Star Wars: Arda Unleashed

by Lord Exar Kun

After the Arda Campaign ended in victory for the Republic and their local allies, the galaxy's eyes returned to the wider Clone Wars. However, the Dark Lord Sauron has yet to be vanquished. Now he has come to the wider galaxy free from the binds of Arda, and is ready to be unleashed upon the stars. As the Chosen One's fate, the Republic's and the Jedi Order's remains to be seen.

27. Revenge of the Sith

Chapter 27

Revenge of the Sith

Pau City had become a hellish pit of smoke, fire and exchanged blaster bolts. From above warriors atop great winged beasts flew down into the great sunken cities of the local pau'ans and utai. Flowing downwards alongside them were many LAAT gunships. Both descending into the pit where all were surrounded by chaos. In a ring of exchanged fire, turbolasers and rockets the intermingling of droid and clone blasters rippled out. A stray vulture droid dashed up and fired into an LAAT. Blowing it and its occupants apart as more surrounding gunships loosed rockets at the droid fire. One veering off and slamming into the rock face of the great sinkhole. Blowing both droid and clones out into the open air unbeknownst to the gunship pilot. As a second rocket crashed into the face of the vulture and sent it careening with a scream of fire and smoke into the opposing face before exploding in a fiery display.

Along the rings of Pau City clones landed from their gunships. Men of the 212th Attack Battalion advanced with incredible support from armor and walkers. Firing across the city. Dugouts for droids were blown apart and some of the clones were so daring as to charge smaller crab droids. Run atop them and fire down into their chassis and rip their CPU's apart! Even in spite of the droids retaining higher ground along upper walkways and balconies the clones were quick to fire them out of their positions. Utilizing AT-TE's to blow apart those control positions or funneling points. The droids were all but throwing themselves at the clones now. Little direction left but to repel the Republic attack with the loss of a proper command structure. Not to mention the rebellion taking place across not only Pau City, but the others across Utapau where clones were also landing in support of the local populace. The droids were being easily and summarily excised from Utapau.

One such droid perched atop a walkway loosed a blistering barrage of blaster fire towards an oncoming varactyl ridden by a Jedi. The Jedi did little to dodge the rapid frenzied fire as a clone upon a lower but opposing walkway fired precision shots that picked off droids scrambling along the terrace. This droid made itself so known and obvious it too was shot down leaving the Jedi to follow along a column of walkers and speeder bikes. Before the rider and his mounted beast rounded a corner leading to a locally controlled command center. Where the clones in charge of the 212th stood more or less in the open and unconcerned of enemy reprisal. Having long forced them further into the rocky city interior.

Obi-Wan held the reins of Boga tight as she came calling and announcing their arrival. A gunship landed just off to Obi-Wan's right as he caught sight of Cody surrounded by his own personal security team and commanders.

"Commander!" Obi-Wan called bringing Boga to a sudden and skirting stop along the rocky floor. "Contact your troops. Tell them to move to the higher levels!" Obi-Wan ordered as Cody removed his helmet.

"Very good sir...do you need any medical attention for those, General?" Cody asked tilting his head to the bloody but dried stab wounds along his chest where Grievous had punctured him with his foot. Obi-Wan turned down to himself but simply laughed and shook his head.

"It's nothing, Cody. Call it a reminder to do better next time."

"Grievous getting away again? Very shameful, General. Here I thought you were the best of the best!" Cody smirked and shook his head. Both men making light of what they both knew deep down to have been an unfortunate strategic failure to capture or cripple the General.

"Unlike you clones we Jedi still have flaws, Cody." Obi-Wan grinned and Cody openly laughed.

"Very good, sir. Oh," Cody pulled at his belt and produced Obi-Wan's lightsaber. "By the way, I think you'll be needing this."

"Thank you Cody. You have no idea the pain you've saved me from with Anakin!"

"All in a day's work for a clone, sir." Again they both chuckled as Obi-Wan pulled at Boga's reins.

"Alright, now let's get a move on, we've got a battle to win here!"

"Yes sir!" Cody replied as Obi-Wan whipped the reins of Boga. She gave a cry as she stamped towards a rocky pathway leading up alongside the very face of the sinkhole's rock face. Cody smirked as he placed his helmet back atop his head. Though his comlink did begin ringing. A slight and sudden onset of confusion hit him, but he produced the little device and activated it. A familiar form appeared, but it did look different. The code was encrypted but clearly a priority one, and a tertiary glance at the incoming signal told the clone Commander whom he was speaking to. Even with a thick cowl atop his head and a low grumbling croak to his voice as he spoke.

"Commander Cody," The Supreme Chancellor began simply. "The time has come." Cody's body tensed and all protocols and directives pounded relentlessly into his head came to him all at once.

"Execute Order 66."

"Yes, my Lord." Cody nodded subtly. All thoughts of Obi-Wan and their friendship pushed to the side. A slow terrible moment where he imagined not going through with the order rattled him. Scared him even! But, in the end Cody looked up to where Obi-Wan was riding atop his beast with a mixture of sadness and disbelief. 66...Jedi betrayal. Yet, he was the one that felt like the traitor. Though he would never have said as much. As the Order filtered out to everyone else on Utapau. Cody only having one final sarcastic thought as he turned to the nearby AT-TE.

"Would it have been too much to ask for the order to have come through before I gave him back the bloody lightsaber?" Cody threw his commanding arm from back forward and up.

"Blast him!" The AT-TE fired. Exploding with a deafening blow. The cannon fire slammed into the rock face and Kenobi reeled as did his beast. They both slipped and with a loud whine of the varactyl they fell long and far. Into the heart of the sinkhole. Disappearing in two splashes of water.

"Goodbye...General." Cody whispered to himself and turned back to the battle at hand. They would search for his body later.

---

Ki-Adi swept his saber up from right across himself. The cerean Jedi Master sent a bolt flinging back into a B2 super battle droid. The hulking metal man stumbled just a little. Its breastplate chassis smoking and burnt charred black. Yet, it simply stood back straight and kept firing. Clones stood behind upturned rubble, burnt out exploded holes in the walkway or behind the smoking ruined remnants of walkers or tanks. The Separatists stood their ground and Ki-Adi led the Galactic Marines forward. Many of the clones draped in the cloth of their station and repellent against the high cold winds of this ashen and desolated world of the Intergalactic Banking Clan.

"Come Commander!" Ki-Adi called and swung around. His blue saber throwing another set of red bolts back. A B1 in the distance slumped back as a couple octuptarra magna tri-droids fired a mix of laser fire and high explosive shells. One swept overhead and flew into the far lines. Sending five marines into the air. Screaming as they fell or their bodies were ripped asunder.

"On your tail, General!" CC-1138, otherwise known to Ki-Adi and his men as Commander Bacara, called back. The clone commander swept an arm back and swung it back forward. As Ki-Adi continued the advance towards the Separatist held walkway positions leading towards another of Mygeeto's operational foundries. The Jedi Master was dead set on achieving his objective. Pushing the Grand Army under his command, and these Galactic Marines; supposedly some of the creme of the crop, to ultimate victory! Here, if Mygeeto fell, the Republic would have another launching point from the stationary Galactic North into the East, as one would see looking upon any standard galactic map. From here and Muunilinst the Republic could finally begin thrusting deeper into the heart systems of the Separatists. Helping foment the end of the war! Ki-Adi hoped this pressure, along with Master Kenobi's attack on Utapau, and the understanding that Chancellor Palpatine would soon be removed from office would mean some measure of normalcy returned to the Republic! Some measure of victory and return to peace time.

Much had happened these past few days and weeks. Much had transpired that certainly felt like some head was being come to. The Jedi were under attack. The Republic was threading a needle's edge between democracy and autocracy. The Separatists were reeling from Dooku's capture and defeat and now Grievous was in their scopes. The Chancellor, a dictator in all but name was in need of swift removal. Ki-Adi felt assured that if he could push the Marines and his forces hard, harder than ever across this bridge he could help bring the war closer to its inevitable end! Every battle needed to be the one, the one to end all battles. Every bit of territory treated as though they were the stepping stones of the Temple itself! As though the Temple could ever be under such attack.

Ki-Adi stepped forward as a clone marine was snapped back. A bolt in his cowled head and smoking. The cerean master tilted his saber left and back up right. Spinning in place as he repelled and returned a series of droid bolts. A magna tri-droid's rocket loosed overhead and exploded into the heart of a UT-AT! The artillery transport exploded into the air! Hundreds of pounds of weight slamming back down onto the walkway crushing men running from the fires and embers.

Ki-Adi registered his comlink ringing. His face contorted confusedly. Wondering just who would be trying to call him now?! His free left hand dashed for his belt. But, another bolt came towards his head and he swung right and parried it back into the droid lines. Another moment passed where he wondered if he should answer? However, he felt his heart racing and the drive of battle in his body. The Force was warning him. He could sense it. Something was happening, and Ki-Adi knew it must be the battle at hand! The droids were desperate, or their commanders were at least. Now was the moment! He would have to call back whoever was calling him now. It may have been a simple message anyways?

"Come on!" Ki-Adi swung his saber above his head and called to the Marines. Haggard and battered, but ready to and willing to fight. The clones ran after him.

Then they came to a sudden stop. Ki-Adi felt the Force screaming in him. Now, he was compelled to stop. The droids still firing at him and the winds of Mygeeto assailing his flesh. His brow creased and he turned back. As the clones, commander Bacara at the head of them raised their rifles. At...at him! No...now it made sense where the Force's warning came from.

The Galactic Marines opened fire. Ki-Adi deflected one bolt, and another. A trooper fell back dead from the shot. Ki-Adi didn't know...couldn't know. Mind reeling, body racing in all manner and ways. As the clones stepped forward and they fired. They riddled, and they broke through his defenses. Ki-Adi snapped back again and again and again. A huff escaped him. His body swung around to the floor and his final breath escaped his lungs as his lightsaber extinguished. The Jedi Master of the Jedi High Council, Ki-Adi Mundi, is dead.

---

The column of troopers, AT-TE's troop transports and walkers made their way through the thick fungal brush and forests of Felucia. Aayla pressed the back of her right hand to her brow and looked upwards at the distant star. The light of which streamed down atop herself and the rest of the renowned 327th Star Corps. The Corps had been given a small break from any Separatist forces. Which was good for Aayla. She wanted to get her troops out of this thick fungal death trap and into a nearby clearing...well that had been the plan. Her eyes narrowing as she turned and looked through some of the high fungal growth and saw movement in the distance of said clearing. She said nothing for now. Instead ruminating on how this planet had long become renowned as a death trap for Republic troops. The droids of the Separatists didn't much care about the wandering acklays, the poisonous or better yet, venomous fumes of the giant flowers. Or, the wandering rancors you could stumble across along with vicious sarlaccs. This place was not one of her favorites.

Aayla sighed low and shook her head. Centering herself within the Force as her lekku shivered in the lovely humid swampy heat of the planet. Behind her a company of troopers walked by. Some giving passing glances. She turned to them and smiled with an assuring grace to her. Feeling the troops immediately relax. Knowing their Jedi General was still with them. The clones of Felucia had long come to almost idolize her. And, while as a Jedi Aayla did not allow herself to bask in any form of hero worship or fame. She did recognize the need to inspire on a world as devoid of...well everything such as Felucia.

"General." Aayla turned further and fully back around as Commander Bly came up. Holding his blaster up towards the sky in his right hand and with his helmet atop his head he approached and bowed his head slightly. "We've moved 7 clicks. Not a sign of enemy forces. Seems suspicious to me."

"Never take a bout of good luck, Bly?" Aayla smiled. Though she could not see it she imagined Bly to smirk in response. It had taken months to crack a damn smile from this clone. A small achievement for Aayla Secura, but one all the same.

"I thought there was no such thing as 'luck' with the Force, ma'am?"

"Well…" Aayla "Maybe not? But, maybe luck is the will of the Force?"

"An interesting idea, ma'am." Bly gave a gruff single laugh as he tilted his head right towards the front of the moving column. "If we're lucky then, we'll get out of this death trap in another click or two. Depends on how deep that forward ravine is."

"Scanners no help on depth?"

"None, General." Bly shook his head. Eliciting a sigh from Aayla. Though she was quick to shove it aside and smile.

"We will make due." She assured. Though she did take on a half apologetic look as she pointed off to the left. "Well there's not a whole lot of luck left I think Commander." Bly followed her hand and stepped nearer. Looking where Aayla had been a moment before through his visor and through the fungal growth.

"Kriff...spider walkers."

"Just a few it looks like, Bly."

"A few is all the Seps' need, General." Bly grumbled, and Aayla couldn't necessarily discount his point.

"True. But, looks to me like this is a small squad. Maybe a checkpoint for the droids?"

"Or," Bly began to counter. "The advance of their main force. They could be setting up to engage us here. This place would make for a great ambush." As the Commander spoke he checked his left and right in astute military paranoia.

"Possible, but look at that outcrop." Aayla pointed beyond some thick brush ahead and off to the left of their forces. "It looks like a runway it's so clear. The spider's are at the end of it."

"Looks like a death trap."

"Precisely." Aayla nodded. "They want to lure us in there, where it'd be more open so they can hit us with their artillery and from the sides."

