THE FROZEN FORCE 1st ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL
Chapter: 53 (The Flying 54th Part - II)
"Fear weakens, motivates...and corrupts."
A battle in the clouds! The neutral world of Bespin is under siege by Separatist forces determined to capture the tibanna reserves from Skyway Station. In an effort to intervene, the Republic has sent the clones of the "Flying 54th" Attack Battalion led by Master Chuza and his Padawan Gav Riden. Joining the Clone Wars on their own accord, Master Mattias and Anna Dellian accompany the others on this daring mission. When an aerial attack ensued, several transports reached the station. Anna and Gav attempted to secure the gas reserves, but found themselves face to face with a sinister foe...
Anna Dellian and Gav Riden's deepest, darkest fears had resurfaced. They remained frozen in shock while staring at Asajj Ventress. Her steaming, scarlet lightsabers served as cruel reminders of the carnage on Scarif. The Sith toyed with her prey and advanced towards them. A demonic grin emerged on her dark lips when Anna and Gav flinched. Her icy blue stare was almost glowing in the refinery's darkness. She took her time to step over Lieutenant Boomer's corpse and glanced at his severed head. His expressionless helmet left far too much anguish to Gav's imagination. Still, Ventress could sense the young Avinarian's connection to the fallen clone. "Oops," she taunted and relished in his twitching, glassy eyes. Gav struggled to hold back tears while Anna stared Ventress down. "What?" she asked Anna. "No pleasantries for an old friend?" When Anna appeared unfazed, Ventress' grin became a spiteful sneer.
The Padawan activated her lightsaber and assumed a dueling stance. "Gav," Anna intoned. "Get behind me."
Ventress couldn't help but chuckle. "Just who do you think you are, child? You think a lucky escape and a-" She scoffed at Anna's green blade. "-new toy can add any value to you?"
Gav sparked up his lightsaber and formed up beside Anna. "I-...I'm not going anywhere," he cawed.
Anna glanced over and noticed the hilt shaking in his trembling hands. "Gav," she warned as Ventress laughed. Her insidious cackle had Gav shuddering and weakened his form.
"You little pests were foolish to come here," Ventress hissed. "But now you can join your friends from Scarif."
Her remark had Gav's heart racing and Anna's blood boiling. Angered yet controlled, Anna lunged straight at Ventress. Her bold, downward slash was immediately parried and the Sith went on the offensive. Her wild swipes quickly targeted Anna's head and forced the Padawan back. As Anna staggered to evade the incoming attacks, a frantic screech echoed across the chamber. Gav urged himself to strike and joined Anna for the duel. They each locked against one of Ventress' blades, but her ensuing laugh had them second-guessing the maneuver. With a swift twist, Ventress forced Anna and Gav's sabers into each other. She then kicked the Avinarian back and focused on Anna.
Ventress' kick sent Gav tumbling into one of the tibanna gas tankers. His body crashed against it and struck the grated floor with a clang. He hurriedly recovered and thought to use his jetpack to his advantage. Gav was about to fire it up when he glimpsed a "highly-flammable" warning sign bolted to the tanker. "Kriff," he uttered and slowly backed away.
Anna rolled under Ventress' strike and spun with one of her own. Green clashed with red as sparks flickered against the flooring. When she went on the offensive, Anna observed her surroundings and smirked. I've got her backed into a corner, she thought. This is it. Press the attack! Anna intensified her furious Ataru form as Ventress kept stepping back. Gav caught up and noticed the sinister glare in Ventress' eyes. While Anna brought her closer to the wall, Ventress prepared to spring off of it. Unaware of the assassin's plan, Anna raised her blade for a devastating slash.
"Look out!" Gav warned and Force-pushed Anna away.
As he did so, Ventress kicked off the wall and skewered the air where Anna would've been. Her momentum carried her across the chamber while Gav ran to his companion. "What'd you do that for?" Anna grunted. "I had her!"
"No you didn't," Gav asserted and sliced a nearby filtration tube. The erratic, severed tubing spewed fog across the chamber and shrouded them from Ventress.
"What are you doing?" Anna snapped as Gav pulled her away.
"Getting us out of here!" he shouted and led her down a corridor.
"Stop!" Anna blurted and withdrew her hand. "Are you still trying to sabotage me? I had her back there!"
"This isn't about that, Anna!" Gav insisted. "Ventress was baiting you. If I didn't get you clear, you would've been killed!"
"You don't know that," Anna scolded. "I had everything under control. More so than I've ever had. Look...I know what Ventress is capable of. She's hurt me too, remember? But if you're going to get in my way just because you're scared-"
"I'm not scared!" Gav squawked and the crack in his voice said otherwise.
