Chapter 26

Twilight of Rendili

CATO NEIMOIDIA

The Republic fleet under command of Anakin and Ahsoka had engaged the Separatist Fleet, they were five Cruisers against four Separatist Dreadnoughts and a swarm of vulture droids. Anakin led a squadron of clone fighters above a separatist cruiser taking out its lower cannons and engaging a squad of vulture droids "Targets clear Ahsoka, bring the rain." Anakin said as Ahsoka's own squadron escorted a group of bombers down into the starbattle.

"Follow me boys." Ahsoka called to her squadron "Copy mother bird, Rainmen you are going for our run." The lead bomber said back to the Y-wings descended down on the frigate dropping their payload. Ahsoka and her fighters took out the vultures droids as the bombs made contact, shredding through the droid shields and destroying the haul. The clone fighters scattered as the bombs unleashed a chain reaction across the ship "All fighters, break off." Ahsoka ordered seeing the explosion.

Anakin saw it soon after pulling away as the Separatist dreadnought exploded, its front bow flew off crashing into the one on the left while its left drifted into the other one making the others engine catch fire stranding it dead in the water. One one strike the Republic navy had crippled the Separatist fleet "Admiral Yuralen, focus the fleets fire on the last two ships, Ahsoka and I will escort bombers back to the fleet, all squadrons support the carriers, we'll be on Cato Nemodia before you know it." Anakin said.

When the bombers and Jedi returned to the Resolute II, Anakin exited their cockpits with a big smile on his face. Ahsoka came out and when she saw Anakin's warm smile she melted into it "Ahsoka how did you know that ship was going to detonate like that?" He asked.

"Well Master we've been destroying them for so long I just trusted my instincts?" She said as he came over patting her on the shoulder, she looked away blushing at the praise.

"Man wait till the council hears about this, speaking of we should go report to them anyway we can learn about what's the situation on, Rendili." Ahsoka's smile went away when she heard that.

Later, the two Jedi were on the bridge watching Admiral Yuralen and the fleet mop the last dreadnought before it exploded to "The last Separatist ship has been destroyed General shall we begin the assault on the planet?" Admiral Yuralen asked as the Separatist frigates withdrew in retreat down to Cato Nemodai.

"I bet we just gave the Viceroy a serious headache?" Anakin said "General?" Yuralen asked.

"Oh right, hmm Ahsoka?"

"We should do a planetary scan, they've probably set traps across canyons, we'll need to know which areas to avoid before we move on the capital?" Ahsoka said.

Anakin gave a firm nod "That's my girl."

"I try." She said "In the meantime I've taken the liberty of contacting Coruscant."

The three headed over to the holotable before both the usual three Jedi Masters who oversaw the war appeared, Kenobi, Yoda and Windu "Is it always them?" Ahsoka asked.

"Who else, you're up Ahsoka?" Anakin whispered back to her.

Ahsoka stared at him blankly "What?" She asked "This is your win."

"The Separatists blockade around Cato Neimoidia has been broken, we are awaiting a full planetary scan to avoid any mines set over the canyons and plateaus." Ahsoka reported "Well done Ahsoka, the sooner Cato Neimoidia falls the better." Obi-Wan said, smiling at her.

"We've suffered minimal casualties but that could change, there's no telling how heavily the city is defended." Ahsoka said to them.

"What's the situation on Rendili?" Anakin asked suddenly.

The Masters turned to him "The Rendili Garrison and General Rocks forces have held the planetary defense shield for now, but they are suffering heavy losses all of Rendili is under siege." Obi-Wan told them.

"Any word of any clone troopers we can send?" Ahsoka asked them.

"We are… formulating a plan, but it's taking longer then expected." Mace Windu told the two of them "What kind of plan?" Ahsoka asked.

Windu glared at the apprentice at her overstepping, "Forgive my Padawan Master, but I would like to know as well?" Anakin asked.

"In order for security purposes this close to Cato Nemodai is better we not say." Windu told Anakin quickly, frowning Anakin gave a slow nod "Understood, Masters we'll let you know if we run into any more trouble or better yet when the planet is ours."

The cut the transmission, Admiral Yuralen turned to Anakin "I'll oversee the planetary scanning General."

"Thank you Admiral." Anakin said before he looked at Ahsoka "And well done Commander, that blast would have destroyed half our fighters and both of you."

"It's a full time job keeping my Master safe.' Ahsoka said, slugging him in the shoulder playfully, Admiral Yuralen smirked while Anakin glared at her playfully grinning. When the Admiral was out of earshot Ahsoka turned to Anakin "Master, I'm sorry about what happened there."

Anakin was caught off guard at her sudden apology "Don't worry Ahsoka I barely felt a thing."

"No not that how I spoke to Master Windu, I shouldn't have done that I'm just worried about Leo that's all." She said.

"So am I, his first command and defending an entire planet from invasion by fire doesn't even begin to describe it." Anakin said, crossing his arms walking around the holotable, Ahsoka followed his hands behind his back. They walked out of the bridge down the hallways before stopping at a window watching one of their cruisers go by, the haul opening up with the starfighters returning to the hangar for a well deserved refuel and rest.

Anakin leaned on the window "I looked at the file from who's leading the assault, General Kleeve, his record he's virtually unknown to the Republic?"

"He's known in circles in the outer rim, like Admiral Trench?" Anakin told her "Can Leo beat him?" She asked.

