Chapter 2: The Lost Legion
Luke and Ahsoka's respective X-Wings eased out of lightspeed before the vast white planet strong in the Force.
"Ilum, it's been a long time." Ahsoka sighed, thinking back to the Clone Wars. Even from orbit, Luke sensed the planet's incredible Force aura.
"I've read so much about Ilum and its deep history with the Jedi Order. Even if we don't find the map, I'm glad we came."
"You think this is where we should rebuild the order?" Luke could tell Ahsoka was smirking even though they sat in different X-Wings.
"We won't attract as many students if we bring them to a frozen tundra."
Artoo chirped in agreement.
R4 chirped in a softer, more frightened manner.
"Will you relax, R4. You've become nothing but a worry-wart since I put you back together." Ahsoka chuckled.
"Can you sense anything down there?" Luke asked.
Ahsoka concentrated harder, reaching out across Ilum's surface. However, the planet's overwhelming aura made this difficult.
"I can sense something too, a disturbance, conflict."
Ahsoka nodded, also sensing this. R4 chirped too, and the Togruta Jedi soon saw the source of conflict. An Mk-II Imperial Class Star Destroyer floated in orbit above Ilum, but one unlike any Ahsoka had ever seen before, one with a completely red hull.
"Star Destroyer!"
Luke soon saw the ship and exhaled in relief, but only slightly.
"It's alright, Ahsoka, it's not what you think."
The Togruta Jedi turned over to Luke's X-Wing in utter confusion.
"That's the Errant Venture. It's not Imperial, not anymore."
"The Errant Venture?"
Luke nodded.
"I never learned its original name, but during the war, a group within the Rebel Alliance known as Renegade Squadron infiltrated the Star Destroyer by masquerading as an Imperial Medical transport in distress. When the Destroyer's Stormtrooper contingent went aboard the medical transport, Renegade Squadron boarded the Destroyer and massacred the crew, and then they blew up the medical transport."
Ahsoka grit her teeth. She'd heard of Renegade Squadron, a pseudo special forces group in the Rebel Alliance composed entirely of Smugglers and Pirates recruited into the Rebellion. During the war, they earned an infamous reputation for using deceitful and cutthroat tactics to kill as many Imperials as possible. This included false surrenderers, disguising themselves as civilians, and using Imperial prisoners as bait to lure others to their doom.
Luke, Han, and Leia never approved of their methods, but General Col Serra got results, and thus Mon Monthma and the other Rebel leaders always looked the other way. Not only did Serra and his men never face persecution for their war crimes, but those same men still served as official members of the Republic Military.
"What are they doing here?" Ahsoka said impatiently.
"I don't know, but likely nothing good." They tried their best to avoid detection, but both astromechs signaled incoming ships. Several heavily modified A-Wings broke off from the Errant Venture and flew alongside the Jedi X-Wings.
"Halt! Identify yourselves now!" A gravelly voice snarled over the comm-channel. Luke calmed himself and had Artoo enter the information.
"Skywalker?!"
"We have business on Ilum-" Luke started.
"Hold position, or get shot down!" Another pilot growled.
The two Jedi controlled their growing frustration, but Artoo didn't share their patience. Moments later, Luke saw the figure of a man he'd hoped never to see again projected before him. A tall and scrappy man with shaggy black hair and an eyepatch over his left eye. The man wore a rugged military-esk jacket with burn marks and tears across it that reflected its owner.
"Skywalker." Serra's resentment for the Jedi carried across space and through the Force itself, seething like a terrible bog.
"Col, it's been a long time."
"It has since you turned your back on the New Republic. Running away from the fight again."
Luke retained his composure despite Serra's antagonism.
"I have Jedi business on Ilum."
"Really? Care to tell me what this business is?"
"Perhaps, if you tell me what Renegade Squadron is doing here?"
Serra snorted, then spit.
"That's New Republic business, fraid I can't divulge that, Skywalker. Of course you might know if you were-"
"We don't want any trouble. Just let us go, and we won't cause you any trouble." Ahsoka remained in control but spoke in a harsher tone than Luke.
"Who the Hell is that? Got yourself a new friend, Skywalker, or is she your whore?" Serra snickered.
