Greeting Super Star Wars Fans! Book Two of Only The Force is here!
Obviously, if you haven't read Book one, aptly titled Only The Force, you should start with that.
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Our characters have come a long way since their time on Coruscant, Tython and Geonosis, and now, like the rest of the Jedi order they are generals and commanders in a seemingly unending war.
Note: This book is, for the most part rated T, however there is a lot of violence in the first few chapters that may be disturbing for some. If I need to change the rating please let me know.
Only the Force
Book Two
Light in the Shadows
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Star Wars
Chapter One
The interior of the republic gunship was dark as it exited the main hangar of the acclamator class cruiser, Dauntless, and Jedi Padawan Kyra Dawnstar gripped the handrail and breathed in the Force as she always did before a battle. It calmed her and let her focus on the mission. Her stomach no longer became upset during the descent, that had stopped after her seventh or eighth mission. And the shaking hands had ceased after her fifteenth. She had lost count since then, and that was over a year ago.
All was dark inside, but her master's presence may well have been a shining star to her. He lit up any dark place she was in. He stood on the other side of the gunship, leaning against the bulkhead, eyes closed, face neutral, meditating. He was always meditating. And he was always keeping his distance. Every damn day.
Red lights blinked on and lit up the over two dozen soldiers sharing the gunship with her. These soldiers clad in gleaming white armor and orange stripes on their shoulders made up two squads, including Foxtrot Group, of the 212th Attack Battalion. To anyone else these troopers would look menacing, particularly being bathed in red light. While this was her first mission fighting alongside the 212th, for two years clone troopers were her companions, her allies, her comrades. She had fought and bled next to them for too long to consider them frightening, regardless of how absolutely lethal they were.
With the lights on, the troopers began diligently checking their weapons, which were variations of the DC-15 Rifle. Of course, some had heavier weapons like the Z-6 Heavy repeater or the RPS rocket launcher. They tugged at their armor, knocked on their helmets, secured their grenades, double checked the readings on their blasters, and tested the mics in their helmets, all part of their routine preparation for the battle to come.
Next to them, somewhat closer to Aedan were eight other soldiers. Their armor was different. Slate gray in color, bigger, bulkier, and with a larger equipment backpack. Commandos. Two units of them. They were trained differently. Armed differently. Bred differently. And as Kyra saw them through the force, she noticed they...shined differently. Particularly one of them.
And this one noticed her staring, "All you have to do is ask, Commander."
Kyra smiled, "Ask what, Hoppie?"
The clone may be covered, his expression masked, but the Force doesn't deal in coverings or masks. She could clearly sense his surprise at her knowing his name-surprise and gratitude. They were all clones, all similar, but it was always acutely meaningful to them when they were treated as an individual. However, they'd never admit that. Ever. He quickly gathered himself. "For a blaster," he said, "I may not give up my Deece seventeen, but the Fifteen S makes for a great side arm," he said patting the smaller weapon on his thigh.
Kyra extended her hand and using the force snatched the blaster pistol from his drop-down holster and floated it towards her hand. She ejected the power pack, checked the oscillator readings, spun the pistol on her finger three times, then looked down the sites. She put the powerpack back in the hold, and then floated it back to Hoppie's holster, where he rested his hand on it.
Kyra shrugged, "I may do just that. We'll see how things go today."
Hoppie stared at her, unmoving, for three seconds, until he finally jerked his head to the right, "Captain," he shouted.
"Yes, Corporal."
"Permission to follow Commander Dawnstar into battle forever."
"Denied."
"Okay," he said quickly, "Permission to ask Commander Dawnstar out on a date."
"Denied."
The observing clone troopers were all shifting nervously at the informal dialogue. This was not usual trooper behavior. But commandos were not usual troopers.
Another commando spoke up, "Yea, that's because she already said yes to me."
Kyra grinned, "Is that so, Drix? And where might we be going on this date, Cantina 79's?" she asked, facing the soldier.
Drix tilted his helmet, "Well, I haven't seen too much of the Galaxy, and any time I have, it has, um, been on fire, but Felucia seemed like somewhere a lady like yourself might enjoy."
Kyra looked down, her mood immediately souring, her heart aching. Just like it had been aching for the entirety of this force-forsaken war. These soldiers were seen as pawns, as slaves, as instruments.
But that was not how she saw them. When she saw them through the force, they all had their own unique spark of life, with their own perspectives, beliefs, and dreams. Even clones dream.
"Someday, when this is all over, we will all go to the Sesid System. I hear the views are magnificent."
"When this is over," Hoppie mumbled.
"You two are forgetting one thing," Captain Gregor chimed in. "You have to clear it with her master first."
The whole passenger hold of troopers had been listening, and all of them glanced over to Aedan Kahl, who was still on the opposite side of the gunship from Kyra, a grim look on his full bearded face. He faced the troopers, and then slowly walked over and stood right in front of Drix, Hoppie, and Gregor, arms crossed in front of his chest. Kyra felt all the troopers get tense, very much afraid that they just insulted one of the deadliest warriors in the galaxy.
