Answers to reviews:

Panther-Strife: No, he doesn't have a brother in this.

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Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars: The Clone Wars. I only own the OC Jayden Shan.

After suffering a series of disastrous defeats at the hands of General Grievous, the Republic's foothold in the Outer Rim is in jeopardy. Commissioned to protect the strategic world of Bothawul, Anakin Skywalker and his weary battle group are all that stands between the system and domination by the droid army.

Aboard the Resolute, Anakin, Ahsoka and Captain Rex were speaking to a hologram of Obi-Wan Kenobi, R2-D2 beside Anakin.

"Among our most recent losses was the battle group at Falleen. The Separatist fleet commanded by General Grievous is headed your way." Obi-Wan warned them.

"Seems like that coward always knows where and when to attack us." Anakin said sounding irritated at the thought.

"You're heavily outnumbered, Anakin. I advise retreat." Obi-Wan said insistence in his voice.

"If we run, the Separatists will take control of this sector. I can't let them do that." Anakin replied, his mind made up.

"And that is your problem." Obi-Wan told him, sounding a bit disappointed.

Ahsoka spoke up in agreement. "Master Kenobi is right. We should regroup, we don't stand a chance against-"

"Ahsoka." Anakin interrupted in a scolding tone.

She ignored him and continued, "Suicide is not the Jedi way, Master."

"You should listen to your Padawan." Obi-Wan suggested.

"As you listened to your first, my old Master?" Anakin asked rhetorically, before shaking his head. "No, we are going to stay and fight." He pressed a button on the holotable to show a AT-TE with a few Clones surrounding it. "And I think I know how to beat Grievous at his own game."

A few minutes later they noticed Separatist ships approaching. Anakin left the command deck to help ward off the attack with Gold squadron, leaving Ahsoka to monitor them on the viewers while few Clones started pressing buttons to get the guns into position.

"Resolute command to Gold Leader. We are standing by." Ahsoka informed Anakin.

"Enemy closing to zone six." a Clone behind them said, pointing towards the viewer on his side.

"Patience, Ahsoka." Anakin finally replied back. the same Clone started counting down.

"Zone four." Ahsoka looked at the viewer more intensely. He counted once more, "Zone three."

The ship kept getting closer until it was right on top of them, which the Clone from earlier pointed out turning to Ahsoka. "They're right on top of us! Should we commence firing?" he asked.

"Wait... Wait..." She told him slowly, the closest ship started firing once in range, one blast finally hit them causing the ship to jerk and sending a few Clones sprawling to ground. Ahsoka leaned against the holotable to keep her on her feet.

The other Separatist ships started opening fire as well, another blast hitting them causing the ship to jerk again, one Clone fell over on his back from the impact. Ahsoka managed to brace herself this time.

"We're outgunned! We're not gonna last a mynock minute out here!" She told Anakin.

"Hang on, Ahsoka. We've got em' right where we want em'." Anakin told her, trying to reassure them.

It seemed the Separatists were remaining focus on Anakin for short while, unfortunately one of the droid ships aimed and fired upon the cruiser to the left, causing parts of it to explode and lose altitude. Anakin contacted Ahsoka again after a few minutes giving them the signal. "Ahsoka, they're in position. Unveil our little surprise."

"Right away, Master." She said to him, before contacting Rex, "Rex, old boy. It's time you joined the party."

"With pleasure, sir." Rex said, sounding ready. A moment later, one of the Separatist ships started going down.

Ahsoka turned her head to the Clones operating the turbolasers and gave the order. "Forward cannon, let em' have it!"

The Resolute opened fire on one the droid ships and within seconds it went down. Another droid ship went down after Anakin's starfighter was seen near it. It wasn't long before the Separatist ship that first opened fire on them suddenly exploded.

"Let's finish this." Ahsoka said, before turning and ordering the Clones, "All batteries, target that command bucket!" She pointed at one of the blips on the viewer. The cannons on both cruisers opened fire on the droid ship, destroying it within seconds. She then noticed Anakin's blip going out of range. "Rex, it's Anakin! He drifting off!"

"Don't worry, sir. I've got him." He assured her.

Serenno

Jayden was in the training room in Dooku's palace, the room specifically designed for Dooku to train his Apprentice or acolytes. Jayden used it much, wanting to grow more skilled with his Lightsaber for his next encounter with Skywalker and Ahsoka.