Luke narrowed his eyes but didn't give Serra the satisfaction of an angry reaction.
"You'll let us pass." Luke said, waving his hand while Ahsoka did the same.
"Haaah! You're dumber than I remember if you think your little Jedi mind tricks will work on me, Skywalker." However, within moments, the A-Wings broke off and flew back to the Venture.
"What the!? No, you idiots! Go get them, now!"
Luke and Ahsoka flew fast and reached the planet's surface before their pursuers could return. Both landed near the edge of a forest and climbed out with their astromechs. Now a Jedi knight, Ahsoka decided to wear a suit of preserved nimble brawler armor Luke also recovered from Ossus.
Despite Ilum's icy climate, the planet felt oddly warm from its immense Light Side Aura, and both Jedi took a moment to appreciate the peaceful sensation.
However, hidden well behind this aura of peace, Luke and Ahsoka sensed something else. Something concealed and yet, alive.
"Where do you think we should begin?" Luke asked.
"I'm not sure. I, hold on, I sense something, no, another party is here. I can sense them. I also feel something else, a presence I haven't felt since."
Luke sensed a deep longing in Ahsoka and nodded.
"We'll have to seek them out through the Force." Luke approached Ahsoka and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"The Force led us here. Trust in it, and it will guide you to them." Ahsoka surrendered herself to the Force, closing her eyes and reaching out until she sensed a familiar presence. She then began slowly walking through the snowy forest, eyes shut while Luke and the two droids followed close behind.
Occasionally an A-Wing flew overhead looking for them. When this happened, Luke awoke Ahsoka from her trance and hid with her, both using the Force to conceal their presence from the starships' scanners. When Ahsoka returned to her search, Luke would, in turn, reach out to keep a close eye on any nearby Renegade Squadron soldiers in the forest.
Unfortunately, he did sense a few squads in the distance. However, he felt an unusual amount of fear and dread among them. This became punctuated by the sounds of blaster, explosions, and shouts in the distance. Artoo chirped in excitement while R4 shook. Ahsoka, however, showed no reaction, lost in the Force itself.
"They're close. I can feel them."
Luke felt and heard the conflict grow stronger, remaining calm and ready to defend them both. However, it proved unnecessary. Ahsoka opened her eyes and saw the skirmish's terrible aftermath. Over two squads of Renegade Squadron soldiers lay sprawled out across the forest clearing, blaster bolts, and intense burn injuries all filling the air with a horrible stench.
Despite all these distractions, Luke and Ahsoka saw through it, sensing multiple individuals hidden among the trees.
"It's ok, we come in peace." Luke said.
R4 nearly jumped when a figure emerged from the trees, a woman in her late twenties, older than Luke but younger than Ahsoka. She towered over both Jedi, almost reaching six feet in height with a muscular figure, tan skin, brown eyes, and short blonde hair. Interestingly, she wore a suit of black and red Mandalorian armor, with a helmet tucked beneath her arms.
"Who are you?" She asked warily, reaching for a combat knife sheathed on her wrist bracers.
"We're Jedi, Luke Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano."
The woman narrowed her eyes and kept a cautious demeanor about her before reaching up to a commlink on her wrist.
"Keep your eyes peeled, they're Jedi."
"Who are you?" Ahsoka asked.
"I am Omega Vau of Clan Custodes. Wait, did you say Skywalker? The Luke Skywalker!" Omega nearly trembled as she spoke.
"Please, just call me Luke."
Omega shook her head, regaining a harsher stance.
"What is your business here?" She demanded.
"We could ask you the same thing. We're Jedi, this is a Jedi world." Ahsoka countered.
Omega hardened her expression.
"We're not here to quarrel with you, Jedi. Leave us be and we'll leave you be."
"Omega, we-" Ahsoka started before both Force users sensed it. Acting fast, they ignited their lightsabers and took a defensive stance. The Togruta Jedi's lightsabers now glowed a deep blue. Omega similarly donned her helmet and drew an energy bow. Within moments, groups of rugged soldiers rushed from the trees, men and women of various ages and species each took a position, blasters aimed at the Jedi and Mandalorian.
"There you are! Filthy little Jedi!" The duros gunnery sergeant sneered as his deep red eyes lingered on Omega, who in turn returned his disdain.
