Chapter 7
The Trench Extraction
SERENNO
Count Dooku's Palace
The boots of Count Dooku paced back and forth as he waited for his transmission to go through, he had been wondering what he was going to say ever since the incident on Kayshyyyk. The green tinted windows were letting in muddled rays of light while clouds flew over Serenno leaving the Count in a constant state of light and dark before he got the confirmation the link was established. Walking around his desk he knelt down in front of the hologram of his master, the true Lord of the Sith, Darth Sidious "My Lord." The Count said, posturing himself before him.
"Lord Tyrannus, what of our operations on Kayshyyyk has the wookiee Chieftain be captured?" Sidious asked him.
Dooku raised his head "I regret to inform you he was not, the jedi intervened before our operatives could secure him off world, but it was no jedi of the Republic." The Count explained.
Sidious let out an annoyed growl "Hmmm, the Rogue Jedi, Leo Rock, your former apprentice."
"He is no student of mine my lord, he and a handful of other jedi intervened to stop us from taking the wookie leader of Kashyyyk now they know of the upcoming invasion." Dooku reiterated.
The Dark Lord scratched his pale shadowed chin "So be it, you will proceed with the Separatist invasion of Kayshyyyk and the Republic will be there, but outnumbered should they be victorious it matters little for our plans unless we are unable to handle this new problem."
"My lord?" The Count asked.
"Leo Rock has become a consistent thorn in our sides as of late, I foresee this could become a threat to my plans." Sidious said to him.
"He will not elude us for long, with both the Republic and the Separatists looking for him, we will destroy Rock and his followers." Count Dooku said confidently.x
Sidious didn't share the optimism of his apprentice "The boy is far cleverer than we thought, he has surrounded himself with skilled Jedi Masters who know where to hide in the galaxy, which is imperative that we eliminate them all in one strike." Sidious held up his hand and the hologram changed to show the this Sector on the Galactic map in the heart of the mid rim between Republic and Separatist space.
"A tracker has been placed on his private vessel, the Republic will send a force to capture him, you will send an assassin, one I have already found for you, he will be there momentarily." Sidious said as he ended the transmission. Dooku shot to his feet shocked he was being treated so incompetent by his own Master. He was a Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Tyrannus he had proved his worth and loyalty a hundred times over this was insulting this was.
"My Lord-" Two droids walked in before Count Dooku grabbed one and shattered it with a force push, the second one cowering in terror trembled "Uh… um, my lord a shuttle is approaching the palace with proper clearance."
Dooku stormed past the droid heading out into the front of his palace to see the ship, a orange top painted The NovaSword was a nimble, powerful craft that had numerous improvements over the aging Z-95 Headhunter. With fair shielding, high speed and maneuverability, and an integrated hyperdrive, the NovaSword was a capable and versatile craft that could act as an interceptor, scout, or even a light bomber. A large starfighter, the NovaSword had a large and roomy flight cabin, so much so that cabin access was through a ramp on the ventral surface of the ship, as opposed to an opening canopy. Further, the flight controls and chairs for pilot and passenger were parallel and equally spacious, with a center control console dividing the two. This worked well with the NovaSword's design philosophy; built to be operated by a single pilot, the second seat could hold a copilot, commander, systems operator, or engineer depending on the mission profile. This allowed a small organization to assign a single trained pilot and still have an effective fighting force, or for a larger outfit to assign two crew per ship for additional utility. As Count Dooku stood in front of it a large group of Super Battle droids walked up behind him and when the ramp lowered its pilot walked down it.
A towering mountain of metal stood before Count Dooku, at first glance they looked like a droid but the adornments on their armor said otherwise. As did the sharp menacing red eyes behind the helmet looking at Count Dooku. The giant wore a finned helmet with fins on each side of their face and a metal drape around the rim of the helmet, two eye holes were cut in the face mask for the eyeholes were slits with little marks going up on the inside and down on the outside of the eye with four little slits on the mouth so the wearer could breathe. Their armour pauldrons were painted with red markings and also on the knee pads, adorned around the suit were an array of weaponry: two blaster pistols, bolos, a winged jet pack with shoulder mounted armaments. But what Count Dooku's attention was painted on the behemoth's chest was a dark blue horned skull "The legendary bounty hunter, Durge?" Dooku said.
Durge crossed his arms "Count, who do I get to kill this time."
"Your skills are legendary my good Bounty Hunter, but you are hunting no small pray."
Groaning under his helmet Durge put his hands on his hips "Just point me in the right direction."
Annoyed at his insolence Count Dooku tossed the tracker to Durge, he caught it in his massive hand and turned it on to see the Rogue Shadow and Leo Rock "Jedi huh."
"He is no Jedi, nor is he Sith." Count Dooku said to him "And what is he?"
"Your target, Durge." Count Dooku said before he walked off, Durge eyed it "Don't disappoint me." He said walking back into his ship.
CORUSCANT
Jedi Temple, Council Chamber
The Council had assembled in the dead of night, the golden skyline of Coruscant was surrounding them and at the center of their meeting were both Reus and Tyzen standing before them finishing their report on Kayshyyyk. "And we've tracked them to the _ sector on the fringes of the border outer rim bridge, what are your orders Masters?" Reus asked the Council who were all still reeling from the recent news.
Most of the Masters were looking at Luminara who had her jaw on the floor while Yoda scratched his chin thinking, "... the Wookiee ambassadors will arrive on Coruscant in two rotations, they've been mustering their forces and are preparing for an invasion…" Tyzen added.
"They will go to the Senate and petition for military aid, what are the chances they'll get it being neutral for so long?" Plo Koon asked the Council.
"No disrespect Master Plo, but I think we have a more pressing matter to discuss." Shaak Ti said all the way from Kamino her holographic self was looking concerningly at Luminara who'd closed her mouth and eyes on the floor "Rocks claim that both Karkko and Offee were sent to Kayshyyyk to kill him, or that they're even alive is hard to fathom?" Master Oppo said with great skepticism while the rest of the Council looked around.
