Answers to reviews:
Austrian: Here you go.
Panther-Strife: I'm not sure, if there was, I've never heard of it nor played it.
Guest: Jayden won't be working with Maul, and you'll see why later in the story.
OechsnerC: Thanks.
Guest: Hmm...
Guest: I'll think about it, and yes, the Force Dyad will still be in the story.
Guest: Well done.
Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars: The Clone Wars. I only own the OC Jayden Shan.
The Malevolence.
It's a Subjugator-class heavy cruiser created by the Separatists as their secret superweapon to give them an edge over the Republic. One of two examples of a Subjugator-class heavy cruiser, the Malevolence was manufactured in secret by the Quarren engineers of Free Dac Volunteers Engineering Corps and Pammant Docks on the planet Pammant, where it was designed by Ruggle Schmong in equal secrecy, who used a discarded SoroSuub Corporation starship design. Built almost entirely by slaves, the Malevolence measured 4,845 meters in length, outsizing a total of five Venator-class Star Destroyers parked end to end. The lead ship and initial testbed for the Subjugator-class, the Malevolence, equally classified as a Star Dreadnought and a battleship, was equipped with sixteen engine units mounted at the direct stern of the vessel, all of which provided the craft with a maximum speed of 1,050 kilometers per hour.
In addition to its extensive propulsion system, the Malevolence also retained a Class 2 hyperdrive generator, as well as a sensor array and a navigation computer, which was capable of calculating courses around objects that were too large for the Malevolence to perform a hyperspace jump through. The Malevolence also possessed sensor jammers that were capable of preventing enemies from sending out transmissions, such as the communications systems of Venator-class Star Destroyers. Furthermore, the Malevolence was also equipped with stabilizers, as well its own communications systems that could sustain a transmission while moving through hyperspace and was capable of sending transmissions to other areas of its interior. It also retained scanners that had the capability of detecting any sources of power, such as nearby vessels and droids.
The Malevolence was also armed with a vast array of different weaponry that provided the warship with enough firepower to take on a fleet of three Venator-class Star Destroyers. Its primary armament comprised of a pair of mega-ion cannons located on the warship's port and starboard hull, which were directly powered by the Malevolence's reactor and its plasma rotors. When fired, the ion cannons released a large, ring-shaped wave of ion energy capable of disabling the power systems of other vessels caught within its radius, which left them without deflector shields, weapons and communications.
In addition to its mega-ion cannons, the Malevolence's was also armed with an array of secondary armament, such as 500 turbolasers and five point-defense laser cannons, all of which were used as part of the warship's two-step attack plan, which began with the firing of the ion cannons and ended with a barrage of fire from its secondary weapons. Furthermore, the Malevolence also retained several tractor beam projectors and also came equipped with a deflector shield generator that served as the Malevolence's primary defensive measures.
Jayden's first thought was that the ship was very big.
The looming shadow cast by the vessel swallowed Count Dooku's private SolarSailor long before the ship ever arrived in the docking bay. It was an incredible sight to behold. If he was unmasked, one would see Jayden with a look of almost childish awe. He was still a young one after all.
Dooku found Jayden's childish awe amusing and warming. "Remarkable, isn't it?" The Sith Master asked.
"Yes, Master." Jayden nodded.
"A lot of hard work has gone into this ship and weapon in the months since the beginning of the war." Dooku explained. "This will give us an edge over the Republic and the Jedi. Already, we have destroyed several Republic cruisers in order to make sure they don't go back with reports of our weapon."
"But rumours have spread." Jayden pointed out.
"Yes, they have." Dooku nodded as the ship landed in the docking bay and the ramp lowered, the two Sith starting to disembark. "But the Jedi will follow these rumours... right to their deaths."
The hangar was no different in style from the those found on mainline frigates and destroyers, only bigger, which seemed to be the theme of the ship. What was even bigger and more imposing was the cyborg waiting for them at the foot of the landing ramp.
General Grievous.