"Ohh, what do we have here? Skywalker and his friend have thrown in their lot with you too, Mandalorian. Why doesn't this surprise me?"
"You're making a mistake." Ahsoka spoke calmly but firmly, keeping her lightsabers raised.
"Mistake, you call this a mistake, look around, this little broad slaughtered our men!" The duros now snarled as he emphasized the dead Renegade Squadron soldiers around them.
"They attacked u-, me!" Luke and Ahsoka heard Omega quickly correct herself, then remembered she wasn't alone.
"This is New Republic business, and you just killed Republic Soldiers. So you're not walking out of here alive, broad. As for you and your friend, Skywalker lay down your weapons, and maybe we'll just throw you in prison for the rest of your miserable lives, maybe."
Luke slowly moved his offhand across his side.
"You don't want to do this. You want to holster your weapons and walk away."
"I, I don't want to do this. I want to-" The duros and his soldiers slowly began to comply when they heard two small objects land in the snow amongst them.
"What the?" Not a moment later, they exploded into fiery infernos, engulfing five alien troopers and scattering the rest. The duros sergeant violently coughed up smoke as he tried to regain his senses, only to see an imposing figure standing over him, a man clad entirely in green Mandalorian armor.
Luke's eyes widened as he saw the fearsome bounty hunter before them.
Without a word, Boba Fett blew the Duros's head open with his blaster carbine and, in the same motion, spun himself around, unleashing a jet of fire from his offhand. Four more troopers cried out in terror and agony as flames seared into their bodies, charring armor, fabric, and flesh alike.
"Wait!" Luke cried, but it was too late. The rest of the Renegade Squadron soldiers opened up with everything they had. Blaster rifles, carbines, and pistols ripped off in every direction as Boba Fett took off into the air. He killed the New Republic troopers with ruthless efficiency, using his carbine, wrist blaster, flamethrower, and explosives. A few stray bolts occasionally struck the bounty hunter but glanced harmlessly off his beskar armor.
Omega downed two troopers with her bow and then flew to the side with her jetpack. Four more opened up on the Mandalorian when blaster fire and wrist rockets from the trees blew them to pieces. Looking up, Ahsoka saw four more Mandalorians emerge from the trees, one in black and gold armor and the rest in blue, red, or tan. The Mandalorians joined Omega in their slaughter of the Renegade Squadron troopers.
Ahsoka kept back blaster shots with one lightsaber and guided incoming grenades back with the Force. As she saw an opening to strike, three troopers dropped their weapons and fell to their knees.
"No! Please! Have mercy!" They begged in sheer terror. Ahsoka didn't strike, but nor did she let her guard down. The Force warned her, and Ahsoka instantly deflected two blaster bolts from a pair of hidden troopers. At the same, all three kneeling soldiers whipped out blaster pistols with evil grins on their faces.
"Stupid Jedi-" With a single stroke, the Togruta Jedi cut their heads off and then hurled her offhand saber out, guiding it with the Force until it severed the other two troopers shooting at her.
Unlike the others, Luke did everything in his power not to kill the Renegade Squadron soldiers. He blasted a few away with telekinetics, stripped others of their weapons, and sliced apart blasters instead of their wielders. However, this became less effective as the disarmed troopers pulled out sidearms or explosives and continued the fight.
"Please, don't do this." Luke pleaded with a Mon Calamari woman holding a grenade.
"Eat dung and die Jedi!" She sneered while priming the explosive.
Luke prepared to send it away but then covered his eyes after sensing the danger. A blaster bolt struck the detonator, enveloping its wielder in a fiery explosion.
Three more Renegade Troopers collapsed within moments when incredibly accurate sniper bolts flew from the trees.
"There!" A Besalisk Renegade trooper roared as he fired into the trees with a blaster in each of his four hands. Luke saw what looked like a black shadow move among the branches as blaster fire flew around them. Eventually, the figure got back into position and unleashed more sniper fire, killing each trooper shooting at them.
Luke took a deep breath and resumed his attempts to defeat the Renegade troopers without killing them. However, he soon sensed even more danger approaching and looked up at three A-Wings approaching from the sky.
