Hey guys, I planned to have this up much sooner, but life has ways of making things not go how I plan them. This is a bit of a shorter chapter, but, I think it's an important one to tie up loose ends before moving on. Or at least to get the final parts of plans laid for our Jedi friends. I just wanna let you guys know I won't be posting for the rest of this year, yeah, that's right. Sorry to say but there won't be another update until 2018. Although, I'm sure you guys can wait that long ;).
To any wondering, yes, I did go see Episode 8, yes I loved it. Yes I've been fangasaming over it. I had some parts I didn't care for as much, but the movie overall was just great.
Anyways. On with the story. I want to thank you guys for making this such a success. It wouldn't have been possible without you all. And,
May the Force be with you, always.
Kittani gasped for air, she felt the burning pain in her gut and shoulder from the blaster bolts, she tried to see but everything was blurry and too bright. At any moment she expected to feel droids grabbing her, hauling her away. She fell forward, and instead of cold metal, she felt soft cloth, warmth, and strong arms catch her.
"It's okay Kittani, I've got you. You're okay little one." Master Kenobi said softly as he kept her from falling. It was then that she noticed how cold the room around her was, not helped by the thin clothing she had on and her exposed stomach. She was wet, cold, and felt sticky, a strong citrus scent filled her nose and coated her mouth with a thick medicinal taste.
"M… master?" She managed to ask as she tried to clear the taste from her mouth. She felt weak like her body wasn't fully under her control. A towel was wrapped around her to help her get warmed up some.
"Yes, I'm here. We had to submerge you in Bacta to treat your wound Kittani. You've been in the tank for two days." He told her calmly. Before she could speak she felt the rim of a cup pressed to her lips, and drank willingly as cool water filled her mouth, taking away the heavy taste of the Bacta gel. Once it was gone she took in a breath.
"W…what about the mission? My men?" She managed to ask as he helped her over to an examination table.
"The mission was a success." He started carefully, "You're squad… lost a few men." He added after a moment.
Kittani looked down, she'd failed. Those men had looked to her for guidance and she'd gotten herself hurt and some of her men killed. She'd failed her squad, Boil, and Master Kenobi.
"I'm sorry Master… I didn't protect my men." She said, still looking down.
She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up at Master Kenobi. "You have no reason to be sorry Kittani, you haven't failed." He told her. "You can't prevent every death my young Padawan, in war… things happen that are beyond our control. Things we must simply leave to the will of the force. You did your best Kittani, from what Sergeant Boil told me you listened well to his input during the battle and did all you could for your men."
She just nodded some, "Of course Master… I know that… but we're Jedi, we're supposed to protect others from things like this." She looked to him.
Obi Wan smiled at her, albeit one that seemed sad to Kittani, "Yes, we are. But that isn't a guarantee young one. We may be Jedi… but we are still only mortal beings. Even Master Yoda, with all his power, can't save everyone. To focus on such a high goal, an absolute, will only lead you to desire more power. A path to the dark side." He told her, which made Kittani freeze up as she looked at him.
"Bu.. but Master?" She started, not even sure. How could something like wanting everyone to be safe lead to the dark side?
He sat down next to her, helping her to get the leftover Bacta gel off. "I know, it seems like a noble goal to want to save everyone… to stop people from dying Kittani." He said. "But… that is an attachment of the worst kind. It may seem selfless… and wanting to protect people and make the galaxy safe is indeed selfless… but wanting to protect everyone from getting hurt, to have that level of control of the force is selfish. It is trying to overcome the will of the Force itself. Yes, we can do our best to protect others… but sometimes it is their fate, the will of the force itself, to become one with the force at that time. Even if it hurts those of us left behind." He said softly.
"I am not saying that you should not mourn the loss of your men, or that you should not remember them. I am saying that trying to change what has already happened, and dwelling upon what is beyond one's control will lead to self-destruction. I've seen masters consumed with guilt at the loss of a Padawan fall to the dark side, not from the attachment to the Padawan, but being consumed by the emotions that follow it." He said softly. "We as Jedi must embrace our emotion, but we must not let them overpower us. We can not drown in them." He told her.
Kittani closed her eyes, thinking over everything he'd just said. She nodded slowly. "I… I understand Master. It hurts… to know that I wasn't able to keep them safe. But… I shouldn't let that feeling consume me." It was true, the thought that she hadn't been able to protect her men bothered her deeply. That was part of war, she couldn't save everyone, no plan was that perfect and no being was that perfect either. Trying to do that would lead to a desire for the power to do it… and power of that magnitude with such a desire as to alter life and death could only lead to the dark side.