"Damn droids!" Bly seethed. "They're already creeping around us then."

"At least here on our side, but they haven't attacked us yet, Commander." Aayla pat the clone trooper's left shoulder atop the armor. "They're waiting for us to move into the open. But, now that we know about the trap, we can exploit it."

"Hardly a trap if they think we're this stupid, General."

"Never underestimate droid simplicity of tactics nor the arrogance of their commanders."

"Rule number 870 of training ma'am." Bly chuckled as Aayla smirked shaking her head and lekku as she and the Commander moved back up to the front of the column.

"You boys just make up these rules don't you?"

"Would never dream of something so silly, General. It'd be beneath the honor of a Clone Commander."

"Right." Aayla shook her head. "Well, Which rule states that we don't walk face first into a trap and instead form up over...there," Aayla pointed to the seeming entry point opposite the droid walkers. "while fanning out and attacking our would be ambushers in the brush?" She finished.

"That'd be rule 871."

"So close together?"

"They go one in one together, General!" Aayla scoffed in good humor as Bly chuckled and moved up to his squad. Relaying what was about to commence. Aayla came nearer. Readying herself. Centering in the Force further even as it shivered in warning. Likely of the coming battle ahead of her. She would have to lead from the front. Inspire the troops to fight with her. On a world like this. The front of the column and its AT-TE stomped to a stop and turned left. Beginning to stage up and meet this obvious droid ambush point. Aayla readied to lead herself and Bly ahead to scout the entrance to the open field when her comlink buzzed. Bly turned back to Aayla as she paused and snatched at it.

"Go ahead, I'll be up in a second."

"Yes, General." Bly nodded and pulled his squad mates with him. Aayla checked the code on her comlink and furrowed her cerulean brow.

"The Temple? What now?" She intoned. Not recognizing the code as being from the Council Chambers or one of the tactical rooms or comm centers. Nonetheless, she pressed the comlink and accepted the call. A small Jedi wearing the garb and under-armor of the Peacekeeper branch came into view. A human woman with a dark manner to her face as the small visage shimmered and shook in the usual holo fashion.

"To any and all Jedi receiving this message. You are to remove yourself from your clone units as soon as possible. The Jedi Temple is under attack by clone forces! For your own safety you should attempt to leave as quietly as you can. Do not engage your troopers if at all possible, but resist if you must. I say again, the Temple is under attack by clones of the Grand Army. Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker has gone to head off the attack within the Temple. I say again, remove yourself from your clones until the meaning of this attack is understood." The vision of the woman disappeared and the message remained ready to be replayed on her comlink. Aayla watched stunned into silence. Her nerves and anxiety suddenly brought alight as the Force panged harsher than before.

"What?" She whispered to herself. Now wondering...if that warning through the Force she had felt before had been for the battle here...or… Aayla couldn't think straight, but suddenly as she tilted her head up to a mobile transport containing dozens of clone troopers the Force whispered more warning to her. It sounded as though a voice was bidding her to do as told from the unknown Jedi. "Run!"

She turned to Bly beyond her. The clone Commander dipped his head and pressed his hand to his helmet. He was receiving a message of some kind. Aayla felt a mixture of pain, sadness, and no small amount of fear she released into the Force as her foot took an instinctive step backwards. Aayla turned and dashed back and into the forest of fungal growth. The same region she knew droids were setting up for the coming ambush. Somehow finding the idea of being among them safer than her own men...her own troopers. The Force seething to keep running. The Force at her feet a she heard the sound of clones calling. Suddenly running. Bly's voice...calling her name?

"No..."She intoned breathless as she jumped atop a massive lily lined in moss. "Ordering them to find me." Aayla whispered as she turned back and saw clones running around where she had last been. "What's going on Bly?" Aayla wondered to the open air. Hearing the sound of shrub movement and soggy ground shuffling. The sound of gears approaching. Droids moving through the moss laden swampiness of Felucia closer to her men. Her heart aching as she tilted her head over the side of the lily and saw three crouched B1's carrying snipers edging closer to the clones.

For a hard long and painful moment she watched them near. Behind them also crouched came up more B1 battle droids. She grit her teeth and grasped her lightsaber. Activating the blue beam of light and jumping down. Cleaving one sniper in two, whirling and cutting down the other two at their shoulders. Before turning and blocking the barrage of droid fire sent her way. The droids fell and a sudden burst of red bolts erupted from the brush. Droids unseen and hidden all mercilessly unleashed on her. But, Aayla Secura dashed, dodged and repelled them. Even as she heard the clones howling orders, and the firing of AT-TE fire into the far spider walker line erupted across the valley. She would give the troopers time to get into position. Even if...she didn't know why or how, they wanted her...dead.

She cut down many droids and ran deeper into their lines slicing through one B1 and another and slashed a B2 to pieces. Deeper and deeper cleaving her way into the brush and the madness of the unseen. Hearing and seeing blue Republic bolts slice through the moss and fungus and down droids near her. While another flew at her back, she whirled and deflected it. Seeing a distant clone aiming directly at her.

Betrayal and pain echoed through her, but Aayla did not respond to the attack. She set her features to stone, and cleaved through another B1 running towards the trooper lines. She ran deeper into the fungal growth. Watching as the battle erupted around her. Finding time to cut down every droid she could even if she had to run. And run she did.

---

Plo Koon swerved his Delta-7 Aethersprite-class light interceptor through the open air of Cato Neimoidia. Behind him followed in formation two ARC-170's piloted by his loyal and very competent clone fighter pilots. The Jedi Master tilted his head to his right. Noting one of the neimoidian cities set upon massive metal pathways built between the sides of mountains and mountain faces. The architectural innovations in and of themselves stunning. Built upon the backs of the exploitative measures of the Trade Federation and the many conglomerates and guilds that were deep in the Separatist camp. These cities of the neimoidian backers of both the Trade Federation and the Separatist movement glimmering in the bright blue day of this seemingly peaceful world. Itself having only recently fallen to the Galactic Republic.

"Let's circle around again and check for any straggling fighters." Plo called over his comm.

"Yes sir, General!" Came the reply of his wing leader, a clone trooper named 'Jag.' Much like any and every clone; bar the strange and brutish exception, he was a fine soldier. A good man. One of many Plo had come to know, and trust in the years of this awful war. Plo tilted his interceptor right and the two ARC-170s followed after him. As they dove down in formation towards one of the cities. Ever watchful and strafing to ensure any ground fire would not catch them unaware. In spite of the world's fall there were pockets of stringent resistance from local neimoidian soldiers, and their droid allies. Most of the fighting had been done and over with, but the cleanup was turning into a slog. Pockets of fighting cropping up from city to city. Though, their control of the skies was the key, and something Plo would be sure they retained on a patrol such as this.

Plo checked his left. Feeling through the Force as it ebbed and flowed. Feeling the rising tides of stray thoughts. Worries and fears. His own inclination and thoughts a mixture of concern and anxiety. Though he always felt such these days. These days of war and battle and suffering. Everywhere the effects of which had profound impacts on the Force itself. Even now as he felt the low rumble of rising disquiet he could not help but imagine it to be the many millions below who; in spite of their ill enjoyed gains, had little to do with the war. But, then his comlink began ringing. Shaking Plo from his idle thoughts. He hummed as he pressed the acceptance key of his ship's connected comlink to his personal one. An image of a woman projected itself. Unfamiliar to him but sporting the look of a Jedi Peacekeeper.

"To any and all Jedi receiving this message. You are to remove yourself from your clone units as soon as possible. The Jedi Temple is under attack by clone forces! For your own safety you should attempt to leave as quietly as you can. Do not engage your troopers if at all possible, but resist if you must. I say again, the Temple is under attack by clones of the Grand Army. Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker has gone to head off the attack within the Temple. I say again, remove yourself from your clones until the meaning of this attack is understood." Plo felt his kel dor brow furrow. His eyes watched the message in...confused horror.

"The Temple under attack?!" He wondered aloud. However, what was more pressing, even as he managed to keep his ship steadily on his patrol path was that his eyes were turned. He looked on the rear monitor as those same ARC-170s followed after him. Followed him as he swerved around the bend of the mountains and began a descent towards one of the neimoidian cities. The Force rumbled louder than before. Now, in this moment Plo felt no lie from what this Jedi woman had said over the comm. More pressing still he felt a sickly unease grip his heart as he pressed the open comm of his ship.

"You two press on, I want to take another pass around the mountain. I think I may have seen something. I shall return shortly."

"Understood, General Koon, sir." Jag replied. The second after the clone pilot had done so, Plo shifted his interceptor hard and back around right. Plo felt a sort of trepidation and anxiety grip him unlike anything since the beginning of the war on Geonosis! He wondered if he was being lied to? Tricked and led away from his men? The suddenness of that message seemed surreal and out of some nightmare...

But...then he felt it. Another shift in the Force. Plo dove his interceptor around the mountain and broke into a downward descent at incredible pitched speeds. The kind any other pilot but those who wielded the Force may well have found impossible to recover from. Descending far below the clouds and mist of the higher winds of Cato Neimoidia. His comm rung out. But, Plo saw it to be from the very same pilots mere moments before he had given silent praise of. The Force sickeningly whispered for him to let it go. To not answer. As he yanked the gears back and pulled his interceptor up and along the far rocky grounds of the alien world. Near barren of civilization or life. Far from the eyes of the neimoidian masters in the cities above the clouds. But, his interceptor gave whir and whine. Other ships were above. Not counted as unfriendly or enemy, but Plo felt true and near primal horror grip him as the Force bid him no falsity. No lie.

"They're after me...how...the Temple!" Plo announced to the quiet lonesome of himself. Realizing then he did not know how he would escape this. How in a matter of...seconds he had gone from a nearly carefree General leading a wing of his finest clone pilots...to suddenly running from them through deception, fear; to his shame, and sudden dawning horrific news.

"What is happening?" Plo Koon wondered as he pressed his interceptor forward. He would need a place to lay low and hide. Until he could mange his way off Cato Neimoidia. A sick pit forming in his stomach at the thought of whatever was happening at the Jedi Temple now.

---

Stass Allie moved came to a sudden stop. Her speeder bike whirred in its stationary position as two more followed up behind her. Also coming to a stop. Stass ignored their approach and lifted a pair of macrobinoculars from her speeder's satchel. Pressing the unit to her face and looking out across one of the vast fields of Boz Pity, over a boneyard of the planet's mysterious and extinct species, the gargantelle. Stass moved from left to right as the heat of her speeder exhausted around and beneath her, and the smell of nearby battle permeated her nostrils.

"The droids are moving along that cliff side there." Stass pointed towards a far off cliff. Along the top of which sat a dozen or so Separatist artillery batteries. Small dots, prickling as black silhouettes to the far sighted moved about the massive machines. Droids moving into position to defend or even fire down into the valley. "You see them, Neyo?" Stass called over her shoulder to her friend and personal Clone Commander, CC-8826. A bit of a cold ARC trooper, but a competent, and loyal clone all the same.

"Affirmative, General." He replied with a nod beneath his phase-II clone trooper helmet. Adorned in reddish symbols of the 91st Reconnaissance Corp. "From up there the Seps' will be able to pound the forward units already engaged." He finished as Stass nodded.

"The droids on the main attack will likely allow us to cut into them. Probably pull us in deeper for that artillery barrage." Stass figured with a low sigh. Boz Pity only continuing to be a dangerous, and deadly thorn in the side of every Republic soldier or being here. Ever since Master Hett returned to Coruscant it had managed to get a little worse. His skill and tactical ability could not be overlooked, but Stass had skills her own, and she did her best to make due.

"I say, we don't risk any air power over-" Stass began, but as she did her comlink began beeping. "Hold on." She offered snatching at the small communication device. She looked down at it, noting the incoming signal. Her eyes furrowed. Recognizing the origin to be Coruscant, but not a code she was expecting. "That's from the Temple's hub…" She whispered thoughtfully. Moving her finger to accept the call a boom echoed through the valley. The tholothian woman snapped her head left as the artillery pieces began firing successive cannon fire. Huge reddish tinged balls of laser fire arched through the air into the valley where plumes of smoke mingled with dirt and bone flew into the distant air. Along the open comms of Neyo and his second trooper came the roar and howl of many troopers. Issuing orders, requesting assistance or relaying developments.

"This will have to wait." Stass pocketed her comlink. Silencing it as she did so and placing it along her belt. "Neyo, make a call for some more of your mounted Recon units! Bring them in and swoop in from the opposing side of the cliff. We'll approach from what I think is the south, up the cliff to the artillery! We catch them off guard, and try to use their own pieces against their units. Let's scare them a bit huh?" Stass offered with what she hoped was an encouraging smile.

"Yes General, on you!" He nodded and revved his speeder. Stass turned and did the same before exploding ahead. Neyo and his second in her wake.

Moving through a burning valley of broken droids, dead troopers and scattered walkers or tanks. Neyo followed his General. Watching her brown cloak whirl behind her as she weaved seamlessly over the fields of ruin and death. Unheard by Master Allie his mask whirred. He placed a hand to his helmet. Receiving a message never truly expected.