"Luke, you've given them enough chances!" Ahsoka sternly reminded her companion as she cut down two more Renegade troopers. Luke sighed, aiming his mechanical hand at the center A-Wing. The ship violently lost control before crashing into its wingman on the right. At the same time, Boba flew up and fired off his jetpack's rocket, clipping the third A-Wing's side and causing it to tumble out of control, exploding upon impact into a mountainside.
Luke gave a sorrowful expression while looking around at the dead Renegade troopers surrounding them. However, Ahsoka and Omega didn't share his remorse for those who'd tried to kill them so eagerly.
Ahsoka wanted to speak but fell silent when Fett landed beside Omega.
"You alright?" He asked in an oddly sincere tone towards the young woman.
"I'm fine. How about you?" Omega emphasized a few parts of his armor where the paint still smoked after taking hits.
"I'll be fine. You know how tough Beskar is."
"And yet I don't wear any." Another voice said. Luke and Ahsoka now turned to see another woman emerge from the trees clad in black with an orange-topped helmet.
"Why would you need to? You're a sniper?" Omega snickered as the woman revealed her face.
"That doesn't mean I can't get shot."
"Fennec Shand!" Luke and Ahsoka cried. The sniper turned to them with a look of mistrust.
"Skywalker."
Fennec Shand had earned infamy among the Rebellion as a notorious mercenary for hire often employed by the Empire. During the war, she often led Imperial Operatives in missions to assassinate Rebel leaders and sympathizers. Luke knew many good men and women who died at her hands or on missions she led.
"You didn't tell me you were friends with Skywalker." Fett growled as he stared intensely at the Jedi Knight through his helmet's visor.
"I'm not. I've never met him before."
The tense standoff between Luke and Boba continued for several moments.
"The last time I saw you, Fett, you flew into a Sarlacc Pit."
"Hmp, I still need to pay Solo back for that. I got out."
"I can see that. Perhaps I should've expected it."
"Save your praise, Jedi. I don't need it."
"What brings a wanted mercenary and not-so-dead bounty hunter to Ilum?" Ahsoka asked.
Fennec glared at Ahsoka, less than happy to be reminded of her criminal status. Officially, Fennec hadn't committed any crimes since the New Republic took power, but since she fought alongside the Empire and killed so many Rebels, the New Republic placed a fifty-thousand credit bounty on her head.
"Come to collect? You wouldn't be the first, and you'll end up like the rest." Fennec kept her finger in the trigger until Omega eased her.
"Fennec, please, we have enough trouble with Renegade Squadron."
"For now." The Mandalorian in black armor said as he came beside Omega.
"I'm here because my partner insisted we help. But even if he didn't, I have a history with Omega too."
"Partner? You took a partner?" Luke asked Boba.
"Fennec and I have a lot in common. I rescued her from some Republic Marshals on Tatooine." Luke narrowed his eyes slightly, particularly as he saw Fennec's grin widen.
"And by help, he means he killed them all. Well, most of them, I got my share too." Fennec opened her jacket to reveal a collection of New Republic Marshal's badges.
"So many former Rebels came to get revenge, but all they found was death."
"Fennec, please." Omega pleaded. Despite her attempts to antagonize the Jedi Knight, Luke didn't give in and retained his composure.
"Omega, how do you know Boba Fett?" Ahsoka asked cautiously as she tried to move her away from the bounty hunter subtly. However, Boba removed his helmet revealed a scarred face that bore a striking resemblance to Omega's.
"She's my little sister, Jedi."
"What!? Boba Fett is your brother!?" Ahsoka almost yelped.
"Yeah, he is."
"Which means he's also our family." The Mandalorian in black armor said. He was very tall with broad shoulders and a muscular body. Upon removing his helmet, the man revealed his scarred face with black hair in a buzzcut and golden eyes.
The three other Mandalorians also removed their helmets. Interestingly, all of them bore a striking resemblance to Omega and Boba, not quite the same, but extremely similar. Two men and a woman, all slightly younger than Luke.
"This is Jeanx Vau, my husband. As for Boba, I asked him to come here because of family business."
"Family business?" The Togruta asked.
"Clones, the last of our Father's legacy. They're hidden here." Fett said.