"Ah, Count Dooku, I trust your flight was... uninterrupted." Grievous stated more than asked with a raspy cough and voice.
"Indeed it was, General. While one would think the lack of Republic ships in the area was your doing, I see you have chosen your hiding places well." Dooku mused in response.
"I have followed your orders. No Republic ship has ever gotten away to report back to the Jedi filth." Grievous said with a dark chuckle as they started walking, the General's clawed feet clicking against the polished durasteel floor with every step.
"I trust the Malevolence is performing to standard?" Dooku queried.
"The Republic ships crumble before the might of our weapons. This vessel is a true instrument of terror." Grievous replied gleefully, clenching a six-fingered fist.
"Good." Dooku said with a sinister smile before gesturing to his Apprentice. "General, may I introduce my Apprentice, codenamed: Khan."
If Grievous could raise an eyebrow he would as he looked at the masked Apprentice. "Ah, perhaps you will be less of an annoyance as Ventress is."
"We can agree upon how much of an annoyance she is, General." Jayden said, causing Grievous to chuckle again.
"Come, young one, let me introduce you to this fine vessel." He offered and started urging him onwards towards a nearby turbolift…
Found in the Abregado system of the Core Worlds, Anza was a red sun and the primary star of the system, bathing all around it in an eerie red glow. The Malevolence slowly rounded the stellar body, like a vast predatory creature stalking around its domain. Aboard the bridge, Count Dooku, General Grievous and Khan stood watching the droid bridge crew go about their tasks.
The statistics behind the Malevolence were well and truly massive. 4,845 meters long, 16 engines, 500 twin-turbolaser batteries, 6 proton torpedo launchers, multiple point-defence batteries and state of the art sensor arrays. Clearly no expense had been spared in the effort to make the Malevolence the most powerful flagship in the Separatist fleet.
"We're tracking three Republic cruisers." A droid reported suddenly, gaining Grievous, Dooku and Jayden's attention.
"Jam their transmissions." Dooku ordered as Jayden saw three Republic cruisers not too far from the Malevolence.
At once the droids started tapping away on their consoles, booting up the sensor array that would broadcast their special frequency.
"Jamming signal is coming online." Another B1 reported.
Dooku looked at his Apprentice. "Are you eager to see this ship in action, my young Apprentice?" Jayden silently nodded, a grin under his mask, but Dooku could sense his eagerness. "Good. General... you may fire when ready."
"Charge the ion cannon, single reactor!" Grievous rasped to the droids.
Meanwhile, aboard the Triumphant...
The silhouette of the hulking cruiser gave Plo Koon much cause for concern. The Kel Dor Jedi General had fought many battles over these few months of the war, but something of this nature… so mysterious and deadly, it filled him with concern. Upon arriving in the system, it hadn't taken long for the fleet to detect the mighty anomaly that was the Separatist experimental super-cruiser. They had been tailing the ship for a few moments now, but even it's close proximity was making him tense with worry.
'It appears they know we're here if they're reducing speed.' Plo Koon thought as his second-in-command, Clone Commander CC-3636, or 'Wolffe', walked up to him.
"The enemy ship has reduced its speed, sir." He stated, speaking Plo Koon's exact thoughts.
"They must've realized we're tracking them." Plo Koon said, sensing a tremble in the Force, and it wasn't the good kind. "I think it may be wise to report our positon before we attack."
"Understood, sir. I'll have the fleet hold it's position." Wolffe answered with seemingly-uncompromised military swiftness and precision. Plo envied his lack of worry. "Skywalker's fleet is nearby, in the Bith system. He's probably our best option."
"Good. Perhaps he can reinforce us." Plo Koon proffered instinctively. He wasn't afraid to admit he felt their fleet underprepared for this assignment. A stronger bolstering would help assuage his worries in the long run.
"From what I hear, Skywalker's always ready for a fight." Wolffe remarked.
"So I've heard." Koon agreed as he keyed up the comms system. Within moments, a pair of holograms flickered into being before him, one of which being Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker and the other being his teenage Padawan, Ahsoka Tano.