"Execute Order 66." The voice made his eyes widen. That of the Supreme Chancellor. All training, all things and thoughts beat into him. Protocol upon protocol, contingency order after contingency order. All flooded back to him. His body felt as though it took on a life its own. So too did his lips as Neyo said, "Yes, my Lord."

Neyo turned to his second who nodded. Both of them pulled their breaks and fell back further behind Stass Allie. Without a word spoken to her, and without a thought given of the long days and nights fighting alongside her, or any other Jedi here on Boz pity or elsewhere Neyo opened fire. Both his and his comrade's speeders loosed a barrage of cannon fire. Unexpected, unseen, and merciless. Her speeder popped smoke. Her body reeled forward and slumped back. The fire littered her body, tore her robes and wrent her flesh. Before the speeder dove off to the left into a large boulder and gave a small clamor and explosion as she was thrown to the ground. One more corpse among a field of them.

Master Stass Allie of the Jedi High Council was dead.

---

The beach exploded with fire and the exchange of blaster bolts. A steady stream of droid walkers and tanks flooded onto it like the waves of the water. Wookiee gunships or war beasts flew overhead as the massive aliens fired down onto the beach. A droid tank ripped apart as it was battered on all sides by Republic fire. Droids were sent in shattered remnants across the sandy shore. While dwarf spider droids advanced up through the murky muddy sands. Firing blistering red bolts that tore apart men and wookiee alike. Shouts, calls and roars alike filtered just beneath the raging inferno. The song of war and death.

Overhead HMP droids circled the beach. Rockets flew down striking a turret position. Throwing two clones into the air screaming and burnt. While three more bodies were all but incinerated. Creating a residue of torn, rendered, and scoured flesh beneath charcoal black armor. The land was pitted with black scorch marks from artillery and burnt Republic walkers or armor. Across those zones of burnt aftermath of war, AT-RT mounted troopers advanced from the reserve and forest onto the beach. While they swerved to give way to the hulking and thunderous gears of the HAVw A6 Juggernauts! The rolling beasts came from the brush and forest away from the settled Venator-class warship and fired a barrage of missiles alongside another of the juggernauts. They flew out across the beach. Slamming into droid transport and tank alike. As a dwarf spider droid fired and blew an AT-RT apart, just for one juggernaut missile to slam down from above. The impact exploding out and throwing dozens of nearby droids to the ground in varying degrees of dismemberment.

A squad of troopers advanced out of their turret position. Firing in wild but covering manner as four wookiees ran up the beach head long. The warrior to the front taking no less than three blaster shots from a line of B1 battle droids dismounting their transport. However, the warrior roared and slammed his left shoulder into one droid. Tossing it near in half to the ground. Turning and grabbing another and ripping it apart as clone covering fire drew most of the droids away. They were torn apart by the fire. A missile flying overhead into the beach from the droids and obliterating a Saber-class fighter tank! The fireball illuminating the ground as more wookiees fired their bowcasters into the droids. Blowing them back and apart. Others giving into their primal rage and will to defend their homes. Grabbing and ripping the droids apart. B1, B2 or otherwise. Even as droidekas rolled over the beach. Unfurling and firing into the control zones the clones held along the massive roots of the wroshyr tree. The clones there returning fire. The droidekas activating their shields as stray missiles slammed into one, and the direct fire of a stampeding AT-RT battered another and broke through the shields turning it to a smoldering mess as wookiee gunships buzzed overhead firing onto an HMP and blowing it out of the sky down onto the beach and over no less than five B1 battle droids. The Battle of Kashyyyk raged on.

All as Master Luminara Unduli ran from the beach. Landing with a huff and sway of her blackened Jedi robes nearby a line of downed clone troopers. Her green lightsaber humming in her right hand. She turned and angled her right foot back, pushing her saber down. Blocking a stray bolt, and the another. As three clones ran past her at her right down the beach firing. The blistering cry of heavy turret fire from atop the juggernauts could nearly deafen her as she grimaced and retreated behind an outcrop of a nearby wroshyr tree trunk.

"How many are hurt?!" She called over the fire as she ducked beneath the trunk. The smell of burning wood entering her nostrils as she came nearer to Commander Faie. The Commander turned to her gripping his rifle tightly atop his green forested camouflaged clone armor.

"These are just a few of my men, General! Pulled them from the beach, but five confirmed KIA and twenty in need of a medic!" Faie announced as he cursed and stood up. Placing his blaster atop the trunk and fired a spray of bolts alongside three other clones into the open beach. Red bolts flew overhead and struck one clone in the shoulder. He reeled back and seethed, but stood up. Immediately returning to fire back as B2's, supported by B1s, advanced up the side of the shore.

"Are there any medics nearby, Commander?" Luminara wondered as she pressed her left hand atop one fallen trooper. His helmet removed and face etched in pain. Eyes incapable of opening as his chest lay exposed. Smoldering and charred while his right arm lay nearby...detached and a hastily applied bacta patch covered the stump just above his elbow.

"All are at the forward positions! Recalling any is a nightm-" Faie was cut off as a bolt flew right past his visor. Again he seethed and returned fire. Three blue bolts crashing into a B1's central chassis and throwing the machine man back down to the ground. "Nightmare!" Faie finished breathlessly.

"Alright…" Luminara breathed lowly and deactivated her lightsaber. Clasping it to her belt as she pressed both hands atop the clone beneath her. She closed her eyes, and drew upon the Force. "I will do what I can. Hold this position Commander."

"Yes, General!" Faie growled, though not at his Jedi leader. Returning fire as another Saber-class tank hovered past their position and fired its beam turret into and tore apart the droids advancing up their position. Overhead a wookiee gunship buzzed and loosed a volley of green turret fire that struck an enemy Persuader-class enforcer. The machine erupted in a hail of smoke and shrapnel debris. Tossing sand and shards of scrap into the air.

Luminara shut it all out. Delving into the Force and calming her breath as she funneled the Force into and through her. Down as imagine water flowing out her hands down into the clone beneath her. He grunted and groaned in pain. But, Luminara shushed him lightly. As the Force entered the man through the temporary opening made. Luminara bid the Force to hasten the healing processes, to calm the nerves and bring some measure of peace to this man. One among hundreds in similar pain or carnage. The clone grunted through heaved breaths, but slowly began to calm.

"Rest, soldier. Do not fight the flow of the Force." Luminara bid with eyes closed.

"G...general?" The clone rasped. Luminara merely bowed her head. The headdress atop her motioning as she did. She felt no need to say anymore and continued to soothe this man's pain. Bringing the Force to bear against the horrors and tears of war. He slumped back down, and his eyes barely managed to open. Just as a beeping commenced.

"Ge...gener...your comm…" He trailed off. Luminara numbly noted her comlink beeping, but she ignored it. Even as the Force prickled ever so slightly at the sound of it. She set the feeling aside.

"Leave it, soldier. I have time." Luminara assured and called on the Force to hasten his healing further. Feeling and as though watching tendrils of the Force weave through his body. Bring relief to nerves and severed tendon and muscle. Clotting blood where it need clot, and bringing rest to the weary worn mind.

"This is Faie!" Commander Faie replied into his helmet comm. A silent moment passed. Before the other clones along the trunk also paused and all seemed to listen to an order of some kind. The Force gave a low rumble and whine.

Luminara opened her eyes and turned her head up right. Just as Faie turned and with three other troopers they aimed their blasters at her. Wordless her heart stopped, and her expression widened in confused horror. She covered the trooper beneath her instinctively. Just as the blue bolts flew. One into neck, another to the back of the head, a third into her back, a fourth, fifth and sixth following. As Luminara slumped down. And the Jedi Master was no more.

The clone beneath her at ease, unaware of it all.

---

Watching the carnage of yet another battle play out Yoda stood stoically and calm. Not reveling in the combat his eyes, and ears and nostrils were assaulted by. But, watching for breaks, watching for movements and looking out for the critical points in which he may be needed to make orders or act in coordination with the fine clone Commander, Gree.

His eyes studied the battle. Propping himself against his gimmer stick as he did. However, as the battle wore on he felt something. Yoda felt a sudden sickness ripple in his senses and ache at his chest. With a huff the Grand Master leaned more into hi stick. Propping himself up more as he allowed the sensation to travel through him as a pained ripple. The two wookiees behind him, Tarfful and Chewbacca both groaned lowly. Chewbacca placing a hand on Yoda's shoulder and the diminutive Jedi cast a thankful and thin smile up and over his shoulder. Even as the Force continued to painfully swirl.

The moment seemed to pass. The battle grew ever more harsh and tense. Missiles flew freely, men ran forward against droids marching up alongside walkers and tanks covered by droid gunships. The wookiees fighting bravely and fiercely alongside the Republic. Yet, suddenly it hit again. Harder and harsher than before!

Yoda let his gimmer stick fall from his hands. Suddenly a piercing pain screamed through the Force! Many prickling droplets of shivering anguish turned to silence that entered the Force near and far. As Yoda fell again the wookiees came nearer and Chewbacca again placed a large furry hand atop Yoda's shoulder. As the Jedi's comlink began ringing at his belt. The Force whirled around the Jedi Master. Yoda felt it prickling even now through the fog of widespread pain across the galaxy. Whispering for him to answer the comlink. Yoda would not argue with the Will of the Force. So, even with creased brow and pained expression he grasped the device and activated it.

"To any and all Jedi receiving this message. You are to remove yourself from your clone units as soon as possible. The Jedi Temple is under attack by clone forces! For your own safety you should attempt to leave as quietly as you can. Do not engage your troopers if at all possible, but resist if you must. I say again, the Temple is under attack by clones of the Grand Army. Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker has gone to head off the attack within the Temple. I say again, remove yourself from your clones until the meaning of this attack is understood." Yoda heard every word, and in his mind he began to understand.

"The Sith...made his move, he has." Yoda whispered morosely. Still grimacing from the rage the Force was thrown into. As he forced himself to rise back to a stand the wookiees both grumbled low and hushedly. They had seen the message. Chewbacca growled in both warning and concern.

"Your aid, appreciated it would be, my friend." Yoda nodded in reply. As Chewbacca grasped at Yoda and lifted the Grand Master atop his shoulders and turned. Tarfful beside him as both wookiees stomped up the walkway into the wroshyr tree.

Commander Gree turned from where he knelt perched along the wooden walkway overlooking the battle. Yoda sensed confusion from the clone.

"General Yoda?!" He called even as Chewbacca and Tarfful both stomped passed both the Commander and his adjutant. The clones watching them retreat inside the wookiee complex. As Gree's comlink rung, and a general order was filtered out to the whole of the clone army.

---

Earlier…

Having sent Vica away, Palpatine turned. His body shook though he did not show it. His heart was erratic and racing. His body sore, but the pain and adrenaline were alleviating. The room was a mess of destruction and ruins. One of the urns long since placed in his office fallen. Itself having contained the Sith made antique lightsaber on the ground. He smirked, bending down and grabbing the hilt. Running it up into the folds of his robes. Attaching it onto the empty small holster along his arm. Always ready in case of need.

"Ah...now let's see…" The Supreme Chancellor groaned. He tilted his head towards the adjoining hall where he had fought Masters Windu and Fisto down. Neither of them should concern him now. Neither should Masters Tiin and Kolar. That thought alone made the Dark Lord of the Sith smirk cruelly. As he used the Force and called to a hidden closet along the wall. It opened from a flick of his fingers and a darkened robe like the depths of the dark night hung along a hook. Palpatine...Sidious called the cowl to him. He threw the fabric across his back and pushed his arms through. Staring his golden and shimmering eyes out across Coruscant. His hands ran back behind his head grabbing the cowl. Slowly draping it atop himself as he felt the cold high airs of the world assail him. As he let the dark side seethe around him. The victory at hand rippling across him and this whole planet. Really the galaxy entire!

Had he foreseen these events exactly to the letter? Of course not. The true measure of brilliance was how one reacted when their plans came into direct confrontation with reality. A fact he had reminded himself of many times not only today but these past few days. And, Sidious felt quite pleased with himself. Though, he did tilt his head down. Running a bony hand along his collar. The burn there having...gone.

"Hmm…" He intoned. Pulling his cloak and his torn under robes aside. Seeing his flesh bare no scar. Nor any blemish of a wound. Sidious also ran his hand along his left shoulder and around his body. Where those under robes bore burn holes. Where those feeble masters of the now dying bygone era had sought to kill him. Even if he reveled silently in his victory there was an echo. Some long gone laughter or sneering grin of Plagueis in his mind. The nearness in which death had been at hand had been...too close for comfort. Never before had Palpatine felt death like that. Felt his essence being called into the very void of the Force. Fighting tooth and nail, gnashing his teeth as he recoiled from the Force's beckoning. Eyes glazing and sight blurring as darkness ran along the edges of perception as he beheld a small durasteel box. He raised his right hand. Looking upon this little gift. This little ring. The dark stone at its heart shone with some hidden power as before, yet now more prominent. Sidious could swear that he could see it more clearly. Just as he had its maker but moments prior.