"Ventress has hurt enough people," Anna said and stared into the refinery. "I'm going to end this once and for all."
"We should get help first," Gav considered.
"That's what you're here for," Anna jeered. "Go get help. I can't let Ventress get away."
Anna started to walk away when Gav asked, "You still think that you're the best, don't you?"
"I don't think," Anna murmured. She recalled everything she'd overcome from Coruscant to Ilum and clenched a fist. "I know," she affirmed and dashed into the refinery.
Ferocious firefights continued to shake Skyway Station. While miners took cover and fired from a wall of crates, the clones of the Flying 54th provided air support. Blasted B1 battle droids clunked to the floor while new waves marched over them. "Push the attack!" a rocket trooper yelled. He hovered across the battle until a commando droid leapt up and tackled him to the ground. Like the efficient machine of death it was, the commando punched at his helmet until its visor cracked. Before it could deal the killing blow, a green lightsaber bisected it diagonally. The rocket trooper removed his damaged helmet and looked upon his short, grey-feathered savior. "General," he gasped.
"Up and at'em, dear boy!" Master Chuza hooted. He extended a wing to the clone and helped him back on his feet.
Meanwhile, Master Mattias leapt to the miner's barricade to better defend them. "We'll take it from here," he told them. "Get to our cruiser!"
"With all due respect-" a rugged miner muttered. "This refinery's become a home to us. We're not going anywhere."
Mattias gave her a nod of respect and activated his comlink. "Shang, the miner's are sticking around."
"Copy that," Shang said and looked to his officers. "Move the Legacy away from the station and concentrate all fire on incoming transports. Captain Talon, I have a plan."
"What've you got, kid?" the clone inquired.
The Legacy hovered between the 54th and any approaching droid ships. "How about a lift?" Shang suggested as Talon caught on.
"Sir yes sir," the captain obliged. "54th! To me! We're hitching a ride." The rocket troopers jetpacked atop the Legacy and Shang led them towards the enemy.
"I know your men have itchy trigger fingers-" Shang began. "-but await my signal." While remaining focused on the nearest transport, Shang pointed to one of his officers. "Prepare the tractor beam."
"Tractor beam ready!" the officer hollered.
"Steady," Shang whispered. "Not...yet." He waited until the Legacy was directly alongside the vessel. "Engage!" At the flip of a switch, a powerful forcefield was projected towards the transport. The energy was strong enough to halt its descent entirely and keep it suspended in midair. "We've got it constrained," Shang called in. "Go, Talon!"
"About time," the captain jested and rocketed over to the transport. He and his fellow troopers engaged the enemy and proceeded to sabotage the vessel's turbines.
While in the clouds raged on, Mattias and Chuza fought alongside the miners. A wave of bulky, super battle droids marched on their position. The miners' morale dwindled when their lasers barely scorched the droids' thick steel. "We'll handle this," Mattias assured. "Keep your heads down!" The supers fired their wrist-mounted blasters and sent scarlet lasers zipping across the platform.
"Together now," Chuza hooted and Mattias nodded. While deflecting incoming shots, the masters spun as a single unit. They used their free hands to call upon the Force and threw them forward for a united push. Their combined energy sent the first row of droids toppling over each other. Amidst the confusion, Mattias and Chuza sprung in to cut the supers down. Feeling bold, Mattias front-flipped and drove his lightsaber into a droid's chest. A tired, yet enthusiastic grin found its way across his face. Although he was winded, his new cybernetic had remained perfectly aligned. He used his confidence boost to cut the rest of the supers down to size. Chuza, on the other hand, used his short stature to his advantage. While he wasn't as small as Master Yoda, Chuza coulee weave just beneath the droids' lines of sight and perform a series of devastating upward slashes.
As another transport burst into flames, Talon activated his comlink. "Boomer, what's your status? Lieutenant, do you read?" Talon shook his head and blasted away at nearby droids. "General Chuza, Boomer isn't responding."
Chuza glared at Mattias, who was quick to call his Padawan. "Anna, what's happening? Anna!" Mattias' eyes widened as he glanced at his vambrace. "Her comms are down."
"Gav! Come in, Gav!" Chuza screeched into his comlink. A lack of response from all three people had Mattias calling elsewhere.
"Sergeant Blazer," Mattias beckoned.
"Yes sir?" Blazer answered over the sounds of blasterfire.
"Thank the Force," Mattias rejoiced. "Is Anna with you?"
"No...They went to the refinery. The boys and I just finished scrapping some commando droids."
"Something's wrong," the master explained. "We've lost contact with her, Gav, and Boomer. Find out what's hap-"
"Already on it," Blazer assured. "Let's move, Deathchasers!" He, Sparx, and Speedy sprinted down the corridor in search of Anna. Blast it, kid, Blazer thought. You'd better be alright. While the clones scrambled in search of Anna, Mattias and Chuza engaged another wave of droids.
