Continuing from the last chapter………..
'Anakin! What in the-' Kiva's heart stopped as the clones marched in after him in attack formation. She drew back as Anakin motioned for the clones to spread into the Temple. She froze in fear, unsure of what to do. Anakin paused and looked up.
Kiva shrank back and tried to hide among the shadows. He stood there for a moment, and then moved on.
She raced back down the hallway, a shadow on the wall. Fear fueled her motions, and she ran faster than ever before. She grabbed for her comlink and activated it. Her master answered immediately. "What is it this time, night-wanderer?" Thelvon sounded both amused and annoyed.
"We're under attack!"
Thelvon had no time to say more than a confused, startled exclamation before Kiva deactivated the link.
The door to the announcement room loomed before her. This time of night it was empty. She almost physically pulled the doors open in her panic to get inside. The master comlink for the temple lay on the desk inside, surrounded by printouts of arrival and departures for Jedi, class schedules and the like. She grabbed it and took a deep breath.
"Attention, all Jedi! There are intruders in the Temple! Prepare for battle!"
Her words echoed down the hallways, which were as silent and still as death. Long moments passed. Suddenly the students and teachers began to spill out of their rooms.
Kiva's head began to ache. A dark tide washed over her, over all of the Jedi. She could feel it begin to seep into her bones, casting fear and anger into her heart. "No!" She resisted it as best she could. Soon a deep sense of mourning passed through her. "No!"
A hand grasped her shoulder. "Kiva, what on earth is-"
"Anakin!" Kiva gasped. "He's here! And he has clone troops with him!" Her eyes bore into Thelvon's. "He's here to kill us all!" She knew it with deep certainty, as unshakeable as the roots of the universe.
Thelvon looked up as the sound of blaster fire echoed down the halls. "Kiva, get the younglings to safety. Then join the fight when you can. I will meet up with you when I can. Understand?" She didn't wait for an answer before racing off.
Kiva ran towards the nursery, lightsaber readied to fend off any soldiers that might cross her path.
The junior Jedi, all about her age, were making a line of protection around the youngling's rooms. Her friend Liare directed to a group of younglings that were huddling in a corner of the room. Kiva kneeled next to them. "It will be all right. We are in the Jedi Temple. The intruders will not get far."
They looked at her with tear-streaked eyes and nodded. She grasped one's hand and led them away from the fighting, which was drawing closer all the time. She went past the storerooms and passages where the others were hiding their children. Where can I hide them? Where will they be safe? She turned to the younglings. "Are you all ready to go to the council chamber to hide?"
The boy who held her hand tugged at it. "When are they going to be gone?" The others chorused the sentiment.
"Soon," Kiva said, praying that she would be right.
They reached the councilroom chamber with no incident. The door opened and Kiva ushered them in. "Someone will be here soon to get you. Do not fear." The children ran to take cover behind the chairs.
She turned to go back to where the fighting was.