Chapter 3

The Soft War

ONDERON

Iziz

Following the proclamations made by Leo and the celebration that had taken the city by storm, the only thing the droids on the street had been doing was cleaning up the empty bottles, toppled statues of kings of the past. In the market square Ahsoka pushed a cart with a few tools on it before she placed a small holo-projector on it and the two walked away to meet up with Lux.

In another part of the city, a droid patrol was marching through the streets, being tailed by Saw. "I've got a small droid patrol in the west quadrant, no tanks or vehicles just regular droids, easy pickings."

Up on a rooftop, Steela was keeping a birds eye view when she looked back at Dono and a squad of rebels. Steela counted down to one from three mouthing the words for her lips "Now!" She yelled before the rebels sprung their trap.

Using the elevation of the building to their advantage they opened fire on the droids "It's an ambush we need reinforcements." One droid cried out before Saw shot its head off and the rebels lobed down a set of emp grenades to take out the rest all in full view of the city. Steela climbed down and stood before the people of Onderon "Brothers and Sisters do not be afraid, we fight for you!" She shouted pressing a button on her comlink to signal Lux.

"It's time." Lux said as the coms the rebels gave them beeped.

Ahsoka and Lux pressed their and a hologram of Steela appeared on each one filling the entire city with her image.

"People of Onderon, the time has come to take back our freedom. We have heard the message of the so-called Governor, you asked for our grievances so here it is." she said out to the city, and to Leo who was watching from the balcony of the palace so did King Dendup. "Onderon is ours, you and your droids do not belong here, King Rash sold out our planet for the throne but he is not our king and neither are you Primus." Steela said as Leo watched her hologram "We demand that you and your droids leave our world, that Onderon is set free and King Dendup restored to his rightful place as our King, FREE KING DENDUP, FREE ONDERON!" Steela shouted with her fist in the air before the transmission was cut off.

"Okay, guys, put it in the back with the rest." Ahsoka told two rebels carrying a crate after they returned to the hideout with supplies.

Up in the palace Leo scratched his chin, before he walked back inside passing some droids "Summon their King, it's time for a chat."

Later Leo was inside what used to be the throne room, the broken throne was still there but Leo had added a desk and armchair across from it in the corner of the room. He was sitting at it looking at something on the desks monitor when King Dendup was escorted in by the two commando droids. Leo looked up as the king was brought over to his desk and given a seat in front of him "You summoned me Governor."

Leo was looking at his monitor before he looked at a book on his desk "What did you think about that girl, the one who leads the rebels?"

"She is very brave." King Dendup said "Or very foolish, these rebels have risked their lives to fight for you, a man they've never even met?" Leo asked, pointing a finger at him.

"You inspire loyalty, I've been reviewing your reign before Rash stole it from you." Leo said holding up the book "Right from one of your library, your biographer certainly makes you out to be a benevolent king."

Dendup locked eyes with Leo "A good king, seeks to improve the lives of not just himself but all those under his protection."

"You are no longer king and the people are no longer under your protection, they are under the Separation Alliances." Leo said setting the book down and locking his fingers together "I will attempt one last time to meet with these rebels, I am asking if you will denounce these rebels and ask them to go home and live peaceful lives." Leo said getting up and walking around the desk "Find partners, have children grow old and get fat. The last thing we want is a civil war." Leo said as Dendup watched him closely.

Dendup glared at him "I have no part in this rebellion, it is your droids who forced these rebels to take up arms" Dendup said to him

"That's not a no?" Leo said leaning on the desk crossing his arms, but Dendup was silent. Leo leaned in and whispered "I can bring you unimaginable pain, suffering that you've only seen in your nightmares because if these…. freedom fighters, test me and not only will they fail, but you and your beloved Onderon will burn."

Leo walked away "Take him back to his room, enjoy your last night here on this planet your highness." Leo said as the droids picked up Dendup forcefully and escorted him out of the room as two individuals entered. One was Kalani the super battle droid the other was an elder Onderonian man in battle armor wearing a militia uniform, he had grey hair, a mustache and pale blue eyes that glared at the battle droids "Generals, welcome." Leo said as Dendup passed them, the other Onderonian gave the King a respectful nod before apporaching Leo.