Anakin shook his head "I've never known Leo to lose a one on one fight, or give up without one, but leading an army?"

"Don't you trust him?" Ahsoka asked "I do, after your reports from Onderon he should be up to the task with Clones." Anakin said, smirking.

Ahsoka turned away when he brought up Onderon "Ahsoka, I didn't mean— I'm sorry."

"It's okay Master, Onderon in the past." She confessed her back to him.

"You had feelings for him didn't you?" Anakin said suddenly making Ahsoka blush and go pale at the same time.

"Master I-" "That Bonteri boy, Lux right?" He asked her, Ahsoka breathed a soft sigh when her Master walked around her to be in front "Right?"

Ahsoka shrugged at his questions "How could I love someone who didn't love me back?" She asked.

"What?" Anakin asked her "You saw how he looked at Steela Master, I was jealous, unsure it left me off balance." She said looking out the window now, but really she was looking at herself "Leo being there only made it worse because when I saw him when I felt his presence I felt… I felt..."

"Even more conflicted?" Anakin tried to guess.

Her head snapped back "Hope."

"... Hope?" Anakin asked her.

"I know it sounds crazy Master, but seeing Leo, seeing him again after so long even when he had turned to the dark side I wanted to bring myself to hate him, to make him pay for betraying us but I…." Ahsoka started to shake her head and she couldn't help smiling "But I couldn't Master, not to him, not for Rusty no matter how hard I tried I wanted him back with us and now he's a Jedi again, when I see him I can't even say a full sentence without knowing what to say." She said, shaking her head throwing her hands up in the air.

Anakin listened and looked out the mirror to and saw Ahsoka was actually looking at herself "I think I know exactly what you need."

"You do?"

"Well what we need, we should all go back to Telerath soon?" Anakin said, hands on his hips "That resort planet?" She asked.

He nodded excitedly "We had such a great time last time, you me, Leo, we should even have Obi-Wan come with us."

"And if he doesn't, oh come on we've dragged him along on worse missions." Anakin said leaving the window behind "We could all use another vacation." said Anakin.

RENDILI

Inside the main entrance of the base, the 703rd was licking its wounds alongside the Rendili garrison, despite being on the same side the two rooms were clearly divided blue clad Rendilians on one end and white armored clones on the other, walking in the middle of them was Commander Alpha his helmet under his arm. Not far from him and aware of his approach Tess and Gallan were sitting, "Look ask that one."

"No you ask him." Captain Tess said over to Gallan "Ugh fine."

Gallan stood up walking over to Alpha "You, clone."

Commander Alpha kept walking "Clone I'm talking to you." Gallan said grabbing Alpha by the arm, in a flash of white armor Alpha took Gallan's arm, twisted it and slammed him on the floor.

"Gallan!" Tess snapped, faster then Alpha had put the impudent officer on his backside were the clones and the rendili on their feet "You just put your hands on a higher ranking officer soldier, now should I break your arm to teach you a lesson or should you apologize?" Alpha asked him.

Gallan took one look to see that if Alpha were to break his arm a small civil war in the room would break out and they'd all be in trouble "My apologies… sir." Gallan said before Alpha let him go.

The two sides retreated back to their corners before Gallan was on his feet "I just wanted to ask you something about your General."

"Well you might as well, since we put on such a show?" Alpha asked, crossing his arms, Tess had joined them "Captain Tess told me she heard that the General held off a hundred Geonosian warriors when he was only a child?"

Alpha looked over at Tess before Gallan spoke "She clearly had to be mistaken right?"

"No, I was there." Alpha said walking over to his helmet, he'd dropped it when he gave Gallan his lesson in proper chain of command etiquette. "You-you were?" Tess asked.

Alpha nodded "Armor was red then, different General too." Alpha said, his words carried over the hall reaching curious ears "We we're leading an assault on a Geonosian droid factory, the bugs were dug in deeper then we were here." He said walking over to a crate and sitting down, if he was going to tell a story. The officers joined him and so did the rest of the room who were all eavesdropping "The plan went to hell in a handbasket in a matter of seconds." Alpha said snickering.

"Our forces were scattered, the General and I were in the vanguard well he was a commander then." Alpha corrected himself before he continued "Anyway the bugs were everywhere, in front of us, behind us, above, General Krell took a nasty hit and was down so the commander ordered us to retreat to an overlooking hill that's when you saw it." Alpha said leaning in, Gallan and Tess leaned in to "Saw what?" Gallan asked.

"That's when you saw the Berserker." Alpha said, actually smiling, showing his teeth "I remember watching all the bugs, they just kept coming and coming." Alpha retold "The Jedi didn't give an inch, he was everywhere and so were they jumping through the air to clip their wings, cutting them in half with his lightsaber like they were made of paper. He must have taken three hits at point blank range and he kept fighting."

The clones and the Rendili near them listened too "He gets knocked out of the air by their guns, he keeps fighting, he loses his commanding officer and he keeps fighting, they send hundreds of warriors after him and he keeps fighting, calls in an airstrike on his positions almost dies and keeps fighting." Said Alpha, his voice trembling with excitement seeing the officers on the edge of their seats "And then what?" Gallan had to ask.

Alpha shrugged leaning back "We blew up the factory and then he got buried alive and again…." Alpha held up his hand to them "He keeps fighting." Tess said, her lip curling up.

"All the rumors you've heard about him." Alpha said getting up "Completely true."

