The Jedi King I: Rise of the Militia

by Blitzkrieger

When the specters are sent on an extraction, they find an old crusader and Ahsoka's SON? Ahkilleon, hidden from the eyes of the Empire for fear of what they'd do to him. He'll join the Ghost on it's adventures, learning how to become more than just a jedi. As forces in the shadows work against the Empire and the Rebellion for their own aims, with a interest in Ahkilleons destiny.

12. Relics of the Republic, The Wolf People

Chapter 12

The Wolf People

Relics of the Old Republic

LOTHAL

Mountains

The Last Laugh flew through the highland of Lothal, the tall pale rocky mountains were the same color as the rock formations in the lowlands, some were the same stalagmite formations that dotted the surface raised to mammoth heights others were showing signs of the rocks falling off in long ago slides. "Hmm now those are a lot of mountains." Gaser said in the copilot seat next to Naqia, the others were in their seats with Dray standing and Reik behind him.

"Are you sure these Okami are here?" Fang asked him.

Reik nodded "Yes, my mother would tell me stories of her life in these mountains, the springs that gave water, valleys filled with game, and the wolves."

"Loth wolves are extinct, so says public records?" Butch the super tatical battle droid said.

Reik shrugged, "My mom says she saw them with her own eyes, that the Okami rode them across the mountain ranges, she said they were connected to the world in some way."

"Hmm interesting, Naqia set us down when you find a good spot of flatland please." Dray asked the Captain, she nodded and descended down into one of the valleys, below snow peaked mountains. They flew over another cliff and saw an imperial mining facility, raising themselves up into the clouds to avoid detection.

"Looks like they're out here too, could be a possible target?" Gaser said, glancing down at it.

Jay glanced down "I don't think so look, there isn't anyone there."

Dipping down they flew over to see he was right the mine was completely abandoned, no workers, no stormtroopers not even defenses. "Strange, you'd think they'd tear these mountains up for any ore." Gaser suggested.

"They tried." Reik said.

"You said the Okami forced them out." Dray asked him.

The young lothalian shook his head. "Mountains did, the rocks here are incredibly unstable, these mountains are on an active tectonic plate, mining here sets of earthquakes, they tried to set up mines when the Empire arrived but they gave up." Reik explained.

"Too many workers died?" Wyre suggested.

"Too much equipment lost, no one knows how many died." Reik said.

Jay gave a scoff, "Well we can cross this place off as a Dragon's Lair."

"Would you stop that Cadet, next thing you know you're going to be going off about the Jedi King." Gaser said.

"The what?" Reik asked.

Fang snickered "A rumor shared among Militia from our Ikar."

"What's an Ikar?" Reik asked.

"The Ikar are a force group, like the Whills, Janissaries, the Dathomirian Witches." Fangs said, listing off a few, "You have jedi?" Reik asked.

Gaser snickered "No, and drop it greenhorn."

Naqia soon found a spot to land on and lowered the Last Laugh onto what looked like a sturdy valley of spine trees and rocks, "First set of trees I've seen here." Jay said as they landed between them. "Spine trees, the Empire cut down all the other forests, now the mountain ones are the only ones left.'

"I wish we could have seen it before the Empire came." Naqia said, landing them down, setting down landing gear and getting up.

Everyone looked to Commander Dray, "Gaser, Butch, you stay with the ship, the rest of us will scout the area as a group."

"Wouldn't it be easier for us to split up, cover more ground?" Fang asked him following Dray out into the cargo hold where the loading ramp was, as they did everyone was arming up their weapons, "If we're looking for someone who calls themselves the Wolf People, then you know wolves hunt in packs."

SEELOS

Back on the dusty barren world that the rebels had come to, the Republic Walker continued its long trudge across the bleak surface as everyone was looking over the damaged Phantom, their only means of escape. Everyone was either in a lookout position outside the tank or in it scanning the area. Sabine and Ahkilleon were working on the Phantom. Sabine was looking in an open panel "How's it look in there?" She asked.

Ahkilleon popped up covered in grease. "Well some of the wires melted, but we can fix those easily, the rest is as you said, pretty bad." Ahkilleon said to her.

Shaking her head she held up her comlink "The probe hit us pretty badly. Repairs are gonna take a little while longer."

Kanan heard her over his comlink as he stood with Ezra and the clones "We don't have much time there's no telling when the Empire will get here we've got to get off the surface." he reiterated looking over the probe droid.

Up above in the atmosphere, Hera was with Skell, the tall trandoshan was cleaning his hands with a rag "Well, the Empire's not our only problem, there's a storm coming up behind us. If the Empire gets here before we take off, the storm will be the least of our problems." she told him as she cut the transmission.

Rex came up to Kanan handing him another drive of data "Here they are, the coordinates of every Republic base, Separatist installation, pirate hideout and smuggler's den in the Outer Rim. Plus a few Mandalorian bases that even they've forgotten about." Rex told him Ezra took it.

"Thank you, Captain. Sure you won't come with us?" Ezra asked him, trying to convince him one more time.

"Yeah, you're not bad in a fight, I mean, for older gentlemen." Zeb said in agreement.

"Yeah. Like I said, our war's over, kid, don't much care to get mixed up in another. Oh, and say hello to Commander Tano for me." Rex said, patting him on the shoulder.

Ezra wasn't ready to give up on it. "But the Empire's on its way, and they will find you."

"Oh, we can take care of ourselves." Rex said, looking over at Wolffe, Bly and Gregor.

Kanan had left them behind and walked outside to talk on his comlink "Spectre-1 to Spectre-2. Gonna be down here a while longer to give me some good news?" Kanan asked her. "Has the Empire shown up yet?"

"We're a little busy finishing repairs on the Ghost, but Chopper's been scanning. So far, nothing." Hera said as Chopper let out a whoop of chatter and just then an Imperial Star Destroyer jumped out of hyperspace, sighing Hera shook her head "Just had to say that."

Turok put a panel back on the wall and sighed "The Force shits in breakfast once again."

"Star Destroyer just came out of hyperspace. Gonna power down so they can't scan me. Once I finish my repairs, I'll come get you. Good luck down there." Hera said as she cut all the power to the ship including Chopper "You too buddy."

As she shut down she looked back to see Turok was bundled up in a thick set of winter gear from head to toe, his face curved by a scarf and goggles, "What are…. Are you wearing it?" She asked him.

Turok muffled something out, "What?" She asked.

Pulling the scarf down "I'm a cold blooded lizard and you just turned off all the power, including the heat and if you've forgotten we're in damn space."

Hera gave a chuckle "hehe, sorry Turok."

LOTHAL

Mountains

The Militia had departed the valley and were making their way into the mountains, the higher they climbed the more snow and less trees they saw, tall grasses stuck out of the rocks and the ground shook suddenly, making them all stop. In the distance they heard rocks falling sounding like thunder. Looking up, Naqia saw an incoming boulder heading right for Reik. She tackled him out of the way and the rock blasted past them "Whoa…" Reik said as he got up, "Thanks."

"Be more careful kid." She said under her helmet and passed by him following Dray, Wyre, Dray and Fang came up behind him and snickered at his misfortune.

They climbed higher up into a more level area with boulders, grass and a few spine trees, "How can anyone live up here?" Jay asked.

Fang grunted "People say the same thing about Umbara, but we don't have falling rocks, we have killer plants."

"That's… disturbing." Reik said behind him, Fang turned "No, it's what happens to you after they eat you, that's disturbing."

Dray suddenly held his hand up to signal them to halt, "There here." Dray said.

The Militia all tensed up going for their weapons. Dray and Reik drew their pistols, Fang his blaster rifle with Jay, Naqia had her sword out and when out of the very stone itself appeared to move two dozen thick grass or stone colored cloaks masked warriors armed with bows already knocked and sling rifles aimed at the squad. The warriors' masks were shaped in the faces of beasts, the same beast in fact. It had pointed ears and snouts with markings all around them with darkened eye holes all in the shape of wolves. "The Okami." Reik said as they surrounded the intruders into the mountains.

"You weren't joking about them having a thing for wolves." Fang said, holding his rifle at the ready.

Suddenly one of the closer Okami warriors aimed their rifle at him, "Easy, we didn't come here to fight."

"Then why did you come here offworlder?" a voice ran out.

Approaching them from the rocks was one warrior who stood out, they were tall and their wolf mask with two horns, painted bright red. Their grass cloak was parted enough for them to see they wore leather boots with trousers tucked into them, a leather tunic or maybe armor. They drew a short straight single edged sword and pointed it at Dray, he held his hands up slowly and let his blaster pistol fall limp.

"No, we come with an offer," he said to the red wolf.

They held them up to his neck, "Others came with offers, you saw the mines, are you with the Empire."

"Do I look like a stormtrooper?" Dray asked the warrior holding his hands up higher.

The other warriors got closer with their bows and sling rifles, "You look like all the other outlanders I've-..." the red wolf turned to Reik and looked him over, approaching him Dray held his hands up to wave off any idea of stopping them, even with the blade at his neck. The red mask was inches from Reik and everyone heard the sound of sniffing.

"You have Okami blood?" They said to him, he gave a scared nod "I-I do, my mother, her name was Moro." Reik said to the leader.

"This is the name of our people, to which clan did she belong?" The leader asked.

Reik shook his head "She…" he stopped "She outcast, she had no clan."

"Hmm too few of us now to afford outcasts, did you bring this pup here for us not to kill you?" The leader asked for their sword still at Dray's neck, Naqia looked like she was ready to draw hers but he waved her off.

"He told us you don't like the Empire, and neither do we." Dray said to the leader who quickly pressed the blade more to cut skin, a small trickle of blood running down Dray's neck, "We don't like anyone, so say your offer or be on your way."

Dray dropped his arms and gestured to the land "I offer you this."

"And what is this?" the red wolf asked.

Dray looked around, "Lothal."

The red wolf's mask tilted, and they snickered "You, will offer us our own world, is this a joke?"

"No joke, Reik here tells me the Okami bow to no one, neither do we." he said gesturing to the Militia around him, "Tch, you think you're the first here and make a demand like that."

Dray shrugged, "Probably the first to come here with a ship full of the latest weapons and armor and wanting to use them." This got the leader's attention, "See the ones they're carrying, I have a ship full of them and I bring more than just blasters. How well do arrows and sling bullets do against Imperial armor."