The tibanna refinery remained eerily still. Hissing gasses and pumping fluids stirred from the colossal tankers as Anna snuck around. She kept her lightsaber and comlink switched off to maintain total secrecy. Where are you? Anna thought as she snuck between a pair of tankers. Her head swayed and eyes twitched towards every bizarre sound. She mistook every flickering shadow in her peripherals for Ventress and reached for her saber multiple times. As Anna rounded a corner, she noticed a slim silhouette hunched up in the rafters. "Gotcha," she whispered as her eyes narrowed on her target. She eagerly bit her lip and looked for a position to spring from. Once Anna found her footing on a nearby canister, she launched towards the rafters and activated her saber. Her green blade sparked just as her jetpack fired up for a boost. She propelled herself towards her prey and slashed across it with a growl. Anna's heart sank when the sound of tinging metal caught her attention. She slowly turned from the rafters and noticed where she'd struck. The apparent 'silhouette' was nothing more than a human-shaped apparatus used for hooking canisters. Anna's mind was playing tricks on her. As paranoia took hold, she realized not only had she failed to kill Ventress...but she'd also foolishly given away her position. Anna deactivated her lightsaber, but wondered if she had been too late. She stood amidst the darkness of the rafters, hyperventilating as seemingly trivial sounds loudened from all around her. Her widened eyes scoured each fizzing tanker until a sudden bang sounded from afar. Anna impulsively ignited her lightsaber and swayed it towards the sound.
The Onasi blaster pistol's barrel entered through a breached door. "Entry point is clear!" Blazer shouted while Sparx and Speedy formed up at his sides.
Anna's relief was short-lived as she realized how much danger they were in. Her fears were further realized as another shadow shifted in her peripherals. Unlike the silhouettes tricking her mind, this one leapt just beneath the rafters. Anna glimpsed Ventress' sinister smirk before she activated her sabers and severed the beams. The Padawan gasped as the rafter's supports collapsed around her. She tried to jump away, but ended up plummeting with the slashed beams. Anna landed amidst the debris and heard blasterfire erupt.
"Hostile!" Sparx called. "Take her down!"
"No!" Anna screamed and fought to break free of her entrapment. Her stomach dropped as she thought about all of the friends Ventress had killed. She couldn't let that Sith witch add any other names to her list. "Leave them alone!" Anna yelled haplessly while trying to squeeze out. She clawed at the grated floor in an attempt to break free.
Blue lasers beamed across the chamber as Ventress weaved between them. It mattered not how much Blazer and his boys could shoot, for Ventress was one step ahead of them. She spun her sabers like fiery pinwheels and batted their lasers back at them. Once she set her sights on the troopers, she bolted straight for them with an ominous screech.
"Take it up!" Blazer ordered. He and the other clones powered up their jetpacks and narrowly avoided Ventress' sabers. The Sith remained relentless and redirected a laser into one of Speedy's cybernetics. The clone howled in pain as Blazer looked to him. "Get clear, brother!" he ordered. Speedy clutched his smoking thigh and hovered to a safe distance.
Lieutenant Sparx ceased his reckless firing. Instead, he precisely aimed his rifle between Ventress' blades and focused on her head. He pulled the trigger and she still managed to block the shot. Ventress' reflexes were as uncanny as they were instinctual. Her cold stare shifted towards Sparx and he tried to fly away. Ventress merely lifted three fingers from her hilt and called on the Force. Her powerful abilities halted Sparx in midair and dragged him down like a ship in a tractor beam.
"Come on! Come on!" Anna huffed and crawled out of the fallen rafters. All of her wriggling caused more of the disheveled beams to collapse and keep her pinned.
Trapped in Ventress' Force pull, Sparx resorted to frantically shooting at her. With a brutal push, Ventress slammed him against a wall and sent his rifle clattering. Disarmed and writhing, Sparx felt himself being pulled towards Ventress. Her toothy, devilish grin was reddened as she brought her lightsaber to her face. She angled the blade to impale Sparx and forced him towards its tip. Before she could execute him, Blazer rocketed in from the side and tackled Ventress back. Her Force pull followed through and sent Sparx tumbling.
Blazer and Ventress rolled towards the debris pile as Anna rushed to break out. "No!" she shrieked and feared the worst for her friend.
Ever the fighter, Blazer tried to pin Ventress to the floor. She retaliated and pinned him instead. While Blazer kept her wrists back with one arm, Anna noticed his other hand sneaking underneath. She suddenly recalled an instant from the day they'd first met.