Eeth Koth tapped his fingers against his desk "This can't be possible, the report stated that both were executed and their bodies were disposed off, only a high ranking official in the Republic could authorize such a thing?" Koth suggested.
"Which begs the question, do we accept it, Master Reus, did you sense he was telling the truth?" Master Plo asked.
Obi-Wan watched her pause "I believe he was, but his abilities are changing the power he wields. It's almost intoxicating when I stand in his presence, such rage, such power but there's a strange control surrounding it all, a conviction." She explained.
"Or a lie?" Windu said fingers interlocked, he like Ti was in a hologram "You claimed he refused to hand her over to us, and the lightsaber he had could have easily been a forgery." He was a skeptic of the story.
Obi-Wan and a few other masters looked at Luminara watching her reaction "And even if is true, he's now harboring a traitor like himself, who's to say in the long run Rock and Offee planned the temple bombing together to further sow discourse in the Order?" Mace asked them.
"A bold accusation that is Master Windu?" Yoda asked him.
"Indeed, even he was, Rock had claimed many times his intention to protect jedi not kill them?" Plo said in agreement.
Luminara took a deep breath "Regardless, we mustn't forget the impending droid attack on the wookiees, do we have a plan."
"Second, our stalemate at Anaxes had bled the Republic military dry for too long." Master Mundi agreed, "Agreed, I can Commander Cody and I can go and reinforce Anakin and Mace with our combined forces and the bad batches' recent success we should be able to push Trench out of the core for good." Obi-Wan said, offering himself up.
"To Anaxes Master Kenobi will go, Master Reus, Padawan Xebec follow Rocks ship with the tracker you have, apprehend them you will." Master Yoda said tapping his cane on the floor "Adjourned this council meeting is."
Later, Kit FItso and Saesee Tin were walking alone after the Council meeting speaking in hushed tones "I didn't hear you speak up Kit?" Tin asked him.
"Or you, how could we, did you see Luminara's face?" Kit asked him.
"Agreed, though she never admitted it Luminara was shattered when her padawan committed the crime, it's amazing she's been able to hold it together." Saesee said, praising her.
They continued down some steps "And how are you my friend?"
"Hmm?" Kit asked Saesee, he turned his horned head, the nautolian master raised his brow over one of his dark black eyes confused "You and Aayla were close right, she's been taken prisoner by the Black Knights or joined them at this point?"
"As colleagues, yes, what are you implying?" Kit asked him, Saessee walked on with him "Nothing of consequence, it was my mistake to assume my mind is abuzz with worry at how the Council seems to be splitting on the Rock question."
Kit nodded, humming to himself "Yes, makes one miss the times we scolded Skywalker all those times."
"Well I'm sure we'll have plenty of time for that when he gets back from Anaxes." Saessee chuckled.
UNNAMED HAMMERHEAD
Garga Sector
Barriss was sitting in a cell, a force dampening collar around her neck, her trouser pants were missing a sleeve on her leg where she'd been bit, A thick set of bandages were wrapped she was sitting on the bench/bed laying on one hand while outside the bridge looking on a screen at the camera looking at her was Tholme. Master Sian and K'Kruhk were both standing in the detention center hands in front of them, Jinx had his arms crossed glaring at Leo When Tholme turned around at Leo who had his arms crossed looking back at him "Go ahead." Leo sighed.
"Where do I even begin?" Tholme asked him while knitting his brow.
Leo shook his head, eyes wide, "Story of my life." Leo said.
"You said, this was a matter of honor, you said you were going there to rescue Tarfful not bring back a terrorist traitor and fallen jedi?" Tholme said, pointing at him.
Leo cocked his head "I know."
"Do you know what you've done?" Tholme asked him.
"Educate me?" Leo asked sarcastically.
Tholme, squeezing his cane stepped toward him "I don't condemn your actions in saving her, a true jedi would do it for his worst enemy but you telling Master Reus and not handing her over, but bringing here was a ludicrous idea."
"She has blood on her hands, jedi blood, harboring her will make you- us look like we really have strayed from the light." Sian said.
K'Kruhk tapped her on the shoulder "Aren't you forgetting, Tholme said it himself a true jedi would save even their worst enemy."
"What she did is unforgivable and you saved her life for what, the Council and Republic are after us?" Jinx snapped at Leo in a rage.
Leo didn't even look him in the eye "If we'd handed her over to the Order she'd be dead before she got to Coruscant, whoever sent Karkko and her after us are the real enemy, not the Republic or the Council, when I told Reus she had no idea, not even the Council knows I'm guessing." Leo suggested to all of them holding his hands up "Whoever let them out, is after us." Leo stated.
"We need to know who, and she knows who." Leo said, pointing at Barris on the screen.
He held his hands up wondering if anyone disagreed with him "K'Kruhk, what do you think you've been quiet?" Sian asked, the whipid was leaning over the monitor looking at Barriss "Rock made a choice, there is no right or wrong if we return her to Republic custody she will die or be sent after us again, here she is still a threat but one we can contain until we can decide what to do with her, but its paramount she be kept as far away from the younglings."
"Agreed." Tholme said.
"Yes." Sian agreed too.
"I understand." Sian rolled her eyes at Leo and walked out of the brig before Tholme followed her, K'Kruhk walked past Leo "I hope you know what you're doing."
"Yeah, me too." Leo whispered before him.
When it was just Jinx and Leo alone, "You got something more to say?"
Jinx put his hands on his hips and paced back and forth for a few moments "No." Jinx lied.
Standing their alone rubbing his neck where he headed down to the cells. Walking all the way down to the end of the cell block he stood in front of Barriss cell and opened the door but kept the red laser shield to keep her inside. "You want something to eat?" Leo asked.
"I want to take a shower." She hissed.
Leo tucked in his lip nodding "Yeah... I figured, it was the only way to save your leg."
"I swear if you tell anyone about it, I will kill you." She said back glaring at him, Leo's brows shrugged and he nodded "Third time's the charm, first in the 1313, back on Kayshyyyk I'll... see what I can do." He said before he walked off.