While run along the band beyond the stone were markings. Unknown to the Sith Lord. Yet, at least. He smiled, knowing he would have long hours ahead of him delving into the study of these rings, and runes. They shone like a datapad script, blood red and hateful. They illuminated but a whisper of light from off his finger. The dark side of the Force within the room seemed to bask in the ring...this shadowy power along his hand. As Palpatine, as Sidious circled around a nearby desk and sat himself with a low sigh upon the chair he remained fixed on the ring. The gem seemed to bring the Force within itself as a silent vacuum. Like one of the black holes of the Maw in the Outer Rim.

The Force was released back as the darkness swirled and ebbed. As though the ring itself corrupted the natural aspects of the Force. Turning a little of that power over to him, the bearer of the ring as it did so. Within distant corners of his mind Sidious contemplated what Sauron's plans had been with this ring? Turning his hand over and appreciating the interwoven binds of the metal. As he could imagine many possibilities such possibilities.

"Though I suspect it doesn't matter. Not right here and now at least." Sidious intoned. The light of his yellow eyes and the crimson fire runes of the ring dancing between one another as Sidious beheld a morphed reflection of himself along the silvery metal of the ring. His left hand rising and pressing along his grayed and sullen flesh. Long since turned to such and added to by Master Windu's reflection of his lightning. A mixture of the two, but in fairness, Sidious believed the ring to be healing any true singe or scouring of his face. As he felt no pain. Just cold flesh.

"We still have work to do." Sidious intoned again. Able to remove his eyes from the ring as he ran his hands along the table. Feeling the cold metal prickle at his palm and fingertips. The Sith quickly called up a projected computer screen. The table gave a hum of electricity and whir of machinery as blue lights flew up and showed Sidious the opening screen. From which he quickly moved to call up local commands to the stationed 501st garrison. Adding orders to follow Vica. Labeling her as their new 'Field Commander,' and describing her to the acting commanding clone, 'Appo.' Sidious doubted his newest slave would run around calling herself 'Vica' so better to leave it at describing her as a woman wearing dark clothing bearing a blue lightsaber, and heading to assume command. Somewhat vague, but the need to act was upon him. Anakin or not, and Sidious resolutely committed to having his prize! Even if the boy now forced his hand to become more firm in dealing with him. And his rebellious friends within the Order.

Sauron, had given him ample gifts. This ring, his own power and pawn in Vica, and a second greater chance at life. Another cruel ironic smirk graced his lips as Sidious sent the order as Supreme Commander and closed the page.

Sidious snapped in a code along the table. Switching from the computer screen to the table's installed holocomm. He keyed in the codes for Armand Isard and for Crueya Vandron. Both men were needed for a variety of reasons. Chiefly of which was that Sidious had a question. Regarding Utapau, and both of these men had some explaining to do if things were not as he wanted them.

The table beeped as the calls went out. Both men, wherever they may be, assuredly seeing a multi-call being requested of them. Both men loathing the other. Sidious caring very little for their own power and political struggles now as Knightfall was upon them. And, as expected both beings appeared as small blue holograms of their physical forms. Armand on the left and Crueya on the right. Both with hands clasped behind their backs, before both turned to face one another from their own perspectives. Not saying a word of greeting. Both prickling in the Force as they beheld Sidious' face and figure. Both silently understanding in a mere second that something was at hand. Something big. Knowing their Lord would not be so brazen unless the time of reckoning was at hand.

"Directors Isard and Vandron. Good to see you both." Sidious began simply.

"Yes...my Lord," Vandron began slowly. The portly man clearing his throat. "I am, as ever, pleased to be at your service."

"Yes." Armand agreed with a nod. "Forgive my imprudence, my Lord, but I had not thought to hear from you any further today?" Armand dared to question with a cock of his brow. Sidious would allow it simply nodding. His figure slightly darkened and hidden beneath his cowl.

"You are forgiven, Isard." Sidious chuckled lowly. "I require a status update regarding Utapau, Directors. Furthermore, both of your offices are being activated for a...coming emergency situation on Coruscant." Both men for once dared to observe one another. Neither of them showing the usual disdain. More a general concern, and Sidious could understand that much. He did have their lives in the palm of his hand. And, his foreboding words likely gave stir to gnawing fear in both. Of course...Sidious could feel it, and reveled in the timidity of such men of supposed power.

"Yes, my Lord." Armand nodded clearing his throat as Crueya turned and seemed to grasp at a datapad. "The um...battle at Utapau bodes well for our forces. However, the Separatists have-"

"Brought in a small fleet, yes." Sidious cut Armand off. "This much I know, Isard. Get to the point you clearly don't wish to state." To that Armand bowed his head and his face fought to restrain a grimace.

"Your Excellency...it would appear that General Grievous had been engaged by Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi. However, Grievous appears to have escaped the planet." Armand gave the news Sidious already felt deep inside to have been the case. Again his mind was alight in thoughts. Reflections on how the General had managed to outwit his own demise. Of course he could have simply made a few lucky mistakes concerning the grand plan. It did little to guess on such right here and now.

"He has escaped the planet? The system?" Sidious pressed Armand.

"Yes, your Excellency. The General was engaged on his retreat by fighter wings of the attacking clone force. However, the droids managed to withstand the assault. As relief forces arrived in system Grievous and his small fleet disengaged and retreated. We don't yet have any correlating data between Republic Intelligence the Clone Intelligence Services or even the Security Bureau." Armand noted turning to Crueya who nodded as he looked over his datapad.

"Yes…" Vandron began. "So far there seems to have been an...intelligence fault regarding the presence of Separatist warships. None of the data collected before the attack indicated the Separatists had any naval vessels near the system. It had been assumed this was to make Utapau appear uninvolved while the General based himself on planet."

"Yes…" Sidious nodded. Himself knowing all those details. Having written some of them himself. As Armand remained quiet over his own involvement in the creation of the Clone Intelligence files for agents and events that did not exist. Poor Vandron being kept in the dark concerning such knowledge.

"Director Isard," Palpatine turned to the Intelligence Director again. "I expect you to clear up such intelligence faults. I want those responsible for this debacle replaced at once!"

"It will be done, your Grace." Armand bowed at the hip.

"Good. See it done." Palpatine continued and turned to Crueya. "Now to more pressing matters. It would appear I have been attacked in my office, gentlemen." The Supreme Chancellor calmly noted to which both men jumped to full attention again.

"Attacked, your Grace?!" Director Vandron all but gasped. "By...by whom?!"

"Are you alright, Chancellor?!" Armand asked after Crueya. In response to their collective concern Sidious raised his hands to silence, and calm them.

"Neither of you need concern yourself with my safety. As you can see I am more than well. However, my office is lined with dead Jedi." Now, to that the two men showed a sudden understanding. Both looked to one another then back to the Supreme Chancellor.

"The...the Jedi have attempted an insurrection then?" Crueya wondered as Armand nodded darkly and grim.

"A coup." Armand stated matter-of-factly. "The Security Bureau and the Department of Homeworld Security must be put on high alert at once, Director Vandron!" Armand insisted as Crueya cast him the smallest of contemptible sneers. Likely not finding being told what to do by his fellow Director a thankful position.

"I will...draw up the necessary security countermeasures to secure both the Executive Annex and the Senate Rotunda, your Excellency!"

"More important than that, gentlemen," Palpatine cut them off with his authoritative croak. "I have authorized the activation of Contingency Protocol 66 among the local garrisons of the 501st Legion here on Coruscant. They have begun their move. Either just now, or they shall begin moving against the nascent Jedi rebellion shortly. As Director Isard noted the Security Bureau and the Department of Homeworld Security are now in command of issuing stay at home orders for the populace where necessary. As well as cordoning off the Temple District. Furthermore, I want all senators, representatives, and political officials on Coruscant to be ordered to an emergency session of Congress come the morning. Security details and actions will need to be drawn up by both of you for the event." The Supreme Chancellor carried on. "I want all necessary measures put in place. You two shall coordinate the precautions and emergency security functions via Executive Decree." Sidious rattled off. Watching the men absorb the slew of information and orders. Casting curious and pointed glance between the two before finishing. "Am I understood?"

"Yes, Lord."

"Yes, my Lord." Both Armand and Crueya replied respectively. Bowing as they did. Both men having long since known their small part of the plan. Both knowing what this moment meant. Both perhaps never actually believing it to ever come? Palpatine, however, didn't care. Now they would play their part. They would bloody their hands and prove they are ready for the New Order and its Declaration. Now was the hour. The fabled hour of Revenge, and the end of the Jedi Order.

"You both have your orders. See to them at once." The Chancellor flicked his hand dismissively. "I need to contact Amedda. As well as deal with other security matters in need of attending to. The Grand Army must be secured." Again both men held knowing, and wide-eyed looks of understanding. Just a sliver of true understanding of what was happening. But, understanding, nonetheless.

"Yes, your Excellency. At once." Crueya bowed and cut his connection, as Armand seemed to hold for a moment longer. Palpatine didn't bother to prod the man. He was merely shaken by the suddenness of it all. Instead, Sidious smiled and remained silent until Armand tensed his jaw and spoke.

"By your will, my Lord."

"As it should be." Sidious smiled and the bureaucrat bowed at the waist a final time. Before he too disappeared and cut their connection. Leaving Sidious to take a moment to contemplate his next move. Mulling for a long moment on what he wanted to do next. Before Sidious finally huffed and pressed another set of keys along his holocomm.

"Let's see what you do now, General." Sidious intoned to himself. Only idly aware his right hand played with the ring upon his ring finger of its own accord. A fact at the back of his mind he figured he would need to explore further, later. Nevertheless, he called upon the Force to block such ideations and waited to see if Grievous answered his call. The ring of the communicator beeped incessantly. Allowing Sidious to wait a long series of moments in the silence of the office. Save for the whirl of winds breaching the shattered glass of the nearby viewport, and the distant airspeeders thrumming beyond.

As this carried on Sidious let the Force flow. Feeling the many ebbs and echoes of the near and distant. Searching his feelings for the truth he already perceived within his instincts. As he sat, allowing the communicator to incessantly ring. The General did not have a messaging system. He was not the kind of being to do so. He either answered if he was able, or he would-

The holocomm gave a low whir. Sidious smirked and shook his head in disbelief mingled with a sliver of dull admiration.

"You refused my call." Sidious cackled to himself. "We will need to deal with your sudden turn swiftly." The Sith intoned to himself. In all honesty; as he leaned back into his chair, he did have to note this was a sudden and worrying development. Yet, with his newfound powers, and newly acquired servant in Vica and Sauron, as well as Anakin...with time, Sidious could and would deal with Grievous. Perhaps, he simply couldn't answer? However, Sidious knew deep within that the General had somehow broken free of his chains. An admirable growth for one as simple as he, were it not so inconvenient.

"So be it." Sidious sighed and pushed himself to a stand. He brought his hands close to his chest and moved around the desk. Pushing thoughts of the General aside as a stream of data began whirring across the desk. Orders, and statements being made this very second by the Security Bureau and the Department of Homeworld Security. Vandron working in record speed to begin locking Coruscant down. Sidious ignored them though. He had more calls to make and he wanted to do it from the adjoined standing holocomm. Sate Pestage and that chagrian worm Amedda needed to be called and have their positions and orders put in place come the morning. The Senate Security Council and its members needed to be placed under lock and key. Elements within COMPOR had to be readied for the news.

And...of course Palpatine needed to make a general order to the rest of the Grand Army.

He moved to the holocomm. Turning as he did so to stare out the viewport. Facing the general direction of the far off Jedi Temple. Feeling through the Force as hundreds of beings made their way towards it. Every second more arriving there, and headed their way. Sidious also felt a dark abyss within the Force. Knowing it to be Sauron and his flesh suit. He watched blankly and in silent rapturous glory for a long moment. Perhaps even too long as the moment become moments. But, Sidious wanted to feel the first explosions. Through the Force if nothing else.

As the issuance of commands and orders kept streaming across his desk. As crimson clad guards entered the room behind him. Themselves taken aback by the sight of the office. Security personnel arriving to lock down the Executive Annex and Senate. Through all of that, Golden Sith eyes watched. Only closing to feel the dark poisonous cloak of the Force ripple as death lurched out across the vastness of the world. As Sidious allowed the veneer he wrapped himself to lower. He felt freed of that cloak so long worn on Coruscant around and near the Jedi. A creeping cruel smile etched along his face. He was free and revealed.

Death then rippled. Horror sprung, the Jedi were roused and before long a glimmer of some percussion announced the birth of a fireball! The Temple shook in a distant explosion as 'Knightfall' began. Finally, Sidious allowed himself to turn and activate the holocomm. Realizing the length of time in which he had stood motionless and wrapped within the Force.

The holocomm rung for but a moment. Unlike with Grievous the Disloyal, this time a lone clone commander popped into view. One that was known and renowned by many a Jedi and the military apparatus of the Grand Army.

"Commander Cody." Sidious greeted the shimmering hologram of the clone draped in his armor. "The time has come." So it had.

"Execute Order 66."

---

His airspeeder whirled through the air and angled down towards the Jedi Temple. Smoke billowed from the roof of the great ziggurat. Multiple fires did in fact. Added to by protruding plums of smoke and the orange hues of flames from lower within the temple. Fires burned outside of windows and along the bottom levels. All the smoke was harsh, black and choking. Bail had to ignore the vile smells and sensations as his eyes burned from the scorched durasteel and stone of the temple.