"Are you part of this rebellion our traders have talked about, the ones who killed that Imperial Minister?" The red wolf asked him.

Dray spat on the ground, "No, we're… more evolved."

Later, the militia were led into the mountain village, the huts and houses were carved into the rock, with many other structures strewn together with dried grass and hemp. The villagers kept their distance, many of them dark haired, tan skinned some with a dark blue hue to their hair. Many of the older people had tattoos in the design of circles and straight lines crossing them over their arms and faces as much as could be seen. While the warriors wore the grass cloaks and masks, the average man and woman wore a short robe around his chest and waist with trousers tucked into leather boots or wrappings. Some older people wore longer robes; they all had patterns on them, some looked like shapes repeated over and over in dirt hues, others a burgundy red with stripes. Others had dark blue with white markings on their robes, as they approached a large straw covered house raised on some stones. It had painted walls with wolf totems on each end and standing in front of it were two more grass cloaked wolf hooded warriors with stone masks.

Gaser noticed the large stone buildings carved from the stalagmite like rocks, looking closer he saw piles of stone carved into different shapes and being interlocked with the others to make the structure. The dried grass from the straws to be added into roofs, "This isn't a village, this is a small city?" Gaser said.

"I thought you said they were a tribe, these people… are well more." Wyre said next to Reik, as he looked at a market, a blacksmith, large aqueducts running from the mountain and across the lower hills into fields.

"I mean, that's what they're called a tribe." Reik said to him, "A tribe, from the datafiles my people have, is usually more primitive, I see detailed architecture, commerce, metallurgy, farming techniques. How do they do all this without technology?" Wyre asked.

The red wolf at the front answered, "We have no need for it, the mountains provide."

As they came to the large house, the red wolf stopped turning to them "The droids stay outside." She said,

"My men are equals under my command, machine or flesh." Dray said to the Okami warrior.

"... very well." They said,

They were led into the large house and the red masked wolf reached up and removed their mask, a grass shroud was on the back like a hood and when they removed it, they saw the one who'd they'd been speaking to was a woman with tan skin like Reik, but dark black hair tied up in a knot on her head with two braids, she wore a leather band around her forehead and hand circle tattoos on her cheek and neck, interlocking. She was tall as Gaser and nearly as muscular, as their eyes adjusted the Militants saw they weren't alone.

The house was huge, and inside there was a long stone fire pit at the center with openings on each corner and the tip to let out the smoke, "This is fascinating." Wyre said as the junker looked at all the painting on the stone walls, an opening that let a small aqueduct bring in water through one end and carry out another, "Why?" Reik asked him.

"My people are scavengers, the galaxy drops their unwanted technology on us, we have adapted to use technology, without it my people would die." Wyre explained as he showed them taking off his metal hand and then reattaching it.

Among the many things in the dwelling were Okami people, like the ones outside they were robbed, tattooed and tanned. The woman with the red wolf mask turned to them as a stout man with a thick long once black but now graying beard approached them, he wore a gray wolf skin over his shoulders, "I am Braul, this is my wife San she tells me you have weapons to give us and an offer?" the man named Braul asked.

Dray stepped forward, "Do I have the honor of calling you Chief Braul?" Dray asked, wondering if the man he was speaking to was the leader.

"My wife and I are the elders of this community, I tend to our village and as you probably guessed, she deals with outside our people. We speak with outsiders like yourselves when you come into our mountains, please let us sit and have tea." Braul pointed over to a table where he and San sat down across from them. Dray sat along with Naqia, but the others stood behind them.

Reik glanced at the others "Why are they being so nice?" he asked.

"Laws of hospitality, we've given them no reason to harm us, so they must treat us as guests, if we betray them we die." Dray whispered to him as they sat down.

This caused Braul to raise a brow, "Your people do not share your table?"

"They do, but this is a different circumstance. I am Commander Dray, this is Captain Naqia Scintal, we represent an organization with a vested interest in the Outer Rims people and the removal, Core influence on our worlds, specifically the Empire." Dray explained, but before he could continue Braul raised a hand.

He cleared his throat, from the corner a young man with bluish black hair and a green robe with red markings came out, he set some tea down in front of them and began to serve it "I beg your pardon Commander, but this isn't the first time we've heard this."

"Yes, your lovely wife has told me as much, you've been courted by rebels before?" Dray asked.

Braul nodded softly, "Yes there were two, a man and a woman, he was human and she was green skinned, of the… San what are they called again."

"Twi'leks, she was a tail head." San said, then she looked at Naiqa and her obvious zygerrian features "And what are you some bastard bitch of of cat and a bat?" She asked.

Naqia looked at Dray, who didn't say anything "I'm zygerrian." she said not fond of the insult and comparison to animals.

San pointed to Fang, "And him, albino?"

Fang squinted and looked at Dray and Gaser, "A very pale human, with red eyes." Dray whispered.

"Umbaran." Fang grunted and San smiled at his glare as if she wanted a reason to draw her sword again, she pointed over at "And the droid in clothing?" she asked, looking at Wyre.

"He's not a droid, Wyre's people are cybernetic sentinets, Junkers." Jay said getting Sans attention,

She looked at Dray, "We are more than just humans, unlike the Empire we do not see individuality as a threat, but a strength."

"Yet you want us to join you?" San asked him.

Dray tensed, "These rebels you met, what did they offer?"

"Why, are you going to double it?" San asked, "San, please." Braul said, touching her large muscular arm.

"Let me guess." Dray said, taking off his beret and setting it on the table as he sipped his tea, "They offered you food and medicine, a handshake?" Dray asked them, San and Braul said nothing, Dray smirked seeing he was right "The rebels you spoke with are not aligned with our cause, they wish to see the Empire brought down as assume you do but it's what comes after that we want?"

San scoffed at him, "Why should we care about the Empire or the rest of the lowlanders and outlanders."

"Because soon they'll come for you and this settlement, you think not needing technology makes you better, tell me that when a Star Destroyer brings this whole place down around your heads." Naqia said to her.

"Is that a threat?" San asked, reaching for her sword.

"No, a warning." Dray said interjecting, "Chief Braul, Chief San, I'll speak plainly you're not the first group of people on a planet who honors the old ways, who thinks they can go unnoticed by the Empire or even dare to think they can fight them off. That kind courage, that kind of defiance is what terrifies them. It's why when the Empire does come they will crush you without mercy." Dray said.

"And by talking to you we'll quicken that?" Braul asked to switch to his wife's side.

Dray turned to him "It is possible, the rebel activities are forcing the Empire to adopt more draconian tactics, this isn't the first world they've occupied, I can tell you that in worlds across the galaxy they are arresting people without cause because they can." Dray said "In turn this is making the rebels appear either as savior or destroyer, some will run to the Empire, some will run to rebels, and the rebels want one thing."

"The end of the Empire as you said?" Braul asked, Dray nodded "And do you know what was before the Empire?" Dray asked.

Braul looked at San, "The Republic, so what."

"Exactly, the majority of the rebel cells across the galaxy are not as scattered as they seem, they are organized in a way that they cannot all be found. They are led, knowingly or not, by the same Senators and Politicians who were responsible for the Republic's corruption." Dray said as he looked between San and Braul, "If we stand by and let the Empire and Rebellion lead us into pyrrhic civil war, the wheel will just keep spinning."

San rolled her eyes "Enough of the metaphors, what the hell does wheel have to do with anything."

"Everything Chief San." Dray said slamming his fist on the table, "The galaxy is on a wheel spinning around and around, first it was Empress Teta, then it was the Jedi Lords, the Republic for a thousand years, and now the Empire has come, and it will just keep spinning unless we stop it."

San chuckled at the outburst "You and what army outlander."

Dray paused, he looked at Naqia who gave him a shake of the head "An army unlike anything the galaxy has seen, made of steel, fury and the monsters from the darkest regions of space no one has ever seen."

San looked at her husband and back at Dray, "And why pray tell, have not unleashed this great army of yours Commander?"

Pausing, Dray rubbed his hands and looked at the table, then over at the wolf carvings adorning the walls his eyes transfixed on one wolf tearing apart what looked like an invader "Because, when finally let a starving animal feed, are you going to get between it and it's food?"

SEELOS

Meanwhile, on Seelos after Hera shut down the Ghosts power system, the rebels on the ground were wondering what to do when the Empire would finally descend on them, "If they follow procedure, they'll fly search patterns based on our last confirmed position." Rex said to the rebels inside the tank's haul.

"Or they'll call." Ezra suggested, and like Hera before him the irony came from a ring on the tank's transmitter.

"Incoming Imperial transmission. It's for you, Wolffe." Gregor said at the transmitter station.

"They called back? They never call back." Wolffee whimpered and tried to mask it as a chuckle.

Kanan grunted in disapproval as Wolffe walked toward the station and everyone got out of the way so as not to be seen "This is why I don't trust clones." Across from Kanan Bly had his knife cut at a piece of dried joopa meat, tearing it off with his teeth. Kanan glared at him and Bly just stared back, not saying a word.

"Just get rid of 'em, Wolffe." Rex suggested.

Wolffe let out a heavy sigh and nodded "Yeah, it was my mistake. And I'll fix it."

He approached the coms station and answered the call to see Agent Kallus looking right at him "CC-3636. Commander Wolffe, is it?" Kallus asked, annoyed.

Snapping his fingers with a smile Wolffe said "Yep, that's me. What can I do for you, sir?"

"Please transmit your coordinates so I can investigate the Jedi sightings you reported." Kallus asked or more like told the old soldier.

Wolffee stiffened and shook himself "What? Uh, Je... Jedi? Uh, no, no. No, th... there's no Jedi. Here. My, my old, uh, cybernetic eye must be acting up again. Sorry for wasting your time." Wolffee said, pointing to the eye, tapping his head a few times.

"This image was taken by one of our probe droids. It clearly shows you harboring known rebels." Suddenly an image of the rebels on the tank taken by the probe appeared to Wolffee, and the jig was up "Now surrender them or be destroyed."

Rex, Gregor and even Bly suddenly stood up and walked toward the camera standing in front of him "If it's a fight you want, I hope you brought a better class of soldier than those stormtroopers." Rex said, pounding his fist into his other.

"They serve the Empire well, and I have a great many of them." Kallys said with a smile accepting the challenge "You're gonna need all of 'em." Rex said canceling the transmission."

Zeb chuckled a bit "I like these guys."

