Disclaimer: Joss, WB, UPN et al. own Buffy. George Lucas, Lucasfilm, LucasArts and others own Star Wars. Michael A Stackpole owns the X-Wing and I, Jedi novels. I do not.

Title: Sunnydale Jedi: Chapter 8, Interlude…

Author: Paradigm Shifter

Rating: PG-13 again, people.

Pairing: Err… Xander/ Buffy (finally here, folks)

Feedback: Please, I beg.

Notes: This is just a diversion for a short while. I have a couple more chapters done; they are just being brushed up…

Continuity:             General season 5 (Dawn)

                        Any real Star Wars buffs will notice I've fiddled with the timeline a bit in this. Obviously, things have to be changed to a degree, and I think it will work. But if you've read absolutely every Star Wars related thing going (including all the Limited Edition Graphic Novels) you will notice some timeline screw-ups. It is intentional.

Crossover: Buffy / Star Wars. Old Republic.

*

"Where did he go?" Obi-Wan asked with fear.

"Know that, I do not, Obi-Wan. Disappeared, Xander has." Yoda looked down from his Council chair at the young Jedi Knight that had become friends with the near unknown child from another world.

"But…"

Yoda shook his head, and spoke in a gentle but firm tone, "Obi-Wan; omnipotent, I am not, and the Force, as strong in it as I am, does not tell me all. Tell me what the Force has planned… it does not. But planned, something, it has. And Xander is in the middle of the plan." Yoda seemed sad. This Council was a Council of war, a last ditch attempt to stop the Sith from forcing their way into the Jedi stronghold on Coruscant.

Yoda continued, almost to himself. "When Dooku, Xander defeated, reminded Dooku's master that invulnerable in the Force, he is not. Forced a hand he has. Whether this proves to destroy or aid us, we must wait and see…"

Obi-Wan was almost chafing at the bit to get into the fight, but Yoda had requested a guard, and a guard he must have. Obi-Wan smiled despite himself. After seeing Yoda's defeat of Dooku, Obi-Wan knew that Yoda needed no guard. It was all for display. The younger Jedi and those in training expected Yoda to be weak. After all, he was nearly 800, and he was barely even two feet tall.

But there was one thing that Yoda had impressed into Obi-Wan, and that had been further reinforced by Xander.

Appearances can be deceptive.

A radio crackled. Yoda pushed the receive button with the Force, and listened as Mace Windu told of a total Sith victory in the auditorium. Several Jedi were injured, and more were dead. The last of the defence points were coming under fire, and the great library seemed to be the Sith's main target.

Yoda seemed to be pushed into near violent action when he heard the news. "No! Take the Archives, they cannot! Destroy millennia of Jedi history they will, because they no not what they seek!"

Yoda jumped up from his chair, seeming to grow in stature and strength as he did so. "Obi-Wan. Come. The Archives, defend, we must…"

Obi-Wan followed Yoda, and pulled his light-saber as he did. "Yes, master Yoda."

*

"Retreat to the Archives!" Mace Windu called above the fighting in the corridors outside the Auditorium, a room that was beyond scale, as it could hold every Jedi at once, with room to spare.

"Yes, sir!" came the response from near him, and the call to retreat was echoed to comrades down the rest of the corridors, too far away to hear. Tens of Jedi disengaged their Sith opponents and ran, some playing cover, others supporting the retreat with mental tricks and confusion.

Adi Gallia and her apprentice were two of these. The female Jedi Master blocked and parried Sith strikes, fighting desperately not only for her survival, but for the survival of the Jedi around her. Nevertheless, even she was fighting a loosing battle. For every Sith she struck down, two more leapt to take his place.

Then, something she never expected to happen occurred. Her apprentice stepped in front of her. The girl had little more than a few months of light-saber knowledge, and she took command of the battle. In fact, she was driving the Sith back.

Adi was seconds away from following her; after all, a master should be with her apprentice, but Mace grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back.

"No!" he shouted. "If she's got a death wish, there is nothing we can do about it right now! We have to get to the Archives before we get cut off!"

Adi nodded her head sharply, once. "Fine, but that does mean I have to like it!" she turned back to watch her apprentice cutting swathes in the Sith warriors. "Ta'ania! Take care! Come back alive!"

