship, a large one. It was black and red Sphyrna-class Hammerhead corvette, known more commonly as the Hammerhead corvette, due to its oblong bridge "So that's how they're transporting the prisoners, a warship?" K'Kruhk said beside Tholme.

"In that dinosaur?" Jax said looking up at it skeptical "That dinosaur may be decades old Jax, but the Rendili and Corellians built those things to last." Fives said as the hammerhead descended down on the ruins. The hammerhead let out three legs, one at the bottom of its head, and two longer ones in the rear as its loading and docking ramp expanded. Tholme looked at who was coming out of it and his jaw almost dropped "That's not good." Tholme said as he handed the binoculars to K'Kruhk.

"Mandalorians?" K'Kruhk said as he saw the three Mando's who had been in Kungs hologram walk down the ramp, behind them were a dozen Black Sun mercenaries and even Pyke mercs.

Tholme scratched his chin "They may be trouble?" He said.

"Are we pulling back?" Lotor asked him.

Tholme glanced down at the boy and then back at the growing number of mercenaries and bandits in the ruins "... No, but when the fighting stars stay back and help the younglings protect the prisoner we'll draw the enemy fire."

"Enemy fire?" Lotor stammered looking at them "That's almost a whole army down there?"

"That's no army kid." Jax said as he and his men started to set up an E-web mounted turret from their supplies "That's target practice." He said confident.

Lotor nodded with a smile, "Understood." He said as he walked over to Tholme "Master Tholme?" He asked.

"Yes?" Tholme said, looking away from his binoculars, "I want you to know, I won't let you down, I'll prove myself." Lotor said eagerly.

Tholme rested his hand on the blonde boy's white robes shoulder. "Just survive today, and that'll be enough."

Climbing the purple rocks they approached a ridge overlooking the fortress Dogma spied the main gate, "Here they come General Tholme." Dogma said, handing the Jedi master his binoculars.

"Just Tholme trooper, but I understand the confusion." Tholme said as he looked at as the ground transports made their way into the mountains, the dugs drove them across the rugged terrain through the narrow mountain passageways till they approached the gate in the rocks to the ruins. Kungs' men opened it and the grand transports rolled in parking all along the large atrium in the center of the ruins at the base of the pyramid. The jedi and clones watched Kungs' men set up electrified chain fences at the mouth of each of the transports; there were a dozen in all, each looking like they could carry a hundred people. The fences linked all the way to the large pens holding the already packed in refugees waiting to be carted off as slaves when the ramps lowered. That's when the screaming started. Kungs men started to shout and yell at the prisoenrs to get off some of the larger Gran's grabbing people and throwing them out. When people caught on they started to push back into the transport but the Dugs driving the transports activated some sort of ray shield that pushed the refugees out into the nets. With shock staff and pikes the slavers started to herd the refugees like cattle toward the pins, among them Jinx, Sian and Leo moved with their hoods up.

People screamed, cried, or tried to climb the fences but the second they touched them they were electrocuted. "I see the Generals." Dogma said, pointing to the three black knights who blended in with the crowd.

"We wait for the signal." Tholme said through his own binoculars, then he spied the red cloaked Turok walking around the corner.

Down in the pens where they snuck in, Leo was pushed up against the wire with Sian and Jinx "Okay, what now?" Jinx asked him as a wookie refugee moaned holding onto a younger wookie pup who whimpered in terror.

"Now we, well that's unexpected?" Leo said as he spotted coming out of one of the grand transports, was the Doge himself. Nahka Urus waddled up to the Mandalorians and Kung who were talking, just as Turok approached from behind to still play the loyal bodyguard. With Kungs entourage of Gran guards, Aayla was standing also playing her part but as the loyal slave girl and cup bearer "Kung, Kung what are you doing I said I'd get you more people, you have your ship now get them out of here?" The Doge snapped at him.

The towering Gran just snarled "Quit your whimpering Doge, we still need to discuss my fee right Mando?" Kung asked the lead Mandalorian.