Bail noted a lone outcropped landing pad beneath him. Along it he could see many figures. Clones he suspected them to be. Nonetheless, he dove the speeder down and landed it atop the landing pad. Jumping out and walking around the vehicle. Idly he turned left and right watching the high smoke stacks poison the night sky. The burning red and orange fires illuminate the surrounding area. Bail ignored it as he stomped purposefully towards what looked to be an interior hangar dock as four troopers moved to meet him. The soldiers bearing the blue marks of the Grand Army, and sporting their blasters at chest. Even eyeing them he pressed ahead to meet them.

"What's going on here?!" Bail demanded firmly as the lead trooper raised his hand to calm him. Three or so more clone troopers running to meet the main group from the edge of the temple leading inside of it.

"There's been a rebellion, sir. Don't worry, the situation is under control." The trooper announced, but Bail pressed himself forward. Looking to push past the trooper. Fully expecting the man to try and stop him. However, oddly Bail watched the trooper make to raise his blaster, but then...stopped himself. Bail paused and stared at the clone for a moment. Noting the hesitation. A hesitation he was thankful for of course, frightened by, but thankful for all the same.

"Please, sir. You cannot be here. The situation is fluid. This is a security risk." The trooper carried on as he and the rest of the clones seemed...flustered. Unsure of themselves. Which was not something Bail or any in the Senate would usually call clone troopers. However, instead of responding to the man, Bail looked over the trooper's shoulder as something caught his eye. The massive flood lights over the entrance to the hangar bay illuminated what appeared to be...a couple of Jedi. Three or four. Their silhouettes shadowed by the interior lights of the temple and the flood lights outside. They paced ahead of the entryway. While the clones seemed to not approach them from the walkway leading inside. A sort of standoff...that alone was worrying.

"You there!" Bail called and pushed past the trooper. The clones watched him, and tried to block him. However, Bail moved around them or slid himself between them as he neared the Jedi. Clearly now visible to him.

"Sir, wait!" The same trooper called, but Bail ignored him. Taking note of the three young Jedi. Couldn't be but padawans still awaiting a Master. As well as an older and taller mirialan male Jedi. His face etched in what looked to be caution and pain. Though as Bail neared the Senator could sense it wasn't for him. Didn't need to be a Jedi to know that.

"You there!" Bail called to the Jedi. "What's going on?!" Bail repeated his question as he came before the Jedi.

"You're Senator Organa, aren't you?" The mirialan wondered and Bail nodded.

"I am. I came as soon as the alert went out. That and the smoke of course." Bail offered. "What's going on?" He repeated again. "The troopers aren't all too forward with what's going on, and I get the feeling this is no mere 'rebellion.'"

"They came-" The older Knight, Bail guessed him to be, began just for a younger human male to step ahead and interjected himself.

"They attacked us first!" The boy all but growled. A young Jedi and boy still at odds with his raw emotions.

"Zett!" The mirialan began, but the boy ignored him.

"I heard from the others over the comlink! The troopers came to the temple on the main entrance level. Led by a Force wielder who killed Master Jurokk. They've been killing any and all Jedi they come across until now!" Zett called over Bail to the troopers. The Senator turned back to them to see them shuffle anxiously. One could even say aggressively. Yet, they didn't fire. Instead they, like the Jedi, remained where they were. Watching one another.

"What…" Bail paused. Tapping his forehead and closing his eyes as a flurry of emotions and surprise shot through him. "What...what stopped them? Why did they stop? Does anyone know?"

"Master Hett told us to stop fighting!" A young nikto girl announced from behind the knight.

"Master Skywalker has managed to get the troopers to stop murdering us! He's fighting in the Great Hall against the one who led them in!" Zett also offered as Bail looked back up to the knight.

"Is this true?" Bail asked and the older Jedi nodded. His green eyes ever looking past Bail to the clones with...well Bail would say hate, but he didn't like using such a word where Jedi were concerned.

"Yes...more or less." The knight affirmed aloud. "The Legion attacked us first. As far as I can tell. They attacked the Great Hall and have been repelling onto the top level here and the levels below. I don't care to say how many Jedi I think they've...well…" The knight trailed off. Bail nodding. Understanding what the man meant.

"You said Master Skywalker, Anakin, he got the troopers to stop?" Bail asked the group more than anyone in particular. The knight answered him though.

"A temple wide call came out from Master Hett. He told all Jedi to stand down as soon as the troopers stood down. I was deeper in the temple when I got the call. Found Zett, Ilka, and Forgu here." The knight pointed to the young human boy, the nikto girl and a third young twi'lek male also with him. "My first instinct was that it was a trap, but the Force didn't warn of any deceit. The clones did stop shooting, so I stopped fighting. But…"

"Caution." Bail nodded. Again understanding this man's position. "I don't meant to press in this...dark time, but I must insist on seeing this being!" Bail pressed as the thought came to him. "I need to know what precipitated this...catastrophe. The Senate...we must do something, but I will need to see as much as I can to offer testimony."

"It's a little hard to think about the Senate and politics right now, Senator." The knight intoned.

"I understand that, trust me." Bail offered. "However, this attack, if what you've said is true and I do not doubt any of you, it has to have begun with the government. It had to! If the Chancellor himself is behind this then...well…" Bail trailed off. Watching the mirialan observe him for a moment before the knight finally nodded.

"Very well. Zett," He turned to the young padawan. "Lead the Senator down to the Great Hall. Only enter through the upper walkways. Do not engage any of the clones, am I understood?!"

"Yes, Master." The padawan bowed respectfully. Whether the man was a Master or not Bail could not say.

"Good." The knight turned back to Bail. "I hope you can do...something Senator. But, please be careful. If the fighting begins again I don't think they'd aim for you, but I wouldn't take the chance were I you."

"You have my thanks, Master Jedi. I will be careful." Bail bowed his head as Zett waved Bail after him.

"This way, Senator." Zett moved back into the hangar bay. Where Bail followed after him. Noting carbon scoring along the walls and floors. As well as his first sight of a dead Jedi.

Tilting his head right he could see over a rail lay a dead human male. His hair burnt from blaster fire, cloak fluttering around him covered in burn holes much the same. While his lightsaber hilt lay on the ground.

"There's a turbolift over here." Zett announced ahead of Bail. The Senator could only shake his head. Feeling anger and...shame cascade through his body. Palpatine. Bail somehow knew inside that that man had something to do with this! In that he had brought the Republic so low as to debase itself with this barbarism! Bail felt horror and shame because the Republic had kept that man around for all this time. Had gifted him more and more power. Bail could say he had fought him. Tried to resist him, but...he had voted for measures Palpatine had wanted. Bail had resisted him passively and politically. Hoping that things would 'get back to normal' after he left. Or, if he was somehow removed and his cronies would once again feel shame. Yet, that never came. Instead inaction bred boldness. Boldness bred authoritarianism, and that authoritarianism led to this! A purge if ever there was to be one. As Bail entered a hall leading out from the hangar behind a boy who couldn't be any older than fourteen by galactic standards marched past dead bodies. Both clone and Jedi. Three Jedi lay clumped together. An old human man with grayed hair and a long beard held a small child. A human girl. Both dead. Shot by blasters while the third Jedi lay ahead of them. A togruta male laid atop two dead clones cut to pieces by a lightsaber.

Bail felt sick, but did his best to restrain the nausea and guilt. That and the writhing rage he felt inside. Luckily for him he was no Jedi. Because he did not know how any of them would be able to restrain themselves after this. If they made it!

"Here!" Zett called and ran to a turbolift. Pressing his hand along the pad and calling it as Bail marched up behind him.

"I…" Bail began.. Stopping himself only because he wasn't sure what he wanted to say. What he could say to a boy this young about what he was seeing. Let alone what he, Bail, was feeling.

"I...I don't think I caught your full name?" Bail noted. Pivoting from what he guessed to be some horrified need to apologize for...something, to a simpler question.

"Zett Jukassa, Senator." The boy offered. Turning and bearing a slight small smile as he did. Kindness and humility seen in this young Jedi even now.

It broke Bail's heart.

---

One of many access turbolifts opened up. Within it a golden and shining protocol droid stood. The droid tilted his head and then quickly waddled his way out of the lift. On the floor in question the droid stood out. Nobody was walking the halls. Ornate and carpeted red, the walls lined in columns that were draped and fanciful. Paintings of historical moments of the Republic's long twenty-five thousand history hung here and there. Yet, all the rooms that lined the halls going left and right of the droid were silent. All those who lay occupied in rooms not leaving them. Or, they were simply empty. The droid didn't know. All he knew was his target. He had come here before, so heading to the room was not so difficult. However, as the droid waddled with the whir of his legs from left to right he paused.

"Oh!" Threepio stuttered as he came face to face with a set of clone troopers. Two of them who stood guarding either side of the entrance to the adjoined hallway.

"Hey, what are you doing here?!" One of them gruffly asked Threepio. Raising his hand to preemptively pause the droid's movement forward.

"Ah, good evening, sir. I am C-3PO, human-cyborg relations." Threepio greeted with a stiff tilt of his head. "I have been sent by my Lady the Senator of Naboo."

"For what reason?" The same clone asked and approached Threepio.

"Oh, well that is not my place to say, sir." Threepio stammered a bit. "That is my Lady's business. She is a Senator after all. I am not given freedom to simply announce her personal matters to soldiers, sir. They are personal and classified after all." Threepio rattled off as he had been told to do so. The words he used seeming to give pause to the trooper who turned to his fellow guard. Whom in kind seemed unsure what to say to his colleague's confusion.

"I would have to make a call and check whether or not you're authorized to meet with the delegates." The clone finally offered.

"Of course, sir." Threepio nodded. "I am waiting myself for my own colleague."

"Your colleague?" The second clone repeated. To which Threepio and the clones heard a warbling set of beeps from the hall Threepio had come from.

"Ah, here he is. My companion, R2-D2." Threepio announced as the astromech beeped and warbled...happily it seemed rounding the corner. "What took you Artoo?" Threepio demanded as Artoo sputtered a long string of binary that echoed loudly through the empty halls. "Well I wouldn't have to ask you such 'silly' questions if you simply knew how to be punctual you rounded bucket of bolts!"

"Excuse me-" One clone began but Artoo whirred loudly. His domed head spinning and body shaking from foot to foot in anger.

"Foppish?!" Threepio seemed insulted by...whatever the astromech had just said. "I am the one with the mistress's message! You couldn't be trusted to deliver a message on time even were your circuits on the line!" Again Artoo whirred a long string of binary. Moving his body over and directly into Threepio, nudging him.

"Well there's no need to be pushy, Artoo! These men have to call ahead of us-" Artoo cut Threepio off and smacked his body into Threepio again. "I am not holding us up! Do not try and make it seem like I'm the one who's slow! Really Artoo you need to have your motivators checked. By the day you become more...rude. It's wholly unprofessional of any droid."

"Excuse me!" The clone repeated but again Artoo kept rambling and circled around Threepio. Nudging his body into the back of the protocol droid's legs.

"Watch it Artoo!" The small droid circled Threepio who tried to keep up with him, but Artoo was faster on his wheeled legs. Bumping into Threepio again. "If you knock me over I will have you rewired you short-fusing idiot!"

"What's going on over here?!" Two more clones came from further down the hall. They seemed to have been guarding the door that led into the suite Threepio had visited and retrieved that Gandalf and Merry and Pippin from.

"Visitors for the delegation." One of the prior clones answered as Artoo whirred angrily into Threepio who sputtered. "They claim to have a message from-"

"Her Grace, the Sena-" Artoo nudged Threepio again, cutting him off. "Stop that Artoo! The Senator of Naboo, Padmé Amidala!"

"Right…" The clone nodded. "They claim it's classified political business so they won't say."

"Can't say sir!" Threepio amended as Artoo pulled back and finally ceased nudging his taller protocol droid compatriot. "You are embarrassing Artoo! To make such a scene in front of Republic soldiers while we're here on official business is extraordinarily-" Artoo pulled a small shock tool from atop his head. Suddenly a spark flew out and zapped Threepio.

"Artoo!" Threepio howled, but the droid seemed to lock up and fall over onto the floor with a loud thud and clamor. The clones all watching in mystification at the sight.

"Um...excuse me," Threepio began faced down in the carpet and slightly muffled. "Can anyone help me up please? My servos appear to have locked up." The clones looked to one another. Artoo whirring in what sounded like a droid binary form of a chortle as he wheeled beside the clones.

"Uh yeah...let's get him up." One of the clones from the door guard offered. The four of them approaching. Two placing their blasters down as the other two remained standing. Seeming unsure how they could help at all.

"Grab his other shoulder." One of the men kneeling told the other. Both of them lifting Threepio over onto his back with a heave. "He's heavier than he looks!" The second announced.

"Oh, it may be my gold plating, sirs." Threepio offered from the floor.

"Still locked up?"

"Sadly, yes sir." Threepio answered the clone.

"Alright let's-" Suddenly one of the standing clones shook violently. A tendril of electricity shocked over him and he fell to the ground.

"What the-" The second turned and was also shocked. The two on the ground dove for their blasters, but they too were hit by Artoo's shock arm. Itself having seemingly been powered up enough to deal a nonlethal but debilitating shock. Threepio fell back as the clones released him.