"Do you know what's on Sesid?" Aedan asked a slight sneer in his voice.
"Um," Drix said, "No, Sir," he stuttered, "I mean, No, General."
"The best kriffin resorts and beaches in the Outer Rim Territories," his face breaking into a smile, the tension evaporating in a heartbeat. "We make it out of this alive, I'll fly you all there on the 'Guile myself," he said. "And drinks are on me," he shouted out.
A chorus of cheers resounded in the hold. "Dibs on sitting in the Dorsal cannon," Hoppie yelled.
"Yea, and I get ventral." Drix echoed.
"Well then I get navigator's chair," Gregor broke in.
"Nope," Aedan said, "That's my chair."
"Then who's piloting the ship,"
"Me, can-head," Kyra said.
Again, all the troopers froze. "You're a pilot too?"
Kyra nodded, and Aedan answered up, "One of the best in the order."
"So," Hoppie said, "About that date?" shifting his gaze between the two Jedi.
Captain Gregor intervened, "We're five mikes out from the LZ, Foxtrot, so look alive."
Aedan walked over to where Kyra was standing and grabbed a handrail.
"Why again are we coming to this nearly uninhabited world, Master?" She asked.
"What, did you fall asleep in the briefing?"
Kyra winced, "Actually, I did."
Aedan smiled, and shook his head, "Sarrish is a strategically advantageous planet on the Corellian Trade Spine Hyperlane. If the Seperatists get a foothold here, they will control this lane, and make invading the core system all the more possible."
"Well, we can't have that," Kyra responded. "So, what, the CIS hasn't shown up yet?"
"They landed here three days ago, with a small detachment of droids and equipment. We'll be assaulting a minor camp, with minimal defenses."
Kyra nodded, pleased that this mission wouldn't be as difficult as the previous ones. She had been through hell, hence the sleeping through the briefing. It was one battle on a new, hostile planet, and then immediately onto another. Battle after battle after battle. She no longer felt like a Jedi, she felt more like a soldier, thus she had developed a kinship with many of the clone troopers. She looked back out at the grey skies surrounding them, noticing the dozens of other Gunships that were flying parallel with him. A battalion to take on a small force of clankers? Must be a very important system.
An important system in a galaxy that was at war. A civil war. She shook her head. "Master, how are we still fighting this war? It doesn't make sense."
"I know, Padawan. But these armies of droids keep turning up everywhere, and we have to stop them."
The red lights were replaced with blinking green lights, and a warning beep. There was a distinct sound of valves breaching, as the cabin began depressurizing. Kyra absolutely loved this next part, the part that would follow that she wasn't so sure about, even though she was very, very good at it.
The blinking green lights turned solid, the beeping stopped, and the bay doors of the gunship opened wide right as the gunship sliced through the dreary cloud line. The gray, rocky world of Sarrish opened up below, and Kyra, still gripping the handrail above let herself hang out the side, the rushing wind pulling at her off-white tunic. Well over a dozen other gunships, and ten ARC-170 Starfighters were descending with them to either side. She closed her eyes and savored the sensation of flight. The gunships dove down, and Kyra let out a whoop, smiling widely at the steep descent.
Then Kyra felt a ripple through the force, and immediately glanced over at Aedan who had sensed it too. Captain Gregor stiffened and held his hand to his helmet comm, probably receiving new orders.
"Heads up, Men," he shouted, "Two separatist dreadnaughts just entered the atmosphere and engaged the Dauntless."
"Two Dreadnaughts?" Drix asked.
Gregor nodded solemnly, "All our Arc one seventies are falling back to reinforce our assault carrier, so we have zero additional air support."
The sky erupted in a flash of fire, as the nearest Gunship exploded. The blast flaring so intensely that Kyra felt the heat of it on her face.
"Incoming fire, stand fast, Foxtrot!" Captain Gregor shouted.
Kyra stared out at the approaching ridgeline, and her heart dropped. "Minimal defenses, huh?" Lining the plateau were at least a dozen anti-air guns and half as many quad turrets. They could see a tall spire in the middle of the plateau, around it was a contingent of B-1 battle droids, a few spider droids. and a small encampment. The droid's numbers weren't anything to worry about, but there's no telling what they could be hiding. Baktoid Industries liked making their foundries underground.
Another gunship went down in a blaze. "We're gonna lose too many up here." And then two more were blasted out of the sky.
"Kriff," Hoppie cursed, and then turned to Captain Gregor, "Sure could use those One-seventy's, Captain, to take out those AA guns."
Gregor shook his head, "If those fighters don't help out then we lose the Dauntless and lose our ride home."
"He's right," Aedan said, "But we need to land, or this will be the shortest assault of all time."
To their right another gunship was hit hard. "That's the Commander's ship, with half of A-squad," Drix shouted. They all watched as the gunship flew in a downward spiral at an alarming speed. The aircraft hit hard but didn't explode on impact so there's a chance they made it.
