A/N: I'll keep this sort of brief. A shortage of labor has increased my time at work. So apologies in advance, but I'm not the most adept at adjusting my schedule. I've finally been able to make some adjustments. Anyway, thank you for all the support. Look forward to hearing from everyone and I hope you all had a very merry Christmas!

Chapter 17

I.

Since Cecily took the helmet off, Ron left it off, striding through the forest with confidence, no longer looking through sickly green HUD. When they emerged back onto the trail, Alex wanted to say something about Ron exposing his identity, but shook her head and huffed down another cigarette.

Sometime after his fiery plunge into Garqi's atmosphere and the assault on Republic positions; Ron developed a list. One that determined where he sat in fulfilling his duties between soldier, Ostari, and himself. One feeling Ron noticed differed from his previous life was the attention granted to him on the battlefield. Everyone. Especially the clones.

Ron daydreamed seeing their faces behind their stonewalled white battle helmets. He imagined them watching an Ostari parade around as a Mandalorian didn't enthrall them. They always gave pause and refocused their firepower, leaving battle droids unattended. Surprised at himself, Ron relished this.

The art of killing disgusted him, but presenting a threat brought an air of excitement. The adrenaline that ran through his veins outpaced any feeling a mission with Kim provided. With Kim, the villain always underestimated and deemed him unimportant. No threat. They painted him as a pest.

"Don't enjoy it too much. It's enlightening to learn about yourself and grow, but don't become addicted to the power you've been gifted. Don't let it overtake you."

Cecily's earlier words rang true with one of Aella's first teachings when he hit his first practice target.

"The feeling you just felt. Quash it. Before, you would hit targets coincidentally. Now, you have learned the art of taking a life. You've learned power over others, don't let it consume you, lest you want to lose yourself."

It coincided with Beta's first principle in combat; never underestimate your enemy, lest you find yourself at their mercy. Clones taught that rule thoroughly, thrice hitting his armor saving him from a mortal wound.

Miles behind them, the droid vanguard marshaled into armored columns, preparing for their march to the capital of Pesktda, but there was one major obstacle. The Vlassy Nature Preserve, which they were currently traversing. The river ran over 6,000 kilometers, unless they wanted to go around.

Beta had been clear in his instructions that the Preserve was to remain intact and damage held to a minimum. Ron figured Beta admired the unique beauties of different worlds.

"Look! Over there!" Cecily shouted, pointing to a clearing in the lower brush. The bridge. They found the crossing over the massive river.

The other perk of being soldierized, as Ron liked to call it, the way he swayed a certain girl's heart. His eyes danced with her hair as it waved and twirled with any light breeze of wind. The kiss from earlier, still fresh on his mind.

"Ah, I see," Alex said unenthusiastically.

"Remind me why we had to travel thirty-six kilometers on foot," Ron breathed out as they stopped along the waterside.

Cecily cupped the crystal clear water in her hands and splashed it upon her face. "Light up that jet-pack of yours and you'll find out. They would hear us coming from miles away. Stealth was the best option."

"The only reason I didn't bring your droid regiment rumbling through is because I don't want to hear Beta gripe about the trees," Alex replied, taking a drink from the river.

"You know Master Beta wouldn't gripe. He just wouldn't pay you," Cecily smart-mouthed back at her, taking a drink for herself, eliciting Alex's eye rolling. "At least the water here is clean."

Ron knelt down by the waterside. From the Amazon to the Nile, Ron hated them. All the wild missions and going over dangerous rapids and waterfalls. Yet as large as the Vlassy was, this river calmed his nerves and brought fonder memories. One that remained fresh in the forefront of his mind.

As his eyes drifted upstream, he caught sight of an ancient, secure stone bridge that spanned the entire river. The bridge disappeared into the craggy cliffs, where the road to Pesktda lay.

Republic AT-TE Walkers guarded the far side of the bridge while clone troopers meandered the rest of the length. Ron groaned, as he reached for his battle helmet and slipped it back over his head, lowering the helmet's range-finder and zooming in.