Anna had pinned him back at the obstacle course on Kamino. "But before you get off me," he'd said. "I just want you to know that I've had my pistol aimed at your gut during this entire conversation. Like I said, a blaster could save your life one day." He pretended to pull the trigger and made a 'Pew' sound.
In a similar fashion to that moment, Blazer aimed his pistol at Ventress' torso. However, the Sith caught on before he could fire and kneed the weapon away. Blazer's pistol swiveled into the darkness and he immediately punched Ventress' arm. While he was able to disarm her of one lightsaber, the other remained firmly gripped. She brought it towards his neck as he snatched her wrists.
Anna finally liberated herself from the debris and ran towards Blazer. She only managed to get a step in before her entire body was jerked back. Fury and frustration built up within as her utility belt snagged on a fallen beam. "Hold on, Sarge!" Anna cried out and tried to unravel her belt.
The sergeant's arms trembled as Ventress forced her weapon against him. She kneed him in the gut to break his defenses and dipped the blade towards his chest. Plasma pierced plastoid as Blazer screamed through his helmet. The tip of Ventress' lightsaber plunged into his armor and scorched the skin beneath it. Blazer's agonizing wails only further enraged Anna. Out of sheer desperation, Anna ripped off her belt entirely and only salvaged her lightsaber. She leapt over and took a swing at Ventress' head, forcing the Sith to defend herself. She removed her blade from Blazer's chest and left the clone to clutch his wound.
Anna stood over Blazer's injured self while Ventress called her second saber to her. "You will not harm him again!" the Padawan warned.
"Sounds familiar," Ventress taunted. Anna realized she'd made a similar decree back on Scarif. "How did that work out for your other friends?"
"Enough!" Anna roared and lunged at Ventress. While their lightsabers clashed, Blazer inched himself towards his pistol. He wearily grabbed it and tried to aim at Ventress. He fought through the pain of his sizzling chest wound and opened fire. "Blazer!" Anna called. "Stay away from her!" She purposely stayed on the defensive and tried to keep Ventress away from the clones. Anna locked blades with her foe and paid close attention to their alignment. As the crimson swords listed, she seized an opportunity to headbutt Ventress. The Sith countered with a savage swipe, but Anna had already gotten clear. And they said headbutting during a duel was a bad idea, Anna thought. Take THAT, Master Gallia!
Ventress staggered and sneered from Anna's strike. She assumed a dueling stance until something caused her to falter. A sliver of blood trickled from her thin brow. It crept across her pale skin and dripped against her finger. Anna rubbed her bruised forehead but relished in her handiwork. Ventress, however...reached a new level of rage. She growled and lunged at Anna with all of her might. As they dueled across the chamber, Sparx flew over to Blazer.
"Sarge!" he worried. "Are you alright?"
"I'll live," Blazer grunted and observed a fallen clone. "Damn it." Thinking quickly, he readied his comlink. "This is Sergeant Blazer," he called in to all nearby Republic units. "We've located Padawan Dellian. There's no sign of Padawan Riden and Lieutenant Boomer is...dead."
"By the Force," Mattias uttered while listening to the call with Chuza. "We need to get over there."
"One more thing sir," Blazer said. "The woman...That assassin from Anna's stories is here."
Mattias' blood ran cold and he death-gripped his lightsaber. "Ventress," he whispered. "No..." His worry turned to fury as Mattias charged ahead. "Shang!" he called. "Reinforce a perimeter and defend the platforms at all costs. Captain Talon, back him up with the 54th. But if you can spare any troops, tell them to converge on the refinery."
"There's too many clankers, sir." Talon responded while fighting. "The boys can handle this one, but I'll be damned if I let my lieutenant's death go unanswered. I'm on your six." Talon was only behind Mattias for a moment and then rocketed ahead. "Make that your twelve." Chuza also accompanied Mattias and kept desperately trying to reach Gav.
"Talon," Mattias said. "Asajj Ventress is extremely dangerous. I want you to show no restraint and get my Padawan out by any means necessary. We'll meet you in the refinery." There was a savage desperation in Mattias' eyes. He ran as quickly as his age permitted and focused on reaching Anna. I was too late to save her once, he thought. I can't let this happen again.
"Padawan!" Chuza's voice crackled through Gav's comlink. "Where are you? Please answer!"
Gav wandered aimlessly through the station's empty, decrepit halls. His widened eyes listed across the rusted flooring as he deliberately ignored his comlink. The outside world became a blur to him as he delved within.
"You still think you're the best, don't you?"
"I don't think...I know."
"But if you're going to get in my way just because you're scared-"
"I'm not scared," Gav whispered to himself. "I-...I'm not." He tightly shut his eyes and imagined Master Tamon Chaki standing before him. The old Selkath stood prouder than ever and raised a fist as if addressing a crowd.