"You'll get your payment, Warlord just as soon as we finish counting the livestock." The mandalorian said behind his yellow tinted visor. All three of them were Mandalorian that was no argument but their red and black armor were different variations of the same T visored helmet. The lead one wore stereotypical armor, it had red around the T visor and down the sides, but the top was covered in red markings and had six blade like horns on the top with four smaller spikes in the middle. The same Black and red pattern covered his chest piece and spiked pauldrons. Wearing brown fatigues under the armor his thigh guards had two carbine blaster pistols and his bracers armed with a flamethrower and grappling gun, on his back he wore a jet pack like the other the Mandalorian Captains right was another black and red armor mandalorian, his armor was not as decorated. The helmet had five black stripes on the brow and the same red around the visor and sides. The top of his chest piece was red around the shoulders and torso but the rest was unmarked as was his black bodysuit underneath the armor. The Mando on the left was shorter but not by much, he wore red and black armor like his brothers, but his visor was a yellow, his armor was a different model then the others the shoulder pads didn't match and the chest piece was banded layered on the chest piece down the stomach and back he was stocky or maybe just the armor that padded his lower legs. The helmet he wore with the yellow visor had an antenna on the right side then the left with a small comb down the center, with more of an angular look. In his arms he held a heavy blaster rifle instead of two pistols.

"I better, you got almost a thousand and a half slaves for our partner." Kung said back to the Mandalorian Rally Master.

The Captain just shrugged "Ah huh, so long as we can actually sell them." He said walking over to the slaves.

The Mando scanned them "Geez I can smell that through my armor." He said making the other two laugh, Leo noticed the one with the yellow visor squeezed their heavy blaster rifles grip, but it wasn't anger it was shame.

"You there." One of them snapped, before he realized the Mandalorian captain was pointing at Leo.

The jedi and clones on the ridge saw this and looked worried as Leo stood up "Take off your hood." The Mando ordered.

Leo did so revealing his face and his scar "How'd you get the scar?"

Leo looked at Kung, the Gran glared back snarling but Leo was unfazed "I asked you a question, slave." The Rally Master said.

But he kept his glare on Kung "I was cut." Leo said looking back at the Rally Master.

"I can see that, but by what, or who?" The RM asked again reaching for his blaster, when the other prisoners saw the Mandolorains reach for his pistol they backed away scurrying to avoid getting shot if he used it on Leo.

Leo didn't say anything "This ain't no refugee, no slave either." The Rally Master said back to Kung.

"He'll break like all the rest." Kung said, reaching out from behind his back Kung pulled out his axe and stuck it through the wire pressing it up against Leo's neck and raising his chin at him "You hear me boy, you're a slave now so kneel and beg for your life." Kung spat at him.

Leo didn't even flinch. "No."

The rally master laughed under his helmet "What did I say, look in those eyes Kung, he's a killer and right now who do you think he's looking at."

Kung just snarled, 'You just signed your own death warrant, get him out of there." Moments later the pin opened, Kungs men rushed in pushing and kicking aside any refugee to get to Leo. They grabbed him by his arms and hair pulling him out of the pin hitting him in the gut to force him in front of Kung who had taken out his massive battle axe.

"See this Axe?" Kung snapped, the blade was as tall as Turok, it had a one large face that sunk down with spear tip and spiked end on the back, "Pure beskar steel like their armor it'll take your head with one strike, unless you kneel in front of me and lick my boots." Kung said as he showed the blade in front of Leo.

"...I didn't come here to lick your boots." Leo said back.

The answer surprised Kung, the Doge, and the Mandalorians "Come here to… hehehe, and what did you come here to do boy?" Kung mocked.