"Kalani, Tandin welcome to Iziz, you've both received my reports about the situation here with the rebels, I'd hoped for a peaceful solution before anymore violence but the Rebels appear to be forcing my hand and threaten to throw us into chaos." Leo said to the two of them.

Tandin crossed his arms "It seems they're only targeting the droid army, if you allow the Onderonian Royal Militia to assume control of security the terrorists may stop and discuss terms."

"You will assume nothing General Tandin, with their weapons and tactics it is highly possible that they are finding sympathy from within your own ranks." Kalani answered holding up a metal claw to cease the man's ideas "The threat is external, and your droids have been ineffective in stopping these attacks." General Tandin reported.

Leo looked at each of them "If we negotiate now we appear weak, what do we know of these rebels?" Leo asked them.

One of Tandin Astro droids rolled p and projected a hologram of Steela in front of them "We've identified Steela Gerrera as the woman in the hologram, her brother Saw is also part of the group as is the fugitive Lux Bonteri."

"That's been known for some time, he was identified by our probe droids when the rebel attacks first began." Leo said seeing the hologram change to show Lux "Why was I not told of this." Kalani growled even in droid speak.

"You just were." Tandin hissed back as Kalani moved toward him "Enough Generals, fighting amongst ourselves is paramount to nothing." Leo said getting between them.

"Kalani as you obviously disagree with Tandin, what do you suggest?" Leo asked the droid who was yet to offer any solutions "The woman leading these terrorists demands the release and restoration of King Dendup to the throne, I have calculated that he must somehow be behind these attacks and should order them to surrender immediately." Kalani summarized as Leo walked back around his desk.

He sat down letting the two Generals sit down across from him "The King has had no visitors except for the service droids loyal to us, but you are right he has become a symbol for them to rally behind."

"Then we must eliminate that symbol, permanently." Kalani proposed "Execute the king, you're mad even for a droid the people wouldn't ever stand for it." Tandin barked from his seat.

"You lack conviction for a General, Tandin." Kalani insulted "I said enough." Leo said slamming his palm down on the table, giving both Generals man and machine harsh glares.

He gaged them each for a moment "General Tandin you're Militia will begin replacing the droid patrols here in the city, the droids will remain as a perimeter guard and outside the city." Leo ordered "As you command the Governor." Tandin said as a servant woman brought in a drink for Leo.

"General Kalani, prep and escort cruiser for the King, if the terrorists truly seek him as their symbol of rebellion you're right, he must be removed but not executed." Leo said as he took the glass "You're taking the King of Planet?" Tandin asked.

Leo nodded sipping his wine "He will be sent to Raxus Prime, to stay at my estate under guard and under our protection." Leo explained.

"Count Dooku will need to be informed of this?" Kalani protested "You will inform the Count of nothing until I say so, is that clear?" Leo asked Kalani who was getting a grin from Tandin "Roger, roger Governor."

Leo leaned back in his chair "Dismissed." He ordered Kalani, but Tandin got up too "Not you Tandin, come speak with me." Leo ordered.

With Kalani's departure, both Leo and Tandin walked out onto the balcony, overlooking Onderon and the city of Iziz. "I've been to many worlds, but few compare to Onderonian beauty." Said Leo.

"Are you trying to flatter me or the planet Governor?" Tandin asked him.

The young Governor smirked crossing his arms "Thats what I like about you General, you're direct to the point, so I have a question?"

"Ask and I'll answer, but you may not like it." Tandin said back.

"Fair enough, you stayed loyal to the throne from both Dendup, to Rash but as we saw inside that throne is gone." Leo said, setting down his wine glass "So, where do your loyalties lie now?" He asked.

Tandin looked back at Onderon and down into the city streets "My loyalty is to Onderon and its people."

"And these rebels aren't they people of Onderon?" Leo asked.

Tandin made an ugly face at Leo "What I mean to ask is, do you think there right?" Leo asked.

"What?" Tandin asked him "Do you think the droid army should leave, do you think the monarchy should be restored and Onderon allowed to be free once more?" Leo asked him.

Tandin didn't answer right away, he didn't answer at all "I don't blame you for not answering, you know you can do more good here working with us then against us." Leo said smiling.

He looked back out over the city "That's why when your men patrol the city, it'll be under the Separaitst flag?"

