The New Jedi Knights 2: Threat to the Jedi Order
Chapter 8: The Regrouping
By MagicMansion
Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or Luke Skywalker. My characters are Jarrod, Josh, Kyle, Victor, Shawn, Mary, Abby, Rebecca, the Padawans, and the android.
Kyle, Eric, and Elisha had just returned from another meeting of the Senate. It seemed that no more assassinations had been planned. However, the Chancellor had been worrying more and more about the Sith for some reason. He was going on and on about how he was so sure the Jedi were not going to be able to protect the Republic from the Sith. Kyle was confused by his worries, since the rest of the Council failed to recognize the Sith as a threat to the Republic.
Kyle walked into the Jedi Temple and sat down in the closest room. He rubbed his forehead, thinking about the Chancellor and his motivations, plans, whatever they were, Kyle wasn't sure anymore.
"Master," Elisha said as she walked in. "There's a ship coming towards the temple, Imperial by the looks of it."
Kyle got up. "What kind?"
"A small shuttle. Seems to be life forms on board, three of them."
Kyle walked to the next room and picked up a communicator. "No Imperial ships would come this close to the Jedi Temple unless they were crazy," he said to his Padawan. He turned on the communicator. "Calling all Jedi, I repeat, calling all Jedi. If anyone can hear me, please identify your position."
Kyle waited, and then got a response. "Kyle, it's Vic. I'm transporting myself, Michael, and Rebecca in an Imperial Shuttle. I'm on Coruscant now, coming towards the temple."
"I copy that. Where's Terry?"
There was a short silence on the other end. "I'll explain when we get there."
The small shuttle entered the hangar a few minutes later, and the wings folded up to put the landing gear down. The rear door opened up and Michael walked out. Rebecca followed him out, and then was followed by Victor, who carried a motionless Terry.
"What happened," Kyle asked as he quickly walked up to them.
Rebecca walked up to Elisha and started sobbing on her shoulder. Michael looked at her, and then looked at Kyle.
"We were captured by the android. He…"
"Let's get to a room my Padawan," Victor said. "We need to explain everything. Kyle, send a transmission to the rest of the Jedi. Tell them to return to Coruscant as soon as possible."
"Ok. Let's go to the medical room. Maybe we can…"
"No. She's gone Kyle."
"Oh."
Victor, Michael, Eric, and Kyle were in the Council Chambers a few minutes later. Kyle had sent out a transmission to the rest of the Jedi, and Elisha had taken Rebecca to the medical chamber to calm down.
"So you were taken to the new Imperial flagship?"
Victor nodded to his fellow Knight. "I can't believe we didn't see it coming. But it was on Darth Kiazee's genius to bring back the Separatist droids."
"Why do you say that?"
"If he hadn't, he wouldn't have been able to disguise a ship like that. We don't have any old clones in that museum. Seeing as how there are traces of the Clone Wars on Coruscant, he could theoretically use the droids to attack the planet."
"So, what of Terry?"
Victor sighed. "The android that attacked here on Coruscant a few years ago. He's the one that captured us and took us to the flagship. When we got there, we found out a truth that you and I had been suspecting for a while now."
"So Titanus is…?"
"Yeah, a Sith. Just like you and I figured. He escaped though. I'm not sure where to, most likely to another Imperial Star Destroyer. But he and I dueled, and he's very skilled. I was fighting him, and I'm not sure what happened, but I looked over for a second and saw Terry in Rebecca's arms. From what I was told, Terry jumped in the way of the android's strike on Rebecca and was killed. Fortunately, Rebecca used that opportunity to make the android a head shorter."
Kyle stared at the floor. "So, it's started then. The death, the rage of the Sith claimed its first victim."
Victor nodded. "What did you find out from the Chancellor?"
"Nothing, his motivations are still questionable. He seems to be worried about the Sith, but the rest of the Senate isn't."
"So, why is he?"
"I don't know."
