Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters or anything Star Wars related.
Chapter 13
Battlefront
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With a grim look on his face, Yoda watched the scene unfold before him from his vantage point aboard one of the many Republic carriers that had landed on Korriban. The Jedi had walked straight into an ambush. Upon their arrival, they had been swarmed by numerous Dark Jedi, with the assistance of dozens of crab droids and octuptarra droids. How they had acquired these droids, he couldn't be sure…but they were clearly complicating matters.
The spread of the Clone Wars had brought the conflict to new worlds of varied topography and climates. The Confederacy of Independent Systems had responded by churning out new, more versatile droid designs that could combat the environment as well as the clone trooper forces of the Republic. The crab droid's scrabbling legs offered it speed, agility, and the ability to climb over uneven terrain and even up craggy surfaces. Powerful servomotors drove its legs, overcoming the weight of its heavy armor plating. The scalable manufacturing techniques of the Techno Union had allowed the LM-432 to be built in varying sizes. Tiny models could be used as spies while gargantuan versions served as mobile armor. The ones fighting on the battlefield now were mid-sized heavy infantry units. Also known as Muckracker droids, they had been first introduced to the battlefield in marshy environments. They had been equipped with vacuum pump systems built into their forward pincers that could slurp up restrictive lakebed mud and then spit it out in an effort to clear the terrain and obscure the visual sensors of its targets. The largest of their legs came tipped with heavy duranium stabilizers that could axe into bedrock to secure stable purchase. They were not to be underestimated.
Flanking the crab droids were the octuptarra, also called tri-droids. The stilt-legged spider-like automatons had large metallic heads atop their thin stalk bodies, armed with laser turrets. Their rotating turret assemblies could fire from extended ranges, but in close quarters, the octuptarra was less effective. Its rotating multi-jointed assemblies allowed them to change facing almost instantly – making them nearly impossible to get a drop on as all sides conceivably faced the front. Early in the war, the droids had been deployed in suicide runs towards clone troopers. The Separatists had developed biological weapons that specifically targeted the identical genome shared by all the clones. The central hollows within the ball-shaped brains of the octuptarra stored the virus in gaseous form, earning them the nickname of 'virus droids'. Fortunately, they contained nothing that would do damage to the Jedi.
Leaning heavily on his gimer stick, Yoda released a labored sigh. He had seen far too much fighting in his lifetime. Too much death. With the fall of Darth Sidious, he had hoped that the galaxy would once again find peace, but yet again the Republic had found itself a new enemy: The Falard.
Reaching out in the Force, he could feel the presence of Mace Windu nearby. He had apparently landed to join in the battle. Yoda know that he too would have to take part if the situation escalated any further. Spotting the familiar violet glow of Master Windu's lightsaber in the sea of droids and bodies, he turned to a young Jedi Knight that stood beside him.
"Prepare our reinforcements," he ordered. "Need them soon, we will."
The Jedi inclined his head. "Yes, Master Yoda."
Rushing away to relay the message, the Knight left Yoda alone.
Yoda remained where he was, intently watching the carnage until he felt a distinct impression in the Force approaching. Diverting his gaze from the battlefield, he glanced over and spotted a silver skiff just as it touched down a short distance away. He knew who it was before the boarding ramp even lowered to the ground. It was Senator Amidala. He would have known her signature anywhere. Moving as quickly as his withered body would allow, he waddled over to the ship. The Senator emerged from its hull a moment later with the woman he knew to be Sabe at her side.
"Unexpected, your arrival is, Senator," he said once they had reached him.
"Master Yoda, I had to come," Padme explained, her stunned eyes fixated on the war-zone that blazed around them. "Where's Anakin?"
"Searching for young Skywalker, we are," Yoda answered.
"I think I know where he is," she replied. "Please, you must come with me."
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Obi-Wan ran down a long corridor with Master Secura just behind him. He stopped at the doors that led into the ships bridge and ignited his lightsaber. Then, looking over at Aayla's wounded shoulder and wrist, he held his hand out to stop her from activating her own.