LOTHAL

Back inside the Okami mountain settlement, the Militia were outside the Chiefs longhouse, "Do you think they'll agree?" Fang asked his commanding officers, "Hard to say, we more or less threatened them into helping." Naqia said looking at Dray, "Did the high command say it was okay to reveal the army to them?"

"No, but I'll be sure to let them know, we need to show these people we actually have the forces to battle the empire… Fang, contact Gaser, have him find crate number 15, it's the big one. I want him to bring it here." Dray said to the umbaran who got up and nodded "Roger, Roger Commander."

"Wyre, Jay set up a radar station. We want to know if any imperial patrols are nearby." He ordered the two, "On it Commander." Cadet Jay said before it was just Naqia, Reik and him standing there.

Turning to Reik, Dray stared at him, "So, these are Lothals original people."

"I guess so, I mean Lothal was a backwater before the word backwater even existed." Reik said.

Naqia raised a brow. "You say that as if there's nothing here, but look I see a thriving culture that most humans have forgotten."

"What do you mean?" Reik asked him.

"Hmhmhm, Humans are the most sentient people in the galaxy, but we are all different in our own ways, no one knows how we got everywhere but we all have little things that make us different. The humans of Alderann think they are highly elegant, peaceful and sophisticated but centuries ago they were divided into warring houses battling for dominance. The Onderonians and Rendili once had a proud military history serving the old republic for generations, here in the Outer Rim the old kingdoms and great tribes of man were destroyed by Empress Teta and her legions in the unification wars. It's important to know where we come from Reik, to know where we may go." Dray said to him.

Reik gawked at the speech, "What about you, who were your people?

A wash of blank emotion ran over Dray's face, as he remembered something long ago, "My people… are gone, they were tricked into destroying themselves now they are too few of us left." Dray said looking over the Okami, "That's why you wanted us to come here Commander, you see a kinship?" Naqia asked.

"With the Militia, yes, your mother was an outcast, so are we Dray, a nation of outcasts."

Suddenly the doors to the Longhouse opened Braul and San walked out with some of their guards, "Chiefs." Dray asked bowing his head respectfully.

"We have considered what you said, but we need more convincing." San said and Dray smiled "I thought as much, I've sent one of my men to contact our ship to bring-" "No, our people have seen war before Commander and it isn't always strength of arms or numbers that win a battle, one must have the force."

Dray stared at San, and then at Braul walking out behind them was an old woman with a wolf skull on her forehead, a row of feathers from Owls on the back holding a spine wood stick with multiple bells and trinkets on it. Her face was so tattooed in the circles and interlocking rings she was practically a sketch pad of a face, "This is our village's Shawoman, she speaks for the force on Lothal."

Drya looked at the old woman with some worry, she was blind but was looking right at him, "In order to know your intentions are true, you must pass a test of our people."

"Very well I accept." Dray said.

"No." Braul said, pointing to Reik, "Him."

Reik went pale white, "What- why me?" He asked.

"You are Okami in blood, but not spirit. The Shawoman senses you are new to this pack, but if we join our packs, you must pass the test of the Braves." San as she walked through them and pointed to a tall peak in the distance of the mountains it had a jagged side to it with one large cliff sticking out and another pointed up like a wolf's side profile, "You must go to the top of the Wolf's Ear, there the force will decide your fate." San said.

"D-decide how?" Reik asked.

Dray was also curious to how this was going to work, "If the force deems this the true path for our people, you will receive the gift of a Loth Wolf."

"I thought you said Loth Wolves were extinct?" Dray asked San, she looked morbid at him "They have been for some time, but we adapted." San reached into her cloak and produced a long bone dagger, "Find a bone as long as this, bring it back if you do it shows that your intentions with the force are true, that you are Okami and the Pack always protects one another."

Reik looked at Dray and scratched his cheek, he leaned over to Dray "Can I uh… talk to you alone?"

Dray nodded, walking with Reik a good distance away "This is a bad idea, I'm not a Okami Brave or a soldier like you, I'm… I'm just a farmer." Reik told him.

"Greater men have started as less, trust your instincts, listen to your gut you'll be fine." Dray said, turning him around, "I'll be dead."

SEELOS

Back on Seelos, Sabine and Ahkilleon were still working on the Phantom. "Splicer?" Sabine asked him, "Splicer." Ahkilleon said, handing her the tool.

"Pliers?" Sabine asked.

"Pliers." Ahkilleon handed them to her as she kept working on the ship, "You know I can only imagine what a hundred of these tanks were like on a battlefield, did Mandolorians ever use tanks" Ahkilleon said, looking at the tank.

Sabine grunted, "We used war droids."

"As in basilisk war droids?" Ahkilleon asked.

Lifting up her helmet she looked back "You know about them?"

"I told you, mom and Turok made sure I knew my history, I read how during the first Mandalorian Crusade your people would raise them from space through the atmosphere and into combat." Ahkilleon said, Sabine smiled up at him as she put the pliers down.

She sighed, "Yep they were really something, but now they're all gone and the schematics on how to make them were lost."

"Really, how?" Ahkilleon asked.

"We're very sensitive on how we make our armor and our weapons, kind of like how jedi make lightsabers?" she said, Ahkilleon looked back at the sword "Or force imbued swords." Ahkilleon said, looking at the blade.

She nodded before she heard the sound of something roaring overhead, "I hear it too." Ahkilleon said knowing the sound of a TIE fighter, both he and Sabine ran into the tank's interior "They found us."

"Guess that search pattern paid off." Ezra said

"Battle stations." Rex ordered as the clones began to run around drawing out weapons and ammo. Suddenly the TIE came in on a run firing at the tank hitting its outer haul.

Kanan slammed his fist into the wall "We're sitting mynocks on this thing!"

"Think so? Wolffe, evasive maneuvers." Rex ordered , "Copy that."

Suddenly the tank shook again "Whoa! Hurry! He's coming around for another pass." Sabine said.

Kanan realizing he had to do something started to bark commands "Ezra, protect the Phantom"

"What about the walker?" Ezra asked.

"It can take a hit, I think." Kanan said as they ran out of the tank, Zeb had taken one of the old rotary blaster cannons. He was firing at the TIE in a barrage of blue laser fire. Behind him Ahkilleon was focusing on his stolen blaster pistol. "Try shortening your leads, you're wasting ammo." Rex said, climbing up next to him holding a rocket launcher.

Annoyed at the micromanaging Zeb knew he was right "You're welcome to help."

Gregor came out with a rocket launcher and laughed "Eh, why spoil the fun? We haven't been shot at in years."

"Yeah? Well, it happens to us every day." Sabine said using her two signature carbine pistols.

Ezra kept swatting away the green cannon fire from the TIE to keep it away from the phantom, the blasts so hard they knocked him around "Why doesn't someone man the big gun?" Ezra asked.

"I agree, big guns for big problems." Ahkilleon said.

Rex shook his head, "That's no good in this situation."

"Oh. Kinda like you guys." Kanan snapped at the clones, Ahkilleon glared at the man but Rex ignored the spite "You want the shot?" Rex asked Gregor.

"Love to." Gregor laughed, catching the rocket launcher. The rebels watched Gregor take it, kneel down and line up his sights before he squeezed the trigger. The rocket flew like it was going to miss the TIE, when it collided with the TIE taking it out. "Gregor, you've still got it." Rex said.

The old commando stood and beat his chest and proudly said "It's in my blood."

As everyone stood down Ezra walked up to Rex, "You know, we'd make a good team if we all fought together." he said trying to persuade Rex again.

"Yeah, tried that once. Didn't work out so well." Kanan said quickly behind them and walked over to where one of the wrenches had been knocked loose in the battle. He picked it up and put it in Ahkilleons hand "Now if that storm gets any closer, it'll ground us; Sabine, Ahkilleon we need the Phantom to fly."

Sabine holstered her blasters "We're on it." She said as Kanan turned back and everyone held their breath

WHAM-

The wrench had flown out of Ahkilleons hand and into the back of Kanan's head, "OW- what the-'' Kanan looked back to see Ahkilleon glaring at him, huffing with anger.

Kanan looked down at the wrench and rubbed his head "Did you just-" "They're trying to help us and all you've done since we got here is be a jerk to Rex, Gregor, Wolffe and Bly."

Seeing everyone looking at them, Kanan knew he had to be grown up even if he wasn't always acting like it, "I'm going to overlook that outburst because we need to get out of here, but when we get back to the Ghost, you and me." Kanan said pointing at him, Ahkilleon stepped forward and unsheathed his sword.

"Well I'm right here." Ahkilleon said, this made everyone get nervous, no one, no one had ever stepped up to Kanan like that before, least of all with a sword in his hand.

Glaring at him, Kanan was considering it before Rex got between them "Stand down everyone, this doesn't help anyone, Kanan is right we need to get you guys out of here, and get you back to your Mother kid." Rex said down to Ahkilleon. Neither of them looked like they were about to back down but When Ahkilleon noticed everyone staring at him he stormed off kicking part of the tank in frustration.

Meanwhile up above in space, Admiral Konstantine was next to Agent Kallus aboard the bridge of their star destroyer, "We have their location. Shall we commence orbital bombardment?"

"No. Prepare for ground assault." Kallus said as he picked up his gallic helmet and slipped it on.

LOTHAL

Okami Village

The Militia were gathered by the large gate with the other Okami warriors, San and Brual stood there with the Shawoman woman wearing the wolf skull and feathers, she was saying something in a tongue no one could recognize. Among the Militia Gaser had returned with a large crate near the gate, it was almost as big as a house and was on a hover cart. But that's not what everyone was looking at, instead they were looking at Reik. The young man was standing in front of the Shawoman who continued to speak in a strange tongue.

"So let me get this straight, we're banking all our hopes on the new guy, getting a bone, from the top of a mountain when we already know the mountains are unstable, the Empire is looking for us, and these people may be our only chance of building a proper militia?" Gaser asked his squad.

Fang leaned over "Pretty much."

"This is a terrible idea." Gaser muttered.

"Fifty credits he makes it." Fang said.

Gaser glanced at him, "I'll take that bet."

The Shawoman raised her hand and put them on Reiks shoulder before she slapped him twice, making Jay snicker and Naqia pluck his ear "Don't be rude."

