A/N: Hi everyone! Here's the next chapter, and I hope you like it. It isn't as action-packed as previous chapters, but I thought I would give some of our favorite clones the spotlight for a chapter, so I hope you like it. The next few chapters are on their way, they just need some touching-up and editing, and then they'll be good to go. Until next time, please read, review, and enjoy!
War in the Expansion Region! As the Separatists tighten their grip over vital but isolated supply routes, the Republic launches a lightning strike into a remote Ghost Nebula to control the strategic system of Umbara. Republic forces smash through the Separatist blockade in an effort to claim the shadowy world….
Only a few days after Eeth Koth and Plo Koon returned from their search for Master Abazza, the Republic launched a full attack on Umbara, intent on reclaiming the shadowy planet. To do so, Anakin Skywalker led his troops against the Separatist-backed Umbarans and was successful in many of those attacks. But when he was suddenly recalled from the frontlines back to the Temple, his troops were placed under the command of Jedi General Pong Krell, raising the concern of the half-Nautolan.
While Skywalker was unpredictable and dangerous when it came to his emotions, Krell was dangerous for another reason. So dangerous the half-Nautolan decided there was nothing else to do but go to Umbara and see for herself if something needed to be done.
Arriving on the shadowy world with Ventress, the two of them crept through the undergrowth, careful to avoid the Vixus and Banshees that called the forest home, as well as the more dangerous plants that would be interested in eating them, like the Death's Embrace that rose out of the forest floor. Finally reaching the location where the 501st were located, the two women hid in the shadows and watched as Krell ordered his men about. Seeing how Rex reacted to the general and how his troops weren't entirely convinced about his plans made the half-Nautolan and Ventress edge as close as they dared to the staging area. Once there, they weren't convinced either when they both reached out to sense Krell's intentions.
Over the last few weeks, ever since Ventress had agreed to complete her training under the half-Nautolan, she had been growing stronger in the Force and was starting to learn greater skills than the Jedi. One of those skills was being able to sense what someone was thinking and what their plans could be while also staying invisible to them and their skills with the Force.
And so, while they could feel Krell and his thoughts, he couldn't sense them and had no way of knowing they were there or what they were doing.
Following the 501st and watching them suffer such heavy casualties, the half-Nautolan was saddened to see it. The clones were putting their trust and their lives in their general's hands, and he couldn't be bothered to lead from the front and help them. Instead, he hid in the back, waiting for them to do the difficult tasks he had assigned them. Those tasks would be challenging enough with a Jedi helping the clones; without one, they were almost impossible.
Watching all this and the clones attempt to take the capital by marching up the main road to the city, the two women were immediately concerned by Krell's lack of regard for his men. He wasn't acting like a Jedi, wasn't showing compassion for the men trusting him with their lives. The strain was starting to show when they saw Rex order his men to retreat to save their lives, and the ensuing argument between him, Fives, and Krell wasn't putting Krell in the best light.
But Rex's courage standing up to him did earn him some grudging respect from the Besalisk, not that it did much for the half-Nautolan. She could feel the darkness inside Krell but decided to wait and see what he had planned next for taking Umbara before she decided she had to step in and do something about him.
If Krell continued to ignore the lives and well-being of his men, they would step in and treat him as either a Jedi or a Sith, depending on the situation, but for now, she and Ventress had their own plans to work through.
They weren't just there to deal with Krell if it came to that; they had their own sabotage mission to complete.
Meanwhile, back at the Temple, Yoda sat in deep thought and meditation, reaching out with the Force to look for Sundali Abazza. He hadn't looked for her ever since she had disappeared because he had believed Masters Jinn and Fisto when they said they had found no trace of her or her ship and it looked like she had been vaporized in an explosion.
But now that he knew she had been attacked, and was always on the run, he couldn't help but feel he should have done more. Now that he knew she was alive, he felt he had a duty to find and help her. He had trusted the word of Qui-Gon and Kit back then because neither had lied to him in the past about anything and now he was regretting the consequences of such trust. But he knew it wasn't their fault; they had been acting on the best information they had, and there was nothing else they could have done at the time.
Reaching out with the Force, Yoda extended his senses beyond what they were and started feeling the pathways in the Force that would lead him to Master Abazza. He followed the energy of Eeth Koth, the one who had found her and brought her to the Temple, to where her mother had lived on Alderaan before she had disappeared, to Kalevala, to Mustafar, to Concord Dawn, to….nothing.
Feeling the trail suddenly end so abruptly, Yoda tried again to reach out to Master Abazza, but again he was met with nothingness. There was no sign of where she had disappeared or where she was going, no sign or way to follow her through the Force, no indication that she even existed.
She was just….gone.
Yoda then opened his eyes and stood up, walking over to the window and staring at Coruscant, wondering. Wherever Master Abazza had gone was beyond their reach if she was in Separatist territory, and if not, she was going to the most extreme lengths to keep herself hidden. Whatever she was doing, she wanted the Jedi to play no part in it and solve this problem by herself, leaving Yoda in the strange position of being unable to help a Jedi who clearly needed help. Usually, a Jedi in a situation they were unsure about would ask him or another more experienced Jedi, but Sundali was doing neither of these things and was going out of her way to avoid them.