"You're injured," he said in a hushed voice. "Let me take care of this."
"You will need my – "
"I'm afraid we have no time to argue," Obi-Wan interrupted. "Please, wait here."
Sighing in resignation, Aayla reluctantly nodded her head. "Very well."
Shooting his companion an encouraging grin, Obi-Wan called upon the Force to pull the bridge doors open. Without skipping a beat, he charged through the threshold and found himself surrounded by a group of Dark Jedi. He immediately moved into a defensive position and braced himself for the attack that was sure to come.
"Must this all end in violence? Perhaps we can resolve our differences peacefully," he suggested, knowing full well that there was no reasoning with his adversaries. Sure enough, the Dark Jedi sprang into action and he found himself fending off their relentless attacks in no time flat. A frown formed on his bearded face as he dodged and blocked their crimson blades. "I didn't think so."
Jumping back onto the nearest control console, he flipped back through the air and landed outside the circle of bodies that had gathered around him. However, it didn't take them long to continue their assault. He was busy blocking their onslaught of blows when he caught sight of Master Secura out of the corner of his eye.
"Blast," he muttered to himself.
Aayla had not listened. Slashing and ramming through the surrounding Dark Jedi, she fought her way towards Obi-Wan while he did the same. Soon, they were back to back, fighting their hardest to survive and win the day.
"I thought I told you to wait!" Obi-Wan shouted as he deflected a blow that was meant to sever his head from his shoulders.
"You looked like you could use some help!" Aayla shouted back. "You didn't really expect me to stand by and watch you get killed, did you?"
"You worry too much, Master Secura!" Obi-Wan exclaimed. "I was doing perfectly fine on my own!"
Despite the gravity of their circumstances, a smirk found its way to Aayla's lips. "Not from where I was standing!"
Obi-Wan sidestepped a blade and parried another before plunging his lightsaber through the chest of one of his foes. He thanked the Force that these Dark Jedi weren't as skilled as the Sith. If they had found themselves engulfed by Sith instead of The Falard, they would have surely been lost. Even with their remarkable abilities, he doubted they would be able to withstand so many Sith Lords. Defeating one had been hard enough.
Within a matter of minutes, Obi-Wan and Aayla had dispatched almost all of their opposition. Their numbers dwindled until there was only one left standing and Aayla swiftly stabbed her blade through the Dark Jedi's gut, abruptly ending the skirmish.
"Are you alright?" Obi-Wan asked as he extinguished his blade.
"I am unharmed," Aayla answered.
"Oh dear…I think we're in trouble," Obi-Wan stated, inspecting the main controls to the ship. Sparks flashed and sputtered from the console – having obviously been slashed by a lightsaber during the brawl. "There's no way to guide the ship."
Suddenly, both Obi-Wan and Aayla were tossed to the floor when the ship violently jerked.
"I think we're in more trouble than you thought," Aayla remarked.
"Yes, we seem to be without a pilot," Obi-Wan replied, pushing himself up from the ground and pulling Aayla to her feet. "I don't think we'll be flying this back. We must get to the hangar before it's too late."
Side by side, the two Jedi started for the hangar bay.
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Mace slashed at a crab droids legs, cutting them out from under it. He then leapt into the air and landed in its back once it had collapsed to the ground – jamming his lightsaber into its dome and knocking it out of commission.
All around him the Jedi fought. In all directions the Dark Jedi and their droids encircled them. The enemies' masses seemed to be somewhat diminishing, but not fast enough for Mace's liking. The crab droids and octuptarra had been an unforeseen complication and they were undoubtedly making the situation worse. Repelling a blaster bolt from a crab droid that stood within close range, Mace threw his lightsaber in its direction. Spinning in a blur of purple as it soared through the air, its blade sliced the malignant contraption clean in half and returned to his outstretched hand a moment later. The droids were easy enough to destroy, but their numbers were far greater than the Jedi's. At least, they had been. Now, Mace thought to himself, they had become more evenly matched…but they still had The Falard to worry about. Although they were not as skilled as the Sith, they still posed an adequate threat.