The gates of the village opened and Reik looked back at the Militia, Dray nodded and he walked through the gate, it shut behind him and the darkness of the mountains were outlined across the darkening sky. Taking a deep breath he looked up at the Wolf's Ear, the outline of the strange mountain against the sky. Heading toward it Reik's eyes adjusted to the darkness of the shadows walking up the rocks and climbing he headed over large boulders and through mountain streams.

He hiked for hours but till the mountain didn't seem to get any closer, he tried going through an open gorge but he heard something from above. Looking up Reik saw the rocks falling again running out of the way more seemed to fall around him till he made it out of the gorge his way sealed behind him. "... what am I doing out here."

Taking a moment to breathe, Reik looked down at his mud covered boots and thought he heard something. It was laughter, Reik stood up and followed it, walking across the rocks he came around a ledge and saw someone standing with their back to them. They wore a green scarf around their head and a beige gown with a belt and boots. "... Sis?" Reik asked, reaching out.

But she ran away, "Sis, wait!"

Reik ran after them as she ducked and dipped behind rocks, each time he thought he caught up she was already ahead of him higher, then lower. He ran up what looked like a trail With her always out of reach "Please stop." Reik called out. But she just kept getting farther and farther away, till he stopped, he looked down to see a valley leading down, so far down he could see the grassy plains. Stopping suddenly Reik realized if he followed it he could go down, he could leave all of this war mongering behind. Looking up again he gasped and saw he was at the foot of Wolf Ear mountain, breathing hard from all the running he looked down at the valley and then up at the mountain.

Taking a deep breath, Reik decided he'd go up.

Back in the village, Dray was standing out in front of the large container Gaser had brought to the village, "How's the ship?"

"It's fine, Butch has it covered, literally he pulled out the tarp and has been covering it with dirt and grass." Gaser told him.

Nodding, Dray looked at the crate "Good, are all of them working?"

"Roger roger." Gaser reported.

A few moments later, San and Braul walked up with some of their guards "What is this?"

"A gift." Dray said, gesturing to it, "Commander!"

Both Wyre and Jay came running down the cobbled street "We've got incoming, a log of incoming."

SEELOS

Tensions were still high on the Republic walker while it traveled away from the storm, Sabine was working on the shuttle with Ahkilleon in silence, Kanan kept his eye on the storm while Zeb, Bly and Gregor watched the skies. Bly was holding a sniper rifle in his hands and sat away from Gregor and Zeb. "Hey cray, what's the deal with chatterbox over there?" Zeb asked Gregor.

"Oh Bly, well that's a touchy subject hehehe." Gregor said scratching his chin, "See we all had our chips removed, but Bly was uh… late." Gregor said.

Zeb turned his head slowly to Gregor then looked at Bly who had his back to him, "You mean he…?" "Yep, when Order 66 happened Bly didn't have a choice like the rest of him." Gregor said sadly.

"So the chip is still in here?" Zeb asked.

Gregor shook his head "No, the strangest thing is it broke right after it happened, from what Bly told us he was able to get her out of there. He tried to save her but Kamino trained us well… he's never forgiven himself for it or said a word since."

Meanwhile up at the front where the main controls were, Ezra was sitting watching the horizon as Rex came up "Uh, sorry. Um, I'm in your seat." Rex smiled and pointed to the controls "The traverse controls are over here on the left, and the elevation's on the right."

Ezra smiled seeing he wasn't upset and started to drive the tank under Rex's instruction's "Really? So, um, what was it like to fight in the Clone War?"

"I don't think the fighting ever got to Lothal. I tell ya, war was never dull. The general I fought with was among the greatest of the Jedi, he was Ahsoka's mentor and mine. I trusted him with my life more times than I can count." Rex said as he sighed, "And I tried my best to keep that trust." Rex said to him.

Back in the Phantom, Sabine was putting on another panel and looked over at Ahkilleon who was working beside her, "You alright?"

"I'm fine." he grunted.

"Really cause you threw a wrench at Kanan's head." "Yeah well that thick- Iron Bull- Head of a man deserved it." Ahkilleon hissed as he tightened a bolt till the wrench slipped.

Sabine turned to him "Listen, I don't agree with how Kanans been treating the clones, but he is technically our leader, you shouldn't have thrown that wrench at him."

"I was…. I was just so angry, Captain Rex has always been this larger than life figure you know, the way my mom tells it when it was her, my dad, and her Master fighting in the clone wars. Captain Rex was always there, he saw everything and he wasn't even a jedi." Ahkilleon said as he stopped working "I'll apologize when we're safe, it's fixed." He muttered.

Sabine stood up wiping his hands "All right with any luck, we can get outta here soon. Sabine said getting up, just as Kanan and Ezra walked into the ship "We can't just leave Rex, Wolffe, Bly and Gregor here.?" Ezra protested.

"Well, the Empire is here because of us, we'll deal with the consequences." Rex said reassuringly.

But in the distance the ground shook, everyone paused to wait to hear it "Wait. Listen. You hear that?"

"Enemy contact .24 degrees." Gregor shouted at the front of the ship, everyone ran to the front of the walker and Sabine bent down her antenna for her helmet to scan the distance where she saw two imperial AT-ATs heading right for them.

"How many legs did they have?" Rex asked, "Looks like four." Gregor spotted "Four? Well, how are they not falling over?" Wolffe asked them, Gregor chuckled hearing him "Will you look at the size of those things. Huh."

Rex took a pair of binoculars to look it over his mind, seeing all of the assets it had "Reinforced armor plating, heavy cannons and antipersonnel blasters. Mmm." He hummed as if impressed by the design.

"I'm glad you guys are so excited, but those giant death machines are on their way to blow us to bits!" Kanan said frantically. .

Ahkilleon did his best to hold his tongue, Rex casually looked at Wolffe "Wolffe, set vector two-niner-zero."

"Wait, you're just gonna turn and run? Just like that?" Kanan asked Rex.

"Well, if you've got a better idea, sir, now's the time?" Rex asked him back with so much sarcasm.

Gritting his teeth, Kanan hissed up at him "I thought you clones loved to fight."

"Rex started to climb up into the gunner seat. "I do love a battle, but on my term, Gregor, drop the joopa. We gotta get moving."

Letting out a mortified moan Gregor whined "Oh Bye-bye, Big Bongo." Walking over to the net he hit the release button and the dead beast came loose, Rex signaled down to the driver "Wolffe, turn 180."

"Copy that."

Not far from them Agent Kallus was in the lead Imperial Walker, he watched the smaller more maneuverable walker turn around and start to head for the storm "They're turning tail, but they can't outrun us. Fire at will."

"Yes, sir." The tank's pilot replied.

As they fled, Sabine said "Kanan. I'm not sure how far we'll get, but I think she'll fly."

"Good enough for me. Zeb, we're going now." Kanan told the lasat.

Ahkilleon looked back at the walkers who were closing in fast. "We can't just leave them."

"Too late the walkers are already on top of us." Rex told them.

"He's right, Kanan, they'll shoot us down." Sabine added.

Kanan didn't want to stay, he kept looking for an option to get them out of here in one piece "How will going into that storm be any better?"

Sabine looked at the storm. "Well, the storm will scramble the scanners."

Gregor scratched his chin "We'll all be blind… but a Jedi won't." he said.

"All right, everybody inside." Kanan said and Rex smiled "Sir, yes, sir." He added before everyone fled inside as the storm began to overtake the walkers.

Up in the Imperial walkers, started to slow down as the storm got closer to them "Sir, we're losing them in the storm." the driver said.

"No, you are losing them by slowing down. Full speed ahead." Kallus ordered them not to risk losing the rebels again.

LOTHAL

Okami Village

Jay and Wyre were sitting together near an opening in the valley, they had set up a field radar, a small box that opened up with a radar and satellite attached to it. "When am I going to be able to see action?" he asked Wyre. The junker was looking at the Radar while Jay looked over at some Okami warriors sharpening swords, arrows, one even had a war club, it was a long thick piece of wood with a rounded stone head in the top, he was wrapping up the long neck and handle with wire to keep a better grip.

"What do you mean?" Wyre asked under his mask.

Jay groaned and kicked some dirt, "You know what I mean, you all get to go on adventures and I get stuck with either lookout or guarding the ship."

"You got to come with us on the scouting today, before that you were entrusted to search the officers quarters and work with the Commander in getting by the Imperial blockade, that seems like action?" Wyre said, listing off plenty of examples of Jay getting to do stuff.

Sitting next to him Jay looked at Wyre with his big brown eyes, his nose like a hawk staring at a pigeon "Yeah but we didn't fight at all, I want to fight Wyre."

"Last I checked, the Militia only allows people of at least seventeen years of age to enlist in combat rolls and you are…?" Wyre asked, turning his metal head around and glaring at Jay who grumbled "... thirteen." "Exactly, besides you've been given more opportunity then most cadets."

"Yeah because of my father-" "No." Wyre said to him, this got Jay's attention, "It is fact your father is the General, but you earned this post and Captain Naqia asked for you out of a roster of thirty of the top cadets, and there's a reason that Commander Dray has ordered you to be his assistant himself." Wyre said as he pulled out a small drive from his coat.

Jay glanced at it, "What's that?"

"The imperial codes for all flight systems, so they can monitor their TIE's and ships that we found in the officers quarters at the barracks." Wyre said, "Take a moment and step back and think, you're the future of the Militia. While you're with us you will see everything, be part of everything. Yes you are doing grunt work for now, but the Captain and the Commander are grooming you for command." When Jay heard that his eyes went wide and he blinked a few times.

"I just… ever since I could remember I wanted to be a soldier." Jay said.

"Officers are soldiers, so are Generals, and the best ones lead by example, so watch, learn, and help me configure this satellite." Wyre told him.

Back down at the gate Gaser was holding a holopad looking over the large crate he'd brought with him, Dray approached him from behind Gaser didn't need to turn around "How many units?" Dray asked, walking around the crate looking at it.

"Four squads, all armed with standard issue equipment sir." Gaser said.

Dray paused looking at the container, Gaser waited for a command but none came "Shall I open it sir?" Gaser asked.

"How do you feel about using these, Corporal?" he finally asked.

Gaser realized this was his time to speak his mind and he thought long and hard about the answer, "I won't lie sir, the Galaxy suffered a lot because of their kind, my father and his men were hesitant to use them only until the end. Didn't change anything, but I do think that if some good can come from their kind we should use them."

"I hope your right Corporal, for now have them on stand by, we don't want to scare the locals." Dray ordered patting Gaser on his large soldier.

