Chapter XXIII

Jadir Prime, Republic Space

"Surrender your weapon Jedi!" ordered the Seeker Captain, his eleven Soldiers had their blasters trained on the Jedi Master.

Mace Windu's face remained unchanged, "I think I will keep them, who of you shall take it from me?"

The captain's face was no longer as cocky as before as he remembered the five apprentices that were earlier sent to deal with the Jedi Knight, "fire!" he ordered, against his better judgment as he trained his pistol on Mace.

"Peace Bithkar," said a woman from behind the captain, "lower your weapons and salute the valiant Jedi Weapons Master Mace Windu,"

The woman was beautiful by all means, her crimson hair was shoulder length, and her pale gray eyes locked Mace's, "You all would have been slaughtered under his use of Vaapad, just like my restless apprentice and his companions,"

Mace Windu bowed, "I apologize for the actions taken against your apprentices Death Seeker, however we are at war, and my coming here was only under the protection of a parley,"

"And so you have met the council of the leader of the Seekers in this system, I am Medina, a Seeker Knight, and one of the Chroniclers of our era," replied the woman with a grin, "good Jedi, let us conduct our debate now shall we?"

Mace frowned inwardly, but showed no outward emotion, with a Force probe he lightly touched the mind of Medina, and was surprised at the powerful barriers that lay over her, "Indeed, I must quite respectfully ask for your withdrawal of troops from the Jadir System, impending an imminent issue of war on your troops in this system by the Republic,"

"Ah, so your Republic disables our shields, and does so many other…questionable activities in order to properly cripple us, then has the nerve to ask for a…what did you call it master Windu? A peaceful amnesty?" Medina laughed, "the self-righteous ways of the Jedi, and this Republic behind which you hide,"

"The Death Seekers do not surrender, even when against these staggering odds," she continued, "besides, why surrender when our reinforcements are even as we speak converging on our point, ah yes Jedi, we know how focal this point is to the Republic, and now it is ours,"

Mace Windu shook his head, "Not yet it is,"

"But soon," said Medina with a sneer, "it, along with the galaxy will be ours,"

Mace Windu pulled his lightsaber from his belt, "as it seems, these negotiations are not going to plan, and this will end in bloodshed both ways, isn't it?"

Medina laughed, "I will allow you to call your armies," she turned to the captain, "then kill him," she turned to leave and return to her bunker, "Seekers At Front!" she cried out, and more soldiers began to converge on their position, as well as Seeker Apprentices, and Knights, all looking at Mace hungrily.

Mace held his hand upward, "You say you have honor!" he shouted to Medina, "then why not face me yourself!"

Medina stopped in her tracks, "Is that a challenge Mace Windu of the Jedi?"

"One-on-one," he replied, he touched his comlink for the other Jedi on the planet to hear, "if I win your forces on the planet agree to surrender, if I lose, we will surrender the planet to you,"

Medina's smile stretched as he leapt across from her position before Mace Windu, a clear thirty foot leap, "clear the way Seekers, and agree to the terms, this planet is ours!"

"Not if I have anything to say about that," replied Mace Windu, his lightsaber activating with a snap-hiss.

"You don't" sneered Medina, as she called her lightsaber to her, "come Jedi, let us do battle!"