Outside the base, the Kage Warriors had finished cutting the throats of the outer patrol, now they were scaling the cliff side with nothing but their hands and climbing claws between their they reached the left side of cliff of the mountain they hurried up to a pair of crates large enough to hide the three of them. Sake peaked out from behind the crate to see clones and rendili soldiers guarding the main entrance, looking around he saw a vent close to them under one of the gun emplacements. "That's our way in." Sake said pointing to the vent ten feet off the ground on the concrete tower holding up the gun.

Ruto and Kura saw it nodding "Believe it."

"Really." Kura hissed.

"Knock it off you two." Sake ordered silencing them.

Following their leader, the squad moved in the shadows avoiding any cameras or unwanted attention till they redhead the vent. Sake went right to the wall turning around holding hands locked out front ready to scoop, Ruto came up next and jumped off his foot to run up the wall activating magnetic pulses on his boots he stuck to the wall before he came to the vent and started to unscrew it "Hurry it up." Kura said seeing a clone patrol heading their way.

The patrol included Dogma, Hotshot and Jax, "Can't believe Whiplash is gone." Hotshot said next to Jax.

"He died bravely, he wouldn't want us to mope." Jax said putting his hand on Hotshots shoulder "Right Dogma?" Jax asked.

Dogma didn't answer he was looking over at the gun emplacement seeing the shadows of the Kage warriors flicker in the moonlight. "Dogma?" Jax asked.

"What?" Dogma asked turning around "About Whiplash, he wouldn't want us to mourn him like this?"

Dogma lifted up his helmet so they could see his face when he spoke to them "When I was on Umbara, we buried a lot of our brothers, lot of the veterans who'd been with Captain Rex since the start of the war it's never easy, if it were we'd be like the droids." Dogma said looking at his helmet "The best thing you can do to honor his death is to live for his memory, as long as we live our brother's memory will never die." Dogma said putting on his helmet and going over to investigate the shadows.

Jax and Hotshot followed him "What do you think he means by that?" Hotshot asked.

Jax just shrugged before they came up to the gun emplacement "What you find sir?"

"Could be nothing?" Dogma said looking up at the vent still there "Isn't it nothing I don't see anything?" Hotshot said looking around.

Dogma looked up at the vent where the three Kage Warriors had crammed into all being silent as ghosts "Yeah… nothing, come on we still got two more hours on our patrol." Dogma said leading his men on.

The three shinobi sighed in relief "That was close." Kura said.

"To close, let's go." Sake insisted.

Eventually they had maneuvered their way deep into the base, over the vent of the officers quarters and inner workings of the base. They went over barracks of sleeping Rendili, Clones and weapon storages till they came to a vent with a blue hue coming out from it. Sake held up his fist for them to hold curious peeking down; he saw Admiral Tarkin in a transmission room speaking to none other than the Supreme Chancellor himself.

"Hmm that certainly is an interesting development excellency." Tarkin said up to the Chancellor's hologram, "Indeed it was a surprise, certainly from Orn Free Taa of all people."

"Who would have guessed it beneath all that blubber, there was a spine, does this complicate matters?" Tarkin asked, ignoring the joke he'd made.

The Kage Warriors looked at one another confused about what they were talking about "Perhaps, if Rendili should fall we will have the perfect reason to call for more clone soldiers to occupy the system and the Rendili will be unable to resist or too desperate to refuse."

"Disgusting politicians." Ruto growled under his breath, Sake hushed him "There is the matter of General Rock." Tarkin pointed out.

"Hmm yes, quite troublesome for my plans and your place in them Admiral." The Chancellor said his voice shifting suddenly from the polite elegance to something, something else.

Tarkin listened to the Chancellor when he asked "What is your assessment."

"... He is steadfast in his convictions, skilled on the battlefield, even wounded, like a beast he's more dangerous, very similar to other Jedi I've met however I believe this is a ruse, excellency?" Tarkin confessed.

"Elaborate?" The Chancellor asked "I pride myself in being able to read one's adversary, there is more he wants something, an ambition for greater things Chancellor would we be wise to watch him or… use him?" Tarkin suggested.

The Chancellor scratched his chin "I will consider your proposal Admiral, till then await further instructions." The Chancellor ordered "I live to serve my lord." Admiral Tarkin said bowing before him.

The Kage warriors waited till Tarkin had left the room "I thought we'd jammed out all the transmissions they were sending?" Kura asked.

"Questions for later, we need to find the Jedi we have a job to do, you heard him he's wounded and exhausted we won't have a better chance." Ruto urged them.

Sake grumbled under his hooded cowl "We heard what he said 'like a beast, even more dangerous' we still have time to turn around." Ruto said to the others.

"Don't worry, I've got something for that Jedi." Sake said reaching into the folds of his gi to pull out a special gauntlet slipping it on his right hand pressing a button on his wrist the glove electrified in the palm powering up for its purpose.

The two others shook their hoods "No we came this far." Kura pointed out "Very well, we should be close." Sake said moving forward. They came to a larger vent over the officers quarters hallway and opened it dropping down, Kura took out an X-ray device from her belt and held it up to the walls scanning for body temperatures and sizes till they found the right one. Kura gave them a nod to the right door and the three of them lined up at the door, Ruto knelt down and started to pick the lock with a set of tools on his belt. When it opened the three crept in to see Leo laying on the bed, slowly they drew their knives ready to pounce but they were three cobras to slay a deadlier animal.