"We can do this, lads and lasses," he said. "I believe in-"
Ventress' lightsaber pierced his body just as it had on that fateful day. Gav shrieked, opened his eyes, and fled from the traumatic memory. No matter how far he ran, Gav remained haunted by the events on that horrid beach. The scraping of his talons sounded like the Ethereal falling apart. Every heavy clang was like one of his companions collapsing into the sand. Their lifeless gazes were seared into memory, plaguing Gav until he dropped to his knees. "No!" he cawed.
"Scared," a sinister symphony of voices called. They came from the haunting specters of fallen Jedi, all of which plagued Gav's mind. Everyone from the murdered temple guards to Nelani and Surk swirled around him, all chanting that venomous word.
Betwixt the nightmare boiling within, Gav could still hear Ventress' laugh ringing in his ears. "Leave me alone!" he whimpered. "Please!" Tears streamed from his eyes and dampened his pale-feathered cheeks.
The voices of his past only grew louder and far more daunting. "Scared...Scared...SCARED!"
In those moments, something else took hold of Gav. He didn't turn to the Jedi doctrine, nor did he quiet his mind through meditation. Amidst his anguish, Gav felt a frigid pull prying at him. It fed off of his fear, anger, and prolonged suffering. The pull came upon him like an unseen hand amidst the darkness, and in his hysteria...Gav took it.
"Because you're scared," the voices jeered.
"STOP!" Gav screamed and extended his wings. He unleashed a Force repulse powerful enough to dismantle overhead panels and shatter light fixtures. Loose wires sparked as Gav stood amidst the strobing bulbs. The voices had silenced and he felt stronger than ever. Connecting with his hatred, Gav scraped his talons on the floor and retrieved his lightsaber. His dark eyes started to glow yellow and he turned back towards the refinery. "Ventress," he snarled and ignited his weapon.
Anna took a kick to the face and plummeted off of the nearby railing. Disoriented, Anna stumbled forward and desperately swung her saber. "I'll...make you pay for killing all of those Jedi," she dizzily said. "You kriffing...coward!"
Ventress parried her twice and chuckled. "You still haven't figured it out yet, have you?" she taunted.
"Wha-?" Anna murmured before Ventress elbowed her in the chest.
"You really think I went out there to hunt you for sport? You're stupider than you look." Dazed and winded, Anna took another swing at Ventress. Seeing that she had the upper hand, the Sith deactivated one of her blades and snatched Anna by the throat. She slid her hand up to Anna's face and painfully squeezed her cheeks. "You escaped the palace by sheer luck. I knew my master was wasting his time with you." With a jerk of her arm, Ventress slammed Anna's face into a nearby tanker. The clang was uproarious and she collapsed against the grating. Anna reached for her rolling lightsaber, but Ventress stomped on her hand. The Padawan peered up with squinted eyes and saw three Ventresses circling overhead. Her dizzied vision fixated on a single figure as Ventress raised her blades. "Your fall...my ascension," Ventress uttered.
She prepared to strike when the sound of a jetpack roared overhead. Captain Talon soared into view and took Ventress head on. He withdrew his DC-17 pistols and unleashed a furious barrage, all while closing in on her. Ventress spun to fight him while Anna recovered her lightsaber.
"Come on, Deathchasers!" Blazer called to his brothers. He could barely stand while Speedy limped over, forcing Sparx to care for both of them.
Talon's trigger fingers went raw from how quickly he fired. He remained focused on Ventress and was determined to break her defenses. I can do this, the captain told himself. She can't block everything. I just need to get one shot through. That should be enough. If I can just...get...closer-
Talon set his jetpack's boosters to maximum and charged at Ventress. He was a human missile, firing away as she deflected every shot. Talon finally reached point-blank range and still dared to shoot. Not only did Ventress block his closest attacks, but she also spun her blades with a counter of her own. Scarlet plasma flashed across Talon's visor as the world around him slowed. His twin pistols fell to the floor...along with the hands that were gripping them. Talon lost all of his momentum and tumbled into a wall. The impact caused his jetpack to malfunction and fly off of his back. He raised his arms to keep shooting as if he didn't realize what had happened. He remained in a state of shock and stared at the cauterized stumps where his hands once were. He became numbed to the world around him and listened to his thunderous heartbeat. His jetpack continued to zigzag out of control from overhead and darted for a tibanna tanker.
"Everybody take cover!" Sparx yelled before pushing Blazer and Speedy back.