Ahsoka almost felt herself tremble.
"There, there are clones here!?"
"Yes! We found out that Palpatine had a cloning facility hidden here where he experimented with clones of Jango Fett to build a new army should the need arise."
Luke nodded.
"That's what Renegade Squadron is after."
"We need to find and rescue those clones, and we will." Fennec added.
"You've got me too." Ahsoka proclaimed in less than a moment with utter dedication.
"And me."
"Really! Thank you!" Omega hugged Ahsoka and Luke while Fett, Fennec, and the other Mandalorians exchanged cautious glances.
"Come on, let's get moving before more troopers show up."
Both droids emerged from their hiding places before joining the party as they traversed deeper into the forest towards a mountain range, doing their best to avoid detection from Renegade Squadron as their ships flew overhead.
"So Clan Custodes is real." Ahsoka said, turning to Jeanx with intrigue.
"It is."
"I heard rumors that all of the old Republic Commandos joined the clan once Order 66 was rescinded."
"Yes, our fathers did." One of the three younger Mandalorians said, confirming Ahsoka's suspicion.
Luke too had heard stories of Clan Custodes. Some called them the Guardians, protecting those who couldn't protect themselves from pirates, marauders, slavers, and the Empire. More than once, the Rebellion tried to find and recruit the illusive Clan, but never found them.
Ahsoka nodded with a deep smile.
"I'm glad some of my boys survived." Omega fought back tears as painful memories rushed into her head. Ahsoka sensed this and gave a slightly guilty look as Jeanx placed an arm around Omega.
"I'm sorry, I-"
"Let's just focus on the job." Fett growled.
It took them several minutes, but they finally reached the mountain itself, where the scanner on the side of Boba's helmet lowered before his visor.
"What have we here?" He blasted a rock to reveal a hidden control panel behind it.
R2 rolled up and sliced into the system.
"Hurry it up, I'm detecting movement." One of the Mandalorians growled, raising her blasters.
Artoo chirped gleefully as a hidden door opened.
"Inside, now!" Omega ordered and within moments, the whole party entered, Artoo shutting the door behind them.
Somehow, the facility interior felt colder than the frozen tundra. Extremely clean metal panels lined the hallway while gleaming lights reflected off them.
Luke and Ahsoka both sensed it, an overwhelming sense of life, yet it almost felt as if it were one presence.
"Come on." The party traversed the halls with ominous silence, a few service droids still performing their duties. Ahsoka did her best to remain calm as the aura of her clone soldiers got stronger and stronger, until at last, they reached a control room.
"Plug in, Artoo, see what you can find." Luke said. The group spread out, Omega looking at one of the computers. However, Artoo and R4 proved far more successful, within moments a colossal interior chamber lit up before them, separated by a few windows.
All eyes widened as they saw thousands of cloning tubes, each with an identical man inside. Luke and Omega sensed life within them.
"We, we found them." Omega trembled. Despite how well he tried to hide it, Ahsoka and Luke sensed Boba Fett's emotions as he stared at his brothers.
Artoo and R4 chirped happily.
"Artoo says they're alive and in good condition. Interestingly, it seems these clones are all pure, with no growth acceleration, so they're all naturally twenty-years old."
"What's that?" Fennec asked, pointing to a tube with another clone above the others. This Clone was clearly a Jango Fett clone, but he didn't look quite as young. He was also scarred with a strange tattoo on his head. A series of wires and cords were embedded into his body with a breathing mask over his face.
Artoo chirped again.
"It says here he's another Jango Fett clone….By the Force, Artoo says that he's from the Clone Wars."
"What!?" Omega and Ahsoka shouted.
"Yes, Palpatine was using a new method of cloning. Since his DNA is practically identical, they were able to keep the clones growing in their tubes and transfer his skills and abilities to them all. Apparently he was an Arc Trooper, and by the time the clones were grown, they'd be as skilled as him. An entire army of young men with an elite soldier's abilities."
Ahsoka trembled even more as she reached out to the Clone.
"Does, does it say what his name is?"
Artoo beeped.
"Yes, they refer to him as CT-5555 or just Fives." The Togruta Jedi looked ready to pass out.
"Ahsoka!" Luke grabbed her.