"I gave you a chance Kung, to leave this planet or face my retribution." Kung said as the gran started to put two and two together "... You." The warlord said as Turok drew his blaster pistols. The trandoshan sipped out the blasters and opened fire on Kungs guards holding Leo, in an instance Leo, Sian and Jinx summoned their lightsabers. So did Aayla wherever she was hiding it, but that was a question for later the real question was where the blues, greens and purple lightsabers appeared as they sprung the trap.

"FIRE!" Dogma shouted as the clone troopers on the ridge let loose a barrage of rockets on the towers inside the ruin their training and marksmanship taking over knocking out three of the four towers. The Masters and padawans on the ridge drew their lightsabers to jump down into the ruins just as Sian and Jinx cut their way out of the pin.

Sian was holding her blue lightsaber up and looked back at the prisoners "Get to cover now!" She ordered them.

Jinx holding both his blue and green lightsabers rushed towards the Mandalorians who saw him coming "And here I thought this was going to be boring." The rally master said drawing both his blaster pistols opened fire on Jinx who deflected them as the three Mandalorians jumped to the air.

"KILL THEM KILL THEM ALL!" Kung shouted at his men just as the fourth tower was about to open fire, it too was blasted at the perch. It wasn't by a clone rocket but the Rogue Shadow that was coming down from the clouds with Ganodi at the helmet laughing "Nice shot Ganodi, now get us down there to help." Petro said as he looked over at the other younglings.

"Remember what Leo said, we get the people to cover." Katooni said as the Rogue Shadow landed behind the pins. The padawans rushed out to the various pins and started to cut the wires open with their lightsabers "This way, this way get to safety." Zatt shouted at them.

But even as they freed the prisoners Kungs men started to see they were under attack, alarms sounded. Blasters and weapons were grabbed as the gran bandits, black sun mercs and more started to pour out of the pyramid. Leo cut down a gran thug just as he saw Kung retreating back to his pyramid, Jinx and Sian were holding back the Mandalorians while Aayla and deflected incoming fire, Turok shooting from behind cover "Now what?" Turok asked Leo as he tossed Leo his helmet mask.

Leo slipped it on, "Now we fight." Leo held up his purple lightsaber heading toward Kungs men rushing toward him, behind him Tholme K'Kruhk, Lotor and Maris had joined him in their charge eight jedi versus two hundred mercenaries and bandits.

Across this side of the planet, Ganch and his men were scouting out the Mine with Reus and Tyzen overlooking a leftover camp fire. "Where are they?" Tyzen asked as he kicked the charred wood.

Reus had her eyes closed when Ganch approached them "Commander Xebec, we've swept the mine there's no one here?" He reported.

"What about that small town over there?" He asked Ganch.

"I sent a squad of men down to investigate it, they said the target was there a couple days ago, says they saved them from bandits led by a warlord who goes by Kung?" Ganch reported.

"Think they're connected Master, Master?" Tyzen asked looking over at her.

Master Reus was facing the mountains "I think they are, I sense Rock is still here, there the mountains, Commander have our men mount up I think we're heading for a battle." She said as Ganch and Tyzen saw the flashes of firing up in the mist of the mountains.

Back at Kungs fortress, that battle was in full swing, Jinx stabbed his right hand blue lightsaber into a bandits chest, before he severed another slavers head with his green left one. Maris slid down on the mid severing tendons with her shoto blades spinning up and deflecting incoming fire before she ran at the shooters jumping in the air and spinning to stab each of them in the chest. K'Kruhk had just picked up one black sun bandit with his arms and hurled him into more before letting out a whipid roar. Tholme next to Lotor were holding off the two Mandalorians lieutenants as the Rally Master unleashed fire on Sian "I knew our leader wouldn't lie to us, we'd get to kill as many jedi as we want and today I do." The rally master said laughing as Sian fled from the flames.

Turok had one of his blaster pistols in one hand holding the rifle in the left as he stood in the middle of the storm laughing "I missed working with you Jedi." He said over to Leo Who blasted a group of Kungs guards.

"I'm going for Kung." Leo said as he ran toward the pyramid fighting his way through the slavers.