"Koh-to-yah, Master Plo!" The chipper Togruta greeted in his native Kel Dorian. Beneath his rebreather, Plo smiled. Seeing her was sufficient to relieve him of his anxieties.
"Koh-to-yah, lil' 'Soka." He greeted in turn. There was no need for titles or decorum between the two, as Plo and Ahsoka had known each other for a very long time, long enough to establish a close friendship despite the Master-Padawan gap.
"How's the hunt for the mystery weapon going?" Anakin queried with crossed arms.
"We've tracked it to the Abregado System. We need reinforcements." Plo stated urgently, transmitting his exact coordinates as he spoke.
Anakin rubbed his chin, music and thinking his options before he spoke. "I'll have to speak with the Council, Master Plo. I was given strict orders to protect our staging area."
Suddenly the signal began to drop as Anakin and Ahsoka's holograms fizzled out and grew lined with static. Wolffe hurriedly tapped the console for a better resolution, improve the frequency, anything to get them back. Plo noticed the continued degradation of the comm signal and feared the worst.
"Master Plo? What's-… goin-… -n…" Ahsoka's query was lost to fizzling static. Plo tried in vain to get them back, only to fail.
"What's wrong with the transmission?" He inquired aloud.
"There's too much interference, sir. We've lost them." Wolffe stated grimly.
Plo Koon had a feeling why that happened... and he didn't like it. If the enemy ship has jammed their transmission, then it means they don't want them reporting anything to the Republic... much less get away.
"Sir! The enemy ship is closing!" A pilot reported from his seat.
Plo Koon went right to action as he looked at Wolffe. "Prepare for battle."
Everyone went on high alert as the bridge locked down, officers and crew scrambling for their proper stations. The holotable quickly rendered a map of the system and the positions of the four vessels.
"We're picking up a large energy reading from the target, sir." Wolffe informed his commanding officer as Koon rounded the table.
"Open fire, all guns." He ordered promptly.
"Sir, we're not in range yet." Wolffe responded. Suddenly, contrasting the red light bathing them all, a bright white appeared near the bow of the Separatist vessel. The rounded portion was aglow with energy plumes, blue sparks of energy jumping from point to point as they formed a halo. Then a burst of electromagnetic energy shot forth from the Malevolence, widening as it drew closer.
"Brace for impact!" Plo Koon shouted before a wave of short-circuiting power ripped through the Republic cruiser, as well as the other two. Sparks erupted from various computers and consoles
"We're losing all our power!" Wolffe shouted as his terminal began to short-circuit and shut down. "That energy field has left us defenceless!"
The ship rumbled and Plo Koon turned to look at the viewpoint where he saw the Separatist Dreadnaught ship was drawing closer like a predator and the Republic cruisers were the prey.
The Malevolence...
"Their shields are down." A droid reported in.
"All cannons, fire!" Grievous ordered with a clenched fist.
From the bow, half the Malevolence's accompaniment of 500 turbolaser batteries opened fire on the hapless Republic ships, red bolts of laser energy absolutely ripping through the defenceless Venators. With their shields down, they had absolutely zero defences and were cut to pieces under the relentless barrage.
Jayden watched as the Republic ships had no way of fighting back. They were defenceless. One ship was the first to be destroyed, then the Malevolence's guns turned to the remaining two and began firing on them.
"Impressive, isn't it?" Dooku asked his Apprentice who nodded.
The Triumphant...
"They're tearing us apart, one by one!" Wolffe said as he and Plo Koon watched one of the Republic cruisers be torn apart by the enemy ship's guns. Soon enough, the other Republic cruiser suffered the same fate, leaving only Plo Koon's ship left to be next.
Plo Koon knew they needed to get off the ship before they all die. "Quickly! Into the escape pods!" He ordered. "We don't have much time!"
The bridge crew scrambled to leave, fires billowing across the terminals as the assault took its toll on the unprotected ship. The Kel Dor could sense their panic and fear through the Force and longed to bring them all together into one pod with him, so he could keep them safe. Alas, this was not to be.