"Those are some big cannons they have there," Ron pointed up the river, the others following his index finger.

Cecily shook the water droplets from her hand back into the river. She stepped by Ron's side. "Hmm. I can make out two walkers, but it's difficult to see the clones. How many are there?"

"A lot. More than I care to go through on a day this nice," Ron grumbled.

"It is a pity we have to waste such a beautiful view with a battle," Cecily agreed.

"Then we should attack in the early morning. There will be fewer guards around that time anyway," Alex suggested. "In the meantime, we can watch their movements and plan our attack."

"No," Cecily mused. "We don't have time to wait. Our regiment will be here by morning. We can't risk exposing them to the walkers' fire."

Alex sighed, laying down on the soft water grass beside the river bank. "Fine. You two kids can plan away. Aella and Svana specifically put you two in charge. I'm just here to observe and assist." Alex lit another cigarette, inhaling its toxic essence.

Ron shook his head. "Can't you do anything without having to have a cigarette in your mouth?" Ron complained. It was one of many habits of Alex that played on his nerves. Yet it tugged on his mind why she did it.

"Can't you mind your own damn business? Jeesh, can't get any peace and quiet around here," Alex grumbled, shutting her eyes.

Ron turned to Cecily, who sat under a strange fruit tree. "What's with her?"

"I would like to tell you, Ron… but I can't. I promised to keep everything under wraps."

"Oh com'on. The Ron-man can keep a secret," Ron pleaded. He had a thing for secrets.

Cecily quirked her brow in a way that said she didn't believe him. "Sorry Ron. A promise is a promise," Cecily said. Her hazel eyes bore through his battle helmet, stirring up familiar feelings he had felt before. It reminded him of her green eyes, except Cecily's were… gentle. "Before you ask again because I have a feeling you don't give up easily, I made that promise to Beta."

"Oh! All righty then…" Ron chuckled nervously.

"You know you're so… oh never mind," Cecily sighed, turning away from him.

Ron sat down across from her. "No, I really don't. Would you mind telling me?" Ron asked sheepishly.

"Take off your battle helmet."

Ron touched his face, feeling the cold silvery metal instead. "But if we're heading for battle, then wouldn't it be best if I kept it on… wouldn't it?" Ron sat down on the cool grass.

"You seemed like you were enjoying yourself earlier with it off. Why have it on now?" Facetious words slipped off her tongue.

"I'm just trying to keep an order from both our masters," Ron sighed, pulling off the helmet. "I just wish this all wasn't so complicated." Ron recognized her icier emotions flowing from her.

"Unfortunately, Ron, life isn't that simple. Everyone wants it to be, but it never is. I don't think anyone can live an uncomplicated life. We thrive on chaos," Cecily replied.

Ron asked, "Are you okay?" He grew concerned with her change in demeanor. He didn't want to get into the peculiarities of his secret identity.

She turned to him with a bright smile. One Ron knew all to will. A smile he would give Kim to cover his facade. "I'm fine."

He turned his gaze upon her. She glanced back, giving him a faint, reassuring smile, her hazel eyes shining in the golden rays. Ron wasn't sure what was wrong, but he had a feeling it dealt with the kiss they shared.

II.

Sokol Two and Three set themselves up in a shallow dwelling on the cliffs opposite of Ron's position, near and above the ancient bridge where Republic troops patrolled. The dark moonless night provided cover for their movement. The river was at the narrowest point, only a kilometer wide.

They crossed the wide width of the Vlassy River with a dried log and scaled the cliff to where they now sat. A double-barreled repeating blaster hung over the cliff's edge, aimed toward the clones. Sokol Three heaved a rocket launcher with two spare pods over the face into the nest. It's target to take out two AT-TEs that guarded the middle of the bridge.

There were no Republic gunships. Vulture droids and tri-fighters did regular sweeps of the skies, achieving air superiority. Not that it would matter to the specialized unit that Professor Dementor had crafted.