"Good." He said. "Fixer's cleared you to leave the medical bay already," Obi-Wan told her. "Would you like some help back to your quarters?" He asked.
She shook her head, giving him a brief smile, "No Master… I uh… I think I could use a trip to the refresher first… dry Bacta feel's worse on the skin than some of the training robes at the temple." She said with a small smile. Obi-Wan chuckled at that.
"Yes, I suppose it does." He said as he made sure she had her balance. Kittani bowed, albeit weakly, to her master in thanks for his help and supporting words, then started for the fresher with her change of clothes. Just as she was about to leave, Master Kenobi cleared his voice. "Oh, and Kittani. I'm glad you're okay, little one." He smiled. Kittani smiled in return and thanked him before heading off. It was odd… she'd always considered the masters just that, masters. But… the way that Obi-Wan was. It… he felt like more, and it felt good to her.
Rex took a steadying breath as he waited for the lift to finish its ascent with General Skywalker. This, by far, was the riskiest part of laying out their plan to stop the Supreme Chancellor. He'd accompanied General Skywalker aboard the newly christened Resolve, a Venator class fresh from the shipyards on Kuat. The ship itself though wasn't important, what was, however, was its commander.
Rex snapped to as the door to the lift hissed open, revealing the bridge of the ship, looking down at Coruscant with two of the new Victory class star destroyers flanking the Resolve on her flanks. On the top level of the bridge stood the man they were here to see.
"Admiral Yularen." General Skywalker said, saluting the older man before them as he turned. Rex saluted as well, far used to it, and meaning it as well. Yularen had saved them from far more tight situations than he cared to admit.
"Ah, General Skywalker, Captain Rex." The man said with a nod, giving them both a brief smile and approving nod. "Welcome aboard. Although I must admit, this visit was very unexpected." He told them.
Rex followed Skywalker onto the bridge proper, "I understand Wullf, but what can I say. After all, it's been a while since we've properly had a chance to talk." Anakin said with a smile.
This was what Rex had been waiting for. It was a code that he and General Skywalker had developed back on Teth and had also filled in Admiral Yularen as well. They never used one another's first names, or Rex's CT number, unless it was a serious situation. Admiral Yularen, for his part, smiled and made a sweeping motion.
"Of course Anakin. Why don't we go to my personal quarters and talk for a while." He said, escorting them there. Even after all this time, nothing had changed. Rex followed the two along, heading back into the Admiral's personal quarters. General Skywalker had just opened his mouth to speak when Admiral Yularen made a motion. He went over to his desk, opened a panel, and flipped a switch.
"There, now this conversation won't leave this room." He told them. "General, Captain, what is going on that's this important?" He asked them as he sat, motioning for them to do so as well. Rex settled into the seat, removing his helmet.
"Well, Admiral… we've discovered some troubling news lately involving the Supreme Chancellor." General Skywalker started carefully. "We're coming to you because we need your help."
"What do you mean? Is Chancellor Palpatine in danger? Is the Republic?" He asked, leaning forward.
"Well, no and yes," Skywalker told the man. "The Republic is in more danger than it's ever been since the war's start, and the Supreme Chancellor is at the center of it." The General said, his tone guarded.
Admiral Yularen narrowed his eyes. "What are you saying General… I'd appreciate it if you got to the point." This was what they were afraid of. Yularen had been appointed Admiral by Palpatine himself and had worked under Palpatine for a time to end corruption in the Republic itself.
Skywalker slid a reader across to the Admiral. "We've found definitive proof that Palpatine is a traitor to the Republic who has been aiding the Separatist Alliance, working for the Sith, and conspiring to overthrow the Republic and destroy the Jedi Order."
There was silence in the room as Admiral Yularen just stared at the both of them, the only noise being those of the ship itself before the Admiral snapped. "That is absolutely preposterous! General Skywalker, do you realize what you are saying is absolute treason!?" The admiral demanded as he looked over them.
"I do Admiral… I didn't believe it myself until the proof was laid out before me." General Skywalker admitted. "We have more coming as well, we've been uncovering ties that Chancellor Palpatine would've better liked to have stayed buried. He's slowly been stealing power from the Senate as well, and as you've read, many of the orders there grant him total power over the GAR." Skywalker pointed out.