He boarded an escape pod alongside Wolffe and two other Clones he knew to be called Boost and Sinker, after ensuring the rest of the crew had made it safely aboard their pods. They jettisoned from the ship, watching the blooming flares of other escape pods ejecting alongside them moments before the Triumphant exploded in a blinding fireball.
The Malevolence
On the bridge of the Separatist ship, Dooku, Grievous and Jayden watched the third Republic ship be destroyed in a matter of seconds without it's defences to help them gain an edge.
Grievous laughed. "Another successful test, wouldn't you say Count?"
Dooku nodded once but they weren't finish here yet. "We must keep our position secret. Send out the Hunters. I want all of those life-pods destroyed."
Meanwhile, in the Bith System...
"You heard Master Plo, he needs our support!" Ahsoke told her Master as soon as their communication with Plo Koon had been cut off. "We have to go help him!"
"We have to see what the Council decides first." Anakin reminded her as they made their way to the holotable to report to the Council. "This is an important issue, Ahsoka. Remember, be mindful, and speak only when spoken to."
"Don't I always?" Ahsoka rolled her eyes and followed her Master to the Holotable where it displayed the holograms of Master Mace Windu, Master Yoda, Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and Chancellor Palpatine.
Windu was speaking as they approached. "…this mystery weapon has struck in a dozen systems and disappeared without a trace."
"We cannot afford to lose anymore ships, my friend." Palpatine said before noticing Anakin and Ahsoka approaching and smiled. "Ah, Master Skywalker. Have you had any success in finding General Grievous' secret weapon?"
Anakin pressed a button, displaying a hologram of the Abregado System. "Master Plo was here in the Abregado System when we lost contact with him. We've had no further contact with General Koon. The absence of distress beacons indicates that his fleet was…" He paused, sensing a tremor in the Force. Anakin cast a glance down to Ahsoka, her big blue eyes looking to him, desperate, yearning, begging him to say it was not so. "That his fleet was destroyed like the others." He finished in a somber, remorseful tone. "We're about to prepare a rescue mission-"
"Hasn't Clone intelligence reported that this weapon never leaves any survivors?" Palpatine interrupted.
"The Separatists are being unusually tidy." Obi-Wan mused with an uncertain look as to this pattern with the enemy. "They don't want any witnesses."
"Tragic are these losses." Yoda said with a remorseful sigh. "But prevent more.. we must."
Ahsoka's eyes widened as she understood what they were implying. They were moving on. They weren't going to do anything. Inside, Ahsoka was screaming. No! No no no no no! We have to find him! I have to find him! He's still alive I know it! She was desperate to act. Master Plo was alive, she knew it.
"All our battle groups will be reassigned to guard our supply convoys. Including yours, Skywalker." Mace stated. "I'm afraid we can't risk any more ships for a rescue mission." There was the barest hint of remorse in his voice, obviously none of them wanted to lose another Jedi and a fellow Council member at that. But the decision was final and Anakin accepted that.
However, Ahsoka wasn't.
"Wait!" She cried out. Suddenly all eyes were on her, and she felt a ripple of emotions through the Force. Curiosity from the Chancellor, agitation from her master, surprise from Obi-Wan, disapproval from Mace, and understanding from Master Yoda. Ahsoka swallowed. J-Just because there haven't any survivors before, d-doesn't mean there won't be any this time."
The Jedi Masters exchanged several looks with each other, whether it was from her out burst or her reasoning, she didn't know. Ahsoka knew she spoke out of place, but she couldn't just stand there and let Plo Koon be left to die.
"Body spoken for one so young." Palpatine mused.
"She is learning from Anakin." Obi-Wan quipped, getting a dry look from Anakin at that remark.
"Excuse my Padawan." Anakin said with a look at his Padawan but she didn't cower down, she merely stared back. Anakin almost sighed but looked at the Jedi Masters and the Chancellor. "We will deploy as you've instructed, Master."