Back at the pens, the younglings and Dray were getting the people to cover, "This way, this way." Katooni said waving them on, a red headed woman in rags passed her just as some Kungs thugs saw them helping them escape "Stop them- shoot them!" It was the same gran who had ambushed Dray, Lotor and Maris when they arrived.

Petro saw them coming and sprung into action "Go I'll take care of this." Petro said slashing at the thugs, they backed away at first but then they saw the lightsaber.

"Rush him." The two eyed gran said before Petro knew it the Gran piled on top of him wrestling the lightsaber free from him and started to kick and beat the boy with electric whips.

"Petro!" Katooni screamed to help, but the redheaded slave grabbed her arm "No child."

"GET AWAY FROM HIM!" Dray had appeared over the bandits who once threatened him with a lightsaber in hand. The young jedi cut the first man who came at him down like he was nothing then force pushed the big one holding Petro down off. Dray stood between the slavers and the bloodied Petro "You think just because you lost everything in the war means you can take whatever you want?" Dray snapped at the bandit who had threatened him earlier.

The gran bandit didn't seem to care "Kill Em there just a bunch of brats." He snapped, the bandits were about to attack again when a large stone smashed into their leader's head. When they had thrown it they saw the red headed woman who had held Katooni back was now holding another rock tossing it in her hand. She wasn't the only one the former prisoners had armed themselves with stone and the very metal wires and wooden posts of their pins. In a matter of seconds the would be slaves charged to help Petro and Dray swarming over the bandits with rocks and clubs stripping their weapons and lives from them.

At the base of the pyramid Leo had been stopped by a wall of Kungs men who were starting to dog pile on him "Lightsaber, get the lightsaber!" They shouted before Leo blasted out a force repulse sending them flying off him, he let out a gasp seeing more coming toward him.

"There's to many of them." Maris said surrounded back to back with K'Kruhk and Sian, Jinx and Tholme were back to back with Lotor's brow bloodied from a wound. Aayla and Turok were cut off too when they heard a loud roar and the ground shaking. The slavers and trio of Mandalorians looked over to see the refugees they had mean to enslave were now charging right at them with their makeshift weapons, stolen blasters and even their bare hands "FIGHT, FIGHT FOR THE JEDI WHO FIGHT FOR US!" The redhead shouted before they crashed into the slavers and mercenaries, their sheer numbers overwhelming the pikes, black sun, gran and mercs.

Leo jumped over the crowd of mercs in front of him landing on the steps before he ran up them leaving the others to deal with the remaining slavers. Running up the steps Leo sensed danger and looked behind him to see the Mandalorian Rally Master soaring right at him.

"Come here Jedi." The Rally Master grabbed Leo picking him off the ground and pummeling with his gauntlet, Leo and the Mando wrestled in the air before they landed up on one of the pyramid shelves. The Mando opened fire with his blaster pistols before Leo deflected them, this was followed by the grappling hook fired at Leo. It wrapped around his wrist but Leo cut the cord with his lightsaber. The two fought savagely atop the pyramid steps as he flew around in his jet pack launching shots at him. Leo deflected them one after another "Die, Jedi, die!" The Rally Master shouted at him before he unleashed the fiery breath of his mounted flamethrower. Holding up his hand Leo blocked the flames before he grabbed the Mandalorian with the force pulling him toward him in a jolt. The warrior kicked Leo in the chest and flung fist after fist at him, Leo swung his lightsaber to take his arm but the rally master blocked it with his gauntlet. Seeing them fight up at the top Lotor sprung broke from the main battle and ran up the stairs; he cut down two guards as Leo and the Rally Master fought.

"Master Rock!" Lotor called out to help him "Stay back, he's mine." Leo ordered, Lotor looked into the grand hall entrance knowing Kung was inside.

The Mando Rally Master flew at Leo with his rocket pack dropping his blaster to wield a knife he got ready to drive it into Leo's chest but Leo dropped his lightsaber to catch the mando's arm pushing him down onto the ledge as the Mando pushed his knife closer and closer.