Gaser gave a firm nod looking down at his datapad, "Roger, Roger."

Leaving Gaser behind, Dray headed up the stone road to the large house, he stopped halfway when he saw a thin column of smoke leading from a tall narrow hut, almost like a tower in the back corner of the village at the head of the aquaduct. Dray walked to it, passing through the stone houses, a market, he even passed by a blacksmith under one of the aqueducts. The blades they had were all straight single edged. The blacksmith was a tall burly man with a thick blue beard wearing an apron he glared at Dray so the commander kept walking. Following the aqueduct higher into the village he came into a large open area with dye pools that had the aqueduct feeding water into them, men and women, a few children to were dying robes and other clothes in various dyes of azure, and crimson. Once again when he appeared everyone stopped to stare at the outsider, examining them closer he saw the men and women had tattoos, the children had none that could be seen in their robes and gowns. Dray saw then one of the Okami warriors with their stone wolf mask hand on his sword, not wanting to cause offense Dray bowed slightly and went on his way. Soon as he followed the main aqueduct up to the top of steps to the small tower. When he was in front of it he noticed it was covered in paintings of Okami spheres, wolves, and bones hanging from the doorway covered by pelts.

Dray could feel the force resonating in it, making sure his lightsaber was covered he entered to see the hut was just what he thought, the Shawomans place. It had a stone floor covered by a large knit carpet, bowls lined a shelf to his right, on the left a large pot with different containers holding herbs, spices, and all manner of mixers for whatever she used. Sitting in the center at a fire pit was the heavily tattooed skull crowned wise woman. "I had a feeling you'd come here." the Shawoman said with perfect galactic basics.

"So you do speak Galactic basics." Dray said, removing his beret out of respect.

She was working on something on the floor, the flames hid it then she held it up to reveal it was a long pipe with some dried herbs in it, smoking it she let out a long sigh of smoke out of her tattooed mouth "Among other things, Jedi."

Dray's eyes went wide but he kept his face as stone, "I am no jedi."

"Oh so the lightsaber in your coat is for show, did you kill a jedi and take it, maybe you bought it off the blackmarket before the Empire could get to it?" She asked as she sucked on the pipe and blew it out her nose.

Cautious, Dray looked at the floor "May I sit?"

"You came in without knocking, go ahead." she said, he sat and looked across from her, she held her hand out expecting something.

Dray felt her eyes on him and reluctantly he reached into his cloak and pulled out the lightsaber for her to take in her hand, "Hmm heard your name was Dray, you know that's a type of goat on Aldhani, and the name of a line of Jedi in the days of the Old Republic, of course they shortened it from Draay, to just Dray."

"Is that so?" Dray said.

"Oh come off it, I know you're a jedi, I smelled it the second you came into the village." the Shawoman said, tossing the lightsaber back to him.

Holding his tongue for a moment, "... not anymore, like you."

She smiled with yellow teeth and gave a cackling snicker, "Reik, the young man you sent into the mountains, told me a jedi came here long ago, I didn't expect to meet them Master."

"I'm no Master, I was a Knight when I came here." She said as she held her hand up and a few logs from the corner rose and jumped into the fire on their own. Relaxed, Dray listened to her tale, many Jedi used to come to Lothal in the old Republic. "I was sent here by the Council to meet with the Okami in search of something lost, of a jedi nature. The Okami were tight lipped, the Republic has pretty much forgotten about Lothal. And the Okami were happy to be left out of Galactic politics and so I reported back to the Temple, gave my lightsaber to Master Yoda and bought a one way ticket to this paradise. It was so remote, so quiet it was wonderful before the Empire came." she sighed thinking of better days.

"Then you know they must be stopped." Dray said.

"Who, by you if the Jedi and the Republic failed what hope do you have?" She asked.

Dray locked eyes with her, they were old and the color purple, a rarity among humans, "When was the last time you left this planet?" he asked.

She thought, "Three decades ago."

"Then you must know much has changed, the jedi's pride led them to become Generals in a pointless war, sending thousands of Knights and padawans to their deaths before the Greatest of our Order dared to defy the Council, to demand they stop the senseless death of Jedi, of everyone." Dray said he waited to hear her object to the idea but she was quiet, "A schism happened in the middle of a war no less, I and maybe less than a hundred jedi fled to his protection." "That sounds like a Sith Lord rising."

"He wasn't the sith lord, the Emperor was- or is." Dray was on his feet now and the old woman just sat there, "He-... he failed to stop the Empire and we have been preparing ever since to not defeat the Empire, but to avenge him."

She smoked her pipe, "Vengeance is not the way of the jedi?" she asked.

"But Justice is the way of the Ikar." Dray said, looking her dead in the eye. She smoked her pipe, sucked it deep and then blew it out "And what the hell is an Ikar?" Before he could answer that the tarp of the door blew up and San burst in she shot Dray a glare when she noticed him.

"What are… nevermind, Shawoman, the Empire has come looking for our guests." she said.

Within minutes Dray and San were at the front gate with the doors opened, the Okami were on the walls, and Dray climbed up to the top with San to see down in front of the gate was Captain Messla standing down below in his Imperial army uniform, behind him three full squad of Stormtroopers behind him. When he saw Dray, his eyes flared and then he looked at San and Braul who were already waiting on the battlements. "In the name of his Imperial Majesty, open these gates you are harboring enemies of the Empire." Messla commanded them.

The Okami looked to San and Braul who were looking down at Messla, "What are their crimes?" Braul asked.

"High treason against the Empire, turn them over to us now and your village will be spared." Messla told them

San's brow cocked hearing that, "Spared?" She asked.

Messla stepped forward, the Okami Braves with guns and arrows aimed at him but he didn't flinch, "The man beside you has no honor, he and another, Reik, broke into my home and threatened my family, my spouse, my child, do not trust them."

"And we should trust you?" San asked, as Braul gave Dray a sideways gare.

Messla looked at the numbers on the gate, twice his own number with many more behind it, "I give you my word as an Officer in service to the Galatic Empire, hand over these terrorists and I we will leave your mountains, peacefully." he said, Dray could sense San was considering it, so was Braul more so than his wife. He looked down at the soldiers next to Messla, they were stormtroopers sure enough hands on their blasters one of them with their finger teasing the trigger, there it was, Dray felt his fear. He could also feel that Braul was mulling it over scratching his black beard before he had made his choice.

Braul stepped forward and started to raise his hand to signal something "open the-"

BLAM

Everyone snapped their heads to Braul as a smoldering laser seared right through his head with trained accuracy before he fell backwards off the gate and down onto the stone paved road with a crack and splat. The Okami froze, Messla looked horrified as he turned to one of his men with a smoking blaster "He was signaling them to-" "ATTACK!" San screamed jumping off the wall, sword in hand heading right for Messla who grabbed and jumped back just in time to avoid her short sword from skewering him.

"Blast Em." One of the stormtroopers said shooting at her, but San dodged the attacks and slid behind a nearby boulder before Messla was on his feet, arrows and bullets flying into his men, "Fall back, fall back." Messla shouted, the stormtroopers kept firing, two of them getting riddled with arrows before a third was shot in the back and stumbled before falling down dead.

The gates opened and the Okami ran out in force, San saw the gates open and saw Braul lying dead on the ground before she got up and walked through the crowd of her warriors. She fell to her knees in front of Brauls body, his neck cracked from the fall and probably more bones broken. Taking her grass cloak she draped it across his body and picked it up cradling it close. Dray stood atop the battlements looking down somberly forever wondering if he did the right thing.

SEELOS

Obrig

Over the desert planet, Hera was sitting next to Turok, smoking his pipe to keep warm under the bundle of winter apparel, "You seem unusually calm." Hera said to him, Turok huffed out smoke.

"They're in good hands, the clones down there were some of the Republic's best." Turok said casually.

Hera tapped her fingers, "So you knew them, from the clone wars?"

"Not well, but I knew Captain Rex after, when he and two clones named Fives and Bly helped the Crusade, before it ended." Turok told her.

"Before Rhen Var you mean." Hera said looking at Turoks winter coat, there were a few burn marks on it, a scratch here, a hole there, signs the jacket had seen combat, "What happened on Rhen Var Turok?" The trandoshan sucked in the embers of the pipe, "The end, and I'd rather not talk about it." Turok said.

"Okay, but that's it I can't wait any longer." Hera said getting up to start to turn on Chopper, who woke up in an angry chattering with his metal limbs swinging at her.

Suddenly a thick black shadow was cast over them of the Star Destroyer "Quiet. Quiet. They're right above us. They must have finished their initial scan, but I don't want to take any chances." Hera said as Turok got up looking at the destroyer.

"Keep your power on low, and help me put this panel back together." Hera told Chopper who let out a series of complaining beeps and burps "Really? You won't be working much slower than you normally do?" Hera asked him as the droid kept chattering irritated.

Down on the surface, the rebels weren't doing much better trapped in the sand storm with three walkers chasing them, the rebels were packed into the tank with the four clones who were all very calm "We're not gonna be able to hide in this storm forever." Ezra said from his seat.

"Those things are practically impervious to blasters, but they have one weak point in their armor, the neck." Sabine stated to them.

"One well-placed shot from the main gun should destroy it. That's all we might get, one shot." Rex said.

Outside the tank and in their own walkers, Kallus and his stormtroopers were still searching for them, "Scopes are dead, sir." Kallus' driver told them.

He smiled at the rebels' tenacity "They think because we're blind, they have a chance now we prove them wrong. All units, 30 degrees left, flanking turn." As he gave the command the tanks all started to turn left and closed in.

Inside the walker, not everyone was so hopeful, Zeb was trying to look through the scopes but he couldn't see anything from the thick sand and dirt blasting the sensors "I don't know how we're supposed to shoot something we can't see. I don't even know where the enemy is." Zeb said, pushing the scope up.

"You don't always have to see something to know where it is. If you're willing to trust me, I can get us that shot." Kanan said to the clones, Rex didn't even have to second guess him.

He shot the former jedi with a smirk "I always trust my general."

Walking past them Kanan headed over to Wolffe's chair "Prepare to stop. Now!" The walker came to a slugging halt with loud thudding echoing all around the tank as the old metal lurched into a stop.

In the Imperial Walker, Kallus looked out the dust covered window "We should have found them by now. Pincer maneuver." He ordered.