"Master Windu!" a voice shouted out. When Mace turned to the source of the noise, he spotted a young Jedi Knight standing amidst the chaos. "Our reinforcements have arrived!"
Following the youth's finger as he pointed off in the distance, Mace caught his first glimpse of the battalion of clone troopers that he had been indicating. Though relieved to see them entering the battlefield, their appearance was bittersweet. Mace had hoped that the soldiers would never be needed again. The clones had been integrated into society after the fall of the Empire and the end of the war, but they had been placed on permanent military alert incase such a disaster should occur. He felt both appreciation and sorrow as they opened fire…
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Anakin drew on the Force to help calm himself as he unleashed another series of lightsaber thrusts and jabs at the Respian. The Respian's response was to deliver his own bombardment of powerful blows. Anakin silently cursed his situation as he attempted to strike the older man down. They had been in a stalemate for some time now and he didn't appear to be making any progress. Worst of all, his opponent actually seemed to be enjoying himself.
"The light side of the Force is useless," the Respian stated between blows. "Only with the dark side can you learn to use the Force fully. Stop holding back, Skywalker…I can feel your need to let go."
Giving no response, Anakin angrily swung his lightsaber. Blades clashing, he raised his booted foot and kicked the Respian in the stomach, knocking him flat on his back.
"You talk too much," he said as he watched his rival climb back to his feet. Then, catching sight of the Sith holocron that had fallen from the Respian's robes, he used the Force to call it to his hand. "I'm going to end the ways of the Sith once and for all."
"No!" the Respian shouted, his tone on the verge of panic. "I know you are curious. I know you wish to know its secrets."
Anakin clutched the holocron in his fist, preparing to eradicate it…but something stopped him. Something inside urged him to look at it. Confused by the sudden temptation to delve into its contents, he fought to restrain himself. He knew what he had to do, but he couldn't quite bring himself to do it.
"You can't destroy it, can you?" the Respian taunted. "Search your feelings. You know what you must do."
"Yes, I do," Anakin replied as his grasp on the small device tightened.
Tossing the holocron into the air, he promptly slashed through it with his lightsaber and watched as it erupted in a shower of sparks.
"You fool!" the Respian exclaimed. "You will never defeat the Sith! Their ways will forever live on with me!"
Anakin had no time to react as he felt his feet leave the ground. Flying back through the air, he slammed into the rocky wall and hit the ground with a painful thud. He could feel hot liquid running down his back as he struggled to gather his bearings.
"You have been given the chance to accept your destiny," the Respian growled, closing the distance that separated them. "I have been nothing but patient with you, Jedi…but this has gone on long enough. If you will not join me, you will die."
"Better to die as a Jedi than to live as a Sith," Anakin spat, his eyes searching the ground for his lightsaber. He found its hilt resting on the caves floor just out of arms reach, but he made no move to retrieve it. "I will never join you."
"So be it," the Respian said as he raises his double-edged sword overhead.
Just as he brought his weapon down on Anakin, he rolled out of harms way and snatched his lightsaber from the ground. Hastily jumping to his feet, its blade burst to life and he cleaved off his adversaries left arm. Then, without delay, he beheaded him, cleansing the galaxy of the last remnants of the Sith's dark wisdom.
Anakin fell to a knee and extinguished his lightsaber, his breathing deep and fierce. His head throbbed and his chest felt tight and restricting. He felt what he knew to be a gash in the back of his head before bringing his hand around to his face. Just as he had expected, the black fabric of the glove was stained with fresh blood. Unable to keep himself upright any longer, he collapsed to the ground and closed his eyes in a futile attempt to stop the room from spinning.
The last thing he heard before slipping into unconsciousness was the sound of an angel.
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