Talon's rogue jetpack collided with the tanker and prompted a tremendous explosion. The tibanna ignited and its blast spread to nearby tankers. Ventress leapt for cover while Anna glimpsed collapsing debris. The Padawan hurriedly threw herself on top of Talon and rolled them to the lower level. This only bought them time as the rest of the debris crashed and piled on top of them. As the dust and tibanna gas clouds settled, the clones were left to rummage through the debris. "Kid!" Blazer shouted. "Anna!"
He nearly fell over as Sparx caught him. "Save your strength, Sarge. We'll find her." He peered across the debris piles and sighed. "Somewhere."
Mattias and Chuza entered to observe the catastrophic sight. "Anna!" the master yelled.
His muffled shouts were barely audible to Anna as she slowly stirred. Grime and rusted shards shifted around her as she cried out, "We're over here! Help!" Her words were met with terror as the debris further collapsed over them. Anna and Talon were stranded in a tightly-packed, claustrophobic space. As more scrap metal piled over them, Anna's voice was made even more difficult to hear. "Help!" she screamed until her throat ached. "Anyone!" Her breaths hastened as the shards around her seemed to close in. She glanced over at the groaning, barely conscious Talon and sighed. "Don't worry, captain," she assured. "I'm gonna get us out of this." Anna breathed deeply and opened her palms. She tried to focus on the debris in front of her and attempted to call on the Force. "Come...on," she huffed. Her head and hands trembled as she tried to lift the objects. Yet no matter how hard she tried, Anna didn't have it in her. Her heart pounded when the debris actually sank deeper. "No no no! Kriff it all!" Anna growled and dropped her hands in defeat. She gazed into the very metals trapping her and sighed. "I'm sorry, captain. The Force and I don't have the best relationship." She forced a laugh out of herself and shut her eyes. "Hey...Force. If you can hear me I could really use your help right now."
"I...don't think...that's how the Force works," Talon groaned.
Anna rolled her eyes at him and suddenly noticed something overhead. While she'd lost her utility belt during the fight, a piece of equipment had been dislodged. Anna spotted her holocom wedged between several dented rods and plucked it free. As she observed the spheroid device, Anna knew what had to be done. With a deep sigh, she placed a call and set the holocom down in what space remained. Anna's weary eyes lit up as a blue-hued hologram of her sister projected into view.
Elsa Dellian's eyes instantly widened. "Anna! Where are you? What's going on? Are you hurt?"
Anna lifted a hand to combat the rapid-fire questions. "I'm...fine for the time being," she answered. "Elsa...I'm sorry about before. I never should've talked to you like that."
Her big sister smiled faintly but remained concerned. "Think of it as water under the bridge, Anna. But seriously, what's going on?"
Would I have been so quick to forgive her had our roles been reversed? Anna asked herself before speaking up. "I'm trapped under this metal mess and-" Anna huffed. "-I need your help. How do I really call on the Force like you do? Even if it's just for a moment."
Elsa gulped. "Oh Anna. I don't know if-"
"I trust you, sis," Anna coughed. "Just tell me what to do."
Elsa nodded and leaned closer through the projection. "Close your eyes," she instructed and Anna obliged. "Now quiet your mind."
"That's not gonna happen."
"Just try," Elsa intoned.
Anna sighed and attempted to find stillness within. Her mind was an erratic mess, much like the collection of random debris entrapping her. She gritted her teeth and groaned, "It's no use."
"Then visualize," Elsa asserted. "See past all of the noise, even if it's present. Think about the metals trapping you. Focus on how they feel." Anna worked to picture the debris in her mind's eye. She saw anything from jagged shards to dented panels. "You know how to Force push," Elsa affirmed and Anna nodded. "Just direct that same energy towards what you're visualizing." Anna extended her fingers and furrowed her brows. Talon watched as the debris started to rattle around him. "That's it," Elsa said. "Push, sis!"
Sweat coated Anna's forehead while her nostrils flared. "It's...too much!" she growled.
"It's only too much if you say it is," Elsa explained. "Anna, you are stronger in the Force than you believe you are. Don't give up!"
Come on, Anna, she willed herself to keep trying. You got this! Anna furiously exhaled and pushed her arms upward. It's just like doing bench presses. I only need one...big...rep! Anna winced as her wrist locked up. Still she persisted while the debris dislodged.
"You're doing it, Anna!" Elsa reveled. "Keep pushing!"
As much as Blazer wanted to keep searching for Anna, Sparx had noticed the severity of his wound. "We've got to get you to a Bacta tank, Sarge," the lieutenant said. "Speedy, can you walk?"
The trooper looked over his damaged cybernetic and said, "I'll manage."