"Commander Wolffe, circle left, double time. Full stop!" Kanan told Wolffe and the walker moved around the large tank like a mouse among blind cats.

Kanan held his hand up and focused on the force, "If what I'm sensing is right, we're surrounded."

"What?" Ezra gasped.

"I know they're here, what's your next move, clone?" Kallus said.

Kanan looked back and Rex looked out the window "You put us right in the middle of 'em to get us a shot. It's crazy, but it's probably our best chance." Rex said "Once we fire, we'll reveal our location."

"If we miss, it's all over." Sabine said, Gregor came forward then "I'll take the shot."

"No, Ezra should take the shot." Kanan said, Ezra looked like someone just tugged his hair out from off his scalp and slapped it back on.

Looking nervous he said "Uh, why don't you do it? "

"Kanan's right. We need one Jedi up there manning the cannon... And another Jedi down here to lead us out of this mess." Rex said, looking at them.

Ahkilleon smirked, "And an extra one for moral support, you got this Ezra." Ahkilleon patted him on the back, he reached into his collar and Ahkilleon took out his Nexu fang, "I believe in you brother."

Ezra nodded, giving his consent to the plan "Sabine, spot him." Kanan ordered, then Rex grabbed something "Hey, kid." he tossed Ezra his clone helmet, "You might need that and hang on tight." Rex said as they headed outside, Ahkilellon watched them go before he muttered to himself about needing a cool helmet.

"What about me Captain, what can I do?" He asked.

Rex looked down at the boy, "Assist with the General." "Stop calling me that." Kanan hissed "Sorry force of habit, Commander." he said snidely.

"You're making jokes in the face of death, what is that clone humor?" Kanan asked.

Kanan held his hand up and started to try and contact Ezra who was out in the storm with Sabine, "Ezra, there's a walker somewhere around .5."

Ezra's voice came over the built in radio to the tank and the helmet "Somewhere around .5? Terrific- Targeting scope's useless."

As he was outside sitting in the gunner chair, Sabine was next to him holding onto the chair using her helmet's scope to get a better read of the area "I can't see it." Ezra prootestd "It doesn't matter, you're not going to see it with your eyes."

"The walker is there, trust yourself." Kanan told him, Ezra squeezed the guns controls tight finger on the trigger, feeling out with the force as everyone waited, the howling wind beat against their helmets and Ezra squeezed the trigger, a blue cannon blast ripped out of the gun and hit one of the walkers right in the neck in a flaming explsion that brought the behemoth down.

"Got 'em. Wolffe, there's your opening. Go for it!" Rex ordered the driver, the commander hit the gas and the tank took off scuttling away like a crab "Focus fire on the energy burst." Kallus ordered and the imperial guns let loose but the clones and rebels were already away.

Up in the Ghost, Turok and Hera continued to work on repairs when Chopper chatted with them about the star destroyer. Looking up from the cockpit they saw it was moving away from the planet "Hang on, hang on. Something's happening." Hera said to them They watched the imperial star destroyer jump to hyperspace. "This is either really good or really bad." she said to Turok and chopper.

"You would think "bad." Have you finished the last of the repairs?" she said, Turok didn't say anything, he was thinking about something looking down at the dust storm wondering about Ahkilleon and the others.

She looked back, "Turok?"

"If it's bad bad, what would you say if I could… Call some friends?" Turok asked her.

She looked puzzled. "You mean contact another cell?" She asked.

Not looking her in the eye "... no."

"Who then?" She asked.

LOTHAL

Wolf Ear Mountain

In the world of Ezra's birth, Reik was almost out of breath climbing to the top of the mountain, night had fallen and he was having to lean on the cliffside path just to stay upright. The cold mountain air sent a chill down his spine and he shivered before he came to open ground "... whoa." he gasped as he was looking from what felt like he was on top of Lothal. The mountains, the grasslands, even the coasts of some of the small seas that dotted the planet looking up Reik could see more stars than he'd ever had in his entire life.

He took a step forward and something snapped beneath his feet, looking down he saw piles of old bones everywhere, he looked around to see that none were human, most were canine in nature and very big. He saw loth wolf skulls not far and approached one, he bent down and found a long tooth still attached to the upper skull reaching for it he yanked it free. He'd done, he'd found the wolf's gift he thought until he heard a feral growling behind him. Reik turned slowly and out of the shadows approached the largest animal he'd ever seen, it was as big as a speeder if not bigger on four legs covered in gray fur with pointed ears and green eyes looking right at him, with fangs like the one in his hand.

Back at the village, San was laying Braul to rest having wrapped his body up in linens she and a dozen other Okami were gathered around a large funeral pyre that had been set up with dried wood and grass, she stood over his body and leaned down to kiss the wrapped up forehead before she stepped back taking a torch. The Militia stood next to the Shawoman in silent respect before they lit the flames of the pyre. The Shawoman sighed sadly, "Braul was a kind man, he will be missed." She said,

"I wish it hadn't come to this." Dray said to her as San stood away from them, mourning her husband.

"Do you know?" The Shawoman said before they saw San approach them, when she stopped in front of Dray he bowed his head "My heart aches for your loss Chief San." he said before San drew her sword and held it right at Dray's neck again. The Militia reached for their weapons but Dray stopped them.

San's eyes looked wrong, unhinged. "They came here because of you, give me one reason I shouldn't take your head to that man, and make sure Braul was the only one who died here." Dray glared back at her nostrils and flared "I'm getting very tired of being threatened by you."

"Thirty seconds." San said, pressing her blad a bit closer.

"... Do it then, kill us, hand us over to the Empire and then two weeks from now they'll be back for you and the rest of your people, or we can kill Messla and his men before they have a chance to tell anyone about you." He told San, she looked at him then at her people who were now looking to her for their survival and future which was now uncertain. Lowering her sword San raised it to her people and drew it across her hand squeezing out the blood she dragged the blood across her face on her cheeks and down. The other warriors took out knives and short swords cutting their hands to draw markings on their faces.

The shawoman shook her head "A blood feud, great…" She moaned, as San raised her sword for her warriors to roar with her in a war party.

SEELOS

In their flight away from the Empire, the Republic walker finally made it out of the storm and into open sky, Ezra and Sabine came in as conquering heroes before Ahkilleon practically jumped on top of Ezra "AAAHHH YES- YES YES THAT'S HOW IT'S DONE EZRA!" Ahkilleon jumped on him over and over till Ezra hit the floor laughing, Sabine rolling her eyes at the boys rough housing inside a tank.

"Great shot, kid now get yourself moving." Rex said helping both boys up "This is your only chance."

"What? We can't leave now." Ezra asked even if Ahkilleon looked stunned.

"We have to get the information they gave us back to the rebellion." Kanan reminded them. Ahkilleon locked eyes with Kanan. It looked like their argument earlier was about to resume but Ezra spoke first, "The other part of that mission is to bring Rex back with us."

"We can't just abandon them."

"You're not abandoning anyone, we're covering your escape." Rex said walking up to Ezra and snatching his helmet back, he headed up to the main gun "Now, move we're soldiers, Ezra, this is what we were born to do." Rex said adamantly, everyone looked at one another. Kanan was stone serious in his resolve to get his crew out of there, Ezra looked heartbroken, Zeb seemed to understand and walked out first. Sabine remorsefully put her helmet on following the big lasat. Kanan headed to the door where only Ahkilleon remained.

Kanan sighed through his nose, Ahkilleon walked over to one of the tables with a rocket launcher on it "Let's get moving Ahkilleon."

"You go, I'm staying." he said staunchly, "This isn't up for debate." "It isn't." Ahkilleon said as he started to load up a rocket into the launcher, and then he checked the rifle sights on one of the clone DC's. None of the clones made a move against Ahkilleon but Kanan groaning walked up grabbing him on the shoulder "I'm serious we need to go-", Ahkilleon tore away.

Pulling away Ahkilleon held the blaster rifle close to his chest "NO- I'm tired of running!" he snapped loudly, locking eyes with Kanan "We ran away on Skyros, Garel, The wheel, even on Lothal… I… I can't do it again." The boy said looking up to him "I can't explain it, but every time I've run I've felt nothing but shame and guilt. Somebody's gonna have to make a stand. We have to be brave enough.." Ahkilleon looked over at Rex and his brothers.

"Noble sentiment kid, but your mother-" "Told me the story of how the Jedi would never abandon their men, even when the clones said they were disposable, not to them." the words cut deep into the clones, Wolffe especially, even Bly seemed like he wanted to say something.

The tank's alarms started to sound, "That storm's clearing, if you're going to go now." Gregor said Kanan looked at Ahkilleon then turned his back without another word leaving him with the clones.

Kanan headed to the Phantom and got in, getting in the pilot chair he started to take off "What about Ahkilleon where is he?" Ezra asked him, "He stayed behind." Kanan said.

"What?" Sabine asked as they took off, Zeb groaned "Oh karabast Commander Tano is going to kill us." He muttered.

LOTHAL

Old Mining facility,

Messla had built a small forward camp at the foot of the mountains, where the mining facility was being manned by his men no less than a hundred stormtroopers were in the area, a perimeter guard around the entrance to the mountains and the mines. Messla looked down at two stormtroopers dead at his feet with arrows sticking out of their bodies; they were the only ones to make it back with him before dying of their wounds. Hand on his helmet Messla stared at them as one of the stormtroopers approached them, wielding an orange shoulder pauldron of a sergeant "Captain, we've secured the perimeter, no signs of movement." he said.

"Good sergeant, did you know these two?" He asked.

The sarge looked down at them, "Gerbil on the left, Ivic on the right, they were from Coruscant couldn't wait to get out here sir."

"Did they have families, someone we should notify?" Messla asked him.

The sarge thought, "Gerbil had a boyfriend but he dumped him after he signed up, Ivic had a mom he couldn't wait to see again… when are we going back sir?"

"Soon Sargent, very soon." Messla said as two men came to zip up the bodies.

"Good, the men want payback, filthy savages." the Sargent muttered.

Messla turned to him "They'll get it."

The two of them walked away "I heard what happened to you Captain, for what it's worth I'm sorry your family had to go through that."

"You have a family Sargent?" Captain Messla asked him, the Sarge reached into his belt pocket pulling out a holo photo of three boys obviously brothers "Three boys on Vardos, all of them keep insisting they want to be stormtroopers like they're old man, trying to tell them to do something different with their lives." the sarge said before he put it back.