Outside the base, Dogma, Jax and Hotshot were patrolling the perimeter "What are we doing out here Dogma?" Jax asked.

"I thought I saw something?" Dogma said looking around a corner, they walked past a flight of metal stairs that would lead up to the top of the base where the planters shield dish was sticking out and their own shield to protect the base. "Shouldn't there be another patrol here?" Hotshot asked when Dogma walked around the corner.

Lying on the ground their necks snapped was a squad of dead clones "Oh no." Dogma said when Jax looked over his shoulder to see a commando droid "Look out!" Jax tackled DOgma out of the way of the commando droids vibro sword. Hotshot opened fire on the commando droid but it just turned looking at him before it ran at him "Hotshot!" Jax shouted.

Hotshot kept firing at it but its armor was too tough, it grabbed Hotshot by the neck before Jax took the butt of his long blaster rifle and smashed the droid's neck knocking off the head. "How'd it get past our perimeter?" Jax asked.

"Don't know if there are more." Dogma said holding up his wrist communicator "Commander Alpha, we just encountered a commando droid outside the base, there may be more." Dogma reported.

"Alerting all patrols, find the rest of them and scrap'em." Commander Alpha said back.

Dogma nodded "Understood Commander, Jax, Hotshot come on." Dogma said running up the flight of stairs to the higher part of the base.

Back inside, the sound of the scraping of metal out of sheath was soft as a feather but a lion's ear is just as trained as a Jedi's senses. Leo's green eyes shot open and the three of them jumped over his bed bringing their daggers down. Leo rolled out of bed grabbing his lightsaber before the knives stabbed the bed sheets and feathered pillows.

Leo saw the three shinobi and began to giggle "Assassins?" Leo turned on one end of his lightsaber lighting up the room with the white laser to showing his grin "And I didn't get your boss anything."

Ruto moved first leaping at him from the left, Kura kicked off the wall and Sake charged him head on, Leo watched them all. Each had duel vibrio daggers with electrified blades, Ruto was the closet so Leo held up his lightsaber to block two slashes, turning over to take Kura next Leo kicked her away before be locked Sake's blades against his "Vibroblades, they do their homework." Leo said before he smashed his head against Suke's forehead staggering his back.

Kura reached into her gi and pulled out three shurikens launching them at Leo, he cut them in half before he sliced the last one that was two close cutting him across the brow, Leo staggered back feeling the blood trickle down his nose, Ruto through down a smoke bomb filling the room with white smoke "Oh clever." He said.

"You can't fight what you can't see." Kura said before Leo closed his eyes, he raised his lightsaber behind him, blocking Suke, then to his right low where he grabbed Ruto by the neck and blocked Kura's blades again. Leo started to cough feeling the smoke get into his lungs.

"What's wrong Jedi, having trouble breathing?" Kura asked, pressing her blades harder against his guard. Leo broke the lock and ran for the door breaking out of it coughing and trying to breath. His senses alerted him to another barrage of throwing stars and he dodged them before rolling down over the hallway the three assassins chasing him. Leo raised his lightsaber and the three assassins tailing after him. Ruto attacked high, Kura came low with Suke in the middle each at a different angle. Leo blocked Sake first before dodging Ruto's overhead attack and flipping onto one hand to avoid Kuras. He spun his lightsaber and went on the attack after Ruto, the shinobi was well trained and fast, with every swing Leo threw at him with his lightsaber Ruto blocked it and when the knight found an opening one of the other assassins attacked him.

Meanwhile, Dogma, Jax and Hotshot were walking up the stairs blasters looking at all the shadows around them "What are the droids after, why sneak past our defenses?" Jax asked.

"Destroy them, kill the officers, could be anything we have to find them first." Dogma said.

"Over there!" Hotshot shouted pointing to a trio of commando droids kneeling by the base of the planetary shield generator's main column, the one closest to the column was wearing a sling of explosives over its metal chest, the other two holding blaster rifles one with a sword, they had planted three explosives against the column "They're after the shield Generator!" Dogma shouted holding up his blaster rifle.

"Aim for the joints, those are its weak points." Dogma ordered them, the commando droids dodged and evaded returning fire with E-5 blasters. Jax hit the metal walkway floor taking off one of their heads before another with a vibro sword leapt over the fallen commando droid and ready to impale the clone trooper "Jax!" Hotshot ran forward shooting up at the droid, his blaster bolts glanced off it before the Commando droid fell on him with the sword running Hotshot through "No!" Jax cried before Dogma appeared shooting the droid at point blank range.

The last one, the one with the explosives turned and fled "Take off the explosives it laid, I'm going after it." Dogma ordered running after the last one.

Kura tried to stab Leo in the back but he spied his lightsaber around, the narrow hallway walls were clipped by the blade leaving searing melted steel scars in the wall. She came at him with everything she had cutting left, right and above with her daggers. Leo raised his arm before her next strike force pushed her toward Suke, he jumped kicking off the wall to kick Leo in the jaw. He fell into the wall with a heavy thud.

Raising his arm, Suke hurled his left dagger at Leo, the knight dodged just when Admiral Tarkin door opened and he poked his head out, the dagger flew less than hair across his nose lodging itself in the wall. Tarkin took one look at the dagger before shutting the door tight.

Seconds later the alarm blared across the base alerting everyone to the danger, "See what you did now, have you seen Tarkin he needs his beauty sleep." Leo rose to his feet

The alarm went up and down the bae all the way to the command center where Commander Dallin heard it as he looked over the defenses "What?"