He was destroying fake targets when his coms activated in his mask. "Jayden, come to my office." Dooku's voice said on the other end before hanging up.

Jayden took his mask off and left the training room, making his way to Dooku's office where he found his Master in his chair, a hologram of Grievous cutting off as Jayden entered.

"Ah, Jayden." Dooku said upon seeing his Apprentice enter.

Jayden went to a knee. "What is thy bidding, my Master?"

"You know of Anakin Skywalker's prized R2-D2 droid, do you not?" Dooku asked, getting a nod from jayden who looked a little confused as to why this was being brought up. "Well, thanks to a droid smuggler, that droid is being brought to General Grievous' station on one of the moons in the Ruusan system. This droid may contain plans, secrets, and many tactics the Republic have made. It is information we must crack out of the droid. I want you to join Grievous at the station, my young Apprentice. You will aid in getting the information from the droid."

"There is no doubt that Skywalker will come looking for his droid." Jayden pointed out.

"If he does..." Dooku smirked. "I'm sure you are quite looking forward to a rematch from what happened aboard the Malevolence."

Jayden paused but he nodded. "I shall leave at once, Master."

With that, he turned and left the room.

Ruusan was a planet located in the Ruusan system within the Teraab sector of the galaxy's Mid Rim that was orbited by three moons. It was positioned at the coordinates P-11 of the Standard Galactic Grid. Ruusan was the site of the final defeat of the Sith at the end of the Jedi-Sith War. It was host to a number of ancient relics, strewn across its many historical battlefields.

It was here, on one of the planet's moons, that the Separatists had made Skytop Station as a listening post, which is a specialized facility that was dedicated to intercepting and eavesdropping on conversations.

The Rogue Shadow flew into one of the hanger bays of the station where Grievous was waiting. The ramp lowered and Jayden strode down, mask on.

"Ah, Khan, glad to have you on board this station." Grievous said as they walked on.

"Indeed, General. Have you managed to crack the R2 unit open?" Jayden asked.

Grievous growled in irritation, but not at Jayden, Grievous wasn't exactly the patient type. "Not just yet. But soon we will and find out what secrets he contains."

The two soon arrived at the room designed for interrogation and found the droid smuggler in the process of cutting R2 open, a series of holograms appearing.

"General!" The droid smuggler said upon noticing them entering. The two approached. "It appears this droid's mission memory has never been erased. it contains every Republic formation and strategy they have."

'Skywalker, you fool.' Jayden thought with a smirk underneath his mask. 'Your failure to erase this droid's memory has benefited us.'

"Good work." Grievous said with delight. "You certainly earned your fee this time."

"More than my fee." The droid smuggler said greedily. "The droid's worth more, I get paid more. Now, I suggest-"

A red Lightsaber burst through his chest, cutting him off mid-sentence.

"You have outlived your usefulness." Jayden said, ripping his Lightsaber out the smuggler's chest and letting the body drop before deactivating his Lightsaber.

Suddenly Grievous' com began beeping and he answered it, displaying the hologram of a droid. "Report, Agent R3." Grievous said.

The droid beeped and whistled, reporting it's spy mission to them.

"The Jedi are here?" Grievous said in surprise. R3 beeped a few more times.

"Skywalker and Tano are here." Jayden stated after hearing the droid and R3 cut the communication call. Jayden looked at Grievous. "I will go after Tano, Skywalker is yours."

Grievous chuckled darkly.

Meanwhile, Ahsoka was with Rex, a few Clones, and R3, when they were stopped by a sudden ray-shield. "We found the reactor room, sir. The alarm triggered another security door, ray-shielded." Rex told Anakin on his communicator.

"This could take a while to bypass." Ahsoka said to him.

"Good luck with that." Anakin said simply, ending the transmission.

Ahsoka took of the backpack and placed it on the ground before smiling at R3. "Go ahead, Goldie. Make me proud." She said to the droid. R3 beeped before rolling over to the console.

"Oh, this'll be good." Rex said sarcastically as R3 plugged in. The sound of droids marching was getting louder.

"Those droids are getting close, sirs." Denal said as they all looked in the direction the sound was coming from.

"Do you think R3's going to open up that door any time soon?" Rex asked Ahsoka.

"He's working on it. Patience, Captain." she scolded him. The sound of marching started to get louder.

"I can always hot-wire it, sir." Denal suggested to Ahsoka.

"Hurry up, Goldie." Ahsoka told the droid impatiently, hearing the droids herself.