Consigning them to their duty, the Councillors signed off as the hologram flickered and faded away. Ahsoka started to leave, but not before Anakin spoke.
"Ahsoka!" He said in an agitated tone.
But Ahsoka wasn't going to hear his lecture as she turned to him. "If anyone could survive, Master Plo could. I don't understand why-"
"What you don't understand is Jedi protocol. Or your place, my young Padawan." Anakin cut in, crossing his arms. Ahsoka shot him a frown of her own, one she deemed well-deserved by this point. But before things could escalate any further, the access door slid open to herald the arrival of the Resolute's resident commanding officer; Admiral Wullf Yularen.
Anakin looked at him. "Admiral. We'll split up our ships to maximize our defence area. I'll scout ahead for enemy activity."
"Isn't that risky with the 'mystery weapon' out there?" Yularen inquired with a raised brow.
"It will be. But I know you won't argue with my orders." Anakin mused, shooting Ahsoka another glare. Feeling particularly irked, Ahsoka stuck out her tongue in retort. Anakin shook his head with a grumble as Yularen moved on. "Come along, Snips."
They arrived in the Resolute's hangar and Anakin led them straight to the Twilight. Having grown fond of the dingy old freighter that had spirited them from Teth to Tatooine, Anakin had the wreck salvaged and fixed it up in his spare time with the excuse it could prove to be a handy unmarked vessel for undercover missions. Much needed repairs were performed, overhauls were conducted and even some upgrades were introduced.
An ever-faithful R2-D2 was waiting by the boarding ramp and twittered in an excited tone as the Jedi approached. "Hey, Artoo. Is the ship ready to go?" The astromech whistled confirmation. "Good. Go rig up the hyperdrive, set coordinates for Anza."
R2 warbled in agreement and puttered off to input the data as Anakin took a seat at the controls with Ahsoka beside him. Priming the engines to launch with a few clicks, the freighter thrummed as the thrusters came to life. Piloting out of the hangar with expert ease, Anakin gunned the thrusters and flew away from the fleet.
"Set those new coordinates, Artoo?" Anakin asked. R2 whistled again, indicating he had. Having been sitting quietly this whole time, the lack of exchanges between the two had finally gotten to Ahsoka.
"Master… I should tell you why I spoke up before-"
"You don't have to explain anything, Ahsoka." Anakin interjected, softly and quietly like he understood. Nudging the throttle forward, the stars elongated into streaks of white light as the Twilight shot forward into Hyperspace.
The Abregado System...
The Twilight came out of Hyperspace and started flying towards a circle of asteroids.
"R2, set up the scanner, modulate for incoming… 'mystery weapons'." Ahsoka ordered passively. The astromech warbled and rolled over to his data port to comply, but Anakin stopped him.
"No. R2, tune the scanner for lifeforms, higher sensitivity." Anakin said. R2 beeped in response and went to do just that.
Ahsoka gave Anakin a confused look. "Why would we scan for lifeforms to spot an enemy weapon probably just filled with..." Ahsoka trailed off as she finally noticed where they were. "..battle droids?" She stood and looked out to see it was indeed the Abregado System. "The Abregado System?"
Anakin threw her a cheeky smirk that clued her in.
Ahsoka gave her Master a look and huffed. "So it's okay when you don't follow what the Council says!"
"Doing what the Jedi Council says, that's one thing. How we go about doing it, that's another. That's what I'm trying to teach you my young Padawan." Anakin said calmly.
"So…" Ahsoka cleared her throat, trying to abate her rising temper, "you always meant to come out here for survivors?"
"Lives are in danger Ahsoka. We can't just turn our backs on them." Anakin stated.
Ahsoka's temper shot right back up again. "That's what I said back in the briefing room!" She exclaimed.
"I know. But the way you said it was wrong." Anakin gently instructed. "Now hurry up and switch on the illuminator." Loosing a sigh, Ahsoka did as asked.
"We haven't got much time before the fleet misses us." Ahsoka said, calming down on the outside but still fuming on the inside.