The four Jedi looked out the window as they heard the roar of three ships: an X-Wing and two Naboo Starfighters.
"Jarrod."
The four Jedi met the landing ships in the hangar.
"Did anyone call you yet Jarrod?"
The Jedi Knight got out of his ship. "Yeah. Master Skywalker is one his way back from Tatooine. Seems he took Tiama to a podrace, ended up racing, and had to fight that android in the end."
Victor and Kyle looked at each other, confused.
"So did we," Jarrod said. "Tried to kill us in a bunch of pits, and then used droids on us. Fortunately my clones were orbiting; otherwise we wouldn't have made it out alive."
"So, there's more than one android," Kyle asked.
"Yeah. Josh and Shawn ran into it too. They killed their android. And shut down the droid factory that was secretly being run on Kamino."
"Under our own clone factory?"
"Yeah. The Sith are getting really sneaky about this whole war. Almost like it was planned since the second Death Star was destroyed."
"Well, let's go to the Council Chambers until Master Skywalker, Josh, and Shawn get back," Victor said. "Padawans, to your chambers please."
The Padawans bowed and left the hangar.
Not an hour later, all seven Jedi Knights and Luke were sitting in the Council Chambers.
"So, the situation is worse than we thought," Luke said. "There's more than one android. It figures, this Sith Lord needs more than one android to hunt all of us down."
"Darth Kiazee is his name," Josh said. The rest of the Jedi looked towards him.
"The android found us on Kamino," Shawn continued. "He was cloaked when we met him. Then he said he had a message from Darth Kiazee. We knew something was wrong then."
"And the droid factory," Luke asked.
"Gone. It was under our clone factory on Kamino. A group of Kaminoans secretly making droids."
"Why not clones I wonder," Jarrod said. "They're more skilled, and they follow orders without question."
"That's what I fail to understand," Josh said. "They had a lot of droids being made; thousands of them. How did the clone factory go Jarrod?"
"My clones held the droid army on Noomi's surface, and then did an emergency takeoff and destroyed the planet. We didn't have any choice; there weren't any innocent people on the planet. It was only being used by the Separatist Empire."
Luke nodded. "So both factories are gone then?"
Josh, Shawn, and Jarrod nodded.
"Good. But that doesn't mean the war won't continue. These Sith Lords always have a plan to start losing, and then they pull some weird plan out of nowhere." Luke sighed. "Kyle, what of the Chancellor?"
Kyle shrugged. "He's baffling me. He's getting more and more worried about the Sith, but the Senate refuses to recognize the Sith as a direct threat to the well-being of the Republic. And another thing that worries me was the assassination attempt on a Senator by one of his representatives. It seems that the representative, Clorks, was in the building before the meeting in which the assassination attempt took place. I grow suspicious of the Chancellor, he seems to be in on something, and it worries me that he might demand more and more of the Jedi Order, and more control of the clones."
"Why," Luke asked.
Kyle sighed. "During the meeting, before the assassination attempt, the Senator asked the Chancellor for protection from the assassin, who was unknown at the time. The Chancellor suggested the Jedi protect him. However, I told them that we had more concerns, such as the war and the Sith. Of course…"
"The Sith aren't recognized as a threat to the Republic, I know," Luke said.
"Well, I was beginning to say that if the Sith kill the Jedi off, no one will have control of the clones."
"The Chancellor planned it?"
"I believe so. I think he and some systems are in on a plot to gain control of the Army of the Republic."
Luke held his chin in his hand, Kyle crossed his arms, and the rest of the Jedi Knights sat and thought.
Victor looked up. "Master, I have grave news to report, if you don't already know. Terry was killed in a duel with the Darth AISA."
Luke nodded, still holding his chin. "I felt her pass on as I was flying towards Coruscant."
Rebecca stood up. "How can you do that? Just blow it off as if nothing happened?"
Luke looked at the Jedi Knight.