"Artoo?! Artoo what's going on?!" Threepio howled, but Artoo merely happily whirred and beeped. Turning for the door where he tapped it once, twice, and a third time. A moment passed but it opened up. The whole delegation seeming at the ready on the other side. Headed by Gandalf.

"My word...you two can cause quite the stir." Gandalf intoned as he exited into the hall. The whole of the delegation looking in mixed expressions of shock and admiration at how two droids, two of these machine beings, had incapacitated four soldiers.

"Remind me to never be on your bad side, my little friend." Elladan laughed and pat Artoo's domed head. The elves of course having heard the most of what had just happened in the hall. Artoo beeped a laugh and spun his head. Turning and moving back towards Threepio on the ground.

"Artoo?! Artoo where are you?!" The protocol droid kept demanding as Artoo finally returned to him, and delivered another, far less powerful shock to his friend. Threepio gave a jolt and his servos all seemed to unlock.

"Oh...well that took you long enough Artoo!" Threepio sat up and took in the sight of the fallen troopers. "I think this whole plan is ridiculous myself. I don't know why mistress Padmé allows you to put such crazy ideas in her head like this, Artoo. You are going to get her and the maker in trouble with these antics."

"You must admit, my gold colored friend," Elrohir began extending a hand to the droid. "The plan worked." Threepio lifted his hand as best he could, and both Elrohir and Elladan came and helped him back to his feet.

"Greetings sirs." Threepio bowed his head as he stood. "Oh, and my ladies." He offered noting the smiling amused faces of Tauriel and Galadriel. "Perhaps so. But, I still do not approve of such recklessness."

"Reckless or not we got out without having to...permanently harm anyone." Gimli announced. Reaching down and gripping one of the fallen blasters. Looking it over in his hands as he did.

"Hmm, me thinks I'll take this! We may need it."

"You have a good idea Gimli." Gandalf nodded. "Elladan, Elrohir, Tauriel you three should take the others."

"Why us, Mithrandir?" Elrohir asked as he, his brother and Tauriel did as told all the same.

"These weapons are best used from a distance from what I have seen. From what we've all seen." Gandalf began. "The eyes of the elves may once again be of need should any or all of us be made to act."

"A fine thought, Mithrandir." Galadriel agreed before she turned back to the droids. "Your mistress, she has transport for us?"

"Ah yes, Artoo." Threepio prompted the astromech who whirred and stood still while the hobbits 'helped' the twin sons of Elrond move the fallen soldiers against the nearby wall. Artoo then projected a small hologram onto the floor where Padmé's image appeared.

"Messages like these make it less ambiguous what the speaker meant I should imagine." Gimli mutely noted aloud.

"It's not a message." Padmé replied. "This is an actual transmission." She noted and turned to Gandalf. "Gandalf, sir. I'm glad Artoo and Threepio got to you. Now," She spoke matter-of-factly and a bit stony. None knowing why her mood was as it was. Though perhaps Gandalf, Galadriel and the hobbits could guess. "I have sent the droids with a transport big enough for you all to fit. The Temple is still on fire and nobody is supposed to be allowed in. With Artoo's codes he should be allowed to pass unregistered. But, I can't be certain."

"We'll find a way in, my Lady." Gandalf assured. Though honestly even the wizard still didn't quite know what they'd find or do to help once they arrived...if they did. But, as the hobbits had prompted they felt they had to do something. Anything.

"Thank you." Padmé nodded. A thin and not quite so lively smile on her face. Even if her eyes showed a resoluteness in them. "If you do find Anakin there please do whatever you can to help him. I don't know what's going on, but it's obvious the military is involved. Consider any clone you see as...potentially unfriendly."

"We shall be careful, my Lady." Merry was the one who answered. To which Padmé seemed to show a more genuine smile. Though it was obvious why her aid had come so freely. Though Gandalf didn't doubt she would be helpful even if they were not willing to find Anakin.

"I'll leave you all to it. Artoo, Threepio; you two don't get in anyone's way! Keep the shuttle primed if they need to get out."

"Of course, mistress." Threepio answered while Artoo whirred an affirmative.

"I'll leave you to it. Best get out of the building as soon as possible. They may send a patrol to find out why your guards have gone quiet."

"Good advice, my Lady." Gandalf nodded. "Come along everyone, quickly!" He prompted as Artoo severed the connection and the whole of the delegation and the two droids made for the turbolift and the waiting shuttle. Meanwhile the orange glow of the Jedi Temple and billowing smoke still lay in the distant skyline.

---

Anakin charged her and she charged him! The Dark One jumped into the air and sliced down. Anakin blocked across himself and spun her off as she landed in front of him. She pressed her advantage. Twirling her stolen blue saber over and across herself in an intricate weaving of dance. Left to right across herself at her sides, before she swung around in a circle from her right to left across Anakin's right. He was easily able to block every feint and slash. Falling into a state of battle. His body in motion as he felt the Force, and called it around him. The light side of the Force, the Force itself invigorating every muscle and tendon of his body.

The Dark One snarled and came to a stop and slashed down over her right shoulder at Anakin. He parried and savaged a kick into her left knee. She yelped and Anakin watched her stagger down. He slammed down atop her from overhead, but she blocked, but fell onto her hurt left knee. Anakin slammed over and over again. A stray memory of Yavin IV and his first encounter with Ventress coming to mind. Yet, in an instant as his mind flashed to memory, the Dark One caught his saber, and through the Force, jumped up! Throwing Anakin back and landing atop her feet even through the shaking of her injured leg. She spun her saber over herself into a defensive posture.

Anakin could see bait when he saw it, but he smirked and dashed after her all the same. Slashing over right into left, and spinning himself. Twisting his saber behind himself as he spun with an astute control of the djem so. The flaring spins of his saber dazzling as it swirled the air. Before it slashed up across Anakin's right to top left. She blocked every blow and swing but stepped back as Anakin pressed after her.

"Get her Master Skywalker!" Came an unknown voice. It sounded young, and Anakin could not dare to see from where it came, but he felt a rush of adrenaline spike as he did. The prompting of his comrades and fellow Jedi like an extra bout of energy as he clashed with the woman.

"Relying on your fans to press the attack, Jedi?" The Dark One snarled. Her golden eyes, sickly and sunken wondered. Anakin sneered as he looked into them, but he loosed a long breath from his nose. Excising the anger he felt, but feeding on that very thought and emotion she derided as weakness.

"I have people at my back." Anakin growled. "You have no one at yours!" Anakin forced a hard slash down. Forcing their two sabers to the ruined temple floor. Both singing and sparking the ground as Anakin raised his left hand and unleashed the Force. She went wide eyed for a second as she was tossed back. Clones at the temple's entrance running out of the way as she fell back to the floor. Rolling once, twice and a third into a kneel.

Anakin threw himself through the air and slashed down atop her. Stabbing down into the ground. She rolled aside and Anakin stabbed the ground. But, he slashed up right and parried an incoming attack at his right flank. The Dark One spun herself around and back from Anakin. Once more holding a defensive posture. The clones around and behind her moving away quickly to avoid being caught in between the two dueling lightsaber wielders. Anakin swung his own lightsaber around his shoulder to the right. Loosening his tensed muscles as he cast die eyed glances to the clones. All of whom stared from behind their helmets at him and his opponent. A mixture of emotions. Fear, unease, anticipation, anger, confusion, sadness, sickness and acceptance. All of them holding an opinion over what they had done. What they still planned to do if Anakin weren't there. What they could be made to do if this woman killed him. Well, his eyes narrowed and Anakin stepped to his right. Moving back towards the interior of the temple. Anakin wouldn't let her lead this men further down the path of mass murderers.

"Do you even know why you're here?" Anakin wondered as he moved back into the temple. She followed after him. Predatory and slow steps just ahead of him, as Anakin turned to fully face her, but back-stepped away. "Do you know why Palpatine sent you here to kill everyone? Are you another Sith wannabe? Hoping to somehow take Dooku's place? He promise you everything you've ever wanted?" Anakin kept asking as his blue eyes harshly appraised her wrapped in her dirty black robes. "Because," He kept going coming to a stop just beside a fallen stone column. "He's lying. I think he only knows how to lie. So much so he believes half the lies he spouts and the other half he uses to get what he wants."

"I think you're scared, Skywalker." She shot back. Not answering his questions. "The vaunted Chosen One. Chosen by whom? Old dead Jedi from who knows how long ago. Chosen by the Dark Lord of the Sith? Because you certainly seem to have been." Even from behind her clothed face Anakin sensed a cruel smirk. "Everyone should wonder why the Dark Lord of the Sith wants you to be his!" She called loudly for all Jedi to hear. Anakin could sense her motive. "Anyone should wonder why he doesn't want you hurt! Anyone can imagine that you are his favorite toy to be! Mind addled by years of friendship! Every Jedi knows about it. Gossips about it. Every Jedi thinks you're beneath them, Skywalker. A poor example of the Order, and a Sith plaything. Yet, you stand there judging why I do as I am told? My reasons are my own, but the power he now wields makes any refutation of it impossible." Anakin listened. Feeling a mixture of thoughts from the Jedi as some listened to the Dark One. Though he sensed far more of them harden to her words. Eyes on him in a hopeful mixture of...adoration. That was the word that came to mind. But, Anakin felt heat rise in him at the thought of the Jedi looking to him. So many years of wanting it. Yet, with everything he knew of Palpatine and the words he had been whispered all these years; now that he had that he felt...embarrassed. Still, he tried to ignore that, and instead steeled himself. Focusing on the final point she made.

"What power does he wield? Over you, over everyone?" Anakin wondered. Though he could assume she meant the dark side, and the Republic itself.

"He has been a busy man." She simply chuckled with a shrug. "One man to rule us all." To that Anakin felt his shoulders tense. That phrasing seeming...familiar.

"What did you say?" He asked, but she didn't answer. Instead she lifted her left arm out, and called a fallen lightsaber to her from beside the fallen body of a lifeless twi'lek Jedi. She activated the green blade and brought the two before her to an X. Swiping them down to her sides and then dashing at Anakin!

She came at him with a wild abandon that would otherwise be called chaotic. Were Anakin not able to see the intricate blade movements of jar'kai set within her stance and strikes. She slashed wildly from left to right! In and back out from either blade over and over again! She spun a saber around. Her blue in the right hand as Anakin parried and sidestepped her strikes. She slashed around at her right and the green in her left hand slide across his horizontally place lightsaber. Yet, the blue stabbed in and under as she swung around. Moving in at Anakin's right ribs. He slashed in and right parrying her, but She allowed him to and swung her green back around down from her left at him. Anakin swung up diagonally and caught the strike. The woman pulled the green saber off, and slashed the blue in right. Still in a backwards held state it slashed at Anakin's stomach, he was able to force it down by slashing down. She made to strike with the green again and force him into a routine. Instead Anakin moved right and shoved his body into her. She huffed and staggered back. Giving Anakin room to press in response.

Anakin whirled his saber around and struck a series of feints and slashes over himself. Falling into the aggressive press of power common of the djem so. The acrobatics of ataru coming into play as he slashed and sliced from right down left, up back around himself slicing at the midsection. To then barrel two heavy slams down overhead. Every one she stepped away from and blocked or parried, but she was sloppier than Anakin had expected. She was good, and positioned well. However, still seeming unsure of her own standing compared to him. Definitely far more comfortable with two lightsabers though.

Nonetheless, the Dark One swung her blue saber back around and formed an X. Catching a third blow from overhead. She loosed a powerful enough kick into Anakin's chest. He huffed back, but immediately pressed after her. Unleashing another swing over right and into a flurry of strikes and slashes at her flanks. She dove under one such strike and slashed both sabers in to form an X! Aiming at Anakin's center. Clearly she imagined that to be his weakest zone of defense. However, Anakin jumped back. Watching her form a kneeling X, before he reached out with his left hand. With the Force he gripped her body, breaking past her defenses! She went wide eyed feeling the Force constrict her, before Anakin lifted her up and with a heave and cry he swung himself around left and she was thrown through the air. Crashing with another set of groans and a yelp. Rolling past three Jedi and a squad of temple security troopers. Anakin dashed in after her using the Force to speed himself up. Jumping atop a broken pillar and back to the ground. Spinning his saber for momentum at his right up over his head, and spinning to slash down left. She twisted and formed an X over herself. Anakin swung and as he did she caught the blade between her two, and pushed her right foot up into his chest. Using his own momentum against him and throwing him over herself and deeper into the Great Hall.

Anakin huffed as he allowed himself to fall and roll from left to right. As he did he landed with a skid of robes along marble floor. Shaking his head and locks as he looked up. Watching his opponent before him turn on the floor and move back into a kneel. Her eyes glowering as she took a moment to recover. Anakin grit his teeth from the throw. Gripping his hilt; having deactivated it during his throw, he pushed back onto his knees.

"Skywalker." He heard to his right. Turning to see a Jedi. One he didn't know, but a large male ithorian extending his hand. Anakin looked up at him, and to the hand. Gripping it with his left hand. Allowing the Jedi to help him up. Beside the ithorian stood three more Jedi. A mix of beings and genders. All looking to him with that same hopeful admiration. "Stand strong Master." The ithorian grumbled in basic. The other Jedi nodding the same sentiment. Anakin smiling.