Admiral Yularen took a slow breath, "General Skywalker, you know that much of the Senate is corrupt. I… I want to believe you have the best interests of the Republic, but how can I be so sure? Captain, do you agree with this?" The admiral turned to Rex.
Rex nodded, "I do Sir. My loyalty is to the Republic, the safety of my men… and to those I personally trust." He said. "I lost two good men in Tup and Fives, and neither of them was from some parasitic thing controlling them. Tup's chip malfunctioned, and Fives dug deep enough that the Chancellor had him eliminated. That Data you read just now sir, it came directly from the chip that was in my own head." Rex parted his hair, close cut as it was, to reveal the neat scar that ran along his scalp from the surgery.
"Sir… I know this is hard to believe, but if the Jedi had found these orders and wanted to start a coup, they would've just used Order 65 and had us mindlessly hunt down the Supreme Chancellor himself." Rex said, he watched as the admiral scrolled to find said order. The admiral took a slow breath.
"Were this to have come from anyone else… I would've been ordering there arrest right now." He said. "I can't believe I'm doing this but… I've seen you speak highly of, and defend, the Supreme Chancellor before General Skywalker. I don't fully believe your accusations, but I also won't turn you in. Yet." He said warily. "I want to see the rest of the proof you have as you get it."
Rex nodded, they'd anticipated it really. Admiral Yularen would want to be brought into the inner circle of everything that was going on. Especially if he was taking such risks as this. Of course, that also meant that he could damn them easily as well if he informed the Chancellor.
"It's a deal." General Skywalker said with a nod. "We'll keep you informed. We need your help Admiral Yularen. A lot of people are going to be scared when this happens, unsure. They need to see that there is strength in the Republic still." He said.
Yularen just nodded, "For your sakes gentlemen, I hope you do." He said before they were dismissed.
Sheev Palpatine sat in his office, reviewing a bill he would later put before the Senate. Masterfully worded, elegant in its design, and so subtle that the majority of the Senate would vote for it without a second thought, this would allow him to not only expand the military but to tighten his control over how it guarded sectors of vital importance. Not that it would matter anyways how he worded it. The people were so blinded in his favor that he could ask for the power blatantly and they would practically throw themselves at his feet to give it to him.
He couldn't help but sneer at the thought. How blind people could be, how trusting. Offer them bread and circuses, as a long ancient politician had put it, and give them something to fear and they will cling to you as a child does to his mother's skirts. For those senators who did doubt him, or at least did not blindly follow him, then a simple greasing of the palm was more than enough to obtain their loyalty. Beyond that, there were only a few left who were true threats. The ones whom he truly stole the power of the Senate from. Oh, they too would fade away or be reigned in with time. Indeed, the only threat left to him was those dogmatic fools the Jedi. Yet, they were so blind to him that he could stand before Master Yoda himself and not have his secret revealed. Oh, how he had plans for them and their 'Chosen One'.
"Supreme Chancellor?" One of his guards asked, stepping through the door and effectively snapping Palpatine from his own thoughts.
He cleared his throat and answered in the ever-polite tone he maintained. "Yes, what is it?"
"There seems to be a Clone Trooper who wishes to speak with you Sir, saying he has vital information." The guard, a Senate Commando, said.
Vital information? What information could a lowly clone hold that he could consider vital? He couldn't deny his own intrigue. "Very well, send him in." He said.
The guard nodded, and in stepped a Clone Trooper, minus his helmet. His armor was painted the blue of Anakins Legion, which intrigued him all the more. The clone snapped to attention. "Tell me, trooper, what is your number, rank, and unit." He said.
"CC-1119 Sir, Lieutenant, Five Hundred and First Clone Legion." The trooper said. Palpatine nodded.
"Very well, and tell me, your name and why are you here."
"Sir, I go by Appo. I… well… I'm here Sir because I have information of an attempt to overthrow you from power." The clone said, seemingly worried.
Palpatine remained stoic on the outside, but inside he couldn't help but grin. A trickle of adrenaline he'd only felt twice before entered his system. The first time was during his first speeder bike race on Naboo. The second was just before he killed his own Master, Plagueis. This... would be interesting.
"Ah, well, take a seat Lieutenant. Tell me everything you know."
This would be interesting indeed.