Later, Leo was in the upper levels of the ship walking through the spacious hallways when he saw Dray walking ahead of him "Dray." He called out.
"Is it true, you brought the Temple Bomber here?" Dray asked stopping.
Leo walked up beside him "Yes I did, that troubles you?" He asked.
"It's troubling everyone." Dray said as if it were obvious, "Yeah… where is everyone?" Leo asked.
The young padawan pointed down the hall to a large door, hesitantly Leo walked toward it opening the door to see all of the Black Knights sitting in a large conference room waiting for him. "I thought we already discussed this?" Leo asked.
"This is another matter, it's about Aayla, if we decide to let her stay after leading those commandos to us, who's to say she wasn't also responsible for Kayshyyyk." Tholme pointed out.
"How, she's been locked up ever since?" Leo asked to walk in, the conference room had a long rounded edged square table with everyone, even the younglings sitting at, Tholme and Leo on opposite sides of the table. Leo pulled out a chair to sit down while everyone looked at one another.
Sian spoke next "For the greater good of the group, we should drop her in an escape pod and be done with her."
"Urrr ... And you think she'll just go quietly?" Leo said rubbing his temples "Are you alright?" Katooni asked him.
"We haven't slept since Kayshyyyk so maybe we could hurry this up?" Jinx yawned and was also sleepy.
The other jedi masters looked at one another "We take it to a vote?" Tholme asked.
"Not yet, remember what she said." Leo pointed out forcing himself to stay awake "She'd stay to protect the younglings, she's done a great job of doing it right kids?" Leo asked.
The younglings all had mixed looks, Petro nodded, Katooni kind of shrugged "She did start teaching me some new lightsaber forms."
"Helped me learn how to open a door with the force." Zatt said as they started to list the other reasons "She's nice?" Ganodi said while Byph and Gungi added nice things to say about her "You can't keep weighing your vote on these children, they don't know any better." Tholme reminded me.
Leo stood up blinking hard to keep his eyes awake, "You're right, which is why they need proper teachers, not just one." Leo declared.
Everyone went silent hearing that "They need to be made padawans, and we can't spare any responsible or able body jedi." Leo pointed out.
"You're forgetting Rock, counting Aayla we are but five senior Jedi here, and we have seven young jedi in need of single teachers, are you saying you'll take a padawan as well?" Leo felt Petro's eyes beam at him from across the table.
Leo backed his chair and leaned on the table "... No, I am not ready for a padawan, which is why I also think for our own sake and the younglings here we need to strengthen our numbers."
Tholme watched him carefully analyzing his movements "First the commandos, then the Fallen Jedi, what's next a full fleet of Republic warships."
Suddenly an alarm blared and all the lights went red, "To the bridge." Tholme said, everyone clattered out of the conference room and to the front of the ship's namesake bridge bursting in to see three Republic Cruisers coming out of hyperspace, Leo's jaw nearly hit the floor when he looked at the other Black Knights "Coincidence?"
Just then Turok burst into the hanger out of breath, "Just came….. hanger…. didn't know…. alarm…" Turok gasped before he hunched over holding up Embo's tracker "Is that a tracker?" Jinx asked before Tholme took it.
"Found it in the… in the Rogue Shadow…." Turok said before the ship shook from a warning shot to their bow.
Everyone almost fell before they steadied themselves, Leo grabbed onto the holotable and saw a signal was being sent, turning it on the Black Knights came face to face with Master Reus, Tyzen and Ganch "Attention Hammerhead vessel, this is General Reus of the Republic from the Lighbringer you are nearby ordered to disengage your engines and shield and prepare to be boarded." She said looking at the rogue Jedi aboard her flagship.
Leo and Reus locked eyes "No." Leo turned off the transmission and jumped over the commander's chair in it "Forward shields up, prime the hyperdrive and prepare to jump." Seconds later Jinx and Sian were in the pilot chairs, Maris was already interning in coordinates "What's our heading."
"River moon of Al'doleem." Leo said as they started to take evasive action.
"Al'Doleem?" Tholme asked him.
The ship flew away from the Republic warships that started to give chase, "'Dispatch a squadron of fighters to disable the ship, target engines only." Reus said aboard her flagship.
Aboard the hammerhead, the younglings all had to grab onto the walls and seats to hold on while they were bombarded "We can't out run them." Tholme told Leo.
"Then we don't, Jinx fully turn, thirty degrees to the left." Leo said as The Republic ships opened fire "Thirty degrees to the left?" Jinx asked everyone to turn their heads to him "That's directly at the people we're running from." Jinx asked him like he was crazy.
Leo grunted, "Just do it." He ordered.
Jinx started to do as he said while the hyperdrive got primed, meanwhile aboard the Lightbringer Reus and Tyzen watched the ship head toward them, Tyzen scoffed "Are they attempting to hit us with that old excuse for a ship?" The young zabrak asked.
When she saw Leo's plan "That's not a ship, it's a battering ram, evasive action now."
"Engines full power." Leo told them, Jinx pushed the power level to maximum and the hammerheads engines roared with fire propelling it over the bow of the flagship and straight for the Republic cruisers bridge. The cruiser dove to avoid it and all the clones and jedi aboard the Lightbringer held their breath as they looked over to see the Black Knights looking back at them, Byph even waved at one of the clones who instinctively waved back at the boy before his commanding officer slapped him on the back of the head.
"When the hyperdrive is ready, hit it?" Leo asked Maris.
"We're on our way." She said before the Hammerhead made the jump leaving the Republic forces in the dust. Unbeknownst to either of them. Durge was sitting in the cockpit of his Nova watching the whole thing. Holding up the tracker he saw the beacon had been deactivated reaching out Durge's hand quite literally opened up the fingers extending small wires out into the dashboard bringing up a star map and the ships plotted trajectory.