"I beg your pardon?" Tandin asked him "Your men will be equipped with new blasters, and new colors to represent the new Onderonian Militia or should I say, the Confedarcy Militia." Leo said smiling as storm clouds rolled in over the city starting to rain, and like all storms. They brought rain that would either wash away the old and give birth to the unknown but all storms are unpredictable.

Back at the Rebel hideout in the city ghetto, Ahsoka, Lux and the other rebels walked into the building's courtyard, "You think Primus heard us?" Steela asked Lux approaching him with a grin "Him and all of Onderon, it's his move."

"And we'll be waiting." Steela said when she looked at over at Ahsoka "Ahsoka do you have a moment to talk?" Steela asked her "Of course.'

But before they could, a rebel ran into the hideout from the streets "Steela, they're taking King Dendup off world tomorrow." The rebel who first suggested Steela as leader ran down the steps near the base and stopped in front of them.

"Where did you hear this?" Steela asked her.

"Malgan Market the merchants, the Separatists say he's going to Raxus because he's working with us." she replied as Gerrera appeared in the doorway and folded his arms before Steela scoffed.

"Damn, this is our fault if he's not in the world how can we build the rebellion around him, The second he sets foot on Raxus he's as good as dead" she replied before they walked past Gerrera "Maybe, but their efforts could work against him, killing him would only make him a martyr." Ahsoka interjected.

"We can't let them take him, we have to break him out somehow." Gerrera said back to them.

But Steela quickly shot him down "I agree, but we need to know when they're transporting him he'll be under heavy guard and it's too dangerous to go into the palace." Steela replied.

"That's where they'd expect it." Her brother argued. "I know, but this is our moment, we'll save him for all of Iziz to witness we don't have much time." she replied.

"They're counting on us to show up." he said before stepping out the door quickly.

"Where are you going?" she asked. "Trust me." he replied. "Stop." she ordered and he did before turning his head a bit to look at her.

"Let me take care of this." Saw said back to his sister. "This isn't about you." she said as Lux took a step forward. "We can't act reckless and move right now." he said taking Steela's side.

"Yeah? Go write a speech about it." Gerrera shot back.

But even Ahsoka was disagreeing "You have to weigh the risk." Ahsoka said. "That's why I'm going alone." he said before leaving. "Follow him." Steela told the rebel who informed them of the King's removal, the girl nodded quickly following Saul.

Later, Steela had retreated into her own room when Lux walked in "How are you feeling?" Lux asked her.

"He's so reckless, Saw doesn't realize by leaving us he's hurting us." Steela grumbled "It's not your fault." Lux said comforting her.

Steela groaned "We need to get ready for tomorrow." Steela said turning on a hologram of the city, she pointed to Yolhan square outside the palace "The Governor will make a spectacle of the Kings departure, security will be tight." Steela said as Lux looked at her with puppy dog eyes and a sense of yearning "We'll need to… Lux please don't look at me like that." Steela asked him hiding her blush.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to-" "I Just need to be alone right now." Steela grumbled Lux looked at her hurt but he conceded "As you wish."

But before he could leave he gave her one last look "Lux wait." Steela said making him spin around "Yeah, Steela?" He asked.

"How well do you trust Ahsoka?" She asked.

Lux shrugged "I trust her with my life, same as you." He said walking up to her "Because I saw her go into the palace the night the Governor proclaimed the end of the curfew."

In the meantime Ahsoka retreated to the room they shared then contacted Anakin and Obi-Wan on the small holoprojector before informing them of everything that happened recently, the jedi took one look at the padawan to see something was amiss "I sense fear in you, Ahsoka." Obi-Wan asked.

"The rebels are divided if they try to rescue the king now, I'm afraid we might lose them." she reported to them. "We cannot control their fate." the Master said. "It's just, they're risking their lives to save just one." the padawan said.

"Do not underestimate the king's power he represents hope and he's critical to their success." Obi-Wan replied.

"I feel responsible for them." she said disheartened, but Anakin was there to confide in her "I know you do, Snips, but remember, purpose must come before feelings." Anakin advised. "I know, Master, step in only if you must, but remember, if this experiment is to become an effective strategy, they must learn to survive on their own." Obi-Wan told her "Yes, Master Kenobi. I understand." she replied.

Later that evening, Saw was getting closer to the palace after the rain had stopped. He took out a grappling gun and shot it up into the palace walls. Scaling them quickly till he arrived on a short tower outside the Royal suite. There he saw King Dendup was walking through gardens in his palace. Saw spied only a single droid on guard before he dropped down and took of its head with a savage twist and approached the king kneeling.