"I think we've run out of time." Rex said stating the obvious as the droids finally came around the corner and saw them.

"Blast' em!" The droid in front yelled out to the others.

Ahsoka soon ignited her Lightsaber and started deflecting the shots, meanwhile the Clones took cover and started returning fire. R3 then closed a blast door in front of the ray-shield. Ahsoka and Rex all noticed this.

Ahsoka and the Clones then saw Super Battle droids coming from the other corridor. Ahsoka turned her attention to the super droids while the Clones started diverting their attention between both groups.

"Rex, droid poppers! Now!" Ahsoka called out to the Captain.

"Droid poppers!" Rex yelled taking cover before throwing an EMP grenade at the supers, said droids attempted to shoot it. Only for their blasts to miss and after a few seconds it finally went off and disabled them. Rex threw another EMP at the other group. One of the droids picked it up and shaked it before holding it close to the side of it's head, before it went off disabling all of them as well. Ahsoka deactivated her saber while the Clones lowered their guns and walked back to the Jedi.

They then heard a Lightsaber activating and looked to see the ray shield had been deactivated,, the blast door open, revealing the figure of Khan, his crackling, unstable, red crossguard Lightsaber illuminating in the darkness and casting an eerie red light.

'Oh no.' Ahsoka thought, gripping her Lightsaber tightly.

Khan looked right at her. "We meet again, Ahsoka Tano. This time... it will not be like Tatooine."

Ahsoka smirked. "Still sore I slashed your mask and left you out in the desert?

Khan chuckled darkly as he twirled his Lighstaber before assuming Form II Makashi. "You should've killed me when you had the chance."

"Open fire!" Rex ordered and the Clones fired, Khan easily deflecting their blaster fire with his Lightsaber before he threw his free hand out and sent the Clones all off their fee twith a powerful Force push, then turned his full attention to Ahsoka.

Ahsoka activated her Lightsaber before she charged, as did Khan, and their Lightsabers clashed. Red meeting green. Khan immediately went on the offenscive as he started attacking with slashes, swings, and overhead attacks, causing Ahsoka to have to block, duck and dodge his attacks.

Khan swung low but Ahsoka jumped and managed to block again when landing on her feet. Khan pressed her up against the wall and took delight in her growing fear as he began pushing the Lightsabers down towards her neck.

"Hey Seppie!" One of the Clones shouted before firing at Khan's back, causing him to grunt before he pinned Ahsoka to the wall using the Force, then threw his Lightsaber at the Clone, impaling him through the chest. Khan strode forward, Lightsaber flying to his hand, Ahsoka still pinned to the wall.

The remaining Clones fired at Khan who easily deflected and lunged at them, slashing and slicing through them before he saw the Captain and one another Trooper remaining. Khan blasted them with Force Lightning and strode towards the Captain, raising his Lightsaber and brought it down when a green Lightsaber blocked it and Khan looked to see Ahsoka had managed to get free of being held up by the Force.

"Sorry to interrupt your playtime, grumpy, but wouldn't you prefer a challenge?" Ahsoka taunted with a smirk.

"You are barely a challenge." Khan scoffed before he pushed her off and sung but Ahsoka leaped over and ran with the R3 unit beside her. Khan merely chuckled before walking after them.

Jayden followed Ahsoka into a large storage room and looked around. There was no sound save for Jayden's Lightsaber which illuminated the dark room a little. Jayden walked between rows of shelves slowly, looking for his prey.

"You cannot hide forever, Ahsoka." Jayden said loudly for her to hear him before he heard something make a thud a row down and went to investigate but found it was just a box that either fell on it's own... or Ahsoka used the Force. "You continue to impress me more and more, my dear. Since our last encounter, two Jedi have fallen to my blade, a Master and her Apprentice. I'll be sure to send Skywalker your head as my gift to him. he thought I was dead after what happened on the Malevolence? I managed to escape before that ship exploded."

Jayden paused as he thought he heard movement before he saw a light illuminate Ahsoka thanks to the R3 unit. Jayden plunged his Lightsaber through the shelf, trying to get Ahsoka but she managed to leap out the way and run, but her comlink was destroyed in the process as Jayden crushed it under his boot.

"There is no one to help you now." Jayden said as he looked at Ahsoka before he reared back but Ahsoka rolled through a gap in the shelf beside her, causing jayden to grunt in annoyance. "Persistent girl, aren't you?"