A hologram appeared of Tarkin in his room, "Commander, assassins have entered the base."

"Leo." Dallin said under his breath before he turned to his officers "Seal the base, nobody in or out." Dallin said drawing his blaster pistol and running out the door with his guards.

Back in the hallway, the assassins heard the base come alive with people "We need to go!" Kura snapped over the alarm "No, we stay- we finish this." Ruto said sprinting at Leo, he raised his daggers at the Jedi waiting with a raised guard. Sake saw Leo was waiting for him and Ruto was charging head first "Ruto no!"

The Kage Warriors lunged at Leo swiping left and right, Leo blocked both each strike before Ruto jumped into the air to try and over power him but the last thing he saw was Leo's lightsaber. Ruto's de captained head hit the floor seconds after his body hit the cold metal floor "Ruto!" Kura screamed when Leo turned to them, holding up his lightsaber pointing at them Leo turned on the other end, spun it around and held up his hand open palmed, he curled his fingers back two times.

Sake and Kura raised their blades "Don't lose focus Kura." Sake said.

"I-I won't." Kura said before they moved as one.

Sake came at Leo from above, Kura below cutting and slicing, Leo blocked their attacks with his double bladed lightsaber using the longer weapon to keep them at bay before Kura jumped over Leo flanking him. Moving toward her Leo forced Kura back down the hallway with Sake trailing him, while Leo chased her with his lightsaber hacking at her daggers. Sake sheathed his right vibroblade and armed his shock gauntlet.

Kura had drawn Leo out of the officers quarters and into one of the larger hallways near the main entrance. Kura reached into her robes again throwing more shurikens and blades at Leo, Leo dodged and flipped out of the way. When he landed Kura was on him throwing herself at Leo with her daggers catching both ends of his lightsaber in her lock "Whatever the Separatists promised you, I hope your friend's life was worth it." Leo growled.

"More than you know Jedi, something you could never know." She growled under her mask, "And what would that be?" He asked. That's when Leo saw Sake in the reflection of Kura's eyes and the shock gauntlet, smash into his back "Freedom." Sake said unleashing hundreds of voltages into Leo. Kura jumped away next and the surprise of the shock made Leo cry out and drop to his knees still holding his lightsaber, Leo's jaw clamped shut as he took it.

"Why is he still alive?" Kura asked.

Sake looked up at her "I- I don't know the power should have killed a beast twice his size?" Sake said as Leo felt the gauntlet burn into his skin. Kura's attention was drawn away from Leo when they saw Commander Dallin and two Rendili soldiers come around the corner "Leo!" Dallin shouted, running toward him with his blaster raised.

"Kura." Sake ordered as he held Leo there. The other assassin jumped in the way of Sake blocking the blaster shots with her vibro blades, Dallin and his men didn't stop running at her. To protect Sake as he electrocuted Leo to death, Kura met the Rendili soldiers halfway taking her last two shurikens she hurled them into at the Rendili, the metal shards met their marks hitting the throats of Dallin's guards but the Commander was able to move at the last second so it only cut his ear. He dropped his blaster when he was a foot away from Kura and he went low tackling her to the ground. On top of her, Dallin smashed his fist into Kura's face mask, knocking it off, he hit her again, bloodying her teeth. Kura tried to stab her left dagger into the large rendilian, bit overpowered her when she tried catching her left arm and smashing it on the floor knocking the left dagger out of her hand, but she still had the right.

Outside Dodoma had chased the last commando droid around the roof of the base, and up a ladder where it was now climbing not the planetary shield generator but the shield generator that protected their base. Dogma opened fire when he was up the ladder shooting it in the back trying to take off its head but the droid kept climbing before it armed its explosives. Dogma had no choice but to jump off the platform before the explosion shook the base.

Inside Commander Dallin's battle fury vanished when he felt the base shake, he looked down at his blue and brown jacket, Kura's right dagger was struck deeply into his side caught in his ribs.

"JACE!" Leo shouted seeing Dallin get stabbed, the Commander coughed up his blood and looked up at Leo, Dallin turned back to Kura and with his other hand, Jace grabbed her by the throat with an iron grip squeezing with every ounce of his strength. Kura forced her dagger through Dallin's ribs right into his heart. In that instance Sake and Leo heard Kura's neck snap from Dallin's final ounce of strength. Kura went limp and Dallin fell down on top of her.

Sake looked at her turning away to focus their mission, ending Leo's life "Is this the peace you fight for Jedi?" Sake asked, taking his hand away from Leo.

The Jedi shot to his feet raising his lightsaber over his head before Sake smashed the shock gauntlet onto Leo's chest, the electrical surge running through his body locking his muscles "People killing each other because they want to be part of the Republic or not?" Sake asked turning up the voltage "Huh Jedi, is this how you keep the peace?"

"Forcing good men to die for you?" Sake berated, looking into Leo's green eyes "For your Republic and it's lies?"

"Then let's die shall we?" Sake said, holding up his dagger to stab Leo like Kura had Dallin.

Sake's arm started to move, but it wasn't moving up to Leo, it started to tremble rising up to Sake's right arm . "W-what are you doing?" Sake grunted feeling his arm and the rest of his body wasn't his own. Leo's teeth were barred and his force had taken control of the assassins arm in one fluid motion Sake's left arm came down on the right severing the gauntlet from Sake's use and Leo's chest.