Messla glanced at him "You don't think service is honorable."

"Honorable yes, but it was different time Captain you know that, the galaxy was in chaos, and here were are on the edge of the galaxy trying to keep the peace at least we can-" Messla heard a whistling sound and turned his head before he saw an arrow go right past cutting his cheek and into the eye of the sargent behind him and out the other end before he fell down into the dirt "NIGHT RAID!" Messla shouted on instinct. He was answered by the thunderous roar of an Okami war party unleashed. Sparks of sling rifles lit up the camp and stormtroopers rushed out of tents and old mining buildings, some without their helmets, some without their armor. Arrows rained out of the darkness forcing men to take cover.

Messla picked up the Sargents blaster rifle and saw the picture of the boys who would never see their father again, Messla ran to the nearest spot of cover and reached up to his comlink "Outpost 2482 this is Captain Messla my forward camp is under, send reinforcements I need air support." Messla gasped when he heard only the static "They're jamming us."

"We're jamming them." Wyre said from behind the cover of a large boulder with Jay. He was looking at Dray, Naqia, Gaser and Butch beside them San with her blood red covered face and her warriors all holding their short swords, war clubs and knives. "Fang, how are we looking up there?" Dray asked.

Fang was perched up high on a rock sniping at the Imperial troops with his own blaster rifle, "Land speeders, on the west side no one's going for it yet."

"Let's make sure they don't, Corporal Stratos if you'd please." Dray said.

Gaser slung around a rocket launcher and aimed it at the ground transports the rocket went flying taking out one and making the ones next to it explode, the fiery ball of metal flew into the air and the stormtroopers saw their only means of escape destroyed. Messla watched it go up in flames but his men were now pouring out of every building and tent in armor. "Whoa, Commander, that's a lot of imps." Fang said down to them Dray looked out to see the volley of red blaster fire was growing.

"What, they brought a full battalion here?" Jay asked.

Dray looked over at San, "Like I said they weren't going anywhere if they took us."

"And now they won't go anywhere after tonight." San said, Dray held his hand out "Gaser, send them in."

San and her men watched Gaser held up the datapad and press a button, behind them various shapes rushed down the mountain side, a volley of green blaster fire shot out from them into the stormtroopers with pinpoint accuracy before they leapt over the old mining buildings and into the thick of the stormtroopers when Messla saw them he couldn't believe his eyes. They were tall and made of iron, heading right for the imperials. With rounded heads with two eye sensors with blue optics. Their armor was thick but not bulky and had a humanoid frame. Each was armed with a blaster rifle, a knife at their right thigh, a canister at their left, strapped on their chest was a harness thermal detonators, smoke bombs and more ready to be used. "BATTLE DROIDS!" Messla shouted at his men before the battle droids flung out a series of cannisters sending clouds of smoke. Messla couldn't see anything but hear his men scream as the battle droids swarmed them, only numbering about two dozen; the infrared scanning in their heads and speed gave them the edge they needed as the stormtroopers were helpless in it for the moment.

"Smoke, smoke clear the field!" Messla shouted as the droids continued to cause chaos in the ranks.

San rose up, "Come we have to get in this fight." She said,

"Not yet, let the droids do their work, they're expendable." Dray said as the battle droids continued to cut and shoot through the smoke, their scanners made them hunt down the imperials like they were sport. But when the smoke cleared and the imperials got a clear shot they opened fire. The battle droids moved and dodged the fire for a time but the overwhelming barrage knocked them all down. "Now, Chief San, now!"

San drew her sword and let out a fierce war cry, out from the mountain trails and rocks the Okami surged forth, Dray looked back at his men drawing his pistol "Cadet Jay away from the hard fighting assist with the wounded, Wyre with us." he said loudly before, Gaser, Butch, Wyre and Captain Naqia ran down with him. By the time Messla and his men had recovered from the droids they saw the attackers pouring into the mining facility.

"Defensive positions form a firing line; they won't risk shooting their own up top anymore and focus your fire on the charge." He yelled getting behind cover, the troopers training kicked in and they all got behind old buildings, turned over wreckage or behind barricades "Fire." Messla shouted red lasers tore through the front lines of the okami but still more came pouring toward them.

Dray and his men moved into the abandoned buildings, if there was an imperial they shot them, Naqia took one out with her sword, "To the roof, the roof Gaser covers Sans people." He ordered.

"Roger, roger." Gaser ran to the nearest stars, he broke out onto the top floor to see two stormtroopers firing down at the okami, they raised their weapons. Gaser's rotary blaster cannon was too slow to open fire before both of them were shot in the back of the head. Gaser looked up to see fang "That's two you owe me." He muttered. Hurrying to the edge, Gaser saw Sans pulling some of her men back behind cover as the charge was about to be routed. Turning off the safety Gaser lifted up his blaster cannon and primed the battery pack on his back, the sound of the militia green laser fire erupted into the firing line breaking the barrage. Seeing their chance, San and her men leapt out of cover charging toward Captain Messla's men. Even as he shot at Gaser hitting him in the chest, knocking down the giant it was too late, San and her Okami warriors were on them and the melee began.

SEELOS

As the Phantom flew away, Rex watched it go and looked down at Ahkilleon who had the rocket launcher. "You sure you want to do this kid?"

"If I don't I'll never forgive myself." The young jedi told him, Rex gave a smirk "Well you'll need it this then." Rex said as he reached into the gunner seat and pulled out a phase II Republic Clone helmet with an orange paint scheme around it with diamond on each side of the forehead and stripes up and around them, just like his mothers marks. Ahkilleon looked at the white helmet with the T visor in sheer awe, looking to Rex he nodded "I'm honored Captain." And he slipped it on.

Rex nodded looking over his shoulder to see the remaining two Imperial walkers heading straight for them, "Wolffe, bring us around."

In the walkers, the one Kallus was in the drivers saw the tank fly away "The rebel ship is escaping, but Konstantine will deal with them." Kallus said when he noticed the old Republic tank heading toward them "Let's teach these clones just how obsolete they are."

"Boys, this might be it. At least we'll go down fighting like a clone should." Rex said inside Gregor was tending to the ship's inner controls with Bly. "I'm with you all the way, Captain." Wolffe let out a fierce battle cry like his name sake and the tank went on the attack. Rex opened fire with the tank and Ahkilleon held on with the rocket launcher, he just needed to get close.

Far away now the Phantom was flying, Sabine and Zeb were sitting down but Ezra was pacing back and forth worried "Kanan, you know better than anyone they won't give up, and we can't just leave Ahkilleon behind I… I can't."

"It's too dangerous, and Ahkilleon made his choice." Kanan reminded him "And I may mind, Kanan he's my brother now." Ezra said, holding up his Nexu claw.

Down on the surface, a duel of tanks raging Wolffe got full blast at the front knocking the tank down, "Come on, Wolffe. It's just a scratch. Keep moving forward, soldier! Onward!" Rex shouted as Wolffe pulled on the controls laughing like Gregor to get the Republic tank to get back up and charge the Imperial walker.

"Intensify forward firepower." Kallus shouted inside the walker. .

"I'm going for the legs, all four of them!" Wolffe howled charging right into the Imperial Walkers front legs. It smashed into Kallus's tank and made him stumble "They've lost their minds!"

The Republic tank pushed up on the legs, his front end bending upward, Ahkilleon held onto Rex's gunner seat and saw the Imperial walker neck exposed, "Go for it Commander Tano." Rex shouted, Ahkilleon rushed forward wearing his clone helmet and lined up the shot squeezing the trigger he fired right as the second Imperial walker blasted the Republic tank on the starboard side. Making Ahkilleon stumble and send his shot way off from its intended target.

Rex shouted "We've been outflanked."

Back in the Phantom they'd contacted "YOU DID WHAT!" Turok screamed out of the com channel at Kanan, "He wasn't leaving, we had no time."

"Kanan Jarrus when I get my hands on you-" "Turok please, Kanan you got the intel that's great, I understand leaving Rex behind but Ahkilleon?"

Kanan gritted his teeth "I'll take my scolding when we're back at the fleet." He said cutting the transmission.

Still pacing and fidgeting Ezra flung his hands UPWhat are we gonna tell Ahsoka? Rex was her friend, even though he was a clone but what we just pop in and say 'Oh by the way we left your only son to die on a rock' sorry Ahsoka." He said, panicking.

Groaning in annoyance, Kanan mumbled "I hate it when he's right. I've got my problems with clones, but I don't want those men to die." he grunted before he stood up and

On the surface the clones were losing badly, Ahkilleon was out of rockets and was hiding behind the other side of the tank while cannon fire shattered its armor "Gregor, I've lost power to the main cannon!" Rex shouted into his coms.

"I know, I know. I'm working on it, Captain. I'm working on it!" Gregor said before Rex got up, taking off his helmet he raised his fists to the Imperial Walker, Ahkilleon watching the man stand against the metal monster all alone "Come out and fight, you cowards!"

Kallus had finally gotten tired of the game "Finish them." he said as out of nowhere the Phantom fired on the Imperial walker making it miss, and out the back door jumping with Zeb and the two jedi lightsabers ignited to land on the second tank and cut their way through like heroes of a bygone era.

Rex watched and Ahkilleon watched from under his helmet "Just like the old days" He said as the rebels slipped in the tank, its two drivers heard the haul being sliced open "What was that?" then Zeb popped out and smashed their helmets together to knock them out.

"Hmm. Roomy." Zeb said sitting in the driver controls, Kanan took the guns, opening fire on Kallus's walker..

With the imperials losing now, Kallus was shouting inside the cockpit "Where's Konstantine with my air support?"

The rebel counter attack was just enough time to give Bly and Gregor the chance they needed to get things working again "Ah-ah. Whoa. Power restored." Gregor cheered as the tank came alive for a final got back in his gunner seat and lined up the shot to take out Kallus's tank at the neck. The shot tore through its metal armor making it start to come apart.

"Evacuate! Get to the speeders" Kallus ordered his men.

His walker and the Republic tank came falling down in a climatic crash that shook the earth, sending dust everywhere, Kallus and his men fleeing on the back of a single speeder bike.

As the clones climbed out of the tank and on top of it, Ahkilleon rolled out from under the dust on his back, watching Sabine fly the Ghost overhead "Looks like we live to fight another day."