What did it say about them that made her so unwilling to trust her own? And what did it say about her that she was in a situation like this but so unwilling to accept help from anyone?
Outside the room and down the hall, Kit stood in a hidden alcove, sensing what was happening in the room down the hall. He knew what his old master was looking for, more specifically, who he was looking for, and it was Kit's task to make sure no one knew where she was or how to find her. That block between Yoda and Sundali was his own, and he would make sure that no one found her until she wanted to be found.
Even if it was his old master looking for her.
Feeling Yoda stop and leave it alone, for now, Kit slipped out of the alcove and headed for the hangar. He was overdue to rejoin his fleet, which was on its way to join the attack on Umbara, reinforce the already existing fleet, and attempt to destroy the Separatist fleet protecting the planet. Knowing Yoda the way he did, he knew the older Jedi wouldn't attempt to find Sundali again for at least a week if only to see if she would drop her guard and make it easier to find her.
But Kit knew Sundali well and knew she wouldn't ever drop her guard.
Not even he could find her now.
Not until she was ready.
Turning the tide! As Separatist control over vital but isolated supply routes expands, Republic forces invade a key planet, the darkened world of Umbara. In the midst of helping Obi-Wan Kenobi's battalion conquer the Umbaran capital city, Anakin Skywalker is called away to Coruscant. His battalion is temporarily placed under the command of Jedi General Pong Krell, a shrewd and temperamental leader. Krell's reckless strategy forced Captain Rex to retreat with his platoons in a disastrous defeat….
The clones were being so soundly defeated the half-Nautolan and Ventress couldn't help but feel bad for them. They were no match for the superior weapons of the Umbarans and outnumbered as well, but Krell wasn't going to send in any more troops. Forcing those here to walk along a narrow gorge where they were so easily trapped and forcing them to keep fighting when they desperately needed reinforcements and heavier firepower didn't make sense to either woman.
But it made sense in one way, a way the half-Nautolan was leaning more and more towards the longer they watched the slaughter in front of them.
Deciding to test Krell, she sent Ventress in to attack him, knowing that she was more than capable of fighting the Besalisk for a few minutes. The Jedi attacked with the clones reinforcing him as best they could with their rifles and blasters, but it lasted all of a few minutes before Ventress disappeared back into the darkened forest and Krell settled down. He returned his attention to Rex and his men down in the gorge, waiting to see if they could get past the defenses around the airbase.
Meeting with the half-Nautolan in the tree where they had chosen to watch everything, Ventress said between pants, "He is stronger than he looks, and lost control too quickly. I could feel his anger and rage; it wasn't even close to what I could manage when I was truly angry. I think he's falling to the Dark Side," the half-Nautolan slowly nodding as she watched the Jedi and his troops. Reaching out with the Force, she was surprised and heartened to see that Rex had decided there was a way to win this battle, even if it meant defying Krell.
Hopefully, Fives and Hardcase were up to the job, but she had been watching them for the last few years and knew they were more than capable of thinking outside the box, which was probably why Rex had chosen them to sneak into the airbase.
Deciding to test Krell again in a few hours, the two women slipped back into the shadows of the forest and the Force, waiting for the right opportunity. It came soon enough as Krell ordered the rest of his men to attack the airbase after seeing Fives and Hardcase pull off a rescue of their brothers using ships they had never flown before. Krell was slightly impressed, but that lasted only two seconds as he was again attacked.
And this time, it was by the half-Nautolan, who didn't even bother to hide what she was doing. She attacked him with the strength and speed she was becoming famous for, seemingly impervious to the half-healed wound in her side, but with only one lightsaber, she was hard-pressed to fight against his four. But she still gave a good account of herself, and as she stood a few paces away from him, Krell was able to realize something when he saw her slight smirk and her half-shut eyes.
She was playing with him!
That realization brought with it some rather unpleasant thoughts, and he attacked her again, unleashing all the skill he had at his disposal, but it wasn't enough as she leaped away from him suddenly while extinguishing her lightsaber, disappearing back into the shadows. Dressed all in black this time except for her blue necklace, which always seemed to glow with the Force, she blended into the environment too well and was soon gone.
Krell didn't follow; he knew he had to secure the airbase nearby and there was no way for him to track her through the darkened forest. Here, on Umbara, where her eyes were adapted for this kind of darkness, there was no way for him to find her or her trail. He would have to wait for her to make the next move if there was one. In the meantime, he decided to speak with General Kenobi about the issue and see what he had to say about it, having his communications officer make the call immediately. Once a hologram of the other Jedi appeared, Krell asked, "General Kenobi, how goes the attack on the capital?"
"We're doing the best we can, General Krell," Obi-Wan replied, "Your taking of the airbase may make this a bit easier now that the Umbarans can't use the base as a supply staging area for the capital. I will let you know if you're needed in the attack on the capital."
"Alright," Krell said, "In the meantime, I think you might be interested in knowing that the half-Nautolan and Dooku's former assassin Ventress have attacked me in the last few hours. I'm not sure why or what they hope to achieve, but I thought you would like to know."
"Hmmm," Obi-Wan murmured before saying, "That is troubling. Ventress is a former Sith apprentice, and the half-Nautolan is a Sith hunter. They don't work together as far as I know and probably should be enemies. I don't think it would end well for them if they ever met."
