I spent two days trying to find something with blueprints of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. I must have hit like three dozen different sites, but the best I could find were pictures, and not many of them. I tried to make this chapter as realistic as possible based on the Jedi and their values, but practically nothing is known of the inside of the Jedi Temple. It is rather short for me, but I wanted to keep the flow going for everyone who is reading. I listened to the HALO2 score while doing the next few chapters. GREAT battle music!

I improvised, I adapted and I overcame. I HOPE!

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CORUSCANT

BATTLE FOR THE JEDI TEMPLE

The Bounty hunters hit the Jedi Temple from two different directions in far greater numbers than Vandar had first thought.

Vlaina had been able to obtain the information in one of the lower Coruscant cantinas that the bounty hunters had planned an attack, however the information only related to the one gang that the man she had charmed knew about. She had lured him outside the cantina with her obvious female charms and promises of a pleasurable evening beyond his imagination. She led him to the hideout that she and Carth had used, and he was able to get one hand on her before he saw the promises she had made vanish instantly with the rather large and calloused hand of Carth Onasi's fist impacting quite hard on his jaw. When he had woken up, he was tied to a chair looking into the hard and decidedly unfriendly eyes of Carth staring at him.

Carth had held up the small vibrodagger so the man could see it. " In my old age, " Carth had told him. " I find it harder and harder to be forgiving of a man who wants to grope my woman."

The bounty hunter's eyes had flicked quickly to Vlaina who had walked up and put her hand affectionately on Carth's shoulder.

" My suggestion would be to spill all you know… and perhaps you will walk out of here still possessing your manhood." Vlaina had told him.

One look at the maniac look in Carth's eyes and the man was singing faster than they could keep up. He had known only that his group of hunters would hit the Jedi Temple from the docks and that his group numbered close to two hundred.

He did not know of the other groups that struck, or of the number that would also strike the Temple from the main entrance.

This was quickly figured out when the main entrance to the Jedi Temple, two massive and intricate doors leading into the main lobby and reception area shattered inward under the force of several pounds of high explosives. The few Jedi and Padawans that had been moving through the area at the time of the explosion were crushed under the weight of tons of steel and granite. They did not see the hoard of bounty hunters that swarmed the entrance and for the first time in millennia, the sanctity and calm of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant was tainted by those with only malice and destruction in their hearts.

Vandar deflected more blaster fire with his green light saber as he and Jolee and four Padawans slowly retreated down the long corridor. His size was deceptive as Vandar moved with grace and incredible quickness, seemingly bouncing off the walls of the corridor as he used his Force powers to toss back the grenades thrown at them by the bounty hunters. Dozens of their bodies littered the corridor, as well as the bodies of half a dozen Padawan and Jedi.

" We must stop them from reaching the younglings!" Vandar snapped as his light saber snapped down to deflect some fire. The shots bounced off his beam, directly back at the bounty hunter, punching through the armor of his chest.

" More are pouring through from the east corridor!" Jolee yelled back as he dispatched a bounty hunter who had made it close enough to draw his sword. The Rodian's body fell to the floor missing both arms. " We need to retreat! There are too many! We..."

His words were drowned out by the enormously powerful field of Force lightning that ripped through the corridor. He and the others shielded their eyes as the lightning savaged the bounty hunters, ripping into their bodies unhindered. Another wave of lightning followed the first, this one even more powerful, and the bodies of the bounty hunters began smoking as they fell. A third wave finished the attacking force of bounty hunters, leaving a field of smoking bodies and charred flesh in the corridor.

Vandar and Jolee and the others watched as the lone figure appeared from around the corner of the adjoining corridor.

" Dorak!" Jolee gasped as the seventeen year old young man turned to them. He clutched the blue light saber in his hand, and his face was shiny with sweat, as if he had been fighting for quite a while.

" Grandfather!" He exclaimed, moving up to them quickly. " Zhar sent me to find you! I apologize for taking so long. These scum are everywhere!"

Vandar could only gape at the young man and marvel in the sense of calm that obviously surrounded him. He did not seem rattled in any way at the battle that was currently going on around them, or that he had just ended the lives of nearly thirty bounty hunters. " You came down here alone!" Vandar asked.

Dorak nodded. " My brother left us here to protect the Jedi Temple Master Vandar. We are doing as he asked. I have cleared out this level of these scum and sealed the lifts. They will not be able to make their way up from the main floor now. Zhar and Hanna have ushered all the younglings into the archives vault. Uncle Carth was able to land two companies of Dxun troops and one has taken up positions around the vault. The bounty hunters will not reach them. The other company is leading an assault toward the main courtyard. The bounty hunters were able to breach the dock area and land nearly a thousand troops. They must have gathered the scum from every corner of the system for this!"

" The other Masters?" Vandar asked.

" Master Grana is standing with two dozen Jedi keeping them from entering the living levels." Dorak replied. " The others are scattered all over the Temple attempting to clear out these animals."