Cecily had instructed Sokol One to plan a series of attacks that would send the clones into chaos. Sokol Four and Five set up an emplacement, hidden in the trees opposite of them. Sokol One observed from his own position, waiting for Commander Stoppable and Rammel to join the upcoming fray.

Two minutes until they started the attack.

Sokol One shouldered its E-5s sniper rifle against its metal shoulder, aiming for the clone commander who was directing troops. With the rest of the Sokol squad using their internal communication network, Sokol One was notified that the rest of his team was in position and just needed the word.

III.

Ron watched the clones movement on the bridge through his helmet's range-finder. He couldn't find any of his other commando droids that Dementor had so graciously gifted to him. Only Sokol One stood by his side, a long-barreled, heavy sniper rifle cradled to its shoulder.

"One minute until we begin the attack. Are you ready, sir?" Sokol One asked Ron as he loaded his blaster rifle.

Ron sighed, his range-finder returning to its upright position. "I'm as ready as I'll ever be."

"Oh, come on. This is the last obstacle before Pesktda. This should be our last operation before we get time to rest," Cecily replied, loading her rifle.

"It better be. I'm not getting paid enough to fight your whole war for you. I should get paid triple if Beta wants me to conquer entire systems," Alex groaned, cocking her pistols.

"You know you don't have to fight if you don't want to. Commander Stoppable — I mean Commander Xzelas and I have this one in the bag," Cecily replied, smirking at Ron in the dark.

"Fifteen seconds until the ambush begins, sir," Sokol One interrupted the group's tit-for-tat with Alex.

The only way Ron could see the cliff's silhouette was where the sky ended. The only other light was from the dim lights illuminating the bridge itself. Clones standing guard, watching the forest for the impending droid army to march through.

It happened fast. Sokol One fired its sniper rifle and a repeating blaster up on the cliffs and one somewhere to Ron's right opened fire onto the bridge, taking the first few clones by surprise. The clones that didn't get caught in the crossfire pressed themselves against the stone rails of the bridge, others hid behind the walker's stubby metal legs.

An AT-TE swiveled its cannon around toward where the fire was coming from. A missile screeched from the cliff, slamming right under the walker's main cannon, popping it and the clone trooper off the primary hull in bloom of fire. Another rocket zipped down and burst into the other walker's operator's seat, blowing the tank apart like an overfilled Bueno Nacho Naco.

Hot chunks of metal and clones that hid under the walker's protection were flung around the bridge like dolls and blocks. Sniper fire, another rocket from the forest opposite the cliffs, blazed into the already burning walker and repeating blaster fire kept the clones down. Ron stared at the scene, marveled as the clones fired back hopelessly.

Sokol Four and Five surprised Ron as they ran up from behind him. He didn't understand as the heavy blaster still hammered away from upstream.

"The blaster is automated. It'll buy us a surprise charge on the bridge." Somehow, Cecily knew their sudden appearance would confuse Ron.

Sokol One charged a thermal detonator and ran out from its cover and onto the bridge after Sokol Four and Five. The clones paid the commando no mind, as Sokol One lobbed the grenade at clones huddled against the railing. Clones screamed out in agony as their armor and flesh liquefied under the heat and compression wave of the blast.

"Come on! This is our chance!" Cecily shouted over the chaos, charging after the droids into battle.

Ron kept staring in awe. He hadn't seen them all in action before. Cecily, skilled with a lightsaber, the commando's tacit in battle against the Sith warrior. Now he was seeing the skill and tenacity in combat as they ruthlessly and systematically eliminated the enemy.

WHACK

Ron whirled his head to Alex. "What was that for?" Ron shouted for the pistol whip.

"Are you going to stand there and watch them fight? Or are you gonna man up and take the initiative for once?" Alex growled, both pistols at the ready.

"I'm going, I'm going! And I thought I was in charge!" Ron grumbled as he and Alex charged into the fray, blasters firing, taking out shocked clones. Ron didn't want to do it. Once again, blood on his hands.

The skirmish was swift, and ended as quickly as it had begun. The Republic walkers nothing more than smoldering armored husks, clone troopers bodies strewn across the bridge.