"When I kill you, I'll take your head to my Master and he'll reward me handsomely for it." The Mando said under his helmet.

"T-thats the one thing about you Mandalorians- ALL TALK!" Leo grabbed the Mandalorian helmet and let a surge of force lightning electrocute the mandalorian he flung himself off yelling in pain gasping as his body steamed from the storm "Beskar, your armor may be impervious to lasers and most damage but metal is still a conductor." Leo said on his feet wielding lightning in both hands, he flung the lightning at the mandalorian electrocuting him. The warriors howls echoed across the battle before Leo slammed him into the ground with the force, pinning him down the Mandalorians desperately fired his jetpack's rocket at him but Leo just dodged it before he tore the pack from the warriors armor.

He lifted up the Mando and smashed him against the pyramid wall, the armor taking the brunt but that was about to change "You know, it's funny Jedi aren't taught thate, to hate anyone even our enemies." Leo said lifting the mandalorian up and making his body go erect.

His hand started to curl in "But out of all the things in the galaxy, I hate more than Sith…" Leo started to curl his fingers inward crushing the Mandalorians armor around him, cracking the visor's helmet then shattering it, the Mando tried to scream but his jaw was clenched shut by his own helmet caving in on itself "I hate Mandalorians." Leo said before the sound of muscle and bone crushed and squished together blood falling out between the armor before Leo tossed I'm over the side.

Down below the other Mandalorians saw their rally masters broken mangled boy and getting distracted the one who had the black marks on his helmet felt Sian's lightsaber go straight through his chest, she had a bloodied lip and a cut running across her cheek with her right arm slightly burned from the flamethrower. The one with the yellow visor held up his heavy blaster rifle but saw he was surrounded by Sian, Jinx and K'Kruhk.

Letting out a sigh the last mandalorian dropped his blaster and fell to his knees in surrender.

Up above picking up his lightsaber, Leo ran up the final steps into Kungs throne room where he saw Lotor, on the ground under Kungs heel. The young padawans white robes were stained with his own red blood, his right arm was pinned under Kungs heel and the axe was at his neck "Don't move Jedi, or the other one dies." Kung growled.

"Don't worry about me Master Rock stop-" "Shut up" Kung shut Lotor up by putting the edge of his axe against the padawans neck.

"Here's what's going to happen Jedi, you're going to let me go or else I'm going to take this little boy's head off, get it." Kung threatened.

Leo looked down at Lotor then at Kung, "You had your chance." Leo said.

"W-what?" Kung asked, stunned. "I gave you a chance, one chance to leave this planet peacefully and you wasted it." Leo said, taking a step into the hall.

"I'll kill him, I swear to the Void I'll kill him." The gran thundered, raising his axe as Leo got closer.

Snickering "To a jedi there is no death, there is only the force, you're just empty threats." When he saw Leo wasn't stopping, Kung swung his axe down on Lotor, the boy closed his eyes only to feel Kungs sweat drop on his forehand. The blade stopped just halfway down and Lotor looked to see Leo was holding back the blade with the force before he pulled the axe head toward him dragging Kung with him. Lotor let out a gasp of air free from the grans foot on his chest before Kung swung the axe at Leo "I'll kill you myself!" He roared before Leo drew his purple lightsaber and caught the warlords axe on his sword.

Kung gasped when Leo wasn't even pushed back a little by the swing, instead he broke the lock and pushed Kung back with a powerful Vapaad strike. Kung spun back around his beskar axe colliding with Leo's lightsaber, he slid the crossguard blades up against the hilt stabbing Kung with one of the shorter blades.

"Bastard." Kung shouted pushing him off running back into the throne room, he hurried up the steps and lifted up the stone thrown with both arms and hurled it at Leo. He sliced it in half but Kung was already waiting "I won't let some sorcerer kill me." Kung said as Leo jumped out of the way to avoid the axe.