"I'll try." He intoned turning back to the Dark One. Rolling his shoulders as that word struck his ear. 'Master.' It wasn't that he reveled in the adoration they were heaping on him, or that he felt coming off many Jedi and security troopers; kriff even some clones. It was that he didn't feel like he needed the word to understand what it represented here and now. The respect, the adoration and the hopeful wishes and intent of his fellow Jedi. A family of strangers at his back in silence and aloud.

"You truly are alone!" Anakin called. Still feeling that sense of connection as he did so. Watching the Dark One rise to a stand and glower in silent seethe at him. "You do as you're told because you think you can use that to get what you want. That it? No heart, no conviction, no...feeling?! I've seen one too many of you dark-siders make all kinds of excuse for why you do what you do, and I'm long since tired of it."

"I see you've embraced the Jedi moralist judgment, Skywalker." She spat back at him. But, Anakin shook his head.

"No." He replied firmly. "I'm not judging you. I'm judging your actions! You could stop this right now! Lay down your arms, surrender and this will stop! But, you won't because blah blah blah! Excuses for why you want to do what you do!" Anakin pressed her. Feeling truth in his raw emotional take of her actions and even projecting those of Dooku, of Sidious and perhaps even himself onto her. Exemplifying the trap of the dark side and it's excuses. But, he also wished to pull more out of her. Her statement from before still irking him.

"Such a simple way to view things." She again spat. Standing in the distance like a shadow against the ruins of the Great Hall and the many faces both seen and unseen on the main floor and watching with mixed anticipation from above. "Maybe he has not shown you the power he wields, but I have seen it, Skywalker. Clearly he wants you to take part in it. Yet, here you stand."

"The dark side is always the first thing a Sith mentions." Anakin retorted. "The 'power' of the dark side. Yet, all but two Sith I know; maybe even just one, are dead!" Anakin smirked. "Looks to me like the dark side is no great savior of those who wield it from death!" The realization seeming so obvious now. The tale of Darth Plagueis seeming farcical now in this moment to Anakin.

"The dark side alone? Perhaps not." The woman, again still hidden sounded as though she was grinning. "But through the new powers he wields? Through those powers you opened him up to? He has achieved much." There it was again. Anakin narrowed his gaze.

"What are you talking about?!" He demanded as the rest of the Jedi listened in keenly. As Anakin watched her carefully. She paced back and forth.

"Your little excursion to worlds you didn't belong on have borne fruit, Skywalker! Communication is open. Power has been gifted freely. Arda has awoken to the galaxy and the galaxy to it in kind." Through the cryptic and musing language Anakin felt his heart beat a little faster. Old memories and flashes of distant war. Of evil powers, tendrils of dark smoke and a vomiting fiery mountain came to mind. With a small powerful weapon. Small enough to fit in the palm of your hand.

"He...no!" Anakin seethed through grit teeth angling his knees ready to strike once again. "You don't-"

"Ask your friends!" The woman shouted for all the Jedi to hear. "Did the Force not thrum with the dark side not too long ago?! Perhaps you did not feel it Skywalker? Perhaps you're not as strong as you think?!" She insulted him, but Anakin had been unconscious...what was she talking about?

"The Force felt it, reveled in it! He slipped on some jewelry and the galaxy now trembles!" She cackled and Anakin felt himself shaking! No...no there was no way that on top of everything else Palpatine had...HOW?! His mind flashed to a call made between the Jedi Order, himself and Obi-Wan on Arda and the Chancellor...to the questions Palpatine asked him of Gandalf and of Arda. The way he talked to the delegation just this morning! His mind racing! Thinking now of them! What if he…

"Is it dawning on you Skywalker?" The woman scoffed. As Anakin glanced left to the ithorian who had helped him up.

"Is what she saying true?"

"If you mean the Force rippling with the dark side, yes." The alien nodded an affirmative. Though Anakin could sense the ithorian didn't know the significance.

"Do you think everyone felt it?"

"Any who are trained to feel it, yes, Skywalker." The ithorian nodded. Followed by similar affirmative nods from the other Jedi nearby.

"There is nothing to be done!" The Dark One carried on. Coming to a stop and standing as a stone statue once again. "You and every Jedi here and abroad will die. Now that he bears a ring of power!" Anakin heard it at last, and felt renewed anger shiver through him even as his right hand tensed harsher around his hilt than the left.

"Anakin!" He heard a familiar voice call from up right. He glanced to it and saw Senator Organa run onto one of the upper walkways. Though distant he called to him stood beside him was a young Jedi, so Anakin could guess.

"A friend of yours, Skywalker?" The woman asked with a sing song voice.

"Back off!" Anakin dashed at her again. Swinging down right from above and slashing at her. She parried with both sabers over in a twirl. Anakin pressed again! Over and over, feint and flurry left over to right and right over to left. Slashing with an expert twist of his wrist and spin of his lightsaber hilt ahead of himself. Around himself. He pressed and pushed her back as everyone near moved aside. She came to a stop. Angling her stolen green lightsaber horizontal. Anakin swung down and she caught it. Running into him and forcing Anakin immediately onto a back-foot retreat.

She then swung her blue saber wildly over her head and shoulder down. Crashing into Anakin's saber and bouncing it down as she removed her green saber. Anakin pulled away but she then repeated that process. Crashing her blue saber then green with two wild swings from left down right. Both times and both sabers Anakin parried and circled his lightsaber ahead of himself in defense.

She swung both over both of her respective shoulders. Right over left and left over right. With a feral howl she slashed both out and crashed into Anakin's blue lightsaber. He felt the full force of her attack rattle him. But, he held her off. In fact he felt his anger ripple up his spine. Mind echoed with her words of Palpatine's moves and he snarled himself! Pushing in at her again he stabbed in at her center, to which she parried him up. He used that to spin and savage her with a spun overheard strike down from her right. She again parried and pushed away. Anakin didn't give her room to return the attack. He fell into a spinning strike ahead of himself. The seemingly wild spinning blade causing her to stab in and try to block it or stab through at him. However, Anakin again used his momentum and spun his body around. Still spinning his saber behind his back, and savaging another neck level slash at her left as he came around. She blocked and pushed him back. Anakin loosed another hard kick into her left leg, right on the knee even as he fell back. She yelped aloud once more and staggered in pain. Anakin loosed another powerful wave through the Force from his left hand. As she staggered she was once more thrown back. Slamming back first into a still standing pillar.

She again heaved pained breaths but used the pillar to prop herself up as Anakin dashed forward. Slashing from down right up, his lightsaber cleaving a line along the marble floor before he sliced at her. She blocked with an awkward X defensive formation, and spun underneath another slash Anakin then made back right toward her head. It cleaved the pillar but Anakin menaced her. Seeing her eyes widen at his assault as he slashed down over and over before flurrying a set of strikes under and into her right torso. She spun her stolen blue saber and pushed Anakin off, but opened her center. Anakin using that opening to slash diagonally up right from where she deflected his own lightsaber. As he did so he cleaved across her chest, and she howled in pain but managed to step back and parry him before his saber reached her neck!

Anakin used that to unleash yet another wave through the Force form his left hand at her. However, she saw him even through her wincing pain and lifted her two hands. Still wielding the lightsaber hilts she met his Force with her own! She loosed a wave of energy that crashed into his own! Both slamming into one another and causing an immediate percussion that shook the foundations of the Great Hall. Jedi near and far moving further back while security and clone troopers stared in mesmerized awe! Feeling what was like prickling ebb of static electricity travel up their bodies as the room groaned from the power unleashed!

Anakin grit his teeth and deactivated his lightsaber placing it on his belt. Raising his right hand after to join his left. Loosening another wave from the deep wells of his own power that slammed into her! She skid along the floor. Boots loosening a harsh sound as she held him back, barely. Her shoulders quaking from the match met. As her eyes burned yellow and Anakin could sense her protective walls in the Force trembling. Feeling the thoughts of pain and long torments of old haunt her. Visions unseen but felt as she pulled from hatred, fear, and anger, tinged with adherence and subservience as she loosed another raw bout of power from her own hands! Their combined waves shaking both beings as both struggled to continue this constant barrage upon the other.

"You...you will not defeat him, Skywalker!" She seethed aloud as the whirling winds of their powers flew across both of them! "He will bury your precious Order! He will take this galaxy! And you will have helped him do so! You will help him further and surrender to the power of the ring! Or…" She groaned as Anakin grit his teeth and stepped one foot forward. "Or you will embrace your own destruction!"

"No!" Anakin closed his eyes as her words struck at him. The Force roared between them. Arda, the wider Clone Wars, his wife and friends. Sauron, and the One Ring, the Ring of Power. His fears, and hatred turned inwards and out. The sound of his mother's voice and that of Qui-Gon's. Obi-Wan's smiling face before he left, and the feeling of the twins warmth through the Force!

"Not now!" Anakin growled opening his eyes as a blistering heat echoed off his body and the Dark One openly shook as her arms looked ready to cave. "Not ever!" Anakin's voice boomed. An echo of another power. All the Jedi's mouths; those had had one, seemed to simultaneously drop or prop open and the men wielding blasters all began raising their hands. As heat then was followed by a flash that sprung forth like a lantern sparking to life in a dark cave deep beneath rock. Anakin's whole body sparking into a state of cloudy whiteness then back to his normal self. Showing like a phantom over his being. Eyes glistening not with tears but with droplets of what seemed burning embers of white flame that overcame him.

Until at last, his body shone like the brightest light, and streams like pillars of white light cascaded exploding out from him as he roared and loosed one final explosive blast through the Force!

The Dark One shrieked as she was in an instant overcome! The Temple quaked and the darkness of the Force was in one instant thrown like a poisonous sheet off of it and the Jedi within! It clawed and crawled back but scattered and feebly whimpered from the power unleashed by the Chosen One.

The Dark One flew back against a wall crumpling to the floor. Her stolen lightsabers still in hand. Even if the green one sparked and shattered to many metallic pieces as the crystal within faded like sand in the winds of a storm.

Anakin for his part fell to his knees. The whiteness of what had consumed him receding into him as quickly as it had come, and his breath harsh and heavy. Shoulders quaking as Anakin knew what he had accomplished. The Force so raw in his mind and ears was almost too much as he fought to center himself. Feeling everything everyone felt in an instant. As Oneness, true Oneness, had once more sprung from him for but an instant. But; as he looked up with pained narrowed eyes to the woman shaking her head along the floor, perhaps it was the one instant needed.

"Damn..."The Dark One coughed and shakily rose. Activating her lightsaber as she did. Even as her very being seemed to wither. The darkness she surrounded herself in whimpering at the assault endured. "Jedi scu-" An idle glance right by her caused her to suddenly pause. As though all breath was taken from her and all prior thought and order left her. As a distant memory of a face and form came to sight and mind. Memories older than she could recall flashing. She looked into the distance seeing a Jedi watching from afar. As she did so Anakin rose to his feet and reactivated his own lightsaber. He loosed a howl and dove with but a small pinch of the power just felt moments ago. Speed unknown to most Jedi as he dove in to stab his enemy through.

"Master Drallig…" She intoned, just as Anakin slammed into her. His saber running through her heart.

The Dark One gasped and stood pinned by Anakin's lightsaber to the wall. Anakin heaving heavy breaths as they stood so close. In an instant her eyes turned from yellowed darkness to blue. A lone tear trickled down her left eye. Anakin watching in confusion. As he dared grab her mask and pull it down.

"You…" Anakin began. Deactivating his lightsaber as she grunted. Incapable of speaking. "Serra Keto?!" She looked at him. Falling along the wall to the ground, as her life left her.

"Thank you." She whispered, and her eyes glazed over, and she was no more.

And as she died a sickly darkness seemed to ripple from off of her. Loosening just beneath the surface of perception for all who did not hear the Force. Anakin could almost taste the sickness as it seemed to growl from the Jedi Temple out into Coruscant. An unseen feeling more than a phantom, and he could only guess what Palpatine, what Darth Sidious had done to Serra.

"Anakin!" Again his name was called. This time he turned wholly. Seeing not only Gandalf, but the whole Arda delegation running into the Great Hall from deeper within the Jedi Temple. Just as he had killed Serra and felt whatever that had been.

"Ga...Gandalf!" Anakin called in reply. Ignoring the aghast, shocked, horrified, and stupefied Jedi and troopers on both sides. "We need to talk, now! You too Senator!"

Anakin heaved. Even as his body still quaked from what he had just gone through. The night wasn't yet done.

---

Earlier…

Thrown to the side by the power of the Force and boom of that familiar damn voice, Vica watched her body tumble and grumble along the floor. It slammed into the wall connected to the Jedi Temple's main entrance. Behind a set of fallen debris and rubble. She turned her astral self towards Skywalker. Frowning in her own way as she watched him slowly make his way forward. The combined Jedi and soldiers on either side stunned by his show of power. Vica sneered. Hate, old and new welling within her...somehow at the sight and sound of a man she had now seen far too many times in her life.

