Glad so many of you liked my last chapter, I really gave it a lot of thought and figured I'd try something new. Now before I start the chapter, I forgot a couple of Songs I wanted to mention. Unbreakable by Bon Jovi, Soldiers and Never Back Down. I really want to use those songs.
Now onto reviews.
Mpowers045: Thank you for the kind words
Nitro Zeus: Glad the song ideas I mentioned meet your approval.
Spartan-626: I will admit, during the writing of this chapter I recently watched the 2004 AVP movie. As for the Rakghoul part, I wanted to use a creature similar to the Xenomorphs but without the acid blood, so I choose the Rakghouls. As for more Dooku and Robert moments there won't be that many left and Anakin will indeed be following his heart and not the influence of Sidious.
Now, time for the newest chapter. Disclaimers are the same as before please enjoy.
Chapter 30: The Enemy Revealed
May 25th 2020, 19BBY
Coruscant
1000 hours
Normal point of view
The success of destroying the Obelisk and the Shrine beneath the temple proved to be a much-needed victory for the Jedi order. With both Dark Side objects destroyed, the darkness that surrounded them for so long was starting to vanish and the council was able to pinpoint a strong presence of a Dark Side user in the senate. As to who was emanating this presence, that was still a mystery but it was clear that a politician wasn't who they claimed to be. Nonetheless, Mace once again instructed Anakin to report on any actions the chancellor had taken in an effort to ensure that if Palpatine refused to step down after the war ended the Jedi would take over the senate until a new Chancellor was elected.
This didn't sit well with Robert. Mace once said that politics have no business in the Jedi order and that attempting to take control of the senate, if even for a brief time would cause the Republic to see the Jedi as 'the true master minds' behind the war and actually allowed it to happen.
As if that wasn't bad enough, Anakin was starting be torn apart with his loyalties between the Jedi and his friendship with the chancellor. He had been having nightmares of Padme dying in child birth and Palpatine told him that a Sith Lord named Darth Plaguies The Wise was able to keep the people he loved from dying.
Believing this information could save his wife, Anakin confided to Robert that he may even be able to save Ahsoka from dying as well. This caused Robert to become increasingly cautious around the Chancellor and decided it was best to keep his own tabs on Palpatine, by secretly bugging the Chancellors office.
Despite this, Robert decided it was best to get the answers from a Sith Lord himself. In this case Dooku.
When he arrived at the temples prison level, Robert found Dooku meditating with his new prosthetic hands fitted firmly in place of his old ones. "I've got something I want to ask you, Count." Robert said.
Opening his eyes, Dooku smiled as the shield to his cell disappeared and Robert entered. "Then by all means my boy, ask your question." Dooku answered and motioned for Robert to sit down.
"Can the dark side be used to prevent someone from dying?" Robert asked. Dooku then let out a small chuckle which made the Lone Wolf feel like he let out an Anime Sweat Drop.
"No one can stop death; it is a part of life. Why do you want to know?" Dooku asked. Robert than explained about what Anakin told him about Darth Plaguies. "My knowledge of this Sith Lord is rather limited, I only know that he was murdered in his sleep by his own apprentice whose identity is unknown, even to me. However, told Skywalker this information, it is clear that they are afraid of the Prophecy and want to turn Skywalker to the dark side." Dooku said seriously.
"Seems like someone isn't telling the truth." Robert summarized.
"I wish I could have fought by your side once again my boy, but I am more than pleased with telling you about your mother." Dooku said with a smile as Robert left the counts cell. Turning back and smiling towards the former Sith Lord, Robert wished Dooku really could have that chance.
His thoughts were then broken when his commlink beeped and Threepio requested his presence at the hospital immediately. He did so and when he arrived, he found Padme holding two newborn babies, a boy and a girl whom she named Luke and Leia. It was then that Robert saw that Padme was in prefect health and showed no sighs of a failing body.
'If Anakin kept having nightmares about Padme dying in child birth and Padme is in perfect health, then that means Sidious was manipulating Anakins dreams as a way to turn him to the dark side.' He thought to himself.
By the time Robert returned to the temple, Anakin had informed the council that the Chancellor's spies had located General Grievous on the outer rim world of Utapau where Obi-Wan and Anakin had found a large kyber crystal several months ago. Not only was Grievous on the planet, but the separatist leaders were there as well. With Dooku in custody, Grievous was the last remaining obstacle into getting the Separatist leaders to surrender.
It also seemed that the Chancellor had requested that Anakin be the one to deal with Grievous. However, Anakin suggested that Obi-Wan be sent instead seeing as his old master had more experience in combating Grievous. Agreeing with Anakin's idea, the Council sent Obi-Wan and the 212th to Utapau and bring in the droid general. No one knew that this was all part of Sidious's plan.
On Utapau, Sidious instructed Grievous to send the Separatist leaders to the one planet that the Jedi would not find and also ordered the general to put up a good fight before retreating to the same planet. Bowing to his lord, Grievous carried out these orders.