"Yes, well, I think it would be a good idea to go after them, but I would need more men to do so," Krell said, "They have both proven themselves to be formidable foes; I would need reinforcements to do so effectively. Hopefully, they can be overcome by sheer numbers."
Kenobi frowned, "I can't spare any men at the moment to go after either of them, General Krell. You could ask General Tiin, but I don't know if that would yield anything either. You may have to go after them by yourself once the airbase is secured."
"Understood," Krell said before ending the transmission, realizing rather gleefully that General Kenobi had just permitted him to kill both of them if it came to that.
That would undoubtedly put him in good stead with Count Dooku.
Invasion in peril! Republic forces struggle to take Umbara, a hostile planet completely enshrouded in darkness. Jedi General Pong Krell and Captain Rex lead a battalion against a constant attack by a brutal enemy. Krell's aggressive and reckless strategies backfire, killing many clones. Despite the Jedi General's dangerous tactics, Captain Rex's squad successfully captures a critical airbase. This further fuels the mistrust of Krell's leadership, dividing his men….
Having successfully gained access to the Umbaran fighters and access codes, Fives, Jesse, and Hardcase had decided to ignore Krell and his increasingly risky strategies for one of their own: flying Umbaran fighters right into the middle of a space battle and blowing up the supply ship arming the capital of Umbara. Rex knew it was a suicide mission, but he could not stop them and wouldn't be able to help them when they got caught. Fives and his pilots understood what it meant and were more than willing to take the risk since they knew they likely wouldn't return anyway.
And so they had stolen three fighters and sped up to space, where they were immediately almost overwhelmed by the noise and chaos of a space battle in full swing. The three of them were hard-pressed to fly steady and weren't sure what to make of all the noise and explosions, but after a few minutes, they got used to it and were able to make it to the supply ship. The Umbaran defenders let them through, thinking they were allies and were restocking their munitions.
Getting into the supply ship was easy, but destroying the reactor became tricky as the ship's commander immediately put up deflector shields to stop the missiles aimed at the reactor. Those shields took the beating fairly well, and the plan seemed to be in tatters, until Hardcase decided there was only one thing to do. Getting out of his ship and ignoring orders from Fives, he called, "Trust me, I got a plan!" as he took one of the missile pods from his ship and started guiding it by hand into the reactor room, "This is for the 501st! Don't wait for me!"
Seeing this, Fives yelled, "Hardcase! No!"
"You've disobeyed enough orders today, sir," Hardcase called back as he reached the doorway leading to the reactor, "Follow this one: Get out of here!" before grabbing the missile pod and heading into the room.
The droids kept firing at Fives and Jesse, weakening their ship's shields even more, and Jesse finally said, "If I know Hardcase, we'd better leave," and the two of them left as quickly as they could.
"Live to fight another day, boys. Live to fight another day," watching them leave, Hardcase shut his eyes and bowed his head, waiting for the explosions that would signal the reactor's destruction and end his life.
But they never came, and after a few moments, he turned around in confusion and saw that the missile pod had stopped short of the reactor, and that was because Ventress was standing there and had stopped it. She was looking at him as if he was the galaxy's biggest idiot, and Hardcase was so surprised he blurted out, "What are you doing here?!"
"Same as you, I bet," she snapped as she ran over, "Destroying this thing and letting Dooku know he hasn't won yet," she grabbed his arm and started dragging him down a hallway nearby, "Come on! The explosives I set are going to go off in two minutes! We need to get out of here!"
Hardcase was still a little shocked to hear that and incredibly surprised Ventress was there in the first place, helping him, to do anything else but run after her, and a few seconds later they arrived at the escape pods nearby. Ventress entered first, followed by Hardcase, and seconds later they were far enough away from the ship. It wasn't a moment too soon because seconds later the supply ship was split in two by a massive explosion.
At the same time, a Republic fleet entered the system and quickly engaged the Separatists, with a Jedi starfighter following the escape pod down to the planet's surface. It wouldn't arrive before they did, so Ventress and Hardcase would have to figure out what would happen on their own.
Looking at the back of Ventress, Hardcase couldn't help but notice that she seemed….different from the last time he had dealt with her. Granted, that had been a long time ago since he had been trying to break through Umbaran defenses to get to the airbase while she was messing with Krell, but she even looked different. Her hair was starting to grow out, and she was dressed in a mismatch of different pieces of clothing. Her lightsabers still hung on her belt, but she hadn't used them on him or anyone else besides Krell.
And that was enough for Hardcase.
"Get ready for a bumpy landing!" she said suddenly, and a few moments later they were not-so-gently hitting the ground as they semi-crash landed in the airbase. Immediately they were surrounded by clones, with Jesse and Fives in the lead, and Hardcase turned to Ventress, "What happens now?"
"You're asking me?!" she asked as she headed for the back of the pod, "You'll be lucky if you live to see the end of this. At least I got a way out."
"And that'd be what, exactly?" Hardcase asked, but Ventress only turned to him with a cocky smile before opening the pod and leaping out. She jumped as high as she could, moving more quickly than the clones could react to, and at the same moment, a cyan-blue lightsaber ignited from the other side of the field. It started moving towards them, and out of the shadows came the half-Nautolan. She was still dressed all in black to better blend in with the environment, and as she got closer she reached out and Force-pushed the clones away from the pod, sending them sprawling.