"Get Blazer back to the others," Sparx said. "I'll stay and find Anna." As he handed Blazer over to Speedy, he noticed a pile of shaking debris. "Master Mattias! Master Chuza!" he called. "Over here!" With a final burst, Anna Force-pushed the metals off of her and Talon. Air flowed against her face as she boldly stood beneath the refuse. "Anna!" Sparx rejoiced and ran over. The Padawan's legs and arms twitched as she tried to keep the debris suspended.
"Get...Talon," she winced.
Sparx heeded her order and pulled the injured captain out first. For a brief moment, Anna's only company was Elsa's hologram. "You did it, Anna!" Elsa cheered with genuine enthusiasm in her voice. "I knew you could."
I'd answer you, Anna thought. But I'm kinda occupied holding up all of this junk. Anna knees started wobbling. I'm not sure how much longer I can hold it.
Noticing her dilemma, Elsa decided to offer some advice. "You may be able to slide out if you can shift the debris to-"
In that instant, Asajj Ventress leapt from the shadows and stomped on the holocom. She raised her blades to strike the occupied Anna, but was met by another lightsaber. Ventress' bewildered gaze listed to the blade's wielder as Master Mattias stood his ground. "Get away from her, you Sith scum," he grumbled.
"Let me guess," Ventress spat. "You must be her master."
Disgusted by her very presence and the pain she'd caused Anna, Mattias went on the attack. While they dueled, Chuza slid beside Anna and raised his wings. He called upon the Force and nearly lightened her entire burden. "Get clear, young Dellian!" he hooted. "I'll take care of this!" From the moment Anna let go, she felt completely sapped of all energy. She collapsed against a guardrail while Chuza pushed the debris elsewhere. "Revan's redemption, that was heavy!" he panted as Sparx returned. "Lieutenant, get Padawan Dellian to the Legacy."
"But...Ventress," Anna weakly murmured while Sparx picked her up.
"We can handle this," Chuza insisted and activated his lightsaber. "For the Republic!" he screeched and sprung to join Mattias. The masters each dueled Ventress as she cackled away.
"You old fools," she taunted. "You can hardly keep up." She forced Mattias on the defensive and kicked Chuza away.
As she locked blades with him, a hologram of a B1 battle droid flickered on her wrist. "Mistress," the droid bumbled. "I...hope this isn't a bad time."
"Out with it!" she hissed while pressing against Mattias' saber.
"Our forces are virtually destroyed," the droid reported. "There aren't enough ships to transport the tibanna."
"Or what's left of it anyway," Mattias muttered.
Irked, Ventress Force-pushed him back to buy herself some time. Mattias kept up his pursuit as she triggered a signal on her vambrace. Ventress smirked as Mattias' started to tire out. She had almost escaped when a jagged shard came spiraling at her. "Ventress!" Gav brayed and Force-pushed another chunk of metal over. "Face me!"
With piercing yellow eyes and a twitching scowl, Gav appeared possessed. Ventress and the Jedi Masters could all sense the Dark Side surging within him. "Padawan?" Chuza worried.
Gav ignored him entirely and charged at Ventress. His saber strikes were wild and brutal as he put her on the defensive. "I'm not afraid of you!" he cawed. "You Sith trash! I'll slash you to pieces! I'll make you suffer for what you've done!" He repeatedly slammed his saber against Ventress' blades as they neared an outer balcony. "Die!" he squawked and forced her to the edge.
Ventress merely chuckled at his vicious prowess. "Such hatred," she lauded. "Perhaps we picked the wrong Padawan that day." Suddenly, Ventress deactivated her sabers and threw herself off of the balcony. Gav watched from over the railing as a vulture droid swooped by to grab her. "It was part of her escape plan all along," Gav snarled to himself and angrily kicked the railing. "Cowardly witch!" he screamed as she disappeared into the clouds. "There isn't a planet you can hide on where you'll be safe from me!"
"Gav?" Chuza beckoned from across the platform.
"What?" his Padawan snapped and turned with a ferocious look in his eyes.
"Apprentice...what have you done?" Chuza whispered.
Within moments, Gav's yellow eyes reverted to their original blackness. His knitted, feathery brows relaxed as he deactivated his lightsaber. "I-...I don't know," he confessed and looked down at his weapon. "I was just so...angry."
Chuza cautiously wrapped a wing around his taller student. "Let's just get you back to the ship," he suggested.
With Separatist forces in full retreat, the Republic blockade remained steadfast. Once the sector was clear of droid forces, Republic reinforcements were sent to Skyway Station. As the Legacy left Bespin's atmosphere, Mattias and Chuza reported to the Jedi Council via holocom. "While several tankers were lost in the conflict-" Mattias began. "-we've succeeded in driving the Separatists from the planet. If we're fortunate, Bespin's leaders may rethink their neutrality and join the Republic."