Back on the Republic capital, Bail Organa, Mon Mothma, Giddean Danu, Terr Taneel and Lux Bonteri were discussing the current state of affairs in the senate. All six senators were discussing the recent actions the Chancellor had taken. While all of them trusted the Jedi, the recent revelation that Palpatine had appointed Skywalker as his representative on the council was troubling, but all of them were very relived to hear that Anakin had rejected the offer of becoming a member of the Jedi Council, but this was only half the problem.
Palpatine had begun to appoint governors to oversee the sectors of the republic, the constitution was in shreds with amendment after amendment being overwritten by executive directives daily and the it became clear that the Chancellor was starting to become a dictator. Lucky for the senators they were about to get some much-needed help in getting the chancellor removed from office.
Just before Bail was about to speak Kalani stepped into his office with BATS and Barney by his side. "Pardon the intrusion Senators, but General Ross and I have some important information that all of you should be aware of." The former separatist droid said getting a few confused looks from the senators.
"My nephew bugged the Chancellors office. I know it borders on the line of treason, but the kid hasn't had a lot of trust with the Chancellor like all of you have right now. Especially considering the fact that Chancellor ordered Anakin to kill Dooku." Barney added putting the minds of the senators somewhat at ease.
Bail was still concerned about this sudden development and raised his concerns with the three until Barney already gave some of the information acquired from the Chancellors office indicating that the Chancellor knew about the ties that senators like Lott Dodd had with the separatists but purposely left them alone, allowing the war to further escalate. This would be valuable information to use when the time was right and decided to keep this information a secret from the Chancellor, which he did by uploading the data onto a private datapad.
As this was going on, back the Range Robert had just finished cleaning his handguns and was now working on cleaning one of the many AK rifles that were part of the Expendables arsenal. He had just finished cleaning the receiver components of the AKS-74U carbine when his commlink beeped. Answering it, he found that Breaker had some come across some information given to him from Chancellor who was still unaware that the Lone Wolf had bugged his office. Apparently, the Chancellor had been contacted by an unknown party with information regarding the identity of Darth Sidious. The unknown party however wouldn't give the information directly to the republic for fear of his life and asked that the Lone Wolf meet him in the lower levels of the city, more specifically the works sector, the farthest from temple and closet to the senate.
"This has trap written all over it. But trap or not, I have to take this chance. Who knows, I might just find something leading to Ahsoka's location. The pain I've been feeling is telling me that bastard Tarkin is hurting her knowing it's causing me pain." He said to himself and quickly reassembled the carbine, attached a red dot sight, muzzle break and forty-five round magazine to the weapon, holstered the handgun his wife-to-be gave him and donned the same combat gear he wore on D'Qar. His armor would be a dead give away to any ballsy mercenary and bounty hunter looking to collect the bounty on his head, so the armor he wore would have to suffice for this mission. Thankfully, he had a skull bandana he got from Barney to due his friendship with Captain Scott Mitchell of the legendary 1st Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group, better known by their nickname 'Ghost's'.
Taking his weapons and making sure his gear was secured, he headed for the meeting location, not knowing that he walking directly into a trap set for him by the enemy.
Roberts point of view
No matter where I go in the galaxy there always seems to be someone who wants me dead. This was true to my current situation. The moment I neared the location of the meeting, a rocket was fired at my speeder and I was forced to evade like hell if I wanted to live. It took all of my piloting skills to try and evade the missile which then slammed right into the ground.
I was barely spared a moments reprieve as another missile approached and slammed right into the speeder. I struggled to gain control and keep my speeder from crashing into a building full of innocent people. As my altitude dropped, I spotted a small alley near the meeting location and guided my speeder towards to the location. One of the engines exploded and with only one engine left I wasn't going to get another shot at preventing any innocent lives from being killed by my own hands.
The second I had just reached the alley, I jumped out of the speeder and landed on a pile of old mattresses which cushioned my landing. I looked towards the speeder which slammed into the wall of an abandoned housing complex leaving nothing but flaming wreckage. Getting of the old bedding units I was about to make my way to the meeting place when a blaster bolt screamed past my head, hitting the wall behind me.
"AMBUSH!" I shouted and took cover behind a nearby dumpster, holding my carbine tightly as blaster fire continued to streak overhead hitting the concrete or the dumpster. The amount of suppressing fire kept me from making any movement. Taking one of the smoke grenades I had, I pulled the pin and tossed it towards the direction of the blaster fire. I threw another smoke grenade and waited as the two non-lethal grenades exploded creating a cloud of smoke which obscured the views of my attackers causing them to stop firing and allowing me to move forwards. Roadie-Running from the dumpster to a new piece of cover that was closer to the enemy, I slid behind the wall, hunkered down and pulled down my night-vision goggles and peaked out of cover and saw numerous heat signatures coming from the upper level of the same building my speeder crashed into.
I took out another two smoke grenades and tossed them towards my attackers again creating a smokescreen which blinded my attackers and allowed me to move to the door of the building. Since the shooters couldn't see me, I kicked the door in only to be met by a few hostiles with Trade Fed blasters pointed towards me and about to fire.