As the ship began to work out Algorthims, Durge sped up the process "Ship; Hammerhead Spyhra-class, direction into the mid rim eliminate all worlds with a heavy Republic Military presence." Durge said as planets started to disappear "Eliminate core worlds and cross Reference all mid rim planets with jedi sightings within the last year and rumored reports." Durge said as the list of planets began to go down more and more till there was only one planet left.
Not even a planet but the river moon of Al'Doleem.
And in hyperdrive on their way to Al'Doleem, everyone in the Hammerhead let out a long sigh of relief at the quick escape, Leo slouched in his chair as everyone breathed a little easier "The Tracker?" Sian asked.
"Deactivated, they won't be able to do that again." Tholme said, holding up the opened device wires in his hand he tossed it away before Zatt rushed up and picked it up before Petro could. Tholme approached Leo in the chair, his eyes heavy from exhaustion "Now, as for our last discussion, what do we do with Secura?" He asked.
Leaning back Leo rubbed his eyes "Tholme can we-" "No we decide this now." Tholme said, pressing the issue.
Meanwhile, up in the crew quarters, Aayla was sitting in meditation in her room when the door opened, Sian and K'Kruhk walked in holding her lightsaber. Sian held it up and tossed the lightsaber to her, where she caught it "You get to stay, but one more slip up and you're gone." Sian told her.
"I want to speak with Leo." Aayla said getting up.
"He's asleep, you can talk to him when we get to our destination." Sian walked off without saying another word, K'Kruhk stood there in the doorway "And where is our destination?"
K'Kruhk eyed her from across the room "Al'Doleem, in the mid rim?" She asked.
"Last time I checked, now we have a need for another female jedi for a more sensitive matter." K'Kruhk said.
Elsewhere in the crew quarters Leo was passed out on his bed fast asleep trying to get some well deserved rest, it being closer then the hanger Leo just needed a bed. Jinx in the next room over had also collapsed on his bed snoring. But in Leo's room his dreams were starting to turn into a nightmare, he tossed in his bed his head going left and right.
The sound of metal boots up stone steps drummed in unison, louder and louder.
Blaster fire and screams echoed in his ears the screams of jedi running for their lives "They're everywhere, they're killing everyone run, RUN- AAAAHHH!" Master Sinube shouted before he screamed.
Leo could see Cin Drallig running bloodied on his forehead "No, no, no." He stumbles in front of two dead padawans, a blonde haired boy with a braid and short ponytail, large ears and a button nose in brown robes "Master." A padawan came up behind him, dark haired in robes of the same color as the slain boy "There!" She pointed.
He couldn't see who they were looking at. Both Cin and the other padawan approached them and drew their lightsabers. Leo already knew, he didn't know why or how but they were already dead.
"NOOOOO!" Someone screamed before Leo realized he was awake and screamed at himself "Leo!"
It was Maris who called his name, he looked to see she had jumped on his bed and was holding him down, "You were having a nightmare." She said, Leo pulled away and swung his feet on the side of the bed. Getting up to get himself awake he almost ran to the bathroom throwing cold water on his face "Yes…. yes a nightmare, what are you doing in my room?" He asked.
Following him off the bed Maris shrugged "Actually it's my room, you sleep on your ship so I chose this one when we got the hammerhead?" She corrected him.
His face dripping with water and his white hair undone with clamps of it falling over his face, Leo undid the bun on his head lettin the hair fall down around his ears, he slicked it back the hair going past his ears and to touch his neck Maris tried not to look at him "I mean…. you could stay here if you want, I don't mind the company?" She said, smiling back at him as he looked in the mirror.
"No." He said curtly "I'll go to the Shadow." He said walking to the door.
Maris followed him out "Well ok, if you want to talk about the nightmare we can?" She offered.
"Later, later, after I get some sleep." Leo said, walking off down the hallway yawning.
Maris watched him go and gave an exasperated sigh "You're wasting your time." Jinx said behind her, he'd woken from his own nap to see what was going on outside.
"You think with him breaking the code he wouldn't hesitate?" She asked.
Jinx rolled his eyes at the red horned girl, "Oh no it's not that." Jinx said smugly, yawning "You're just not his type." Jinx winked and smiled at her.
"Oh and what is?" She asked as Jinx's smile turned into a frown "Far away."
Leo had made his way to the Rogue Shadow still half asleep before he walked into his ships quarters and sat down on the bed. Proxy came in then "Master, you have message."
"A message?" Leo asked looking up exhausted.
Proxy nodded and walked forward to step in front of him, Leo stood up and the droid's eyes started to go on and off "Activating ghost protocol, establishing secure connection…. connection established. Seconds later Proxy's holographic projectors wrapped his body around in dark blue silk fatigues with gilded cybernetic enhancements on the hatch Separatsit Admiral Trench.
Leo kept his cool "Trench?" Leo asked.
"Greetings and click-click-click salutations General Rock, or would you prefer Rock as you are no longer a General in the Grand Army of the Republic click-click, it's been so long since we last corresponded click-click-click?" Trench said, holding his command whip behind his back.
"For good reason, Proxy cut the-" "Wait click-click-click." Trend snapped holding up his left hands.
Leo waited "I have been charged by Count Dooku with defending Anaxes from the Republic forces click-click-click, should I fail it will cost me my life."
"Congratulations you'll get what you deserve, what do you want." Leo said back to him venomously.
The spider snarled at him "What I want is to survive, for a time we held the Republic forces at bay at every turn but the tide has suddenly turned click-click-click turned, I have ran the battle scenarios countless times, calculated every possibility click-click-click…" Trench paused "I will lose this battle."
"And your life, the Galaxy would be better off for it." Leo said reaching to turn off the transmission reaching into the hologram to turn it off on Proxy's chest.
"Do you remember what I said to you when we first met click-click-click!" Trench snapped.
Leo withdrew his hand "Someone is playing a dangerous game?" Leo asked him, Trench nodded "And that this war is going on too long, that there is no clear end, this war click-click-click will be my legacy, I-will-not be a footnote in some Jedi's adventure click-click-click." Trench stomped his rod on the ground.
"What…. do you…. Want?" Leo growled at him.