The assassin fell back screaming through his teeth, he dropped his dagger and grabbed what remained of his right arm "... Jedi Sorcerer." Sake cursed at Leo who was still standing.

Leo's eyes were locked over at Dallin, then back to Sake. His right arm gushed out blood when he reached for his dagger he drew it and lunged at Leo, Leo moved to and grabbed Sake by the face "Die." Was all Leo said before the force from the deepest darkest part of Leo's soul found its way into the light. Force lighting coarsed down Leo's arm through his hand into Sake's head. The surge of force energy set Saske's head a light burning away the hood, vowel and his hair while the Kage screamed in agony. Two pops of his eyeballs bursting out of his head could be heard under the screams, what came next was Sake's head exploding splattering Leo with his remains, the Kage's body fell down in front of him. Leo looked at his hand and the feeling of the dark side had come back, he had gone to it without a second thought the only thing that brought him back was the sound of Jace's coughs.

He turned away, suddenly dropping his lightsaber. He ran over to Jace and pulled his I'm off of Kura cradling up to him "Commander- Commander?"

Jace's mouth was spitting up blood from his torn insides, his face already pale and eyes going dim "Leo…." he gasped.

"I'm here Commander." Leo said, holding him up "Leo..." Dallin started to say "Don't talk, don't talk save your strength- MEDIC!" Leo screamed down the hallway hearing footsteps.

Dallin held up his hand "No… listen to me." He wheezed spitting up more blood "Leo, I've spent my whole life… following someone else's orders, leaving everything…. my wife…. my daughters to fight in other people's wars…." Dallin's head shook, turning his face towards Leo, the young Jedi's eyes were swelled with sadness, mouth opened lip trembling.

"Promise me… promise me something Leo…?" Dallin asked.

The jedi nodded "I will- I'll promise you anything just hold on." Begged Leo.

"Don't just fight for others…. Find a reason to fight for yourself- if that means so you can get back to that girl you love…hahaha all the better." Leo looked up to see Commander Alpha and Captain Tess had arrived with reinforcements, when Captain Tess saw her father her jaw fell like her heart. When he looked back down Commander Jace Dallin, veteran and hero of the Stark Hyperspace War, a loyal soldier to his people and the Republic was dead.

"It was a trick!"

The others in the hallway looked down the other end to see Admiral Tarkin, other officers and members of the base were there too with Tess's men and the clones "The assassins were a distraction, the separatists sent in commando droids to blow up the planetary shield dish, Rendili is lost." Tarkin declared, Leo laid down Jace on the floor pulling out the blade from his corpse and tossing it away while Tarkin started to bark orders at the clones and Rendili soldiers.

"Commander Alpha, begin loading out men on whatever ships we have we must flee the planet." Tarkin said walking up to Leo "General we must leave." Tarkin said over him. Leo laid Dallin's hand over his chest, Tess Dallin came up kneeling over her fathers body as Leo got to his feet. "General, I suggest you and I board the next available transport for Coruscant before the droids attack us." Tarkin said over him, when Leo was standing up looking at all the faces of the Rendilians and clones, but not at Tarkin "General Rock are you listening, if we don't leave soon we will all die?" Leo snapped his head up to him.

Leo looked at the men in front and behind him "I heard you Admiral….."

"So what are you going to do?" Tarkin asked him.

On his feet Leo walked over to where his lightsaber was, picking it up "Someone once said if he had to choose between life and death, he'd always choose life so that's what I'll do."

Tarkin sighed in relief "Then let us head to the hanger with haste." The Admiral suggested.

"No." Leo told him.

"No?" Tarkin gave him a curious look. "I said I'd choose life, if we run now then we choose death for everyone on Rendili… Jace Dallin knew that, he didn't have to come and save me but he did for that purpose." Leo said, turning to the soldiers. "Look at your Commander, there he lies defiant to his last Breath!" He barked.

Leo raised his lightsaber hilt to them "How will you honor his memory soldiers of Rendili?" He asked, appealing to their honor "Will you follow Admiral Tarkin and retreat, cower in fear when Rendili needed you most, when the Republicn needed you?" Leo asked looking over to Commander Alpha and Gallan, Tess was still kneeling over her fathers body.

"We can do more than just break this seige, we can destroy this army in one battle, in one strike." Leo told the soldiers.

Tarkin couldn't hold his tongue "General in order for our plan to work we need a fall back position, if we blast the valley walls we leave ourselves exposed this battle is over."

The young Jedi looked at Tarkin then at the "We charge them then." Leo suddenly said.

"For what, the glory?" Tarkin asked him.

"For the victory." Leo said standing in front of Tarkin "Your plan will have turned the tide of this battle Admiral, saving Coruscant saving the Chancellor." Leo said playing on Tarkins vanity and ambition "Who's with me!" Leo shouted to the soldiers.

Nobody said anything until behind the clones someone cried out "I am sir."

The clones parted for Dogma with Jax behind him "I'm sick and tired of hiding behind a trench, those clankers want us then they'll have us."

"Can't argue with that." Commander Alpha said "Right men?" Alpha asked his brothers, the 703rd answered with a resounding battle cry with the Rendili soldiers cheering alongside them.

MORNING

General Kleeve was sitting in speeder with a droid driving flanked by two droids on speeder bikes, in front of him was a holo transmitter. "No word from the Kage my lord, we can only assume they failed." Kleeve said addressing Count Dooku, the Devorian General "And you are reporting this why?" Count Dooku asked him. "Because my lord, I sent a team of commando droids to destroy the shield generator; they succeeded in destroying the enemy base's shields. We will overrun them within the hour Rendili will soon be free of Republic rule. " he said as his convoy flew over the remains of broken droids up the mountain road.