Time ticked by as the Twilight flew closer to the asteroid field. Anakin expertly weaving back and forth around chunks of wrecked cruiser while Ahsoka diligently oversaw the scanners and anything they might reveal.
"The scanners are practically useless." She muttered impatiently before looking at R2. "Got anything on the emergency channel, Artoo?"
The droid whistled and rolled around to check, Ahsoka slumping back in her seat and drumming her fingers against the armrest.
"Now, Ahsoka, we might find something you don't want to find." Anakin pointed out gently. He could sense her worry, her fear for Master Plo's life, as well as her hope that he was still alive, but they didn't know if he even was still alive.
"I know, Master." Ahsoka sighed as she looked down. "But I have to believe."
"How do you know Master Plo anyway?" Anakin asked curiously. He hadn't asked her much of her time before she became his Padawan, they had been too focused with the war effort to talk about their pasts, and Anakin wasn't one to talk about his past considering his life as a slave... then his mother's death.
"He's one of my oldest friends." Ahsoka said. "It was Master Plo who found me on Shili and brought me to the Temple where I belong. Now he's lost, and I thought maybe I could find him."
Anakin watched her. Clearly she held Master Plo Koon in high regard. She must've been in the Jedi Temple before he was brought to it by Master Qui-Gon years ago.
He was interrupted from his thoughts when R2 beeped and whistled, informing them of a transmission.
"incoming transmission, Master." Ahsoka said. "i think someone noticed we're gone."
The call was answered and a hologram of Obi-Wan appeared. "Anakin, where are you?" Obi-Wan asked in a tired, yet knowing tone, as they've done this before. And like before, Anakin was ready with a response.
"Hello, Master. We made a quick stop in the Abregado System." Anakin said.
But Obi-Wan wasn't fooled. "For a rescue mission, I suppose." He stated with a pointed look at his Padawan. Obi-Wan has known Anakin's tricks enough to know the truth easily. "You had other orders."
"it was my idea, Master Obi-Wan." Ahsoka quickly said, not wanting Anakin to take full blame when it was her who wanted to go search for Plo Koon and any survivors.
"Oh, I'm sure." Obi-Wan casually stated, not believing her in the slightest. "Have you found any survivors?"
"No. You were right. The Separatists don't want any witnesses." Anakin answered, honestly but grimly.
"All the more reason for you to rejoin the defensive escorts. We need you, Anakin." Obi-Wan insisted. You'll miss the rendezvous with the fleet if you don't hurry."
"I know, Master." Anakin sighed. "We're on our way." The call was then terminated and Anakin looked at his Padawan to see her slump in her seat. The color of her body seemed to dull, her headtail stripes seemingly turning a little gray. "I'm sorry, Ahsoka. We tried, now we don't have a choice."
Suddenly R2 interrupted them with happy beeps, whistles and warbles.
"What is it, R2?" Anakin asked.
The astromech whistled a few more times, his dataprob fine-tuning he access port he was plugged into.
"Artooie thinks he's picking something up on the emergency channel!" Ahsoka stated excitedly, color returning to her as her eyes green wide and bright with renewed hope. Anakin smiled a little.
"Artoo, can you trace it?" Anakin asked and got a affirmative from the droid who got to work on tracing the signal.
"Let's go!" Ahsoka urged eagerly, gripping the console as Anakin applied extra power to the thrusters and gunned the engine ahead.
The Malevolence
"Sir, we've lost contact with one of the Pod Hunters." A droid informed Grievous.
"Perhaps some survivors are putting up a fight." Grievous said.
"That is something we cannot allow." Dooku said with narrowed eyes. Jayden stood by him silently when he felt something in the Force and slightly turned his head with narrowed eyes.
'I sense something familiar...' Jayden thought. 'Or someone...'
He wanted to search for this presence with the Force, but his Master may catch onto it and reprimand him for losing focus. So he ignored it, but filed it at the back of his mind. He made sure to memorize how this presence felt in the Force just in case he encounters it again.