Ron lowered his blaster as the last standing clone succumbed to their fire. The bridge was theirs. Now the droid vanguard… Ron's droid vanguard could march across the bridge, inflicting no damage on the Vlassy Nature Preserve. The road to Pesktda was now secure.

"Commander Xzelas! Commander Xzelas…" It was his master, Aella, her hologram appearing above his beskar vambrace. Ron still wasn't used to his new name. The formal name of his master. "Is the bridge to Pesktda captured?"

Ron frowned at the destruction before him. It pained him to see such despair and distraught, he always thought being a hero as different. "The bridge has been secured. We'll move the droid vanguard on Pesktda soon."

"Good. The blockade of the planet is complete. Once your forces enter the city's perimeter, it should draw the clone contingent out. Neutralize it and contact me once the objective has been completed," Aella explained his next mission. She disappeared, offering no further explanation.

"Don't worry, duff brain. Just order the droids to march so we can get this over with already." Alex sheathed her weapons. Ron hoped she was right.

IV.

"What? That's impossible!" Gemini rebuked his informant's claim. "That weasel assured me they vaporized the Director."

"My sources in the intelligence community have informed me otherwise, Gemini. You know I do not tolerate failure," the hologram of hooded dark lord spat. "It was imperative that the Director be eliminated."

Gemini's eyes darted around as he searched for an excuse to apologize. He had already learned from his predecessor before him not to fail the dark lord. No matter how miniscule the task was, failure could be punishable by death.

"I apologize, my Lord. I will deal with this matter at once," Gemini pledged. He would avoid death at any cost, even if it meant killing his own sister by his own hand.

"No. I have more competent professionals able to take care of the wonderful director, Gemini. It is time to implement the next phase of our plan. We need to hurry if we don't want to draw the ire of our enemies," the dark lord explained.

"But… but my lord. Can we do that? If the sanctions aren't removed, the powers of the world will move against us."

"We do not need to make it legal. Those nations shall withdraw from the United Nations and form their own league. Ignore such legalities written in ink. They will not hold against our power," the dark lord responded. "Gather all terror and villain threats of the world under your leadership."

"What if they don't want to fall under my leadership?" Gemini asked. "What shall I do?"

"Is my appointed leader of the new order lacking confidence? Are you saying that I was mistaken in making you artist of my plans?"

"No… No Lord Vuist. I will bend them to my will, or crush them," Gemini bowed in fear of the dark lord.

"Start phase two. Free the villains and set up your alliance. And eliminate any loose ends… including your failed assassin," Lord Vuist spat.

Darth Vuist's hologram disappeared. Gemini turned to one of his minions, who stood guard at the entrance to his lair. "Find me Agent Du!"

V.

It had been days, weeks… months? She knew she was in a coma. She knew her happy dreams were nothing more than her subconscious trying to help her cope with her current state. Twisted reality where she and her brother, their parents, had grown up happily. All rubbish to her.

Dr. Director slowly opened her eyes. The room she was in was dim. Everything was a blur. She continued to blink, trying to force her eyes to adjust and focus so her vision would become clearer. It didn't help.

Voices. She could hear garbled voices, but nothing else. She wished her senses weren't all shot to hell. What had happened to her? What caused the pain and suffering? She sifted through her vague memories, trying to recollect what had happened.

Kim Possible went into another dimension. Taking up combating super-villains in the absence of Kim Possible. A quarterly meeting. Will Du. Will Du! It was that sniveling agent who put a bomb. That's why she was like this. The bomb had exploded before it had reached the window. But how had she survived?

Voices again. This time they were getting clearer. White blobs approached her where she laid. It was getting cold again, and everything was going black once more. This couldn't be the end again. She didn't want to die when she had just learned she was alive. She had survived! But how? Her vision slowly slipped away as she heard one blob call out her name.

VI.

"Admiral!"

"What is it?" Admiral Norith turned to her communications officer.

Before she could get an answer, the Lucid Voice jolted violently. The Hapan crew saved by the crash webbing strapping them to their seats.