"Hmmm most impressive General, perhaps if you succeed I will agree to your invasion of other worlds." The Count said before Kleeve bowed "My lord, I will contact you when victory is ours." Kleeve replied before the Count cut the transmission as the speeder came up to the top of the Republic/Rendili base. The trenches and remaining sandbags had been piled up at the entrance where the Rendili garrison and Republic forces were entrenched. Kleeve exited his speeder and approached the trench halting thirty paces from it.

In the trench Leo pushed his way past his clones and climbed out of the trench "There you are." Kleeve said seeing the jedi.

Kleeve waited for Leo to walk up to him and stopped five feet away "I take it my assassins failed?" Kleeve asked.

Leo nodded "Mostly." Leo said "And you are?" Leo asked

"They were good men, I hope to honor their sacrifice and as for me I am General Kleeve of the Separatist Alliance General Rock." Kleeve said hands behind his back looking at the young Jedi "What do you want?" Leo asked him.

The Devorian nodded "Right to the point good, then you must know you can't win this, surrender, you and your men will be spared I give you my word."

"You know I can't do that." Leo told him "We all have our choices to make Jedi, you've made yours." Kleeve said, turning around quickly walking away.

General Kleeve, got back into his speeder and Leo returned to his trench. When Kleeve was back across his own lines the separatist looked to his second in command, the super tactical battle droid "Send them all, full attack."

The battle droid nodded "All forces, advance wipe them out."

Across the valley up the road of trenches, abandoned machine gun and mortar pits to the base entrance the clones, Rendilians and Leo saw the droid army marching towards them, a full convoy of hover tanks in front already starting their climb up the road "Here they come." Commander Alpha said up to Leo. The last trench line was packed with every clone and rendilian soldier they had, Dogma and Jax were side by side with Gallan and Captain Tess or now Captain Dallin. Alpha walked over to a large crate and opened it up taking out his rotary blaster canyon "Hello dear, I missed you." Alpha said.

The Rendili were carrying crates with hatches in them, but the hatchets had wires running up the end with switches on them. Rendili soldiers were taking them out of the crate flipping the switches, the hatches becoming electrified "What are those?" Dogma asked.

"Vibro axes, if we're heading down there we need to cut those droids down fast." Dogma asked him.

"So clone let me ask you, can we really expect to survive this?" Gallan asked Dogma.

"I've served with Jedi before. If anyone can lead us out of it, it's a Jedi." Dogma reminded them.

Leo saw the tanks reach the next tevel climbing higher and higher "Incoming vulture droids." Commander Alpha pointed to the sky "Admiral." Leo said into his comlink.

Admiral Tarkin had taken his place in the command center "Incoming fighters, all cannons engage." Tarkin ordered.

The guns of the mountainside base let loose a fury of anti aircraft barrage against the vulture droids, as the droids started to fall out of the sky they crashed in front of the trench, their guns firing down on the trenches. One of them hit the far side of the trench "Hold." Leo said loudly.

The tanks engines could be heard over the line of earth that showed where the road was "Hold." Leo called out again.

"Hold!" Leo said raising his arm when he saw the first tank cannon rise up over the cliff side "NOW!"

Alpha held up a flare gun to the sky squeezing the trigger, a bright red flare flew out in front of the command center window "All cannons fire on the valley walls." The anti aircraft cannons turned away from the sky of vulture droids turning their guns on the mountain's snow capped topss.

From the other side of the valley General Kleeve ran to the edge of his own command mouth ajar, his cybernetic eye focusing on the cannons before he saw the rockslide turn into two avalanches rushing down the mountain face. He closed his mouth and gave a chuckle "... well played." The droids in the valley looked to their left, then to their right the very mountains of rendili had come alive with boulders looking like incoming cavalry. Larger chunks kicked off the ground flying down into the valley floor, the layers of stone and rocks holding up the road caved under the weight of the avalanche and brought the tanks with them. Leo ran out of the trench to the edge of the road followed by Dogma, Tess and Gallan then the rest of the trench running to the edge of the base. The valley's falling rocks had consumed nearly the entire Separatist advance, the tanks were all buried with their guns bent and crooked sticking up out of the ground, the rockslide reached all the way down to the front of General Kleeves camp, larger gaps were filled in with snow and gravel the limbs of droids sticking out of them reaching.

The defenders all cheered grabbing onto one another in celebration at the trap's success, the droid army was nearly wiped out but they weren't finished yet. Leo reached to his belt and took out his lightsaber holding it up over his head "For the Republic!" Leo started to run down the rocks, the Clones and Rendili forces followed him while Kleeve watched from his command post.

"General Kleeve, the enemy is advancing." One of his droids reported "I can see that, send in the rest of our forces." Kleeve ordered when he heard the charging clones and rendili open up fire on the droids. Leo ran out ahead of the others when they reached the bottom of the rockslide, taking the flak drawing the droids fire before he smashed into the droids spinning his double bladed lightsaber to draw more of the droids fire. The rest of the army behind him was washing over the remains of the droid in a fury of blue laser fire.