This allowed Ventress to run clear through them without hurting them, and the clones could only watch as Krell suddenly appeared on the scene with all four lightsabers ignited. He engaged both women, but they were too quick for him, ducking and dodging his blades and not letting him get close. Finally, the half-Nautolan seemed to tire of this because she used the Force again to push Krell away, sending him back a few meters and giving them the chance to disengage and get away. But as they were running, the half-Nautolan suddenly stopped and slowly turned to look at Krell. She stared at him, nothing in her dark eyes, for several moments before turning back and running after Ventress, effortlessly leaping the sensor wall and disappearing into the dark forest.
"After them!" Krell ordered, and a few clones rushed to comply, the Besalisk Jedi still unnerved by what he had seen in the half-Nautolan's eyes. It wasn't death, or a promise she was returning. It was a warning to watch himself and remember who he was; otherwise she would come back and there would be no escape for him. Shaking his head, Krell turned to the clones, seeing that Fives, Jesse, and Hardcase were standing in a group with Rex, who was listening to what they were saying with rapt attention. He started walking over and was just in time to catch Hardcase say, "….saved my life. I don't know why she did it, but she saved my life."
Fives shook his head while Rex said, "Ventress saving the life of a clone, after killing who knows how many? That isn't something I would have expected from her, making this more confusing."
"Does it, Captain?" Krell said suddenly from behind them, "It doesn't lessen my confusion about whether or not my orders will be obeyed or not. I expect them to be, regardless of my subordinate's opinions of them."
Unknown to them, a Jedi starfighter was coming in for a landing on the other side of the field, but the occupant wouldn't arrive for a few more moments, leaving Rex and the clones in the position of having to defend their actions.
Looking between the three clones, Krell said, "It seems they have accomplished a very brave act. Unfortunately, they've also committed a serious crime by directly disobeying my order."
"With all due respect, sir, the order to attack the cargo vessel was mine," Rex said, trying to get the blame directed at himself instead of Jesse, Hardcase, and Fives, "If there's a punishment to be given, it should be directed toward me. I'm their commanding officer."
But Fives wouldn't let him, unwilling to let him take the blame for their actions, "General, sir, Captain Rex is attempting to take the blame for actions that were clearly mine."
"Fives!" Rex snapped, trying to get him to stop talking, but Fives wouldn't let him as he said, "I request that his admission of guilt be denied and full blame placed upon me."
"Oh, do you? Krell asked, clearly unimpressed by their arguments and unwilling to give any quarter in the matter, "You willfully countermand my direct order, and now you have the audacity to request who should bear the punishment of your insurrection? Let me be clear about the punishment for the treason committed by ARC trooper 5555, CT-5597, and CT-9415. They will be court-martialed, they will be found guilty. And they will be executed!" getting in Rex's face as he said this before stepping back, "Make no mistake. For crossing me, you will pay the price."
Everyone on the field heard Krell's words, but before anyone could react or do anything, an accented voice said, "That seems a bit extreme, Master Krell," and all there turned to see General Fisto approaching from his fighter. The Nautolan looked as relaxed and calm as always, and as he approached, his dark eyes were fixed firmly on the other Jedi. Krell only said, "They disobeyed my direct orders, General Fisto. As I'm sure you're aware, the punishment for such a thing is a court-martial and execution. I can't have the rest of my troops thinking they can just disobey my orders whenever they want without consequences."
Kit cocked an eye-ridge at that, not impressed in the slightest, "And because they did so, the supply ship has been destroyed and the Separatist fleet is being routed. These troopers should be commended for their bravery and skill. Even though they aren't trained pilots, they were able to do something we have been failing at for the last few hours."
"Are you suggesting I should just ignore their insubordination and inability to follow orders, General Fisto?" Krell asked, walking over to the Nautolan and getting a little too close, but Kit didn't seem bothered by it as he smiled slightly at his words.
"These clones serve under General Skywalker regularly, Master Krell," he said with the slightest touch of amusement in his voice, "Frankly, I would expect nothing less from them in a situation such as this, and I am not surprised this is the result. They thought creatively and outside the box, as is expected of anyone serving under General Skywalker. Whether or not they obeyed your commands is moot now; the supply ship has been destroyed, and we now have a chance of securing the capital. Our success in this effort can be attributed to that, but I agree that some kind of punishment is warranted. But a court-martial and execution seem too extreme for this. And there is the fact that General Skywalker won't be pleased about you executing a few of his best men when he isn't around to determine if the punishment is warranted. Let's not forget that these clones are under Skywalker's command; it is his responsibility to decide whether discipline is warranted. And the fact that he probably would have done the same as them should also be considered. I believe he has done the same in the past, now that I think about it."
As Kit spoke, Krell became increasingly angered, even if he did his best to contain it. After he finished, the Besalisk only turned and said to the clones in question, "This isn't over, and your punishment is still to be determined," before walking towards the tower. Once he had disappeared inside, Kit turned to the clones and said, "I may have bought you some time, troopers, but I can't protect you from whatever General Krell has planned. You will have to find your own way out of this mess."