"Magnetize! Magnetize!" Captain Ginn shouted to the droids at their stations.

Norith kept her composure and balance thanks to her new cybernetic eye. Looking back out directly in front of the bridge, she could see the tail end of ARC-170's and Delta Jedi starfighters speeding away toward the safety of the Republic cruisers bearing down on them.

"Damage report!" the Admiral shouted, recognizing the starfighters had made a strafing run against her ship.

Captain Ginn responded, "Shields are holding at seventy-three percent. I still don't know why you sent away our escorts!"

"How will we know how effective our ship is if we always have escorts," Norith turned to the captain, "Get Grim Squadron and tri-fighter wings on those enemy fighters!"

"Yes, ma'am!" Captain Ginn answered.

"What's the situation?" Admiral Norith turned to communication officer who conversed with the netware security officer.

"Whoever hacked into the Indomitable is using our own servers to communicate with someone on the surface," the communication officer answered.

"They're using our shadow feed to get hold of a Republic contact? Jam them. Shut them down," Admiral Norith ordered.

"We can't. Whoever is on that battleship set it up to where we can't shut them down."

Admiral Norith turned back to the battle outside. Hopefully, whatever information they were sending down planet-side wouldn't affect their operation. "Find a way and get it done!"

VII.

Kim didn't know what to feel. The emotions bursting forth in her chest were tumultuous. Wade's words burned through her body, every fiber, every muscle itching to be the first to attack.

"Are you facing what looks to be a Mandalorian?" Wade asked.

"I am. Wasn't aware your wade-bot could see through mountains," Kim replied.

"I don't have much time, but that man is in charge of the Separatist Forces in the New Territories. He signed off on Ron's capture and imprisonment. There's more, but I'm still look—"

They cut Wade off. Kim wanted to assume the best and that the Separatist Fleet above was jamming his transmission. The worst possibilities lingered on the fringes of her mind. She shook her head. She couldn't focus on Wade right now. He gave her that information for a reason.

Kim pointed her lightsaber at the Mandalorian. "What is your name?"

"Kim, what's going—" The stoic Mandalorian cut Obi-wan's protest short.

"I don't think you're in a position to ask those questions, padawan. Best to let someone of higher stature negotiate any terms with myself."

Kim winked at Obi-wan, who kept his defensive stance, yet clueless to where Kim was going. "So it is true. You must be General Beta. The officer in charge of the Separatist northern front and that governs its territories in the Northern galactic plane."

Silence. Silence then turned into a slow, steady clap. The clap of thick leather gloves smacking against each other. "Bravo. Bravo. You catch on fast."

"I do. So now you know I'm clever, let's not beat around the bush. We're two Jedi and you're one Mandalorian with five commando droids. I say the odds are in our favor," Kim smirked. "Just surrender and make this easy."

Kim's boasted. In the beginning, she faced off against the monstrosity General Grievous. Then the hordes of battle droids of the Separatists. All her hopes overwhelmed by power that seemed to dwarf her heroism and everything that was possible for a Possible.

But earlier in the Cathar System, Kim confronted the smaller, surmountable villains of the Confederacy. The two Neidmoidian officers they captured in the massive Trade Federation battleship proved to her she could win. And not just pyrrhic victories where she watched helplessly as entire squads of clones get gunned down by laser fire.

Actual victories. Kim found how to take down the Separatist war machine one step at a time. By taking out smaller yet crucial targets, Kim could gain ground in finding Ron. Kim started from the ground up, anything was possible for a Possible. Working her way to the top would be simple. She had done it before and could do it again.

With Wade's information, Kim needn't search far for Ron. This Mandalorian, this Separatist, signed off on Ron's prison sentence.

"You're hardly able to enforce my surrender. The Jedi sure aren't what they used to be. Besides, I couldn't trust General Kenobi here with negotiations. He's very deceptive, more than he lets on," Beta replied.

"Oh, I'm all for negotiations. If you would like, we could have drinks now and discuss a peaceful surrender."