"Now I get to watch myself fight Skywalker again. Trapped more than ever. Incapable of being the one to run him through. Caged like a womp rat!" Vica snarled in the lonely quiet of the plain her being existed on. Unseen and unheard by all but herself and whatever husk of her now operated her body. She snapped over in an instant towards her fallen form. Watching it shake her head lightly before tilting up to watch Skywalker call out for the commanding officer of the clones.

"I look forward to seeing you-" Vica began, but her body pushed itself up to a stand faster than she had expected. It then...looked at her. Even without a body of her own Vica felt a shiver of unease travel up her...'spine.'

"What are you looking at?" Vica dared scoff, but the body simply turned and with a fluid motion like a shadow of speed Vica watched her body leap up! Not a simple leap, and not even a high jump! It was like a crawling shadow with many tendrils for legs scurrying up the wall unseen and unheard but haunting to watch. Before it reached one of the tall open viewports of the Jedi Temple and moved out of it.

"Huh?!" Vica snarled and again popped herself from where her astral being stood to be beside her body once more. A function she had long learned to do by sheer will and thought alone.

"My Lord!" Vica snapped her astral self left as her body came to a stop atop a level of the ziggurat. A sort of outcrop between levels that was left unconnected by a doorway or entrance, but a level of roof you could stand on in the shadow of the rest of the massive building.

"What is going on here?!" Vica demanded as she saw...Serra Keto. The ragged woman wore a dark cloak much like her own, but a little less worse for ware. As she knelt along the ground. Her forehead touching the cool stone beneath them. Vica turned to see her body tilt its head at Serra's arrival. And then...she felt her astral eyes widen, and rage, pure rage, ripple through her being!

"You karking son of a malignant toad!" She howled unheard by any but one. "How dare you! How dare you...you...karking worthless bastard! Do you know what you've done?! What you've let be done?!" She demanded before her body finally turned to her with a wince. Seeming to be in response to the shrillness of her astral being.

"We haven't much time, witch." Sauron himself answered using her body and voice. All while Serra remained unmoved and prostrated. "I will answer you only after I am done here."

"You can't be serious! After all I have been through today you-" Sauron turned away from her and approached Serra. Vica scoffing a long throaty rasp!

"Come child." Sauron cooed. Pulling Serra up to stand. She stared into the golden eyes Sauron still showed on Vica's body. "The time has come for you to be released from my service."

"So soon, my Lord?" Serra almost trembled at the words.

"Yes." Sauron nodded. "You have served me, served us well." Sauron turned to Vica who sneered in revulsion. "Now take this." Sauron placed Agen Kolar's lightsaber into her hand. As he then called the edge of the woman's cloak to his hand. Where he tore a long string of fabric off of it. Before gently pulling it around Serra's mouth and nose. Tying it tightly as he did. Pulling his hands back around her face the Dark Lord cupped her cheeks as she stared up in what Vica could only describe as mystified awe, pain and...love. Not romantic, but as a kath hound looked upon its master.

"I will gift you with what knowledge you shall need, and a small amount of power." Sauron intoned, and as he held her face Vica felt even her own astral body grow momentarily woozy. She shook where she was and saw Sauron close his eyes, and Serra did as well. As...something passed from him, and Vica into Serra.

"Thank you, Lord."

"Go, child." Sauron simply said. Removing his hands from her face and tilting Vica's head to the Temple viewport he had exited from. Serra flew forward using the Force, and in a moment after fell out of sight to do...whatever Sauron wanted her to do.

"Well…" Vica began. "Now that, that freakishness is over with mind telling me, where the KRIFF have you been?!" Vica demanded shrill, loud and wrathful as Sauron rolled his...her shoulders.

"I was with you the entire time, witch."

"Yeah I feel so grateful to have an uncaring distant all powerful being stand beside me as I get tortured! Feels great!"

"You were never in any true danger." Sauron simply replied. Closing her eyes and in an instant the golden Sith color was replaced by the burning fires of his own eyes. Sauron leapt from the Temple and once more bore a shadowy smog. Not something Vica could say she'd think anyone could actively see. Yet, it was still enough to cloud anyone not explicitly looking for Sauron. So, she imagined. Perhaps Sauron's stray thoughts were why she thought such?

"I was tortured and humiliated! You could have said anything!" Vica seethed as she remained by Sauron as he descended from the temple to the ground and flew forward into the city beyond. Unseen by the racks of clones standing by curiously and confusedly.

"Anything at all to let me know that you were-"

"That would have not worked for the plan." Again Sauron coolly spoke aloud. "Now I can answer the riddle. You wondered even before this day why I would not share my plan. It is because he, Sidious, needed to believe what you knew. And what you knew was...nothing." Sauron intoned as Vica watched him run between two spires along an alleyway walkway. Coming to a stop Sauron checked over their collective shoulder and pulled the cloth from around his face and threw it into a trash canister beside them.

"Are you karking kidding me?!" Vica scoffed. "You mean you couldn't tell me I was going to be tortured for information?! I am a good liar I would have-"

"I wanted him to believe what he now believes. If you were lying and he was able to sense or gleam that from you all would have been for naught."

"We can kill him...we could have at least until you let him take your damn ring!" To that Sauron bore a wide smirk along her face. As ever off-putting for Vica to see even if she didn't say so.

"Do you really think I'd give him the necessary drive to take that ring if it would prove more useful to him than myself? I have been a ring maker for thousands of years, witch. I know my craft well."

"You could have told me!" Vica barred her teeth.

"You fail to understand what I am saying." Sauron all but sighed and adjusted the cowl atop their head. As he slowly and simply began walking deeper into the city away from the Jedi Temple. "There are many who should be made to believe that Sidious alone is of chief concern. We as well needed to be free of him. Free of him for now. Free of him prodding for answers to questions he has no right to know."

"What does that mean?" Vica again snorted.

"Sidious wants to know what powers he can learn from me. What I have taught him is but the most rudimentary forms of change, or transfiguration and crafting of the natural world and its aspects. Perhaps with time he could become stronger, but he is without time." Sauron intoned moving onto an adjoined street. Itself hushed with people moving back and forth. Clearly alarmed by the nearby military action, or perhaps rushing to get indoors while Sauron moved at an even pace.

"Gandalf and those from Arda are here. They and their Jedi allies must be turned onto Sidious. Sidious bares a ring. He has been granted immense power that much is true, but it is a trifle to assume he is without equal. It is incorrect to imagine him a God among Men. The Jedi and those of Arda will be drawn to him and his corruption like flies to dead flesh. And, he has given me much to ponder. Whilst you and I are now free of his eyes. For now at least. And, if the Jedi and that Skywalker and those of Arda fail to humble Sidious then he may well search us out. But, for now we are free."

"For all of that I was your karking lab rat?!" Vica continued to rage. "You let me be used! You didn't even share the simplest of information with me! From the moment you told him you wanted that ring making station you had all of this planned out and you couldn't let me in on some of it?!"

"Not all of it, witch." Sauron evenly and coolly replied. "If an apology is what you desire then I grant you one. I apologize for not keying you in on my plans, but you must understand it is why we are now free."

"How magnanimous of you." Vica scoffed, crossing astral arms over astral form.

"As for my plan as a whole," Sauron ignored her pouting. "The plan revolved around the Ring of Shadow. What I desired was for Palpatine to take it, and assume he had humbled me and yourself. To allow us greater freedom of his sight. For I grew tired of acting in secret, as now…" Vica heard a cry and watched as Sauron tilted his head up. She did so too and saw a hawk-bat above them. "Now we need not act in the shadows of his shadow." Sauron intoned. "Now we act from a position of freedom in a vast sea beyond comprehension and with contacts our own. And, by now it should be obvious he never had used you, witch. I was in control from the moment he staved off death."

"Just at the cost of one brain damaged Jedi padawan huh?" Vica noted Serra thoughtlessly.

"Serra Keto will have served her purpose. She has been of keen use. For finding our new chief ally here on Coruscant. One who will help us establish a new base to operate from. Not only that," Sauron added with another slight smirk along Vica's face. "She has been immortalized in my newest rings. For it will be through her that they work. A mixture of the powers of spirit and the Force. This much I am sure of."

"And you had it all planned huh? How nice for you." Vica rolled her eyes while Sauron shook the head he wore.

"Not all witch, as I said. What was known to me was Palpatine's reaction to the Ring of Shadow. He resisted it for longer than I had thought a man capable. That much is true, but he is not as easily fooled. Nevertheless, be it today or a week from now what I focused on was his acquisition and use of the ring. His own movements? His attack by the Jedi and that Dooku and this coup? I had not foreseen any of that. Yet, it is of no consequence. In fact it is to our advantage that Sidious has stirred the proverbial nest."

"For us to slip away, I get it." Vica acknowledged with a sigh. "You like to hear yourself talk…" She grumbled. "Okay cool we got away. He has your Shadow Ring and that's supposed to make me feel good! Minus the torture and pain."

"I have healed your body."

"Not the point." Vica frowned. "If I set aside how pissed I am that you used me then I can maybe say this 'plan' worked out. At least we're not stuck in the Jedi Temple...I just don't see why we didn't just kill Sidious!" Vica pressed Sauron who swerved down another alleyway as the hawk-bat above zoomed in. "If we're going to let others kill him, and that's what you hope for what's the point?" Vica asked as the hawk-bat came down and Sauron lifted Vica's left arm. Allowing the Scarred One to land atop it. Digging his claws lightly into Vica's fabric covered flesh.

"His death served a purpose."

"He did die! That's my point!" Vica reminded Sauron.

"And yet he still lives."

"Yeah...again, that's my point! If you want the Jedi to kill him or to defeat him or whatever word you wanna use, what's the point?!" To that question Sauron tilted to her astral form.

"I said I wanted them to humble Sidious." Sauron coolly intoned.

"Okay...what does that mean then? Or, are we keeping secrets still?! This partnership is not really much to write home about so far..."

"There need not be so many secrets kept about my future plans, witch." Sauron noted as he raised her right hand and pet the snout and head of the scarred hawk-bat. "I shall tell you what I have planned for Sidious and those who now bear the other rings."

"Huh?" Vica wondered and again Sauron formed a cruel slim smirk. Though it quickly faded and he returned to his usual outward stony demeanor.

"We have much to discuss. For now, you have my gratitude. You played your part well."

"Oh, I'm glad my skills as a torture victim came in use!" Vica stated in a faux sweetly manner.

"Regardless of your ire and sarcasm you did as I hoped. You also have my apologies but it was necessary, witch. And now," Sauron intoned as he threw Vica's left arm up and sent the hawk-bat flying into the air with a chirping call. "Now we should meet with Arsuna Sipillona.

"Who?"

"Our newest friend, witch." Sauron chuckled lowly and throatily. Before he began walking again. "Now, do you wish to know my plans?"

"Better late than never." Vica scoffed. Hiding a cruel smile and not allowing it to show on her astral form. She hated having to hand it to this callous son of a kath hound. But, she had to hand it to him.

As the two of them in one body slipped off into the night of a chaotic Coruscant. Free of Sidious and his machinations.

---

L's Note: Hello all! Sorry for the growing breaks between uploads again, lol. Sort of unavoidable, BUT I am doing my best to proofread what Lord Kun sends ASAP. As usual, if you see any really bad grammar issues you think should be fixed send me a message, but I have read this sucked a few times and think it's bascially good. Lol, improvements are ALWAYS needed, but for now it'll work.

Special shoutout to all the reviewers from last time: Wandering Scion, Huan of Valinor, DojoYoyo, GoofBall14, Thomas Drovin, Archon65, King Quinn of Tucky, as well as Darth krayt1, Marce98, Isaiah Navarro, Bobblehead, Anteas, and EVERYONE else who has and has not left a review! :D

Archon65 - To anyone who is interested the reviewer/reader of this story Archon65 has drawn up his interpretations of Sauron's newest rings! The Ring of Shadow, as well as the three others in Atalantëa, Milmënésë, and Haldalócë. Check out his bio for a twitter link to the pictures and show him a lot of love! I (L) and Lord Kun are super impressed and awed that a reader is such a fan of the story as to make art for it in any capacity! You are most appreciated Archon65! :D

thrawn92 - Lord Kun and I appreciate the review. As for the whole Ahsoka thing. Lord Kun made a few statemenst all the way back in the Arda Campaign and myself recently in this story that we take material from The Clone Wars 08 that doesn't too badly contradict Legends before. Such as BX Commando droids, Hyena-class bombers, names of certain clone commander etc. BUT, the changes made to characters and situations was still ongoing when Lord Kun began writing this fic. So, Ahsoka (not one of Lord Kun's favorite characters although I don't mind her) would be VERY difficult to try and suddenly make exist in this story. Not that I think you were asking but it would be weird to have never mentioned her and have her show up at some point. As for the Vong, lol that would be a lot to ask for wouldn't it? But, I don't speak the language of spoilers. ;)

hawks224 - He was mentioned, more so his father and mother. Lol, you and anyone else reading this do not assume I or Lord Kun have forgotten what Knight Kolvori is up to. It's just taking a backseat like Arda as the Episode III stuff requires attention right now. Stay tuned, but again no spoilers from me. ;)

-L

Edit Note: Edited/Updated 03/29/2022