Trench locked eyes with Leo "As I said click-click-click, I am a tactician, I believe that you discovered what was wrong with that Clone, you learned something-something click-click-click that the person pulling the strings doesn't want you to know, click-click-click, why else would you be forced out of your Order?"
"That's irrelevant-" "DO NOT THINK YOU CAN DECEIVE ME BOY click-click-click." Trench screamed at him, Leo had seen Trench many times but never in anger, never so, so afraid, his mandibles trembling as he squeezed his command rod "click-click-click Count Dooku will kill me when I fail, he controls the Separatists, but whoever controls the Count must also control-" "The Republic." Leo said already knowing where he was going with his theory.
Trench nodded, taking a step "Yes click-click yes click-click-click, come to Anaxes to retrieve me from my ship and I will share with you everything I know and more."
"Are you saying you want to defect?" Leo asked.
Trench scoffed "Be thrown in a cell next to blubbering buffoon Lok Durd, click-click-click till my execution date, no, I will choose my own fate." Trench said, holding up one of Proxy's hands to Leo.
"Does the word of a jedi still mean something?" Trench asked, offering his hand.
Elsewhere, inside the back of the brig, Aayla and Sian were both watching Barriss behind a fogged up panel of glass, her head and shoulders exposed along with her feet the rest hidden from view. Hot water and steam flowed down on her as she washed off Kayshyyyk's stench. In the shower she'd been forced to remove the bandages around her leg letting dark blood bleed into the water down the drain. Aayla and Sian watched her cautiously, each with one hand on their lightsaber. "I will say this, you have better showers then Republic Prison."
"Just hurry up." Sian snapped.
Barriss glanced over at her "Is that you Master Sian Jeisel?" Barriss asked the orange skinned devaronian woman "My Master told me about how when you got the call to come to Geonosis you ran away?"
Sian said nothing "Barriss, don't try to play mind games let's just get you back to your cell so you can rest." Aayla insisted.
Turning her attention to Aayla "I never took you for a traitor Master Secura, the twi'lek people have always been so used to being subjugated, why would it be any different with the Jedi?" Barriss said, Sian nearly took her lightsaber "Insolent child-" Aayla held up her hand and stopped Sian before she could do anything.
Summoning a towel from off a rack she let it float over to the shower for Barriss to take, when she caught it Aayla turned off the fresher "That's enough, I don't know what happened to you Barriss but trying to get a reaction out of us, either of us won't lessen your pain." Aayla said.
Barriss' smile frowned before she wrapped herself up in the towel "You know nothing of pain."
AL'DOLEEEM
The hammerhead flew down over the river moon of Al'Doleem at late dusk, by the time they had landed the sun was already sinking behind the mountains and valleys leaving the sky purple when they disembarked down the ramp. They had landed in a lower valley with mountains towering over them and a narrow stream running under the ship "Tight squeeze." Turok said, walking down the ramp next to Tholme.
But the Sentinel was silent, looking around the world "Tholme?" Turok asked.
"Now I see." He whispered to himself.
A bit later, Leo came down the ramp yawning as everyone stretched their legs on solid ground without artificial gravity. Zatt had leaped into the stream under the ship swimming through it, Byph was with Petro and Katooni trying to climb one of the lower hills to get a better view while Ganodi walked around the ship looking around its landing gear "Where's Byph?" Leo asked Jinx who was standing next to Maris talking.
"Asleep still." Maris said.
"Ok we…" Before he could finish his sentence he noticed Aayla was standing with the other Masters speaking in hushed tones.
When they saw Leo he approached them and looked directly at Aayla before speaking "They told you?" Leo asked.
"About Barriss or if I do anything out of line I'm gone, both." She said back to him, Leo shrugged "You're more worried about the former aren't you?"
"On the contrary, I agree." Aayla said, taking his side. Leo's eyes widened in his skull when he heard that "... Okay, that's new." Leo said to himself.
He turned his attention to Tholme "You felt him didn't you?"
"We all have, how'd you know 'he' was here?" Sian asked him, "I came here with Master Bulq on a retreat. He showed me a Force Nexus where I meditated, and helped me find my true path." Leo said looking over at the mountains where the Nexus was "But… somethings come up." Leo said regretfully.
The Masters looked at him curious to know what it was "And here I thought I'd have some company and you plan to leave without saying goodbye?" Everyone looked up in one of the low hanging trees to see the Jedi Master and Barash Vow taker, the gray skinned and white haired Kirak Infil'a. He was wearing a white vest over his chest, a scared chiseled torso and his big burly arms were poking out of a light brown robe contrasting with his white tunic and pants. The two hair buns behind his white hair and long beard hid a smile while he bit into a fruit, Kirak flipped off the branch and landed in front of the Black Knights "K'Kruhk it's been years Master."
Both Kirak and K'Kruhk walked up to one another and embraced in a laughing hug "Kirak my boy."
"Boy?" Dray asked as he walked up with the other younglings "Not so much a boy anymore." Kirak said as he looked at the others "And is that you Tholme, what happened to the eye and your leg?" Kirak asked when he saw Tholme.
Tholme walked up holding out his hand "You know each other?" Sian asked him.
Kirak took Tholme's hand "I was there the day he took his vow, many Jedi Masters were there to see you off when you left Kirak."
"The Barash Vow was one of the best choices of my life. Now who are all these Jedi? What is this a field trip?" Kirak asked, looking at all the padawans and younglings before him.
Tholme looked at Leo "Ask him, it was his idea to come here."
Kirak looked at Leo, he really looked at the young man beyond his new attire and hair style of a man bun and lightsaber. Kirak's blue and black eyes turned serious "What have you done."
Later, Leo and Kirak were speaking alone from two fires that had been set up in the shadow of the Hammerhead where the Masters and padawans were sitting around. Leo and Kirak had moved up one of the lower hills speaking while sitting on some rocks. Kirak had his legs recrossed on a rock, arms crossed while he listened to Leo who sat upright finishing his story "And, now I've got the jedi who betrayed our friend, and our trust in the brig."