Leo grabbed Kung with the force and smashed him against the ground then lifted him up so hard he smashed through the ceiling onto the very top of the pyramid where Leo followed him. "It's over Kung, surrender or death." Leo said as Kung got to his feet spitting up blood.

He grabbed his axe with both hands turning to face Leo, Kung spat out blood at the Jedi "... I surrender." Kung dropped his axe and fell to his knees. Leo glared at him but walked over to Kung slowly raising his lightsaber at him "I Leo Rock, hereby arrest you in the name of the Galactic Senate for the crimes of-" Suddenly Kung opened his fist and flung a flash grenade at Leo the bright pop of the flash blinded Leo making him stumble back.

"DIE JEDI!" Kung screamed grabbing his battle axe, Leo heard the sound of blade meeting flesh and for a second thought it was him, but as the flash bangs effects recoiled Leo looked up to see Lotor standing between Leo and Kungs beskar axe. The padawan had caught the full edge of the blade into his abdomen, holding onto Kungs fist to stop it from cleaving him in two. Lotor spat out a mouthful of blood when Leo saw him fall back his white robes turned red from his own blood. Roaring at the top of his head, Leo let out a furious scream attacking Kung. The warlord swung his axe but Leo dodged and took his swinging arm right off with a cut of his lightsaber. Kung used his other arm to try and strike Leo but he sliced that one off two, next Leo cut the tendon on the back of Kungs right leg forcing him to one knee. He stabbed his lightsaber tip into Kungs other leg, forcing him to his knees. Walking around Kung was gasping for air losing both arms and his ability to stand in a matter of seconds when Leo came around Kung looked up at him but didn't see a rogue Jedi, he saw something far worse, a spirit of justice staring down at him ready to pace the sentence. In one furious shout of defiance Kung yelled at the spirit and with a final slash Kung's head fell from his head, the three eyes bounced around as the grans head toppled from Kung's shoulder and rolled off the pyramid's peak down the steps toward the bottom.

Leo turned his lightsaber off rushing over to where Lotor had fallen before he dropped to his knees "Lotor, Lotor speak to me." Leo said, cradling his head. He only got gasps and force breathing from the padawan show was as pale as his robes down "I know you said run…. but couldn't let you die- jedi need you…." he wheezed.

"Don't try to speak— I need a medic up here now." Leo said into his comlink as he put his hand over the wound in Lotors waist, hot blood seeped out and Leo put pressure on it to try and keep the wound closed, Lotor winced coughing up more blood "Too late… I feel the force calling me." Lotor said looking over, his brown eyes were already getting glazed over as they looked at Leo.

"I wish… I wish I had been Knighted at least-" Lotor let out a weak gasp as Leo felt the will to live draining from the padawans body.

Leo shut his eyes with regret before he opened them "You already are, Sir Lotor, a true Knight of the Republic." As the battle died down and the remaining bandits fled in terror, the former prisoners now free all let out cheers holding their broken chains in their hands celebrating as the Black Knights tended to the wounded. Some of them even had found Kungs head and were cheering around it.

"Let me help you Master." Maris said assisting Aayla as Turok brought her over, the trandoshan let the padawan take her before he stood over next to Tholme who was with Jinx standing guard over their prisoner, the Doge. "So still don't trust me?" Turok asked Tholme.

The one eyed Master rolled his cybernetic eye with his brown one "Less so now, you did your p-... oh no." Tholme said as the freed slaves parted for the Black Knights to see Leo carrying Dray in his arms. The blonde haired padawan was limply hung over Leo's arm, when Maris and Dray saw him the two padawans were at a loss for words. Even K'Kruhk, Sian and Jinx were sharing somber expressions. Leo laid Lotor's body down on some crates and put the boy's hands over his chest, his lightsaber tucked between his fingers. No one said a word as Leo leaned over the body taking in a deep breath.