"Yes, sir," Rex said, "We'll think of something," he hesitated a moment before saying, "Ummm, sir?"
When Kit looked at him, the captain continued, "Ventress saved Hardcase before he could blow up the supply ship and got him back here in one piece. She also blew up the ship herself and then ran off with the half-Nautolan. Looks like they're working together."
"Hmmm," Kit murmured before saying more loudly, "Thank you for this information, Captain; I will be sure to pass it along to the Council, if General Krell hasn't done so already. In the meantime, I'm afraid I must get back to my fleet. If General Krell orders your executions after I leave," turning to the three clones, "Stall as long as you can and try and get word to me, and I will return as quickly as possible. I don't know if it will do much good, but I will still try and help."
"Thank you, sir," Fives said, and Kit smiled before turning to head back to his starfighter. He hadn't gone far when he suddenly turned back and said, "For what it's worth, the three of you can serve under me anytime. I admire the courage and ingenuity you displayed today and would gladly have you serve under my command."
Hearing that from General Fisto was just the thing the three troopers needed to hear, and they all saluted the general, which he returned with a bow of his head before returning to his starfighter. A few moments later, he had taken off to return to the space battle and finish routing the Separatists, leaving Fives, Jesse, and Hardcase to defend their actions and hopefully come out of this in one piece.
As he returned to the battle, Kit turned to his transmitter and switched to a little-used frequency. After a few seconds, someone answered, and he said, "I've rattled Krell, and you can proceed. Be careful."
No one answered, and Kit switched back to the Republic's frequencies before heading for the atmosphere to continue the space fight and force the Separatist blockade to retreat. Down below, on the planet's surface, two shadowy figures look at each other before going back to watching the airbase, waiting for the right moment to strike.
It would come soon enough; they knew it.
Up in the tower's control room, Krell stared at the plans of the tower and surrounding area, thinking deeply about all that had happened recently. The defiance of his men and their lack of regard for his orders needed to be dealt with, as did the half-Nautolan and Ventress.
He knew what he would do, and not even Kit Fisto would stop him. He would execute his men for daring to defy him before General Fisto came back and could stop it, and then he would go after the half-Nautolan and Ventress. He wouldn't tell the Council they were working together, unaware Rex had told Kit about this and that Kit wouldn't tell them either.
It was time to show what he could do to Dooku and surrender himself entirely to the Dark Side.
The time of the Sith had come again.
While fighting to control the darkened world of Umbara, Anakin Skywalker's battalion is temporarily placed under the command of Jedi General Pong Krell. As Krell's disastrous strategies result in increasing casualties, his men begin to turn against him. Captain Rex struggles to balance loyalty between his commander and his fellow men. Under his watch, Fives, Jesse, and Hardcase disobey Krell's orders, resulting in their court-martial….
The botched execution of Fives, Jesse, and Hardcase had proven to Krell that he had completely lost control of his men, and now it was time to take action, personally. To that end, he had tricked his men into attacking their own brothers, but apparently they had gotten wise to the situation and had fully turned on him now. He was also unaware the half-Nautolan and Ventress had watched Rex speak to his men and lay out a strategy for capturing him or that they had a plan of their own that would result in his death, not his capture. He was a Sith now and would be treated as such by the Sith hunter. The clones were now heading towards the tower to arrest him, and as they fanned out in the control room, Krell opened his eyes as Rex said, "General Krell, you are being relieved of duty," the door closing behind him.
Krell turned around slowly, all four arms behind his back, saying slowly, "It's treason then."
Rex drew both pistols, saying, "Surrender, General," to which Krell replied as he walked into the center of the room, "You're committing mutiny, Captain."
"Explain your actions!" Rex demanded as two more clones came around behind Krell to keep him from going through the window and escaping. Krell watched them before turning back to Rex and asking, "My actions?" playing dumb as long as he could.
"For ordering your troops against one another," Rex said, wondering how he could be so blasé about doing something so against not just the Jedi Code but everything the Republic stood for. Krell only rubbed his chin as he stared off into the distance, "Oh, that," he drawled, "I'm surprised you were able to figure it out, for a clone," as Fives gave the signal for Jesse and others to move in closer, which they did, and Krell looked around at them.
"Surrender, General," Rex demanded again, "You're outnumbered!" but Krell had no intention of surrendering as he extended all four arms suddenly and Force-pushed them all away before drawing his lightsabers and asking angrily, "You dare to attack a Jedi?"
Immediately the clones started firing their blasters, but Krell was relentless as he blocked all shots and started killing the clones trying to subdue him. A clone from Kenobi's command ran in too close, and Krell killed him, kicking his body towards Rex, which Rex dodged before turning to face Krell, who snarled, "I will not be undermined by creatures bred in some laboratory!" turning and heading for the window. He broke through it and jumped to the ground far below, where even more clones confronted him.
"Get him!" a clone yelled, and they all started firing. They did their best but were outmatched by the Jedi. It would have been the end of them, but at that moment, two beings jumped the sensor wall and charged him, igniting their lightsabers as they did so. The half-Nautolan and Ventress had returned and attacked Krell with ferocity and surety, quickly engaging him and forcing him to pay attention to them, not the clones.