"I had no idea Sora was capable of such things, or that the Council would exile you for it. Why not take the Barash Vow?" Kirak said, scratching his beard.
"Because I couldn't just leave the other Jedi behind the vision I had with Master Yoda showed me the Sith threat is real, it started the war?" Leo said, holding up his hand "No offense."
Kirak shook his head "None taken, you're doing what you think is right it's a hard thing for a man to do, especially alone I'm glad you're not." He said looking down at the others "These…. Black Knights of yours, they follow you?"
"We… follow each other, I don't claim to be their leader and they've been questioning me at every turn but we all want the same thing, for the Jedi who we're meant to be." Leo told him "Which is why I came to you."
"No." Kirak said.
"What I haven't even asked?" Leo asked him.
Kirak unfolded his arms, hands on his knees "Same answer, the Barash Vow forbids me from intervening in any jedi affairs your schism is a jedi affair." Kirak said adamantly.
"I have padawans in need of teachers, protection but also a mystery of the Sith that needs unraveling. There are people after us and I vowed to keep this family safe." Leo said clenching his hands into fists before he interlocked his fingers "-And I don't know if I can do both." He said holding back his emotions, shaking his hand.
Kirak watched him and could feel the confusion in Leo's heart. "I'm glad Sora's deception hasn't hardened your heart to advice, a prideful man would turn away from help, but you know I cannot break my vow this is a jedi affair."
Leo shut his eyes before he raised his head. "Will you at least watch out for them while I'm away." Leo asked Kirak, the battle master, staring at Leo at a loss for words
"You've only just arrived, where are you going?" Kirak asked him.
Leo sat up "As I said I don't know if I can do both, someone out there needs my help and he's not a friend to the jedi."
"You're afraid if you tell the others they won't let you go?" Kirak asked as Leo stood his mind made up "I know they won't." Leo looked around for his mask.
But Kirak was already holding it in his hands "What's this, the cursed helm of the Black Knight?"
Leo held out his hand to take it "This isn't for protection is it, this isn't durasteel or beskar?" Kirak asked him, Leo walked up and grabbed it but Kirak didn't let go "It's just a mask."
"Is it?" Kirak asked him.
He pulled it out of his hands and looked at the eyeholes at his own reflection in the moonlight "Yes just a mask, Proxy prep the Rogue Shadow." Leo said up to his comlink walking back to the ship.
ANAXES
Anaxes was a rocky planet located in the Azure sector of the galaxy's Core Worlds region. A majority of its surface was covered with tall, red plant-like life. Anaxes, situated along the Perlemian Trade Route, was an ancient member of the Galactic Republic, hosting a Republic naval base protecting the Core Worlds from attacks along the Perlemian, as well as prominent shipyards. For centuries, it primarily worked with local defense forces. But that had changed now the Republic was making a final push to force the Separatist forces out of the core worlds and back into the outer rim. Anaxes returned to galactic prominence during the Clone Wars. Remaining loyal to the Republic, in the last year of the war the planet was attacked by a Confederate fleet under the command of Admiral Trench who stood aboard his flagship as the Separatist armada and ground forces engaged the combined fleets of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Mace Windu and Anakin Skywalker.
Admiral Trench paced around his bridge when one of the bridge crew droids saw something on the scenes "Admiral we have a new ship coming out hyperspace too small to be a warship though, it has a clearance code but we've got nothing on our schedule."
Trench walked over to the droid and looked at the code "Give them permission to land, and escort the pilot to the bridge click-click-click." Trench said.
Behind the pilot controls of his ship Leo looked at the battle campaign raging over Anaxes, the Separatist fleet stood posed to claim the planet against the Republic forces. He could see the red surface scared with more than a dozen fronts being fought, dim specs of red and blue spat back and forth across the planet. "Master, we've received clearance to board the flagship." Proxy said in the copilot seat.
"Right… let's get this over with." Leo said reluctantly.
The Rogue Shadow docked in the Providence Class Dreadnoughts haul with a squad of droids already waiting for him. Leo slipped on the mask and pulled his hood up over his gray robes and tucked his lightsaber away under his sleeve before he walked out of the ship down the ramp. There waiting for him was the squad of droids "The Admiral requests your presence on the bridge."
"Lead the way." Leo said to the droid. It was a long and strange walk for Leo, the second time he had been on a Separaitst battleship without having to run or fight his way across it. The harrowing clanking of the battle droid's metal feet led him all the way to the front of the ship as he walked across the ship he sensed something familiar. He looked down one hallway as they passed before he saw the glint of white and blue armored boots disappear behind a corner. They walked on for a few more then ten minutes in silence Leo could feel something else, something he couldn't quite place. Suddenly all the droids escorting Leo went haywire short circuiting before falling over deactivated.
He looked around at the droids "Oh boy." Leo held up his comlink and starters to fidget with it, adjusting the signal to a Republic frequency.
"Well done Echo, all the droids are deactivated." A familiar voice said, it was Mace Windu's "Echo?" Leo gasped hearing the dead clone's name.
Meanwhile up on the bridge, Admiral Trench was watching every single one of his battle droids on the ground being deactivated in one fell swoop. "The algorithm has never been wrong before. How could we have missed this?" Trench asked his super tactical battle droid, a yellow painted droid with a crimson crest on its chest barring Trench's insignia, a harch skull.
The super tactical battle droid's three green eyes looked back at Trench "The source originated onboard this ship."
"Dispatch security droids." Trench ordered "What about our apparent defeat?" The STB droid asked him.
Trench tapped his cane on the ground walking back up to the menu to start putting in a signal "A wise leader does not rely completely on things such as algorithms. My personal strategy for victory is through total annihilation." Trench said sending the signal.
Down in the mainframe of the ship controlling the droids, the once lost ARC Trooper Echo, Captain Rex, the Bad Batch and one Anakin Skywalker were all aboard the same ship as Leo and working a last did the effort to win the battle.