"You don't care at all? My Padawan was killed, and you just want to send it off as a thing that was meant to happen?"
Luke watched her calmly. "Wasn't it meant to happen?"
"Terry even said she knew it would happen," Victor said. "It was her destiny, and she fulfilled it. There's nothing more we can do. We can't bring her back."
"But not caring about it? That's ridiculous!"
"Rebecca," Shawn said. "Haven't you learned yet? Attachment is not a Jedi emotion. You need to let go, and just realize that the Force has shaped this event."
"Well, I'm not going to watch another one of my friends get killed. I'm leaving the Jedi."
Everyone looked over at her, alarmed.
"Me too," Mary said. "I can't stand training my younglings so I can send them towards a road that might lead to their deaths. I'm sorry Master, but I just can't."
Luke nodded. "I felt it. I knew I would lose some of you. From the first day we started training, I knew not all of you would live up to the Jedi Code. If you would turn in your lightsabers and your robes, you are free to return to Earth with your families."
The two girls handed in their lightsabers and robes, and then turned to their boyfriends.
"Are you coming Josh," Mary asked.
Josh looked at the floor. "I would love to Mary, but the Jedi need me. I've been to war on Earth, and this is no different. I've learned at least this much from being a Jedi: the needs of one do not overpower the needs of many."
"Fine. If you decide differently, I'll be back on Earth."
Rebecca walked up to Shawn. "You'll come back, right?"
"I'm sorry Rebecca, I can't. I realize this is something I need to do. I'm needed as a Jedi, and I can't abandon my Padawan. He's still learning. And I have things to oversee. My place is with the Jedi."
"Even if it means leaving me?"
Shawn nodded.
"I thought you cared Shawn. I thought you cared enough about me to find it in your heart to save yourself before you get hurt, or worse. I was wrong. You'd rather help the Jedi and risk your life, and for what?"
"For the Republic. The very thing that is going to protect you when you get back to Earth. And to destroy the Sith, which is also a threat. I'm sorry, but I'm staying here."
The two girls left without saying another word.
Luke shook his head, and Josh and Shawn sighed.
"Master, may we be excused," Shawn asked.
Luke motioned to the door without saying a word.
The two Jedi Knights bowed and left the Council Chambers.
A small ship, with a circular window in the front and two sets of wings, flew towards a large planet with ten moons circling it. The ship headed towards one of the smaller moons, which was covered by a large forest. The small craft flew down to a specific section of the forest where huge trees miles high twisted around each other like a dome. Under the "dome" of trees was a large, circular area almost 50 miles in diameter. In this section was a small city, surrounded by a river that ran completely around the city, and a large desert beyond the river.
The ship landed on a landing pad on the largest building. The building was 20 stories tall, and contained a few landing pads. On a landing pad not far away was an identical ship, and a landing pad on a lower level held another single-man fighter. This ship also had a large sphere for a cockpit. From the top, bottom, left, and right side of the ship, a large, curved blade protruded in an arc. On the cockpit itself, to each side of the four blades were small laser cannons, giving the ship eight. Finally, on the top and bottom were two missile launchers each. Behind the cockpit was a cargo bay, which held missiles. Behind that was another blade which protruded from the center of the back of the ship, and curved down with two more lasers at the tip. The last feature could only be described by the ship's name: The Stinger.
On the top landing bay, AISA was exiting his ship, and walked towards the door. It opened before the android could reach it, and a cloaked figure, about five and a half feet tall, came walking out.
"Have you completed your mission Darth AISA?"
"Yes Master. The Jedi are aware of my presence, as well as yours, and most likely Titanus'."
"Yes. They are aware of all of us then. Perfect. Our plan will come together perfectly. Unfortunately for us, two of the other AISA's did not survive their Jedi encounters."
"Are you certain we will Master? The Jedi are very powerful, and by the time your plan is finished, the Jedi may be so numbered that we will not stand a chance against them."