" We must form the others for a counter attack!" Vandar spoke. " Quickly… let us return to the main level and contact the other Masters. Their main force is flooding through the dock area directly into the courtyard area!"

Dorak bent down and held out his hand to Vandar. " With all respect Master Vandar, please allow me to carry you. We'll be able to move faster."

Vandar didn't hesitate and scampered up the tall young man's side to his shoulder. " I will not debate the truth with you young Padawan."

Jolee turned and led them down the now silent corridor, leaving the stench and pallor of death behind them.

Revan stood on the balcony of Carth's Senate hotel suite, his brown eyes locked on the columns of smoke rising from the Jedi Temple. His hands gripped the railing so hard his knuckles were turning white, his eyes burning with rage and near unbridled hate. Bastila felt the emotions swirling through her husband and joined him on the balcony, covering his large hand with her smaller one.

Our son trained them well Revan. Bastila spoke through their bond.

Revan nodded slowly, much of his anger dissipating as he felt the comfort and peace of Bastila fill him. He could sense her worry, but she had always been the stronger at maintaining her emotions.

It brings back unpleasant memories my love. The lives of the children I either took, or altered. I shudder at what I once was.

Revan Panlie, you stop this right now! You leave that in the past! We have devoted the last thirty odd years of our lives to finding redemption! Bastila turned him to face her, taking his weathered but in her eyes the most handsome face she had ever seen in her soft hands. We will fight this war my love. And when it is over… one way or the other… our search for redemption ends. We promised ourselves this. Remember?

Revan nodded and pulled her close to him, her body naturally folding into his powerful arms. Her head pressed to his chest. Our son planned for this you know.

What do you mean?

Revan let a small smile cross his face. I wish I could be there to see it. We have other matters to attend to though.

Bastila looked at him. What do you mean Rev planned for this?

Help is coming. And I doubt the Sith apprentice on the Council is going to be very happy at all!

Revan… what have you and your son done?

Revan smiled. And you thought I was devious? He laughed. Oh Bas… our little boy makes me look like Prince Charming! He opened his mind even further to his beloved and saw the look of utter astonishment cross her face.

Carth stepped onto the balcony at that time. " Revan, Bastila… it's time to go."

Vandar and Jolee brought the others up short as they came to the railing of the balcony overlooking the main courtyard. The scene below was one of chaos. They could see the flash of countless light sabers, the blaster bolts deflecting every which way, and the vibroswords and Force Pikes of the Mandalorian troops felling the enemy all across the courtyard. The bounty hunters were giving as good as they got however, the bodies strew across the sacred ground of the Temple, blood staining the white marble and granite. The upper levels that they could see were clogged with advancing bounty hunters and light saber wielding defenders.

" Dorak!" The female voice yelled.

They turned as Hanna and several Temple Padawans came running up. The seventeen year old Hanna had her mother's eyes and body, and her fathers blond hair. Her hair was braided in the Mandalorian fashion, and her robes fit her body like a glove. There were three Padawans similar in age to her, all of them boys, and all of them very happy to be in her company despite the fact they had been battling for nearly an hour now. Hanna ran up to Dorak and they touched foreheads in the Mandalorian fashion of greeting between family members.

" Zhar says we are ready." Hanna spoke. " It's time. They have contacted us and are now just moving into position."

" Who's moving into position?" Jolee asked.

Dorak looked at him and smiled. " Grandfather… you should know my brother well enough to know he plans for nearly everything. Hanna… tell Zhar to send the signal. And have them hurry… there are more bounty hunters than we expected. Their arrival should break their spirit however. And if that doesn't… I will."

Vandar watched amazed as Dorak settled to the ground overlooking the massive courtyard while Hanna Vorsut spoke into the small com device. Vandar sensed it immediately, and a smile played across his green features.

" Vandar… you are smiling." Jolee said very confused.

" Indeed. I think our enemies are in for a rather one sided surprise." Vandar spoke. He looked at Jolee, his eyes bright. " Padawan Dorak has his mother's gift."

Jolee turned to Dorak his eyes widening as he felt him begin what he had inherited from his mother.

The gift of Battle Meditation.

And as it began to take hold of those in the courtyard, Jolee heard the low roar from overhead. He looked up as it grew louder and saw the three Mandalorian transports screaming toward them at an unbelievably low altitude. His eyes grew even larger as two of them came to hover mode directly over the huge courtyard and dropped quickly, smashing statues and low granite walls as they settled to the ground. The third looped around in an ear shattering display of engine power and nearly cleaved of half of the entrance to the jedi docks.

Jolee felt his heart nearly stop as the ramps came down on all three of the transports and he heard the inhuman roar that drowned out even the now dying engines of the transports. He watched his eyes wide and nearly filling with tears as he recognized that sound from so long ago. He closed his eyes feeling Dorak's Battle Meditation engulf the new arrivals, and could only shake his head in happiness as nearly four hundred Wookies came storming from the three transports with a blood curling howl.

At that very moment Jolee had never seen a more beautiful sight in his life.