"Wait, I just scanned a new order from Trench. He's initiated a countdown there's a bomb hidden at the assembly complex, but it's big enough to destroy most of Anaxes." Echo said, he'd gone under a cybernetic transformation with a bionic limb like a droids tool on an Astro droid. White corporal clone armor with a red skull on it like the Bad Batch all around him.
Rex leaned into his brother "Can you stop it?"
Echo replugged himself into the ship "Well, I can try." Anakin didn't have that much time to wait turning around and running out of the ship.
"General, where are you going?" Rex asked.
"If you can't stop the detonation, perhaps Trench can!" Anakin shouted as he ran to the bridge, the same place Leo was going. As he ran to the bridge he heard his comlink go off again with another clone voice he knew.
"Sir General Windu, this is Tech." Leo stopped again hearing the bad batch commando's voice "We've discovered a bomb in the fusion reactor we need someone to go down there and help disarm it." Tech said while Leo listened and heard another man's voice, one he really didn't want to hear "I'm on my way." It was Windu down on Anaxes. Leo kicked up his pace running down the halls racing to the bridge while he heard the clones talking to Windu down on the surface."
"Echo, I found the bomb tell me the sequence to shut it down." Leo could hear the seriousness in Windu's voice, he remembered how he scolded him time and time again for using his anger, his rage. Then when Leo challenged him to a duel one on one, he'd never been so hurt in his life even with Krell as Master. .
"I'm decrypting it now." Echo said "The first number in the sequence is three, the next is... one, Eight."
Up on the bridge the commander droid was scanning their system "We have located the source of the pulse." It told Trench.
"Seven." Echo said while Leo kept running.
"Jam the signal at its source." Trench ordered on the bridge, sending a shockwave in the droid control system that was heading straight for Echo. "hey're on to us you need to unplug now!" Tech shouted before the shockwave electrified Echo's system and body knocking him out.
Rex caught him before he fell "Echo?" He asked.
"The server overloaded his neural system, and it appears deliberate." Tech said, looking him over.
"That means Trench knows we're here." Hunter said putting his helmet back on.
"Echo, are you there?" Windu asked while Leo stopped wondering what could have gone wrong.
"General Windu, Trench took out Echo we can't get you the last number in the sequence. Sorry, General, you'll have to disarm that bomb without us." Rex said, Leo felt his soul wrench when he heard Captain Rex speak. He'd never been close to the clone but he knew the man was a good soldier and a better friend.
Windu quickly responded "Don't worry about me, Captain, just get your men out of there."
"Yes, sir." Rex said, cutting off the coms.
Up on the bridge, Admiral Trench watched Windu struggle to disarm the bomb without the final code turning around Trench tapped his cane impatiently against his fingers "The Jedi lacks the final sequences to stop the detonation."
"The loss of clones at the shipyard will seal the Republic's fate, dispatch more units to deal with the infiltrators on the ship, and prepare our landing craft for our next assault." Trench ordered his commander.
The droid walked with him "As you command."
Suddenly the bridge doors whooshed open and standing in front of Trench was a very angry looking Anakin Skywalker "Huh?" Trench gasped. Anakin ran in cutting down the commander before Trench backed up two super commando guards jumping over the bridge consoles. They opened fire on Anakin; he deflected their shots before he grabbed the commando droid on the right and threw him into the wall before the first one jumped over Anakin to outflank him. Trench let loose an electrical net to try and hit Anakin in the back but the Knight dodged it letting the net take the commando droid before Anakin turned his attention on Trench.
"Not the Jedi scum I expected." Trench hissed "Tell me the sequence to disarm the bomb!" Anakin shouted at Trench holding up his lightsaber
The lightsaber hovered over Trench's neck cybernetic implants "Never, Dooku would kill me for losing Anaxes." Trench said back to him.
"And you think I won't?" Anakin shouted just as Leo came up to the door to hear the two shouting.
"You're a Jedi your nobility-" Just as Trench said it, Anakin raised his lightsaber and sliced off all six cybernetic arms on Trench's left side.
Trench fell back against the back of his command seat looking at the seared metaI, Anakins face full of rage " don't have such weaknesses!" He snapped. "Now, let's try that again."
Leo took out his lightsaber and got himself ready for what he was about to face, when yet again another voice came from his comlink. One almost too painful to hear "Mace, if you can't stop the detonation, you must leave now." It was Obi-Wan's voice, his teacher, his mentor, the closet thing Leo had ever had to someone he could call a father.
Leo raised his mask up off his face whispering "... Obi-Wan." That whisper carried all the way down to Anaxes where the Master himself sensed it looking around and all the way up to the Separaitst fleet gently shadowed against the planet's atmosphere "Leo… oh no." Obi-Wan whispered knowing Anakin was on that ship.
"That is not an option. I still have a chance to stop this, even if it's down to my best guess." Mace said back through the comlinks.
"How about I take the guesswork out of it, Master?" Anakin said into his own comlink "Admiral Trench was kind enough to give me the final number himself, try seven." Anakin said, down on Anaxes Windu did just that, putting in the number and dead gaping the bomb.
"Good work, Skywalker the bomb has been disarmed." Mace said as Anakin smirked at Trench.
"You both owe me one now." Anakin suddenly felt a presence behind him.
The bridge doors opened and Leo's leather boots walked in behind him, Anakin turned around slowly to see Leo in his dark brown mantle hood, the harness, gray tunic and dark trousers with the metal mask. Followed by him igniting his crossguard purple lightsaber. "You." Anakin said before Trench turned on his cane's hidden taser embedded in the pommel he stabbed Anakin in the back. Skywalker howled like a beast about to ramp his lightsaber into the Trench before Leo grabbed him with the force pulling him back. Spinning in the air Anakin smashed his lightsaber down on Leo.
The blue and purple blades clashed before Leo dropped down to his knee and slid out from the lock and stood between Anakin and Trench "Can you walk?" Leo asked.
"I'll manage." Trench said using his cane as support "Then run unless you want to die."
Anakin fumed at the sight of him "You're working with Trench now, and you think the two of you are just going to walk out of here?" Anakin asked him ice on the end of every word.