"Well done to all of you," Master Plo Koon said. "Keeping that tibanna out of Separatist hands will protect countless worlds from Dooku's war machine."
"Quiet you are, Master Chuza." Master Yoda's hologram added. "Something to say have you?"
Chuza huffed and shook his head. "No, Master Yoda," he replied. "I'm merely tired from the day's battle. It's taken its toll on...all of us."
The Legacy's renovated medbay was alive with scrambling medical droids and a surplus of monitors. Anna, Captain Talon, and all of the Deathchasers were dressed in loose-fitting treatment garbs. Talon was sprawled out in his bed and examining the stumps on his wrists. "It's not as bad as you think," Speedy said from the bed beside him. "Cybernetics," he clarified and knocked on his metal legs. "I'm sure they'll fix up some real nifty hands for you. They'll take some getting used to, but I'll tell you something that I needed to hear back then." Speedy leaned in and said, "Things might seem really terrible right now, but you're going to be okay."
Talon scoffed and the overhanging lights illuminated the scars across his face. "I know I'll be fine, ARF," he answered. "But I lost more than one right hand today." Talon scowled and shook his head. "Lieutenant Boomer was a good man. I never should've let him go off without me."
Across from Talon and Speedy, Anna and the other clones were chatting away. "So you lifted all of that debris by yourself?" Blazer blurted. He had to refrain from sitting upright and had a bacta supplement strapped to his chest. "That's hardcore, Anna."
"Thanks," she said. "But I couldn't have done it without my sister, Elsa."
Blazer glanced at his shy lieutenant and chuckled. "And none of us would even be having this conversation if it wasn't for Sparx!"
Sparx hunched forward in his bed and shrugged. "I was just doing my duty is all," he said.
"Like a champ!" Anna insisted and punched Sparx's arm.
Mattias approached Shang on the command bridge and they exchanged respectful salutes. "Your performance in battle was beyond phenomenal, cadet." Mattias complimented.
"Thank you for the chance, Master Jedi." Shang replied. "Our victory only makes me want to train and study even harder."
"Well keep up that dedication," Mattias urged. "And when you graduate, who knows...perhaps the Legacy can be your legacy."
They exchanged a laugh before Mattias turned to Chuza. He approached his feathered friend and placed a calming hand on his shoulder. "How are you holding up?" Mattias asked. He traced Chuza's gaze to Gav, who was merely stargazing from the viewport.
"You felt it too, right?" Chuza inquired. "You...saw what he was channeling."
Mattias sighed and nodded regretfully. "I did," he answered. "The Dark Side comes in many forms."
"I don't care if it comes in a million," Chuza murmured. "The point is, one of those forms reached my Padawan." Chuza shook his head in disbelief. "But how could this happen to Gav? I've taught him better than this and warned him of the Dark Side. The stories of Malak! Of Nihilus! Of Malgus! Has he learned nothing?"
"Chuza," Mattias placated. "Think about all Gav's been through. While it wasn't ideal for him to answer such a dark pull, he ended up coming back. He just stumbled."
"You know who else stumbled, Mattias?" Chuza griped. "Almost every known Darth! Some of the galaxy's deadliest Sith Lords were once devout Jedi. By the Force, I'm going to make sure what happened today never happens again." Chuza glared at his unaware Padawan as a protective father would his child. "I don't care what he's been through...no apprentice of mine will be giving in to such weak temptations."
Gav continued to watch the stars and thought about the strength he'd harnessed earlier. "I'm not scared," he told himself. "I'm not."
On the planet Serenno, Count Dooku stood in his personal chambers. He knelt before a device as it projected a cloaked and elderly figure. "Master," Dooku greeted.
"Lord Tyranus," the hooded figure responded. "I understand that your assassin has failed to recover the tibanna on Bespin. Her repeated defeats are most unsettling as of late."
Dooku furrowed his old brows and understood that Ventress' failures were his own. Still, he found a way to negotiate with his master. "Bespin will likely ally itself with the Republic after a Separatist attack." Dooku's comment brought a faint grin to his master's lips. "Ventress also mentioned encountering a rather unique Padawan," Dooku added. "Given his described connection to the Dark Side, this Avinarian may be a potential asset for your...program."
Sidious, Lord of the Sith, smirked. "Monitor this Avinarian," he decreed. "For I also have a prospective candidate in mind."
Author's Note:Thank you so much for reading this week's thrilling chapter! I look forward to many more anniversary specials in the future. Dearest readers, we're almost to the epic finale! Only SEVEN chapters remain in Season 2! I'll see you next week as this wild adventure continues and the chilling mystery unfolds!
Long Live Imagination and May the Force be with You!
~ Michael