The good news is Anakin and Ahsoka managed to find Plo Koon and other survivors. The bad news is Plo Koon's information of the 'mystery weapon' the Separatists gave created.
"We tracked the mystery weapon to this system." Plo Koon informed Anakin and Ahsoka as they entered the cockpit of the Twilight. Wolffe and the remaining Clone survivors were resting, happy to be alive still. "That is when we found out it was an Ion Cannon."
"An Ion Cannon?" Ahsoka asked.
Plo Koon nodded. "A weapon that neutralizes all power to our ships, leaving the targets defenceless."
Suddenly the radar began detecting a signal. Anakin looked at it. "There's a massive vessel approaching." He said.
Plo Koon knew what it was and was quick to start turning the Twilight's power off. "Shut down the power systems before they detect us."
Soon, the Twilight was powered down and just floating in space. R2 twittered in fright, his chassis shaking and drawing Koon's attention.
"The droid!" He hissed and Ahsoka scrambled to act.
"Sorry little guy." She apologized as she flicked R2's power couplings, forcing him into a shutdown mode as his body stilled. The Twilight began to drift, blending in with the millions of pieces of debris, just in time for an ominous shadow to pass over it. Ahsoka returned to her seat and slowly sank into it as her wide-eyes took in the sight before her. "That is… one big cruiser-crusher." She gasped in awe.
Her words were an understatement. The Malevolence positively dwarfed Twilight by a few hundred thousand tonnes. As far as ships went, the little freighter was nothing more than a minnow by comparison to the almighty shark prowling above it. As the sharply-angled bow cruised above them, Ahsoka could've sworn their freighter was no bigger than the illuminated viewports along the dreadnought's bow.
The Malevolence...
"There's still no signal from the pod hunter." A droid said.
"Reduce speed and activate your scanners." Grievous ordered. "We will find who is responsible."
Jayden frowned as he sensed the presence again and looked the side a little. He then began to focus on it without drawing his Master's attention.
The Twilight...
Ahsoka frowned as she sensed a presence in the Force, a presence that was familiar, but she hasn't sensed this since...
'Tatooine!' Ahsoka's eyes widened and she looked at the Separatist ship. 'Khan...'
The Malevolence
'Anakin Skywalker's Apprentice...' Jayden thought with narrowed eyes. The last time they saw each other was Tatooine, where Ahsoka slashed Jayden's mask, which was now repaired since then, but he had not forgotten... and he looked forward to a rematch from their duel on the desert planet.
"We're picking up a faint signal from a droid." A pilot droid reported, bring Jayden from his thoughts. "it's not one of ours. They're right behind us."
Grievous growled, knowing it was the Republic. "Move us into attack position."
The droids got to work and the ship began to turn around so it can get into attack position.
"Sir!" Another droid spoke up. "The enemy is attempting to flee through the debris field."
"General, I don't want any witnesses." Dooku reminded sternly. They had kept this weapon hidden for months, they couldn't afford to let the Republic know about it now.
Grievous nodded and ordered the droids. "Energize plasma rotors."
"Target range almost locked, sir." A droid said a minute later.
"They're not going to make it." Grievous said in a sinister manner.
"Enemy ship targeted, General." The droid said a few seconds later.
"Fire!" Grievous ordered.
The Ion Cannon powered up before it fired. Jayden, Dooku and Grievous waited in anticipation for the damage to be done and leave whatever Republic ship is out here defenceless to be destroyed. However, they saw the ship leave the drbies field and go into Hyperspace.
Grievous growled. "Now the Republic will know of our Ion Cannon."
Jayden glanced at his Master, easily sensing his disappointment with the General. Jayden remained silent. knowing when to speak and when not to speak. Even the droids must've felt something was off since they stopped what they were doing to look between the General and the Count.
Finally, Dooku spoke. "Your failure is most unfortunate. I will have to discuss this with my Master. Khan, come along."
Wordlessly, the two Sith left the bridge of the ship...
And that's it for this chapter everyone.