Tears began to swell Ahsoka's eyes.
"Fives, that's, that's not possible. He died, he was killed." Ahsoka muttered.
R4 chirped.
"No, it seems he was only stunned. Palpatine brought him here." Luke said.
Ahsoka opened her mouth, but no words came out.
"Can your droids wake them up!?" Omega shouted.
"I'm afraid we can't let you do that." A deep voice growled.
The Jedi and Mandalorians drew their weapons as squads of Renegade Squadron troopers rushed in, led by a muscular human woman. She glanced at the clones with a dark grin before pulling out a handheld hologram projector.
"General, we've found them, and the interlopers."
"Well done, Captain, and you Skywalker. I appreciate you leading me to my objective."
"What do you want with them!?" Omega growled.
"To destroy them of course! These clones are living weapons, programmed to kill the Empire's enemies! Their very existence is a threat to the New Republic!"
Ahsoka and Omega's faces filled with horror.
"What!? You can't do that, these men didn't hurt anyone!" Ahsoka cried.
"These clones are a disaster waiting to happen. I'm not going to take that chance." Serra growled.
"These men are innocent, they deserve a chance to choose their own path." Luke said firmly.
"These aren't real men, they're things created in a lab! They're no more alive than droids." Serra sneered. Omega and Fett both tore into the General with their eyes.
"Come out of hiding, and I'll show you how real we are." Fett said in a tone that sent shivers down Ahsoka's spine.
"I don't think so, Fett. You and all these clones are going to die now. Captain, kill them!"
"Yes, sir! Open Fire!" The Captain whipped out two pistols and joined her troopers as they unleashed a wave of fire. Luke and Ahsoka deflected the incoming bolts while Fennec took core and the Mandalorians shot back, their armor protecting them.
Several troopers went down, but their sheer numbers pushed Luke and his party back until they were out of the room.
"No!" Omega cried.
"Fall back!" Jeanx grabbed his wife and pulled her away, the others following.
"We'll come back for them, I promise!" Jeanx shouted.
The Captain and what remained of her men turned to get back inside the control room, but the door slammed shut.
"What the!? Get it back open!" She growled.
"We'll try ma'am, but-"
Col Serra's hologram reappeared.
"Forget it! Dispose of the clones later, push them towards the courtyard, I have a little surprise waiting for them." Serra said with an evil grin.
"Yes, sir!"
Back inside the control room, R4 trembled. R2, however, beeped vigorously and moved back to the primary control console where he plugged in and began working. R4 soon joined him, and moments later, from inside his tube, Five's opened his eyes.
Luke and Ahsoka continued to deflect incoming blaster bolts as the Renegade Squadron troopers pursued them.
"The courtyard should be up ahead. Once we have more space, we can kill them." Fennec said.
"We could try-" Luke started.
"They die, Skywalker, it's them or us!" Fett snarled.
Ahsoka turned to Luke with a stern look and he finally nodded.
They reached a larger doorway which slowly opened, however, both Jedi sensed what awaited them.
"No!" But it was too late, Omega and the others felt the air leave their lungs. Waiting for them in the courtyard outside the mountain, stood thousands of men and women. All of Renegade Squadron.
Floating above them, stood none other than Col Serra himself, resting on a platform with a satisfied grin on his face.
The Captain and her men forced Luke and Ahsoka out, and they rushed into cover with the others as a tidal wave of blaster fire erupted into the rocks and metal, all but melting them.
Even the Mandalorians found themselves unable to counter so many opponents. Luke and Ahsoka reached out with the Force and moved large rocks and debris in their path to keep the troopers back, but it merely slowed them down.
"And so ends Skywalker, and the Jedi with them. Good riddance! The New Republic doesn't need Jedi anymore, it needs men and women like us. Those who are willing to do what is absolutely necessary to protect freedom."
"Serra, don't do this!" Luke cried. His voice almost drowned out by the storm of explosives and blaster fire.
"Goodbye Skywalker! I'll tell your sister you died a slow painful death at the hands of the Imperial Remnant! Once I'm done with you, those things in that mountain all die-"
Col stopped when he heard a series of blaster fire from another direction. Ahsoka and Omega turned to the doorway where she saw the Captain and her squad, dead. Standing over them, a clone wearing black and red Purge Trooper armor, save a helmet, wielding two pistols.