When they were too close to shoot the droids with their blasters they turned them over into clubs, the Rendili drew their hatchets. Gallan buried him in the head of a battle droid while Tess cut out one's legs and brought it down on their head. Alpha was mowing down the heavier battle droids with his rotatory canyon "Come on your clankers at least make it a challenge!"

Dogma and Jax covered him "Stay with me Jax, stay with me." Dogma called back to. Him. The rest of the clones and rendili forces followed Leo like the tip of spear cutting its way through the droids. Kleeve could see them at the edge of his camp about to break through "Send in the rest of the commando units." Kleeve ordered. The second he spoke, two dozen commando droids came sprinting out from behind Kleeves command center pushing past the B1 and B2 models shooting with pinpoint accuracy into the Republic and Rendili forces.

"We got incoming, incoming!" Gallan shouted to Leo.

Leo ordered when a commando droid came at Leo, "Push forward, we can't lose our momentum." He tried to cut the droid down but it dodged holding two vibro swords. Before it could cut his head off Leo grabbed it with the force throwing it back at the other droids. But it was too late the Commando droids were on the rest of the clones and Rendilians. Alpha, Dogma and Jax were surrounded by the commando droids, the rotator blaster canyon holding them at bay. Their counter attack was stopped just outside the Separatists camp, Leo faced toward Kleeve who watched him. Kleeve smiled seeing the Jedi's desperate charge was about to fail, then Leo saw one of Kleeves droids run up to him and Kleeve's red skin went pink and looked up. Leo followed his eyes to see all the Vulture droids turn skyward disappearing into the clouds.

"Admiral what's going on?" Leo asked into his com "The Separatist fleet is moving away from the planet, something just came out of hyperspace." Tarkin said before Vulture droids started to fall out of the sky followed by bright silver and yellow N-1 Starfighter rain down on the droids and Kleeves camp.

Behind them Nabooian Royal pilots broke off dropping bombs on the Separatist camp taking out their landing ships. Leo heard static coming into his coms "Come in General Rock, do you read?"

"I read, who is this?" Leo asked.

"Captain Oile of the Naboo Royal Space Fighter Corps at your service Master jedi." The lead fighter pilot said flying over Leo seeing him down in the battlefield, Leo saw the Captain give him a salute "What are the Naboo doing here?" Leo asked.

"It's not just us General." Oile said when Republic gunships flew down from the clouds, their doors flew open and the clones looked up to see not clones, but comrades nonetheless. Twi'lek warriors, Naboo Royal Security forces, even the Blue Guard of the Senate Commandos. The gunships landed and the relief force came out reinforcing the Republic forces "What is this?" Leo asked into the coms.

A new voice came out of the comlink "This is Ryloth showing the Galaxy we do not forget those who came to us in our hour of need." Far above the world behind the helm of a Republic cruisers Knight was General Cham Syndulla, beside him was Senator Organa his personal guard working alongside twi'leks and Senate commandos as Naboo starfighter s and Alderaanian blockade runners flying circles around the Separaitst fleet.

Down on the service Leo saw the clouds part and could see through the blue hue of the sky the Separatist fleet being overwhelmed by the unconventional attack. "Senator Taa sends his regards Sir Rock." Cham said through the comlinks.

Leo started to laugh seeing the combined relief force of Naboo, Ryloth, Alderaan and Coruscant run past him with his own forces "I swear I'm going to kiss that fat man the next time I see him." Leo said looking back at Kleeve "But now, let's win this." General Kleeves droids were getting smashed into scrap faster then the droids from the camp could reinforce them, the devaronian sighed "Sound the retreat, ready my ship and inform Count Dooku the Republic have won this round." Kleeve said putting his hands behind his back and walking out of his command center toward a Separaitst transport guarded by commando droids.

By the time Leo and his forces had made it into the camp the droids were in full retreat and General Kleeves private vessel was in the air fleeing with the rest of the vulture droids. "Admiral Tarkin, General Rock, the Separatist fleet is in full retreat the day is ours." General Syndulla reported. The comlink reached the other offices who relayed to the soldiers still around, the loudest cheer spread across the exhausted Rendili and clones who grabbed one another hugging and holding their blasters over their head in celebration. Walking up into the command center around the destroyed battle droids looking at Kleeves chair empty now, sitting in the chair was a Kage Warriors dagger with a yellow ribbon around it. Leo picked it up looking at the dagger pressing it open with his thumb on the hilt he saw the Separatist shield engraved in it, showing it beloved to Kleeve, giving up his weapon to the victor.

Down in the camp, Dogma had his arm around Jax cheering, then they saw the Rendili officer Gallan walking up to them smiling shouting he through his arms around the two clones cheering the brotherhood of battle and victory erasing whatever animosity the clones and Rendilians were spitting at one another. Gallan planted kisses on each of their cheeks "We won, we won!" Gallan moved on to celebrate with his men before Dogma turned over to see Leo standing there, the only one not celebrating.

"General Rock!" Dogma shouted, raising his blaster at him, Leo looked down at Dogma "Rock, Rock, Rock, Rock, Rock!' He started to shout. Jax did so to, then Alpha followed by the rest of the clones "Rock, Rock, Rock, Rock, Rock!" Rendili followed Tess, Gallan and their men. Even the relief force the Twi'leks warriors, Naboo Royals, Senate Guard "ROCK, ROCK, ROCK, ROCK, ROCK, ROCK, ROCK, ROCK." The cheered echoed up all the way to the remains of the Planetary Shield, Tarkin hearing it like nails on a chalkboard.