As this was happening, Dogma looked like he wanted to intercede and help Krell, but Kix convinced him otherwise: "Don't do it, kid, it isn't worth it. Those two are attacking him for being a Sith or something close to it, and they won't stop until he's dead. And they might kill you for getting in the way. It's not worth it."
Dogma stood down then and watched the fight as Rex and those that had gone up to the tower with him arrived on the field. All stood back as Krell battled the two women, who were evenly matched against him from the looks of things. But while Krell had strength and four arms on his side, the half-Nautolan and Ventress had speed and agility. They danced in and out, blocking and weaving through blows, working as a team to gain the upper hand.
The half-Nautolan lunged and locked her lightsaber against Krell's blue lightsabers, while Ventress kept the other two busy with her two blades. They were focused entirely on the fight, with the half-Nautolan reaching down to her boot with the Force and drawing a knife. She let go of her lightsaber with her right hand, her left still holding the blade, and reached for the knife. Krell was completely focused on Ventress and had no way to stop the half-Nautolan from grabbing her knife and slashing at his throat.
But he did notice when she tried that and barely missed having his throat cut. It took attention away from Ventress, allowing her to disengage and back off, catching her breath for a few moments while the half-Nautolan completely engaged with Krell. But while she had had two lightsabers against Maul on Florrum, here she only had one.
And a knife.
But that didn't seem to bother her as she flipped into the air and came down almost on Krell's head. Krell immediately crossed his lightsabers over his head, and she landed on them, her lightsaber vertical to block the blow. She flipped again and landed on her feet behind him, somersaulting forward and twisting to face him before lunging in. She attacked him with skill and daring, moving almost too quickly for him to counter, but he still had Jedi-trained reflexes and was just as quick as she was. And since he had four arms, the half-Nautolan couldn't watch them all at once, which became evident when he suddenly grabbed her arm and threw her, and everyone there heard the crack of bone breaking and an ear-splitting scream.
Seeing this, Ventress charged back in and engaged Krell, fighting with more skill and control than she had ever shown previously, allowing Kix to run over to where the half-Nautolan was slowly sitting up, her right arm at a strange angle. She only looked at the medic for a moment before looking down at her arm, and Kix could just make out the white of bone poking through the skin and the blood pooling under the break. The half-Nautolan's lower arm was broken, and badly, but she only took a few deep breaths before reaching over with her left hand and pushing the bone back to where it belonged, leaving Kix with no other option than to splint it and shake his head.
Really, the physical abuse this one put her body through could rival that of a clone.
A cry from Ventress had them both looking up, and then the half-Nautolan was surging to her feet and running back into the fight as Ventress was sent sprawling at the feet of Rex and Fives. The two clones didn't react or shoot her; they let her lay there for a few moments and catch her breath before she climbed to her feet and reengaged Krell. But it was clear the half-Nautolan had had enough of this since she and Ventress leaped back and crouched low. They didn't speak, only glanced at each other, their faces completely unreadable, before turning to Krell simultaneously and charging forward. At first, Krell grinned; so far this fight had been going his way and he didn't see how that would change anytime soon.
But the grin was gone in seconds when he saw Ventress give one of her lightsabers to the half-Nautolan, who attacked him while Ventress hung back, ready to support if necessary. Krell was hard-pressed to keep up with the half-Nautolan's unrelenting attacks now, and before he knew it, he was on one knee and staring at the half-Nautolan, not understanding why his arms were suddenly too weak to hold his lightsabers. Looking down slowly, he saw that her lightsabers were now through his chest, and he collapsed then as she pulled her blades out, death swallowing him and sending him into the Force.
Around them, the clones stared and did nothing, knowing this would have been the likely result in the end. It would have been a military court or the Jedi if it hadn't been them. But now they had to deal with the half-Nautolan and Ventress, who slowly lowered their lightsabers and looked around warily, not knowing what to do.
But Rex knew precisely what he would do and only ordered, "Make a hole! Let them through!"
"Sir?" Dogma asked, to which Rex replied, "They killed Krell and saved us the job of arresting him. She's a Sith hunter," nodding at the half-Nautolan, who only stared at him, "So she wouldn't be here and wouldn't have killed him unless he was a Sith. We'll give them this for helping us. Let them go!"
The clones still weren't entirely convinced but did as he said and made a way out for the two women, who took it and raced away, Ventress not looking back at all while the half-Nautolan stopped a few meters beyond the circle of clones and turned to look at them. She said nothing, only stared, before slowly nodding her head at Rex before turning and continuing to run, showing a respect for him Krell had never shown. Seconds later, she had reached the sensor wall and jumped over it, leaving the clones to keep the airbase secure and deal with the consequences of all that had happened.
"The Jedi Council will need to know about this, sir," Fives said as he turned to Rex, "We will have to tell them everything, including the fact we had help with this," nodding at Krell's body.
"It was my decision to let them go, Fives," Rex said as a few clones stepped forward to take Krell's body to the medical center, "I will deal with the consequences of that decision," he turned to Fives then, "That's my job as captain of this battalion, no one else's. If there are consequences, I will deal with them."
"Yes, sir," Fives said as Rex walked past him and headed for the tower, ready for whatever the punishment would be for the day.