"... Bring wood and oil, we have to honor a fallen Knight." Leo said to them.

A few seconds later some of the prisoners came over holding the very wood that had made up their pins and used as weapons to free themselves offering it as tinder for the funeral pyre.

"Master J-jedi, please- please this is all a misunderstanding." The Doge squeaked out from behind Tholme.

"We caught the Doge trying to escape, but I doubt that'll make a difference when the Senate here's about this." Sian said over him as Leo turned.

When Leo heard him speak, he walked up to Doge Urus menacingly, Leo drew his lightsaber but Tholme stood between him arms outstretched "There's been enough death Leo." Tholme declared.

"No, not yet, not until he pays to, he sold these people out to Kung. He deserves the same fate as that bastard." Leo said, referring to the dead warlord and slaver.

Tholme refused to move. "Maybe, but let the courts decide, we've done our part, Kung's power is broken, the people are free now let the law decide the Doge's fate." Tholme argued as Leo looked at the cowering Dug holding up all four of his arms to beg for mercy. Teeth gritted Leo looked like he was about to kill Tholme to get to the doge before he felt a soft grip on his shoulder.

It was Jinx, "Tholme is the right brother, let it go."

Leo squeezed his lightsaber so tight his knuckles could be heard popping in the silence before he turned it off "...Get him out of my sight." Leo whispered. Dogma and Fives pulled the Doge away as everyone watched Leo reach up to his mask and pull it off. He walked away from Tholme holding the mask in his hand as he looked at the two eye holes then over at Lotors body as the freed slaves brought over more wood and started to pile it together for a pyre. Even as they had freed thousands, the death of one jedi, a brother even though he barely knew him, felt like a dagger in Leo's heart.

"What about us?"

Snapped back to the present, Leo looked back at a prisoner with fiery red hair, she was dressed in little more than rag trousers, and a tunic with the sleeves torn off "We can't go back to Pixelito, there's not enough room and bandits will just replace Kung." She said, many of the other refugees nodding.

Leo turned to her and looked at the remains of the ruins, the barracks and other warehouses were still intact and full of supplies. The pyramid and defenses had barely taken a scratch in the battle "Then stay." Leo said to her and the other prisoners.

"Build a new settlement here in the mountains, you have everything you need: food, water, shelter, even weapons to protect yourself from bandits, slaver or even the Dugs if they try to sell you out again." Leo said to them "That's what you refugees want right, a home?" Leo asked, the other jedi watched Leo as he spoke to the people. The redhead speaking for the prisoners looked at her people who all started to nod their heads, some of them already holding weapons they'd taken from the guards.

"But the Republic said they'd relocate us to a new destination?" She asked, "Make your own destiny, stop waiting on others to do it for you." When she didn't say anything, only nod, Leo nodded back "Good." Was all he said as he walked off to be alone.

The red head, or new Chief turned to the prisoners "What are you all standing around for, let's get this place cleaned up." She snapped at them.

Later, night had started to fall the sun Strilar was starting to set over Malastare as Leo, was holding a torch alongside Jinx, Sian, K'Kruhk, Aayla and Tholme the five knights approached Lotor's funeral pyre. He had been laid out in his robes with his lightsaber over his hand, the younglings and padawans watched as Leo and the others lit the pyre. Around them the new Chief and her people had all been clothed in whatever they could find to cover themselves up against the night breeze that turned the dried wood of the funeral pyre, carrying Lotors body to the cosmic force.

Tossing the force onto the pyre Leo turned to the people surrounding the jedi funeral "His name was Lotor, Knight of the Republic, it was he who freed you from Kungs cruelty and a life of slavery, for the price of freedom is never to high for a true Jedi." Leo said before he went to stand with the younglings and padawans. Just then the chief approached the pyre.

"We will honor him forever, whatever our new home is to become we'll carry his sacrifice with it, this settlement will be called Lotor in his honor." She said to her people then turned to Leo "And the Jedi will always be welcome here." She said, Leo gave a thankful nod as the fires sent embers into the night sky.