"Fives." Ahsoka muttered.
The Arc trooper looked down at Ahsoka and the others, and then turned to Serra.
"In the name of the Grand Army of the Republic, I order you to lay down your weapons and surrender!"
Serra and all of Renegade Squadron joined together in a terrible laughter that almost shook Ilum.
"Grand Army of the Republic? Ha! You and what Grand Army of the Republic!?"
Just then, the courtyard shook. All eyes turned to a series of walls which opened up, revealing themselves as doorways.
The ground shook with a distinct noise of armored boots hitting metal.
"A Clone army." Fives said, donning a purge trooper helmet.
"Go go go!" Thousands of Clone Troopers all in black and red purge trooper armor surged from the openings, weapons drawn. The clones hit Renegade Squadron like a tidal wave, blue plasma bolts burning through the New Republic Troopers with ruthless efficiency.
"Hah!" Jeanx laughed. The Mandalorian and his clansmen flying into the air alongside Clone troopers with jet packs before joining them in the carnage. A-wings flew from orbit and tried to strafe the clone army, but in response, pitch black gunships, which resembled old LAATs flew out with more clones inside. The gunships shot down Renegade Squadron's fighters before any could fire a shot.
"No! Kill them!" Serra screamed, but to no avail, his men were falling in droves, and none of them taking any clones with them.
Soon Luke, Ahoska, Fett, and Fennec joined in, bringing down more troopers. Serra grit his teeth and readied his jetpack.
"Wretched clones, I'll vaporize you with the Venture's guns-" Just when Serra was about to take off, he stumbled backward as Omega flew in front of him.
The General reached for his blaster only for the Mandalorian to send it flying with an energy arrow. Serra narrowed his eye at Omega who removed her helmet and drew a combat knife.
"Let me guess, you're one of those filthy clones. Some kind of special model." He sneered.
Omega didn't answer.
"Your kind are the reason the Empire came to power! The galaxy is better off without you!" Serra pulled out a curved blade and charged at Omega. Waiting patiently for the right moment, she blocked his attack and locked Serra's arm in place. The older man grunted and threw a punch with his free hand, only for Omega to masterfully block it and then strike with her elbow.
A wet cracking noise followed as Serra stumbled backward, blood dripping from his nose.
"Wretched clone!" He snarled, charging back until Omega ducked down, grabbing hold of the man's jacket and flipping him to the platform. Serra threw a kick that nearly hit Omega's face, but she caught it and pulled Serra onto his back.
Flipping the knife, Omega came down and plunged it into Col Serra's heart. The former smuggler convulsed for a moment, then went limp. Omega took a deep breath and pulled her knife free.
By then, the battle below went silent. She slowly looked down and saw the entire Clone Legion standing over the bodies of Renegade Squadron. They'd won and let out a cheer that broke free of Ilum and spread across the galaxy.
Omega flew down and embraced Boba.
"We did it, we saved them!"
"Someone did." Luke said, smiling at R2 and R4 who happily rolled out.
"I'll never cease to be amazed by astromech droids." Ahsoka said as she stroked R2 and R4's heads.
Omega soon pulled Jeanx in and kissed him while Fennec looked over the clones with Boba.
"Still sentimental I see." She said with a smirk.
"Don't get used to it."
"Commander Tano." Ahsoka nearly froze, her face bursting with raw emotion as she turned to see Fives in front of her.
"Fives." The Togruta ensnared her old friend in a back-breaking hug, which he gladly returned.
"I thought you were dead." Ahsoka almost sobbed, tears in her eyes.
"So did I. It was almost like I was asleep. What's happened, I just remember trying to warn General Skywalker and Rex."
"It's ok, that threat is gone." Fives nearly jumped when he saw Luke and recognized Anakin in him.
"Who, who are you?"
"My name is Luke Skywalker, son of Anakin Skywalker. You've missed a lot."
Anakin, Ahsoka, and Omega filled Fives and any nearby clones in on the state of the galaxy.
"I've missed so much. Our brothers, the Jedi."
"Not all of them are gone. Rex is still alive." Ahsoka said.