The only response she got was the dying scream of a Sith that had got too close to her apprentices light-saber blade…

*

Ta'ania, Adi's apprentice, was in a haze of battle lust. Almost unaware of her surroundings, striking at anything moving near her. Detachedly, part of her mind thanked Mace for getting Adi out of the fight. Someone needed to hold the Sith back, and no one Jedi would leave any other Jedi to do it. Unless someone did, and then paid the price, all the Jedi in the area would be slaughtered.

Red blade.

Spin.

Turn.

Parry.

Block.

STRIKE!

Three heads rolled as the blade whipped through what had been the Sith followers necks.

Red blade.

Dodge.

STRIKE!

Another head fell, and one Sith went down with a leg missing from an overextension of her blade.

That was a near fatal mistake. The recovery time allowed a Sith to swipe at her, cutting into her robe, and leaving a painful saber scar down her side. The next thing she knew, her saber was flying through the air with her hand still holding it.

One of the Sith had cut off her hand.

Ta'ania went down screaming, gripping the stump of her wrist. Too late, she recognised her failure… and then a voice spoke above the fight.

"HOLD!"

It was a… man? In dark robes, with a cowl over his head, completely hiding his features. "So, young Jedi… you know how to use your anger…"

He paused for a second. "Excellent. This will be most sweet for the end of the Jedi…"

"What?" she whispered, barely above a breath in volume.

He smiled down at her, as reptilian a smile as she had ever seen on a face. "The end of the Jedi. Tell me… do you wish to live, and see the fall of those who taught you, or die, like the dog you are?"

"I will not… betray those who showed me friendship…"

Saber's snapped back on, the loud hiss of dozens of blades suddenly sounded so loud in the enclosed space.

"Really? Pity." He sneered, and raised a hand. "Then die…"

Lightning arced, and Ta'ania curled in pain. The electricity tore through her body, making nerves overload and muscles strain to the point of breaking.

"Ready to die?" asked Sidious with disinterest.

"No…" the word was said quietly, as she struggled to her feet. "NO! NO!" launching herself at Sidious, Ta'ania clawed for him with her one remaining hand, totally careless of the light-saber's so close, and ready to defend their master.

At her assault, Sidious did nothing more than laugh. "Excellent! Bravo! You show spirit, girl! Ready to die for what you believe in. But… tell me… what is it that you believe in?"

Seeing her offence causing little more than amusement, Ta'ania stopped. Head bowed, she near goggled when Sidious asked, "Do you wish to serve me?"

Ta'ania remained silent.

Sidious took this as a sign to continue. "You have a dark core… much like that boy…"

He seemed lost for a second. "Serve… or die… those are your choices at this time."

A Sith stepped forward. "You cannot allow a Jedi…" he spat the word, "into our ranks so easily! She will betray us!"

Sidious looked coolly at the Sith apprentice that had spoken. "Girl… your willingness will be measured on how you kill this… fool… kill him, and you live. Fail… and… well, you will be dead already…"

Ta'ania stared at the Sith that had spoken. He was a short boy, but rather handsome. He had the sort of open face you would not expect a Dark sider to wear. Altogether, not a great loss for the Sith.

"Fine. Give me a blade." She sounded almost gleeful. In her mind warred two voices, the one her Master had told her to listen to, and the dark voice, the one that had caused so much trouble for people as she was growing.

The voice Adi counselled spoke. Do not do this! Once your heart starts on the dark path, forever will it dominate your will!

The Dark voice spoke eagerly. Do it! Only then will your true capabilities be reached! You know you are more powerful than the measly Jedi. Prove it to everyone!

Ta'ania swallowed, and winced as the saber was placed in her one remaining hand. The Sith boy spotted it, and pounced. "She is afraid! She cannot do it! Come on, little Jedi… prove your abilities!"

Ta'ania closed her eyes, and thumbed on the blade. Then her eyes opened, and the blade whipped forward, to impale the Sith. The apprentice's eyes widened as he felt the blade pierce his chest, before collapsing to the floor.

Ta'ania stared down at the body, and stepped toward Sidious, deliberately grinding her heel into the dead bodies face as she did so.

Sidious chuckled, and gripped her shoulder before turning away. "Excellent, Jedi you are, no longer… come with me, we have much to do…"

Sidious left, with his latest acquisition. His Sith apprentices could capture the Holocron for him.

For with a new Apprentice, Sidious had much to do…

And many lives to destroy…

*

Another character piece, really, for storylines in the future. There will be more Interludes after chapter nine is posted. Sorry this didn't have any Buffy people in it.