Kyra gripped the handrail tightly as she watched Aedan rush up to the cockpit, "Pilot, land this thing now, right next to that gunship," Aedan yelled, pointing to Commander Cody's downed gunship. The clone trooper nodded and began his descent. Aedan looked out the viewport and felt a flicker from the force.
A missile was heading straight for them.
He immediately stretched out his hand, reaching for the force, but there was no way he would stop it in time.
The missile wobbled, and then dove straight down, missing them completely. The clone pilot turned and stared up at Aedan who just shrugged. Realization then dawned on him, and he turned around seeing Kyra was there with her hand stretched out, eyes shimmering.
Aedan shook his head, "Well done, my young Padawan."
Kyra nodded. "Land," she said to the pilot.
Moments later the gunship landed in a narrow canyon a half kilometer from the plateau's ridgeline. The canyon wall provided cover, so a number of other gunships were landing there as well, and troops were gathering. The moment the last soldier exited the aircraft, the gunship took off.
"Where are they off to so quickly?" Kyra asked.
"Backing up the Dauntless," Aedan responded.
"What is a gunship able to do up there."
Aedan shrugged, "Whatever they can."
Aedan, Kyra, and the rest of Foxtrot Group jogged over to Cody's downed gunship. With relief they found the commander leaning against the hull, patching up a long gash to his arm. "General, Commander, Captain," he said, "welcome to the party."
"How many left in A-squad?" Gregor asked.
Cody looked down at the ground, "Not sure about the other gunship, but from mine, two injured, four dead. Five if you count the pilot. But that's not the bad news—does that rock look familiar?" he asked, pointing to the tall, looming cliff face that came to a jagged point. Atop it sat a massive quad-turbolaser.
"Yea," Aedan responded, "The promontory we were warned about. We're right where were not supposed to be."
Kyra and Aedan felt a new presence and sighed in relief. "I really do hate flying," Obi-Wan Kenobi said, as he brought the rest of A-squad into the gathering.
Aedan and Kyra both bowed low to the Jedi Master. "Force, am I glad to see you, Obi-Wan."
"Same to you both," the regal looking master said, bowing in return.
"Where's Anakin?" Aedan asked.
Obi-Wan looked away for a moment, gazing off in the distance, as if trying to see his best friend across the stars, "He's on Mon Cala with Ahsoka and Senator Amidala," he dropped his gaze to the ground. "I don't like us being on separate missions. Bad things happen when we're apart," he said.
"What, like getting kidnapped by winged bugs and then offered up as a sacrifice?" Aedan asked, a grin spreading on his face.
"Don't even start, Kahl," Obi-Wan responded.
"I mean that Acklay did look pretty angry," Kyra added.
Obi-Wan couldn't help but laugh, a cough from Commander Cody shook them out of their antics. "The plan, General?"
Kenobi cleared his throat, "Right, apologies, Commander," he said. "Well, like I said, we are right where we shouldn't be. They have the blasted high ground."
"We noticed," Aedan said.
Obi-Wan crossed his arms and peered up at the plateau a half kilometer away. The ascent up was steep, but not unmanageable. Once they got troops climbing, the turrets would have a harder time firing at the climbing troops. However, droids may be able to, and again they would have the superior position once the clones began reaching the top of ridgeline.
"See that main turret," Obi-Wan said, pointing at the quad-cannon sitting on the foremost peak of the ridgeline. "If we can capture that, as well as other guns, and turn them against their forces, we may stand a chance. The lack of air support is a huge blow to our assault.
"I'll take A-squad and climb up the middle and we'll take the main gun. Aedan you take the left, Kyra you take the right along with Foxtrot."
Not a bad plan, Aedan thought, but there were issues. "General," Aedan said respectively, "Most of their forces will fortify the middle once they see you coming. Our lightsaber blades are not all that inconspicuous."
"Fair point," Obi-Wan said, "What do you have in mind?"
Aedan brought his fist up to his chin, contemplating for a moment. "Why don't you, General, take the left flank with two squads. Kyra, I, and Foxtrot will take the right, and then Cody and A-squad will sneak up the middle. Three jedi will draw most of the forces away from the middle, giving the Commander an easier approach. We'll even send the three ATTE's to the flanks. That should make for an easy ascent, and once there, Cody can fire on the other gun emplacements, giving the rest of us time to gain positioning on the ridge."
Obi-Wan nodded, "Commander, your thoughts? Are you still fit to climb?"
"I like it, and yes, I'm fit," Cody said. "We'll keep the majority of the battalion in reserve and under cover," he gestured to the Aedan, "Along with Foxtrot take one more squad with you. And you General Kenobi will take three squads of your own. Once each of the three teams has acquired their foothold at the top, the rest will come."
"Sounds like a plan," Obi-Wan said, "Once again Aedan, you continue to impress."
Kyra felt a flood of pride in her astute Master. "Thank you, Master Kenobi." Aedan said bowing. "I'll see you at the top."
"Come on," Obi-Wan said with a grin, "We've got a battle to win."