"Rex, he's alive! And you're alive too, Commander." Hope returned to Five's face.
"What's going to happen to us?" One of the clones asked nervously.
Before anyone could answer, Luke came forward with R2, who began projecting a hologram. Fives and Ahsoka saw a young woman Luke's age who looked almost exactly like Padme.
"Greetings, Fives if I'm correct." He nearly flinched, she sounded just like Senator Amidala too.
"Yes."
"My name is Leia Solo, and on behalf of the New Republic, I wish to offer you and your brothers my sincerest apology for what happened here." Fett and Fennec hardened their expressions when they saw Leia and heard the name Solo.
"Please understand that their actions weren't condoned by the New Republic."
"Of course." Fives said warily. Luke and Leia both looked a bit uncomfortable, as they knew many in the New Republic would've condoned it.
"You and your brothers didn't choose to be made as tools for Palpatine, but now your lives are your own. The New Republic will not persecute or pursue you, that I promise."
"Thank you."
Leia turned to Boba and Fennec, Omega moving to take a protective stance in front of them.
"Boba Fett, Fennec Shand. I know there is bad blood between you and the New Republic, but for the good of the galaxy, it's time to put the past behind us. As of now, both of you are pardoned for your actions on behalf of the Empire. Your bounties are removed so long as you don't break any Republic Laws."
"How generous of you. Alright, no more of your marshals will die so long as they don't get in our way." Fennec said, matter of factly.
"Tell your husband he stays as far away from me as possible, for his sake." Fett added.
Leia narrowed her eyes at Boba, not appreciating the threat on Han's life.
"Fives, you and your brothers are perhaps the greatest fighting force in the galaxy. If you're willing, the New Republic could take you on as an elite fighting force, protecting the innocent and delivering justice."
"Leia." Ahsoka started.
"We'll do it." Fives answered without any hesitation.
Ahsoka turned back to him with Omega.
"We're soldiers. There's no escaping what we are, at least this time, we have a choice."
The other clones began to nod without a trace of hesitation in their faces.
"The Errant Venture is yours. Renegade Squadron won't be needing it anymore."
"No they won't." Jeanx said with a smirk.
"Fives, you are hereby commissioned as a Major General in the New Republic Army. What will your Legion be called?" Fives turned to Ahsoka and smiled with her as they nodded together.
"The 501st, and I'd also like to rename the Star Destroyer. She's now, the Domino."
Leia smiled back.
"The Republic is fortunate to have its brave protectors back."
"Alright boys, let's get our men loaded onto the Star Destroyer, I want arms and equipment too. Then we head to Coruscant."
"Yes sir!"
"Alright, let's go." Fett said as he and Fennec prepared to depart.
"You're always welcome to join us, Fett." Jeanx said as Boba turned back to him and Omega.
"Take care of yourself." She added.
"You too."
With one final embrace, Fives said his goodbye to Ahsoka and departed Ilum with the new 501st Legion. The Star Destroyer Domino left Ilum with its new owners.
"Thank you Leia." Luke said.
"It was my pleasure. How's your search going?"
"Well we did just get a bit sidetracked." Ahsoka chuckled.
"What did you come here looking for?" Omega asked.
"A Jedi Temple. There we hoped to find a map to the ancient Jedi homeworld of Tython." Luke said.
Omega turned to Jeanx who took a deep breath and nodded reluctantly.
"Here." The Mandalorian tossed out a data pack which Luke eagerly caught.
His heart raced when he saw extremely detailed maps of the deep core, including the location of Tython.
"We found it in some Jedi ruins, thought it might come in handy. But I suppose you could use it more." Omega smiled again and kissed her husband's cheek.
"Yeah yeah, we're even now, Jedi." Jeanx donned his helmet while the others did the same.
"Thank you Omega."
"You too, I hope our paths cross again." She said.
"Perhaps, the Force works in mysterious ways." Luke said. At that, the Mandalorians flew away and the Jedi departed.
Author's note
Yep we saw Omega again pretty soon, but she won't appear again for a while
Fives lives! Just wait until Rex finds out!
Please let me know what you guys think and what you didn't like. Also if you have ideas I'd love to hear them.
So until next time,
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