"My lord." Said Saw.

Dendup stood there hands behind his back wary of the stranger "WHo are you?"

"I'm Saw Gerrera." Saw answered him "What do you want?" Asked the King.

"Your freedom sire, you're to be taken off world tomorrow, I'm here to get you out of here, the people of Onderon need your help." Saw begged.

The King looked at him cautiously "Stand up, are you one of the meddlers interfering in the affairs of the… of the new Government?" He asked walking past Saw.

Saw rose up and heard the King speak "Only to restore your kingship as the rightful ruler." Saw answered him.

The King stopped "I see, this was all my doing, I opened the door. Thats why the separatists are here, I was faced with a difficult choice to join the Republic or the Confederacy, both are corrupt but I had to pick a side before one was chosen for me, except I chose neither."

"Now is the time to take back Onderon, our movement is gaining momentum and we have the backing of the Jedi." Saw said.

To that the Kings face lit up "Jedi?"

Saw nodded "Yes sire."

"I've been waiting a long time for this." Saw said holding up his grapple gun "Follow me sire, Onderon awaits." Saw raised his hand to shoot out a grapple but it collided with a one way shield that spread over the entire palace garden, trapping them "A one way shield." The garden was suddenly filled with battle droids who surrounded Dendup and his savior, followed by Kalani and Leo they forced Saw to his knees and slapped him in cuffs. "Take the king back to his room, and take the terrorist to a cell for processing." Kalani ordered the droids

"No." Leo said to the droid "This man is a dangerous terrorist and must be interrogated." Kalani objected back to him "You think this man is afraid of pain, he broke in here to save his King, that means he's willing to die for him." Leo said looking down at Saw who tried to break free from the droids but they held him in a literal iron grip.

"I have a better idea." Leo said grinning walking up to Saw "What's your name?" Leo asked Saw.

"Saw Gerrera and my people will avenge me." He said "Avenge you, now why would they do that?" Leo asked scratching his chin "Why kill you, when I can use you."

Back at the hideout the rebels were all everyone together to hear Steela's plan for rescuing Dendup "Our contacts in the palace have given us the time they'll be moving Dendup to the spaceport, do you have any questions?" she asked them after explaining it.

"It's a risky plan, but it's our best shot." he agreed before turning his head to the Jedi.

"Will you join us?" he asked AHsoka. "I can't. I've already been more involved than the Council wanted. I'm afraid we've been instructed to sit this one out." the padawan replied.

Suddenly Dono, the rebel Steela had ordered to follow Saw suddenly ran in. "They have Saw. He's alive, but I watched them take him away." she said before Steela folded her arms and Lux stood. "We have to save him." he said earning shouts of agreement before the rebels started grabbing weapons. "No. We have to save King Dendup. We don't have time or the bodies to do both." Steela said, making them stop and look at her. "He's your brother." Lux said. "That's what Saw would want, what he would expect. And I expect the same from everyone in this room." she replied. "I know it's a hard choice, but I agree. Purpose must come before feelings." Ahsoka told them.

"You won't have to." Everyone looked to the doorway to see Saw standing there, unshackled and not imprisoned.

Everyone looked at him in absolute surprise that he was there "S-Saw?" Steela gasped "How did you escape?" Lux asked smiling as he walked in, glaring at Ahsoka directly "... I didn't, they let me go."

"What?" Ahsoka asked "Don't act so surprised Jedi!" Saw snapped at her "Saw?" Lux asked, seeing he was taking his anger out on Ahsoka.

"Stop protecting her Lux, she's in on it." Saw barked, pointing at her accusingly "In what?" Ahsoka asked at the sudden accusation.

"Primus, you know him, when he released me he asked me to give this to you." Saw reached into his pocket and pulled out a holodevice "A holodevice they could track us back here?" Lux snapped.

"You think I'm that stupid, I double checked it before I came here but the message is clear." Saw said, turning it on "Ahsoka, Lux it looks like you lost something." The image of Leo appeared before them arms crossed.

Ahsoka went pale when they called for her by name and even Lux looked nervous "I asked our mutual friend Saw here if he'd deliver this message to your rebel friends, I must say I'm impressed with how bold you guys are breaking into the palace as if we didn't have some security around the King?" Leo asked, chuckling.