"That won't be necessary. Unfortunately, Obi-wan, although others might fall for your trickery, like my good comrade General Loathsome, I will not." Kim watched the Mandalorian pace around the holotable while tracing his gloved finger around the edge, reaching under it for something. "In fact, your deceptions have forced me to take more drastic measures."

"Really? So is this whole attack in the name of the captured General Loathsome?" Obi-wan asked.

To Kim's chagrin, as a padawan, she was taking second fiddle again as the two generals, the Jedi, and the Mandalorian traded barbs against each other, delaying her ultimate question for the Separatist.

But before Kim spoke, the Mandalorian's left arm reached back, rounding the corner. She took a more defensive stance, ready for a thermal grenade or any manner of weapon the Mandalorian could throw.

But with the flick of his hand, a white, with distinguished colors of crimson, battle helmet rolled towards the two of them. It came to a stop just ahead of their feet. The battle helmet of a clone trooper. A clone that Obi-wan and the Separatist Mandalorian knew well.

"Captain Fordo. The famed leader of the Muunilinst Ten. You sent him here to sabotage us before you arrived, just like on Muunilinst. If you thought you'd meet Grievous, I don't know what good you would have done. It would have ended the same, regardless."

Kim saw Obi-wan's playful demeanor change into a frown. "Well, I would say you just threw away any bargaining chips you had."

"Really? I thought that would have gained me the upper hand. One of your most elite units eliminated." Any sympathy he garnered from her slipped away, now more psychopathic than rational. Him trying to hurt Obi-wan in that way hurt her more than her master. His brutality made her cringe.

Kim's voice lowered. "We're not here to play games. You're obviously not Grievous and I will not entertain your idea that you're remotely as important as him." Her tenor seemed to gain the masked villain's attention.

Kim smirked. She figured her words hurt him where it counted. She continued, "So answer me. You're the commanding officer of the New Territories, and of this attack, are you not?" The Mandalorian merely stared with hands clasped behind his back. "So you also govern Separatist Space in the New Territories, correct?"

Kim glanced at Obi-wan, her Master also confused at exactly where she was going with her line of thought. Which is exactly what Kim hoped for. If she could throw her Master off, then the Mandalorian was no problem. No answer from the Mandalorian made her suspect Wade was right on the money.

"So, then you must know the names of Professor Dementor and Ron Stoppable, people you unjustly detained and have kept locked up. Where are they?"

VIII.

General Beta stood frozen to his spot on the rock floor. How had this happened? Who was the redheaded girl? How did she know who Ron was? And the pain. The connection in the Force was deafening, ringing in his ears that this girl conjoined to him somehow. How was she burying this burning pain that surged through him?

His facade stood as the bulwark between him and her deductive skills. She still thought he wasn't a threat, as much as he could note.

So did the Republic know about Ron? How did information leak into enemy hands? And how many enemies knew exactly? The thoughts drove Beta mad, trying to maintain control of the situation.

But the ringing. The deafening bells of the Force called out, shouting that this encounter wasn't just mere coincidence. There was more than met the eye. Beta couldn't figure out what it was. The anomaly in the Force wasn't emanating from Obi-wan. It was coming from the fiery female padawan by his side.

"I have to enact operation blackout. It's the only way. But her? Who is she? I have to know?"

Beta tried to maintain his neutrality in the Force. Maintain the illusion that he wasn't a Force user to Obi-wan and his student. But as soon as he lifted the restraints he put on himself, then Obi-wan would know he was no ordinary person. His perception as a threat would drastically increase.

No! I have to maintain this for a while longer.

So General Beta toyed with the red-headed padawan a little longer. Glancing at the holotable now in his peripheral, he could see that his combat droids were nearly across the last line, drawing the Republic clones in. He needed to buy enough time until it could happen. Beta knew better than to underestimate a Jedi, even with minutes to spare.

IX.

"What is your name?" The Separatist Mandalorian asked Kim. "I know the infamous Jedi negotiator, Obi-wan. But who you are?"