"it's one of more likeable traits!" Ahsoka called back with a smirk before she went silent as she tried to hide from him.

Ahsoka jumped on top of one of the shelves and remained silent as she watched Khan look around for her. Shen then closed her eyes as she spread her senses out with the Force, trying to get a read on this guy. Her eyes opened at what she sensed.

A conflict of Light... and Darkness within him.

'Why would a Sith have any Light within them?' Ahsoka thought with a frown. 'He was trained by Dooku, the Dark Side's strong with him and yet... so is the Light! But how? Sith are meant to be completely consumed with darkness in their use of the Dark Side!'

It had gotten Ahsoka curious... is there more to Khan than it appears? Why does he have a glimmer of Light within him? Why is it in a war with the Darkness within? She was curious... she wanted to know, she wanted to find out.

Ahsoka looked down and saw Khan directly beneath her before she took a deep breath and jumped down, landing right on him which caused him to grunt and his Lightsaber to roll out his hand. Khan fought her off and slammed her against the wall, Ahsoka punched at him but he blocked her punches before grabbing her fist.

Ahsoka wrapped a lega round his waist and brough the other one to smack into the side of his masked head, causing him to release her. Ahsoka then kicked him right in the front of his mask before she sent him into the shelves with the Force and saw his mask come off and land beside him.

She heard him groan and watched him stand, revealing the face she had seen on Tatooine when she managed to get a hit on his mask which managed to knock it off. She was so surprised that he looked human as she had been expecting some disfigured creature then.

Seeing it again now...

"Well then, we finally see each other with our own eyes." Khan said, voice normal, sound like a teenager. He looked to be her age, maybe a year older. He pushed his hood down, revealing short black hair while his dark brown eyes stayed locked on her form. "I must say, seeing you with my own eyes instead of through the mask... you are impressive."

"Spare me the flattery." Ahsoka said before activating her Lightsaber and lunged.

Jayden used the Force to bring his to his hand and activated it in time to block Ahsoka's and the two entered a saber lock. The two then began duelling, lightsabers clashing, blocking and parrying. Jayden slashed through shelves as he pushed Ahsoka back until she was up against a wall and he went for a stab attempt but she moved her head before it could kill her and gasped as the Lightsaber was brought towards her and she backed off.

Jayden ripped his Lightsaber out and swung with a yell but Ahsoka ducked and Jayden slashed another shelf, causing it to topple. Ahsoka looke dup and saw a massive box about to fall right on top of her. Jayden saw it as well and a sudden impulse overtook him before he knew it happened and he tackled Ahsoka before she could be crushed.

They slid to a stop and Ahsoka found herself staring into those dark brown eyes that stared back into her own eyes. She then noticed their position. Jayden on top of her, an arm beside her head and her with a hand on his shoulder in a instinctive impulsive to push him. Ahsoka felt her cheeks heat up with having him, a boy, thise close and on top of her.

But she then threw him off with the Force but he landed on his feet.

'Why did he tackle me out the way?' Ahsoka thought. 'He could've let me die there.'

'Why did I do that?' Jayden thought with a frown as he stood, grabbing his Lightsaber and activating it. 'that box would've crushed and killed her with the way it would've hit her, burying her with the other junk. So why did I want her safe from that? Ugh, this is annoying!'

Jayden then ran and swung at Ahsoka who ducked to avoid him as R3 rolled up to look between them.

"Goldie!" Ahsoka gasped.

"R3, go and make sure Skywalker does not escape with his droid!" Jayden ordered, getting an affirmative from R3 who rolled away.

"That stubby little backstabber!" Ahsoka growled, causing Jayden to chuckle in amusement before he caught her in the Force choke and brought her closer.

"Time to end this." Jayden growled before he went to swing his saber when the whole station shook, causing Jayden to lose focus and this allowed Ahsoka to swing her Lightsaber and slash Jayden across the chest, causing him to grunt and drop her. Ahsoka then sent him flying into a shelf with the Force push and watched it all topple onto him.

Despite her curiosity about the mystery that is Khan and why he saved her, she wanted to live.

So that in mind, Ahsoka ran out the room as Jayden threw the junk off him with the Force.

"This isn't over, Ahsoka." Jayden growled as he grabbed his mask and Lightsaber, putting his mask on. "You merely interest me more and more."

Knowing the station was going to explode from the sounds of the rumbling, Jayden knew it was time to leave so he made for where the Rogue Shadow will be...

And that's it for this chapter everyone.