Behind them, deep in the forest, the half-Nautolan sat in deep concentration while Ventress stood guard nearby. After a few minutes, the Force responded and reached out, spreading out in a circle from her and altering the memories of all it came across without their knowledge. Except for Ventress, of course. By the time she was done, no one would know or remember Ventress had helped her win this fight, and no one would know they were working together. Hardcase would think he had saved himself by finding charges ready to go on the supply ship and setting them off himself while running for a nearby escape pod, and no one would be the wiser until the half-Nautolan decided to reverse what she had just done.
It wasn't time yet for anyone to know just how close she and Ventress were.
A few days later, the fighting had calmed down on Umbara as Obi-Wan secured the capital and the Jedi were able to return to Coruscant and the Temple. Rex went as well to deliver his report and the news Krell was dead, as well as the Jedi's body. Arriving at the Temple communication center, he gave his report without emotion and kept to the facts. It was silent for a few minutes after he was done before Captain Tarkin, who was there to deliver his report about the space battle, asked, "And you just let her go, Captain? You didn't try to detain her?"
Rex nodded, "Yes, sir, I did. She had just killed a Jedi, and I was there when she killed Maul. If she had decided to turn against us, none of my men would have survived the fight. And I felt as though we owed her for what she did. She was able to stop Krell from sabotaging our operations and compromising the mission. And she made sure he wouldn't trick us into killing our brothers again. I felt it was the right thing to do."
"The right thing for you, Captain, but not for us," Tarkin argued, "It wasn't your decision to make and should have been left to your superiors."
"I was the highest-ranking officer there, Captain," Rex said bluntly, "There was no one else. And I didn't think the half-Nautolan would tolerate waiting for someone else to make the call. She is more than a match for my men and me; I decided it would be safer for us to leave her alone. She could disappear into the forest surrounding the base whenever she wanted and could blend in completely with the environment. We wouldn't have been able to find her again even if we wanted to."
"Captain Rex makes some good points," Mace Windu interrupted before things could deteriorate even more, "And it was the right call to let the half-Nautolan go. He and his men are no match for her, Captain," turning to Tarkin, "It would have been suicide to go after her or try and stop her. He made the right call then, and I'm sure she appreciates the fact he let her go," turning back to the clone he asked, "How did she seem? Were the wounds she suffered on Florrum healed?"
Rex shrugged, "It was hard to see in the dark, sir, and she was wearing all black, but it looked like it. Her arm was moving pretty freely and didn't look like it pained her, but her tunic hid the wound on her side, so I couldn't tell how that was healing. I can't say for sure how that one was doing. But Krell did break her arm during the fight, and Kix did have to help her patch it while we distracted Krell for a few minutes, so maybe she wasn't completely ready for this fight."
Mace nodded slowly while Master Koth said, "It is good to hear that she is healing; I'm sure there are many in the Temple who will be glad to know that," silently referring to Master Gallia, who had made some progress over the last week or so but was still badly wounded, "The fact she wasn't completely ready for the fight is disturbing, but it is expected of a Sith hunter to ignore their body until they can't anymore. We will have to take care the next time we see her. She may still be wounded, which may make her more dangerous," turning to Mace as he said this.
Mace nodded again while Aayla Secura said, "We can debate how to find the half-Nautolan as much as we want, but I don't think we will get very far now. From Umbara, she could have gone anywhere, and we do need to focus on the war effort as well. The fact the Separatists are gaining more and more ground is not a good thing."
"Very true, Master Secura," Master Plo said, "We should focus more on this debrief and work to understand why Master Krell felt he had to betray the Jedi and the Force so completely. There is a story there, and we need to understand what it is."
The others gathered there agreed, and the meeting continued, with Obi-Wan, Saessee Tiin, and Kit Fisto adding their debriefs about their battles on Umbara before the conversation moved on to what came next in the war effort.
Tensions were starting to stir on Mon Calamari, and things may come to a head soon if the peoples of that world couldn't solve their differences.
The next day, Kit made a quick trip to the Senate before returning to his fleet. Tarkin was driving him crazy, and he needed a break before he did something drastic. The pain in his stomach also added to his irritability, and he knew if he didn't spend as much time away from Tarkin as possible, he would have a lot to explain to the Council why he and his captain weren't getting along. The half-Nautolan hadn't reached to him at all and wouldn't until she needed something from him, that was something they had decided after the fight on Florrum, just to make it harder for anyone to find her through him.
Knowing Padmé wanted to speak to him, he had hurried to the Senate as quickly as possible, leaving his lightsaber behind because he wanted a break from whoever was spying on him, keeping to lesser used corridors to avoid larger crowds. He didn't think he could tolerate anyone boisterous right now, and a few of the senators went out of their way to speak to Jedi sometimes, almost to the point of annoyance with him.
And considering his usual pleasant attitude towards them, it would be entirely out of character and cause questions he had no intention of answering.
So lost was Kit in his thoughts he wasn't really paying his surroundings the attention they were due, and so almost bumped into Anakin Skywalker as he was leaving Padmé's office. Only highly trained reflexes prevented a collision, and Kit quickly said, "Master Skywalker, my apologies, I didn't see you there," he smiled then, "At least, not until it was too late."