"I'm not negotiating. Although I admire my teacher, you'll find me far less playful and far more of a smart-ass. But let me be frank, I won't negotiate, especially with a vile villain."

"And what makes me vile? How do you suppose I am a vile villain?"

Kim nodded to Captain Fordo's helmet. "Don't think I'm stupid. That blaster mark is right above the eyes. If I'd have to guess, you captured him and then had him executed."

"What an astute and clever student you have, Master Kenobi. Although this is our first formal meeting, I have to say that I am impressed by your padawan. You truly are a brilliant teacher."

Obi-wan let out a chortle. "I'm flattered, but this is all my padawan. She is something special, isn't she?"

Kim could tell that Obi-wan caught on fast, as he didn't give the Mandalorian what he wanted and that was her name. The tension in the air grew thick as they continued their placid argument.

"Listen, I will not ask you again. This is your last chance before we force your surrender. Are the names of Ron Stoppable and Professor Dementor familiar to you?"

The Mandalorian let out a snort. "Are you afraid that they ended up like Captain Fordo here?"

Kim's grip tightened on her lightsaber, "You'd better hope not, for your sake."

"Kim," Obi-wan lightly berated his students' rise of anger.

"Sorry, Master."

They both readied their sabers at the sound of whirling. The Mandalorian had taken out his pistol, twirling it in his right hand before it rested in his grip, its gold-tipped chrome barrel pointing directly at Kim. "I will not ask again. What is your name?"

Kim smirked. "It's the last name on the battlefield you're going to hear. After that, you'll be learning the name of your fellow inmates in prison."

"I'm waiting…" the Mandalorian said gruffly.

"Kim. Kim Possible."

X.

Everything changed. In the very instance the padawan revealed her name to Beta. Everything changed. Questions raced through his mind on just how Kim Possible got here. How did she already know something related him to Ron and Professor Dementor? How much did she know?

Indeed, they now held the advantage, and he had to think fast. This reason for Kim's effect on.

He needed to protect Ron. He needed to inform Aella, Svana, and the other Ostari in the galaxy that an unknown threat had emerged. A threat that was directed at Ron himself. But he didn't have time. The battle, his own creation to lure the Jedi into a trap so Grievous could attack unhinged, trapped himself.

The entire point of the Battle of Bandomeer was to keep the Jedi trapped. A nexus to draw in the bulk of Republic attention across a massive ever moving front. Multiple offensives meant to take away the attention from his cyborg superior.

Never did Beta imagine or expect to draw in one of Ron's greatest nemesis. In Beta's eyes, he saw Kim, a girl that Ron had known since childhood, not as a hindrance but a threat. He didn't have time to evaluate Ron's childhood friend as anything more. He couldn't take chances. The risk was too great.

The only answer Beta needed at the moment was in her hold. Her green lightsaber gripped in her hands, under the glare of her sharp green eyes.

XI.

A freighter burst from hyperspace, zipping toward Garqi. Burned out Republic ships floated eerily in space. Where their destruction hailed from came as no surprise, the Separatist line holding position above Garqi's equator.

The man flying the freighter, small compared to any of the Confederate ships ahead, flew straight for the line, triggering alarms to blare that Separatist capital ships targeted him.

A hologram of a droid appeared on his dash. "Identify yourself and your cargo."

"Captain Harub. I was carrying food and medical supplies for Ciutric until pirates ambushed me. My ship is damaged and I'm seeking passage past your blockade to repair and refuel."

"Captain!" The droid called off screen, glitching. It came back on. "Roger, roger. You're free to pass. Your identification codes check out."

The droid disappeared, and the man pushed the freighter past, skimming underneath the Separatist battle cruiser, racing for the surface.

Another chime echoed, a dark figure replacing the droid.

"Land in the capital. Take control of the clone regiment there and enact order thirty-seven. You won't be engaging the droid army of Grievous, but that of our nemesis. He might be incompetent, but don't let that comfort you. Do not fail my father again."

"Yes, my Lady."

"Take revenge for both of us. Be mindful and let them come to you."

TBC...