As it burned the other Black Knights came over to Leo, "It's time we leave, Dogma's scouts claim they spotted Reus and her clones on their way."

"... Understood, Jinx, Tholme will you get everyone on board." Leo said, looking back at the slavers ship. The hammerhead was large enough to carry all the would-be-slaves, Jinx walked up beside him "We did need a bigger ship anyway."

"Now we have it, signal Proxy to meet us in orbit, time to leave Malastare behind." Leo said as everyone headed to the hammerhead. Tholme stayed behind while Leo watched Lotor's pyre burn bright across from him the red flames reflecting off his face. "If you start lecturing me on how this could have been avoided, save your breath."

Tholme took a deep breath "I'm not, truth is I was being selfish, I put the needs of our own ahead of these people." Tholme gestured to the former prisoners who left the funeral pyre behind and started to break open the stores. "I'd forgotten a jedi is supposed to be selfless, like Lotor showed me." Tholme said.

Leo folded his arms against his chest "Still, I would trade my life for his if I could."

"Life, death, they're all part of the cycle, look." Tholme said pointing to some freed slaves opened up dark drinks others started to play music, soon they were dancing and celebrating to the sound of drums or singing chants of a dozen different cultures. "Lotors sacrifice brought out this joy, this life that so many people are just about to begin, I'd say that's worth more than any safety from a few nosy Sentinels." Tholme said, trying to comfort Leo.

"I suppose, did you find anything?" Leo asked.

Tholmes face turned, he stepped away from the light of the fire and sounds of music so Leo and Tholme could speak alone "Our hacker was here, his skill is written over all of the technological parts on the base, skilled but self taught long gone though."

"You think they're working for this Shadow Collective?" Leo asked Tholme, "Perhaps, or being held against their will, syndicates are known to enslave skilled workers such as these." Tholme said seeing Turok come over to them.

"I'll contact Vos, he says he was on his trail last time we spoke hopefully he's found this mysterious hacker."

"Good, now come on, let's go before Reus and her dogs show up." Leo said heading toward the large ship, waiting for them at the entrance was Turok leaning on Kungs axe, that he had retrieved from atop the pyramid "Is that Kung's axe?" Leo asked him.

The trandoshan smiled his fangs "Yep, you know how useful a beskar axe is going to be with you jedi." The mercenary said as Tholme walked up the ramp leaving the two alone for a bit. Turok laid the axe over his shoulder and slung both his arms over it.

Leo took one last look at Lotors pyre, the celebration had spread across the plaza and now the people of the new settlement christened 'Lotor', were dancing around the pyre to the sound of music and laughter "Sooooo?" Turok started to say, "Are we going to be fighting a lot of these big battles with the Shadow Collective, but without an army?"

"Looks like, why?" Leo said back to him.

Turok shrugged, "Well, things were easier when we had an army of clones, a fleet of warships and all the blasters we wanted?"

Something clicked inside Leo's mind "You're right, we should get to work on that." Leo said walking up the ramp, "Work on what?" Turok asked, distracted by the party.

To which Leo responded "Building an army, a fleet and all the blasters we want."

"Oh yeah, but who's going to use all of that stuff?" Turok asked him following him into the ship "Let me worry about that, in the meantime just cover my back."

"Sure I won't stab you in it?" Turok asked him, Leo glanced back "You haven't yet lizard." Leo said before they walked up into the hammerhead "I missed you too Jedi." Turok said a s The Hammerhead started to take off, it rose up above the fortress ruins as people waved goodbye, the Rogue Shadow flew over to it's port side and a small hanger opened for it to fly into, when the Shadow settled the Hammerhead took off into the cloud as Leo walked in on the bridge. Sian was already at the controls "Where too?" She asked Leo.

Leo leaned on the bridges handles above the bridge just as they broke through the stars "Wherever we're needed, this crusade has just begun."