"Don't we always?" Wolffe asked as he and Rex embraced one another "Well, we do when we've got a Jedi leading us." Rex said as they all looked up to Kanan and saluted him as a Commander and fellow soldier, Kanan just nodded

REBEL FLEET

Liberty,

The Ghost had returned to the fleet, and walked into the ship as Ahsoka walked down the hallway she saw the crew come back, and Ahkilleon smiling ear to ear with his new helmet under his arm, as Rex came forward, hands behind his back "Commander." Rex said to her, Ahsoka was speechless approaching him she touched his white beard "You got old."

"Had to happen sometime, Rex. I'm glad you're still alive." Ahsoka said before she lowered her arm.

"You too. Well, I wouldn't be if it weren't for these guys." Rex said looking back at the rebels, Ahkilleon ran up and grabbed his hand "Come on Uncle Rex, I'll show you around." He said running off with Rex.

As they did, Ahsoka looked back at the Spectres "Thank you for trusting my friend." Ahsoka said to them.

Frowning, Kanan soberly said "It wasn't easy. It's still not."

"Nothing worth doing ever is." Ahsoka said.

Skell let out a long groan "Oh stars, you jedi and your sayings I'm-" "Aahh." Ezra suddenly grabbed his head, digging his nails into his hair, "Ezra?" Hera caught him and both force wielders came up to him.

"Ezra- Ezra what's wrong?" Kanan asked, grabbing him, Ezra fell down to his knees sweating bullets "I… I feel something… something terrible happening- anger, pain…. Blood."

LOTHAL

Mountains

The Okami and the Imperial forces had broken into a full melee, the imperial stormtroopers armor was shattered by axes and swords of Okami steel. Up on the roof, Dray came out to see Gaser on his back moaning, running to him Dray looked him over to see a burning dent in his heavy armor, pulling off his helmet Gaser coughed "Oh that's going to hurt in the morning…" He muttered.

"You're alive?" Dray asked.

"Guess so…" Gaser wheezed the wind knocked out of him, "On your feet soldier, this fight is not done yet." He said as the rest of the militia came onto the roof, walking to the edge they looked down at the mining camp turned into a battlefield. The okami who had started a ranged attack had come down to reinforce their brethren, the archers and riflemen turning their guns into clubs to shatter Imperial armor. But even with their surprise attack, the droids and their weapons more suited for close range fighting the Empire's numbers seemed endless. The stormtroopers were still inside the other buildings shooting down at them, and at the Militia who took cover. "There's to many commanders." Naqia snapped at him.

Dray looked over and saw she was right, reinforcements were coming out of another building, he saw them setting up an E-web turret before he shot their power cell making it explode. Down in the thick of it Messla was there fighting with his troops he snapped one Okami's neck, took out a knife and sliced anothers, then he drove it into the back of another. Even with the okami warrior spirit it didn't match up to Imperial training, the stormtroopers armor caught the brunt of the swords and warhammers gave time to draw their own knives or use their blaster rifle butts as weapons. San watched her people start to falter, the Empire was rallying "NO PRISONERS, NO PRISONERS!" Captain Messla shouted over and over. With no quarter given the stormtroopers were unleashed. "Follow me." Dray said, jumping off the roof into the melee.

"Well, I never wanted to live forever anyway." Gaser said, throwing off his heavy blaster cannon and jumped in with the others following. Gaser picked up a an Okami axe and buried it in the first imperial, Naqia's sword slashed through them, Butch using his massive droid strength picked up stormtroopers and hurled them like they were nothing. Wyre stuck behind him with his blaster pistol to shoot at anything to close. Even with the militia in the fray, San saw her people were on the verge of defeat she looked at Dray who shook his head knowing she was about to call the retreat when-

AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The entire battle had come to a halt, everyone looked up to the opposite side of the mountain, standing perched on top of a ledge against the night sky was a giant gray loth-wolf with a rider on its back, Reik. "What in the emperor's name…" Messla gasped before the sight of the Okami's namesake unlocked something in them "Awoooooooo!" San howled, then another and many more Okami let out howls of their own. Rallying they regrouped around Sasn before she led a counter charge. The Grey Loth Wolf jumped down off the rocks and ran like lightning across the mountains side jumping off buildings and old machinery before it bounded into the battle. The beast picked up one stormtrooper in its jaws snapping it between its blood showering onto the other stormtroopers.

The sight of such a monster making hesitate to attack again for Okami axes to fall on them, Captain Messla's knife kept finding its way into an Okami warrior's neck the same one with the war club Jay had watched, blood gushing down it as he took the Okami's war club and started to swing at anyone who got close. When he spotted Reik on the gray Loth Wolf he ran toward it, hitting one Okami in the head he brained a second then he jumped off a large rock. Reik saw him at the last minute tackle him off the back of his mount and into the blood soaked mud.

"Threaten my wife, my daughter, you fucking bastard." Messla shouted as he went to stab Reik, shooting his hand up. Reik caught the dagger right into his palm, the blade pushing through blood dripping onto Reiks face, as he screamed in pain "You killed my family, you colonizing son of a bitch.". Pushing down with his other arm, Messla got closer and closer. "I wanted to help you, I wanted to help this godforsaken rock of a planet, Reik." Messla snapped at him.

Reik grunted as his own blood caked his teeth, "But now I'm going to make sure all of you know what happens when you challenge the Empire." Messla said as the tip of the dagger was inches from Reiks face.

Noticing a large stone out of the corner of his eye, Reik moved his head to the side letting go of his wrist which had kept the knife from killing him and drove directly into space where his head had been. Grabbing the loth wolf fang he'd taken from the mountain he stabbed it into Messla's leg and then Reik grabbed the rock. Smashing it against Messla's head with a loud clunk against his officer helmet. Scrambling out, Reik saw another stormtrooper come at him trying to save Messla. Reik saw him coming and yelled one swung at him and he dodged, shoving the rock with all his force he smashed it underneath the stormtrooper's helmet right into his neck, crushing his throat. Messla had started to come too and looked just in time to see Reik on top of him he held the stone over his head "Reik- no wait I surrender I surrender-" "AAAHHHHHH!" Reik screamed and brought the stone down right on Messala's horrid face-

CRUNCH- Messla's nose was shattered

CRUNCH his cheek bones exploded

CRACK- his skull caving in blood spraying over Reiks face, turning it red, the sight of their commanding officer being so brutally murdered in front of some of the stormtroopers made them stop and gawk. Even the Okami had stopped to watch the absolute savagery of Reiks attack as he kept crashing Messla's face even after the man was already dead.

Reik was covered in the man's blood and looked around, he saw that most of the Stormtroopers still alive were on one side, and the Okami on the other end staring back at them, one stormtrooper stared at Reik who was still holding the bloody rock "Kill them… KILL THEM ALL!" Reik roared picking up the war club that Messla had stolen running forward the Okami and Militia charged, any stormtrooper brave enough to stand his ground or meet them quickly met their deaths as the others fled in terror being run down by Okami and the Loth Wolf feasting on them.

All the way back in the rebel ship, Ezra was on the ground clutching his ears hearing their screams of terror, of pain, of suffering and the howl of the Loth Wolf baying for blood as he saw a Loth Wolf eating imperial troops.

OKAMI VILLAGE

Later

The Okami warriors returned to their village with the Militia, but no great celebration was happening, no songs sung or drums banging. No, many funeral pyres were sitting and the Okami's last chief San stood in front of them, she wiped away the dried blood on her cheeks with a wet cloth, those still alive did the same. Among the fallen laid on a pile of dried wood and grass was Wyre, Jay was holding back tears as the Junker laid dead. "Casualties of war." Gaser said callously next to Jay holding the torch "But a brother nonetheless." He gave the torch to Jay who walked up and lit Wyre's funeral pyre.

Behind them, Reik stood there still covered in Messala's blood, still holding the war club and the fang, "What happened to the Loth-Wolf?" Dray asked him.

"It ran off as soon as the battle was over, I think… I think I'll see it again sometime." Reik said.

Dray nodded, "Indeed, you've done well Reik." Dray said as the young man looked at the dozens of dozens of funeral pyres, "I don't think so, this is all my fault." He said.

Dray didn't say anything, he let Reik continue "If I had just not been a coward and killed Messla before, none of this would have happened, Wyre would still be alive." "Yes." Dray said.

Reik looked at him confused. "This is the part where you say maybe, not yes?"

"If you'd killed Messla, they'd send another Imperial officer in his place, the Okami would have been attacked anyway." Dray told him.

"You don't know that." Reik said turning to him, Dray leaned in "I do, because I tipped off the Empire we were here."

Horror covered Reiks face, as Dray looked back at him without any means of remorse "I drew the Empire into a trap, told them we were here rallying rebels, Messla would pick only his best troops, stormtroopers to crush it and they're more of an occupying force then a real army so he'd have to pick experienced veterans. They're all dead now." Dray said as Reik processed it.

"And…. Braul?" He asked.

Slowly Dray moved his coat to reveal the lightsaber, "You're a jedi?"

"No, Ikar, we have our ways to serve the Militia."

"I keep hearing you all saying Militia, but who's militia?" Reik asked.

"... the Outer Rim." Dray said as they looked down at the village, "The what?" Reik asked.

Dray looked up at the stars, "All those stars you see are systems, the brighter ones are closet planets, that one is Garel, the other is Mon Cala, an entire world covered in water, and many more some just as strange and as beautiful like Lothal. Full of natural resources, the Outer Rims have great wealth that the core always takes."

"The core, and the then Empire which is it?" Reik asked.

"Both." Dray said looking forward, "Before the Empire it was the Grand Republic, before them the so-called Old Republic, the High Republic was better but then the corporations grew too large, the Senators too easily bought. They cared more about lining their pockets, selling their worlds vast resources to the core. "

Reik processed it "Why are you telling me this, you betrayed the Okami?" Reik said, Dray grabbed his arm and led him away from any ears that would be listening.

"Aren't you listening, I led them into a trap, and you riding in on that wolf is exactly what we need to build a Militia for Lothal, led by its own Warlord." Dray said pointing at him, eyes on his gloved finger, Reik shook his head "No, no not me." "It has to be, to the Okami that a wolf is a sign, maybe the first one they've seen in a hundred years they've already given you a name to match."

"A name?" Reik asked, Dray smiled "Seems they are naming you Reik Bloodwolf."

Reik looked down at the bloody war club and fang in his hand, "Militia Invictus, Reik Bloodwolf." Dray said.

"Militia…. Invictus."