"It's alright, Master Fisto," Anakin said as he stepped back, "I wasn't paying attention either. What brings you here?" he asked.
Kit shrugged with an easy smile, "Senator Organa asked to speak with me. He is an old friend and acquaintance. His aide told me he was meeting with Senator Amidala."
"He is," Anakin said carefully, "Senator Mothma is there as well. What did he want to speak to you about?" trying not to give anything away about why he had been there before beating a hasty retreat when Bail and Mon had arrived.
Kit again shrugged, "I'm not entirely sure. Perhaps it has something to do with the recent tension on Mon Calamari. He knows I have been there before and may want my advice on the best way to proceed."
"I see," Anakin said before stepping aside, "Well, I should get going as well. Master Kenobi wants me to get ready to accompany Senator Amidala there as well if it becomes necessary. I will see you later," turning after a quick bow of his head and leaving the hallway.
Once he was out of sight, Kit shook his head with a small smile before stepping up to the door to Padmé's office. The door opened automatically, and Kit entered, still looking over his shoulder at where Skywalker had been moments before. Once confident he was gone, the Nautolan turned to look around the office. Sure enough, Mon Mothma and Bail Organa were there, and thankfully Threepio was not. Padmé was seated at her desk, and as he approached, Kit said almost jokingly, "Your husband is the most jealously suspicious man I have ever met," as he walked over to her desk.
Padmé only looked at him warningly but was too late as a familiar voice from the other side of the room asked, "Husband?!"
Kit whipped his head around, and his eyes widened in surprise to see that Ahsoka was there as well. He must not have sensed or seen her when he first entered the room. Now she was staring at not just him but also Padmé and the other senators. She looked between them all for a few moments before turning to Padmé and asking, "You're married? To my master?"
Padmé couldn't help but blush and sigh before answering, "Yes, I am. We keep it secret, Ahsoka. If the Council ever learned, not to mention members of the Senate, things could fall apart very quickly. The only ones who know are in this room," nodding at Bail, Mon, and Kit, who had sat down in one of the chairs facing her desk.
Ahsoka shook her head in disbelief before looking at Kit, who only said, "It is a secret I keep, Ahsoka, because I have plenty of my own. I don't mind keeping this one."
"But the Council –" Ahsoka started to say but was cut off by Kit saying, "We are defying the Council by having the Conspiracy exist at all, Ahsoka, not to mention just meeting in this room right now. What does it matter if we break one more rule of the Jedi? What can they do to us that would have any consequence? Our course is set, and there is nothing else to do but stay the course. If the Council has a problem with it, it won't matter. We are all breaking the rules, Ahsoka, every single one of us. What does it matter if we break one more?"
Ahsoka only shook her head as she leaned against Padmé's desk, "I knew things were going on that I was being kept in the dark about, but I could live with that. Now, to hear that you are married to my master," she shook her head, "It's a lot to take in."
"I know Ahsoka," Padmé said, "And I would have preferred if you hadn't learned at all. The fewer people that know, the better. All I can ask is you exercise your judgment as you see fit and act with your conscience."
Ahsoka stared at her for a few moments while the others waited for whatever she decided to do. After a while, she finally smiled and said, "So….you and my master? Really? What do you see in him? Aside from his good looks?" and the tension was broken then and there as she revealed she would keep this secret as well.
Kit smiled and laughed as Bail and Mon released relieved sighs, and Padmé blushed again before saying, "You are too young to worry about something like that, Ahsoka. And it is none of your business, thank you very much," Ahsoka only grinned while Bail said, "She asks some good questions, Padmé. Some we all are interested in knowing," nodding at Mon and Kit, who both nodded before turning to Padmé.
Seeing she was being ganged up on, Padmé only said, "That is for me to know and you to find out, later. For now, we need to speak about what's happening on Mon Calamari. My personal life shouldn't be part of the discussion unless absolutely necessary."
Kit could tell she was rather uncomfortable about the conversation and quickly said, "Of course, Padmé, we shouldn't tease you about your personal life, or pressure you to reveal it when you don't want to. Forgive us?"
Padmé looked at him sourly, but seeing the open, innocent look in his purple and red eyes and how he was looking at her, mainly like a child that had just been told off for sneaking another cookie before dinner, caused her to relent and smile with a shake of her head.
She wasn't sure what it was about Kit; she could never stay angry at him for long.
Kit smiled as well before saying, "Are you ready for another wartime mission of peace? I think the Council is getting ready to ask you to make another journey. And this one will require you to get your sea legs," chuckling slightly as Padmé smiled and said, "I'm sure it'll be interesting. When do I leave?"
"A few weeks, I think, maybe a month or two," Kit said, "The Council wants to be sure your presence is actually needed before asking you to go. It will be dangerous; I'm sure Master Skywalker will also be going with you. My fleet will just happen to be nearby in case we are needed, of course," his teasing smile back in place.
Padmé and the others smiled as well, knowing that this adventure should be interesting, to say the least. And who knows, perhaps a friend would stop by and say hello while they were there. They all knew how much she loved to swim, and the king of the Mon Cala had given his permission for her to use his oceans for training and swimming whenever she desired, so perhaps she would be there enjoying the seas while they were there.
It seemed like they were about to find out.