"Calm your programming. Numbers have nothing to do with power. My plan is in motion, and the Jedi are falling straight into my trap," the cloaked figure said.
Darth Titanus came out of the building, followed by a second android.
"Soon, the Sith will rise again. However, more of our plan will need to put into action. Titanus, take one of the androids and put the next step of our plan into action. Everything you need is available to you."
"Yes Master. The Jedi will fall."
The figure nodded. "Soon, the galaxy will belong to the Sith again, and no one will be able to stop us."
Titanus and one of the androids left the floor, and soon The Stinger, and one of the biplane ships took off.
"Excellent," the figure said to the android. "My plan is going perfectly."
Shawn sat in his quarters, holding his head in his hands. There was a knock at the door.
"Enter."
The door opened, and Zener walked in. "Master, are you ok?"
Shawn sat up. "Yeah. I was just thinking, about how I told Rebecca that it was my duty as a Jedi to stay here."
"Yes?"
"Well, I don't know, it just seemed so easy, harmless, such a quick decision. Almost as if I knew it was coming and I knew what I was going to say."
"Like you never felt anything?"
Shawn nodded.
"You had a bond," Josh said, as he walked in from standing outside the door. "You and I both had it. And my decision was just as easy, for some strange reason or another."
"But why was it so easy?"
"Because Shawn, it seems to be this way. The girls, they had very emotional connections, Rebecca to Terry, and Mary to the younglings, as well as both of them to us."
Shawn nodded.
"That's attachment Shawn. We loved them, but we didn't get attached. It's as Master Yoda once said, 'Attachment leads to jealousy; the shadow of greed.' The girls wanted so badly not to see their Padawans to die. Rebecca was afraid of losing another Padawan. Fear leads to hate, hate leads to anger, and anger leads to suffering. Just as Master Yoda once said."
Shawn nodded. "I suppose it was for the better then."
Josh and Zener nodded.
"Don't worry Shawn," Josh said. "If anything, this'll give us an opportunity to increase our powers. And don't forget, you, me, Kyle, Victor, and Jarrod all have a bond, just not the same bond you and I had with Rebecca and Mary."
"Yeah. Let's get back to the Council Chambers. We don't want Master Skywalker to worry about us."
The three Jedi left the room. Zener headed off to his own quarters, and the two Knights went back to the Council Chambers.
"So, let's just get this straight," Luke said, looking at the three Knights that hadn't left. "Kyle, you have suspicions that the Chancellor is up to something, correct?"
"Yes Master. I don't believe he's a Sith, but he's up to something."
"And Jarrod, you destroyed the clone factory on Noomi?"
"The clones took care of it after we'd left. AISA escaped."
Luke nodded, and then looked at Victor. "And the flagship?"
"Gone. With AISA's dead metal body in it. Titanus is still on the loose."
Josh and Shawn walked in. Everyone looked at them.
"You guys ok," Luke asked.
"Yeah. We're fine," Shawn said.
"Good. Now, the droid factory?"
"Good as gone. And no trace of our android is left. We dumped him into the generator for the droid factory."
"So, we still have two androids and Titanus on the loose. And any of us has yet to see this Sith Lord, Kiazee." Luke sighed. "Well, we'll just have to go about doing what we can. Kyle, I would like you and your Padawans to remain in the Senate, keep an eye on things, and keep close watch on the Chancellor."
"Yes Master," Kyle said.
"The rest of you, I have no current assignments for you. Keep an eye out for the Sith, and go train your Padawans. And, if at all possible, get the android in as few pieces as possible. Maybe we can get the droids to run a scan on it, find its weaknesses."
"Yes Master," the Knights said.
The Jedi Knights left the chamber, and R2 rolled in. The little droid beeped at Luke.
"Yes, there is something not quite right R2. This puzzle of motives and ambitions doesn't seem to fit together yet."
R2 beeped sadly.
Well, that's it for this chapter. Please keep reviewing, and I'll put up the next chapter soon.