Holding his lightsaber, Leo locked eyes with him "Don't make me go through you Anakin."
"I wouldn't expect anything less." Anakin said before the two of them charged, their lightsabers collided like a raging forest fire and an uncontrollable storm, they locked spinning their feet around one another swinging at each other with high guards and deflections before they broke apart. Leo stayed as a wall between Anakin and Trench. Anakin lunged at Trench with his sword before Leo cut him off. Anakin rolled out of the way as Trench ran out from behind him out of the bridge.
Getting to his feet Anakin raised his guard "What's with the mask, too ashamed to show your face, show what you've become?"
"Why is it every time the jedi are always trying to tell me what I am, what I've become, when you don't even know what you are or what you've become?" Leo said coming at Anakin with a flurry of stabbing strikes. Anakin parried them left and right. They broke this time backing up before Anakin swung from below Leo blocked it before Anakin jumped up and kicked Leo square in the chest knocking him off his feet. Rolling back to get distance Leo shot up lightsaber pointed outward before Anakin swatted it away.
Leo leapt out of the way of his next attack landing on one of the command consoles sending the droids scattering to avoid the fight "I know what I am Anakin, I am what the Jedi are in their truest form, unchained by the Republics corruption or the Councils hypocrisy." Leo shouted at him.
"But what are you?" He was accused. Anakin jumped up after him, cutting away at the Bridges command console sending alarms off, Leo let Anakin chase him as they dueled on the lower levels of the bridge.
"I fight criminals, I stop slavers and warlords, you fight this war without any question." Leo told him before Anakin grabbed his m with the force and slammed him against the glass, choking him.
Anakin squeezed the force around Leo's neck "You won't get inside my head, I know I'm no traitor."
Lighting shot out of Leo's hand into Anakin's chest before Leo landed and jumped over his adversary to the back of the bridge to make a run for the exit. But Anakin followed him running at increased speed and sliding to try and take out Leo's legs. Backflipping to avoid it, Leo landed with Anakin's standing in his way again. Seeing there was no way to get past him. The two raised their guards Anakin took form V, as Leo went to Form VII stance.
"You're right, you may not be a traitor but you never changed from what you are." Leo said building to the building. "And what am I?" Anakin asked.
Letting his anger build, Leo focused on it, getting ready to use it against him "You have always been, from when the jedi took you and now… a slave."
The lips peeled back around Anakin's frown, barring his teeth into a snarl of an awakened dragon. What followed next was a roar to match Anakin ran at Leo with everything he had and the two, the form V was straightforward, unrelenting and merciless. Leo took each attack letting the aggression build and where Form V required the physical strength that Anakin had made use of his whole life through years of training. Leo was no longer the skinny boy he use to be and he showed it when he locked words with Anakin bringing the offensive to a dead halt.
Their eyes met and Anaki could feel it, Leo was no longer the boy he use to train.
Leo unleashed the fury of Form VII, Vapaad against Anakin's Diem Sho. Forcing Anakin on the defensive his own rage turned on him when Leo blocked a counter and sent Anakin onto his back. Anakin kicked Lee's feet out from under his own. Leo caught himself on his hand to flip back up just as Anakin did. Before Anakin could make another move he saw the leather end of Leo's fist clock him right in the jaw making Anakin bleed.
Staggered but undaunted, Anakin smiled with bloody teeth "Someone's been practicing." Anakin said, spitting blood on the floor.
Leo sheathed his lightsaber "More than any jedi taught me." Leo said, blinded by his anger Anakin took the opening but it was a trap. Lighting burst from Leo's fingertips hitting Anakin's lightsaber.
It's raw power made Anakin's boots skid against the metal before he took a step toward Leo and redirected the lightning back into him. Leo felt back at his own attack used against him before he saw Anakin's lightsaber heading straight for his face "GYAH!" Leo fell back and the lightsaber edge had knocked his mask leaving a glowing metal scar but Leo still had his head.
Anakin panting held up his lightsaber "You're not getting away this time Leo, you can't escape."
Out of breath also, Leo slowly got to his feet "... watch me."
Anakin came at him again but Leo jumped in the air and used the force to push against Anakin, Anakin held up his hand to send it back and just like Leo planned he was propelled across the bridge to the exit. The doors flew open just as Leo passed and he sliced the outer door controls when he landed with his lightsaber sealing Anakin inside. On his feet Leo looked at the door before a blue lightsaber pierced the metal just as the blast doors kicked in buying Leo more time.
Backing up, Leo turned his heels and ran as Anakin banged his hand on the door, he let out another frustrated yell before he held up his comlink "Master Windu, Obi-Wan I've got bad news, you'll never guess who just rescued Krell."
"I had a feeling… it's Leo isn't it." Obi-Wan said disheartened down on Anaxes with Windu beside him "We need every ship off the ground before his ship gets to hyperspace." Anakin said back to them.
Windu looked at a hesitant Obi-Wan "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I agree with you Skywalker… but by the time we get them to the upper atmosphere it'll be too late, get the Commandos and yourself off that ship, they'll be another day." Windu ordered him.
Anakin begrudgingly accepted it "Understood." He growled before he turned off the comlink and slammed his metal fist against the wall before he walked over to the nearest console still intact and took out Trenches ships detonator.
Later, after Leo had made his way to the hangar and boarded the Rogue Shadow, he, Trench and Proxy blasted out of the ship just enough time to see it detonate. Trench watched the ship explode while they flew off. Leo plugged in the coordinates to Al'Doleem as Trench let out a sigh removing the fragments of his severed limbs tossing them aside "We live to fight another day." Trench said before they jumped into hyperspace.
"That's not living." Leo said reaching up and taking up the scarred mask looking at the eyeholes again, looking at what he was becoming, was this new or was this who he'd always been "But we're going to make it a life worth fighting for, Admiral you're going tell me everything." Leo said as Trench looked at him.
Trench turned his chair toward Leo and he forwards him "I am a man of my word, we must start from the beginning."