"Wait impressed isn't the world underwhelmed is." Leo said, giving an evil smile, "He threw me out, just to humiliate us... I'm sorry" Saw grumbled to Steela as the recording continued.

"Now I can only assume that Saw here tried to rescue the King before we could remove him off planet. I know your rebellion is so keen on restoring an old man with no heirs who chose complacency over his own people." Leo said as he paced back and forth on the hologram field "Well man this is awkward." Leo said looking at the floor.

He raised his head "Because a dangerous terrorist broke into the Royal Palace, to kidnap the King we've had to expedite him off world for his own safety, immediately." Leo said sending the entire room into a commotion "Your King has already left Onderon, I can tell you he's enroute to Raxus or already arrived by the time you get this message." Leo's recording said smugly.

Saw's face fell hearing that his entire effort had made matters worse, Ahsoka looked over to Lux who looked at Steela. The leader's face was grim eyes closed and Leo wasn't done yet "So right now, you probably had some plan to save the king for all the people to see, well to bad. I'm going to make an address tomorrow when the King was suppose to leave if you Rebels are brave enough come face me in the public, see who the people follow?" Leo asked them.

"Will they follow a group of terrorists seeking to restore the old order of an incompetent old man, or join the future with the rest of the Galaxy, you have until dawn to either meet me in Yolhan square or get out of my city." The recording cut and all eyes looked to Steela who was looking at Ahsoka.

Soon everyone was "So what do we do now?" Dono asked.

"We find out what's going on, Ahsoka?" Steela asked arms crossed "Why are you looking at me?" She asked.

Steela drew her blaster and aimed it right at Ahsoka before Lux got between them both "Steela, what are you doing?" Ahsoka asked for her lightsaber but before she could Saw grabbed her "Not so fast Jedi."

"I saw you go into the palace last night, directly into Governor Primus's room and now this happens, just what kind of game are the Jedi playing?" Steela demanded to Ahsoka "If you'd just let me explain."

"We can't trust her, trusting outsiders is why we lost Onderon in the first place." Saw barked to the crowd of rebels who were slowly turning into a mob, Saw was about to speak again before he felt a blaster on his head "Let-her-go." Lux growled.

He did so slowly as Lux had the room "Ahsoka has saved my life multiple times, she's helped us this far the least we owe her is a chance to defend herself." Lux said loudly.

"Thank you Lux." Ahsoka said stepping forward "It's true I went to the Governors room, you know him as Primus but I knew him before when he was a Jedi named Leo Rock."

"A jedi working for the Separatists, that's impossible." Saw said pushing Lux's arm away "He's not a Jedi, not anymore, he joined the Sith becoming Count Dooku's new apprentice Darth Primus." She explained "The Sith are the sworn enemy of the Jedi, everything we stand for everything we believe the Sith are the opposite, the light and the dark when Leo chose the darkness… he became my enemy." Ahsoka said she was disheartened to admit it.

"Then why go see him?" Lux asked.

Ahsoka gazed upward "To tell him that he was going to lose, that you- that the Rebellion won't be beaten."

The rebels all in distinctly murmured to one another "Ahsoka, do you mind stepping outside we need to talk among ourselves." Steela asked, Ahsoka looked around at all the unfriendly glances "Go Ahsoka." Lux told her.

"I… I understand." She said walking to the exit.

She grabbed her robe on her way out, throwing it over her shoulders and pulling the old over her head, she walked down the nearly abandoned streets still she passed into an abandoned alleyway, using the force to get above the ground level she landed on the rooftop sitting there alone. Looking down into the stone cobbled streets she shook her head "Way to go Ahsoka."

A little later, Ahsoka saw Lux walk out from the compound "Ahsoka?" He called out before she dropped down "Hey?" She asked holding her arm.

"We've talked it over and we've come up with a plan." he said ushering for her to follow him back inside.

When she returned inside, the Rebels turned around to face her "We're going to Yolhan square tomorrow and we're going to face Primus." Steela said to her "What?" Ahsoka gasped.

"You can't, it's a trap." Ahsoka objected.

"We know, but it's not for us." Saw said smirking arms crossed "How do you mean?" She asked "Primus, we're going to assassinate him."

A/N: We need suggestions from you, drop a review with what you think should happen next.