Lifting my hand, I pushed three hostiles with the force against the wall before spraying them with a burst of 5.45x39mm rifle rounds ending their miserable lives without a second's hesitation. More of the attacking thugs poured down from the upper level's blasters armed and at the ready. Before they could even fire their weapons, I downed them with a longer burst of Russian rifle rounds downing most of the attackers.
Slinging my rifle over my back, I pulled out my pistol and one of my frag grenades which I then tossed towards the remaining attackers after I pulled the pin and ducked down. A shower of shrapnel took out the other hostiles from the upper level leaving either bodies filled with grenade fragments or blown off limbs and wounded enemies.
I felt no pity for them as I walked past them, leaving them to bleed to death. They were trying to kill me and all I wanted from them was information on the location of the person that I loved and that really pissed me off. Someone lead me into a trap and knew the route I would be taking all to well. I smelled a rat and it was really starting to smell awful.
My thoughts were broken when a barrage of plasma rounds flew towards me. Diving down to the ground I fired my AKS at my attacker, a Trandoshan Elite armed with a LS-150 ACP Repeater. My bullets bounced off their armor and I was forced to take cover behind a wall. More Trandoshan mercenaries and other attackers poured in from behind the heavy lizard alien. The amount of enemy fire proved to be so great that I couldn't even lob a grenade, frag or smoke.
For a second, I felt like I was going to die but then fate intervened. Fate in the form of a barrage of blaster bolts that mowed down dozens of hostiles. Looking towards the direction of the shots, I was shocked to see Thire, Jek, Rys, Stone, Thorn and Hound rushing forwards with their blasters blazing with fury. "You didn't think we didn't know about your meeting, did you kid?" Jek asked tossing me a BS-1 grenade launcher which I attached to my carbine while the Coruscant Guard trooper laid down covering fire with his own carbine while Thorn sprayed the enemy forces with rounds from the Hammer.
"We've been keeping this place under surveillance long before you even came guns blazing." Thire added lobbing a detonator towards the enemy which exploded and took down a few more tangos while the others retreated.
"What can I say, as a guy in love I do crazy things." I joked running out from cover and fired one of my grenade launchers 30mm rounds which sent several tangos flying out the windows and landing outside in a dumpster. "See? Crazy." I added and loaded a fresh round into my launcher.
"You're crazier than Wrecker." Thorn pointed out slinging his custom Z-6 over his shoulder and unholstered his pistols. "What the hell are you thinking going into battle without your armor? You'll get killed in seconds like my men were." He added.
"Be a dead giveaway to who I really am. Besides, I'm no super soldier. I'm just your average everyday superhero." I stated and walked past the dead bodies, unclipping one of my sabers from my belt, ignited the blue blade and began to cut through the door. "Jek, Rhys, prepare a few flashbangs." I ordered.
The two troopers nodded and prepared said grenades as I finished cutting the door. With a strong push with the force, I sent the door flying and the two troopers tossed the grenades and we took cover as the grenades detonated. Disoriented from the blinding light, the troopers and I mopped up the remaining men. Once the light subsided and the hostiles were dead, we found the informant dead from an interrogation. "DAMN IT!" I shouted, slamming my fist against the wall.
Suddenly, much to the surprise of me and the troopers the wall nearby suddenly opened up revealing a passageway. "Didn't see this coming." I said.
"Captain, I've got something here on this datapad. It looks like this is a tunnel system that leads towards the senate building and 500 Republica." Hound said handing me the said datapad.
That's when it hit me. "Sidious. Chancellor Palpatine is Darth Sidious. I should have seen it!" I exclaimed.
"You sure about that? The Chancellor a Sith Lord, do you really…." Thire began before we all heard a beeping sound coming from the informant's body. "BOMB! EVERYONE IN THE TUNNEL NOW!" I shouted. The others doubled their pace and once we entered the tunnel network, the bomb exploded collapsing the entrance behind us.
"Shit! Can't go back that way. Anyone…" I began before I felt something calling to me through the Force. Running off leaving behind the six Coruscant guard troopers I ran down the tunnel as fast as my legs could go.
I had gone a few feet before I entered a large chamber and I came face to face with a small group of Geonosians who were just waking up. "BUGS!" I roared and fired my carbine riddling the insect aliens with bullet holes. Sadly, the gunshots woke the other bugs and they were none to happy with what I had done. As the rest of the bugs woke up, the clones had caught up with me and began to blast the Geonosians before they could even fire their weapons.
"What the hell are the bugs doing on Coruscant?" Thire asked.
"I think you know my answer to that Thire." I answered, trying to convince commander that Palpatine and Sidious were one in the same. Thire still didn't believe me, but that was all about to change sooner than he believed.
One of the commander's shots hit one of the bugs in the arm, causing the enemy to drop their sonic blaster. The trooper was about fire another volley from his rifle when a blaster bolt hit his shoulder forcing him to drop his rifle. Looking towards his attacker, the commander was shocked to see several of the Chancellors Red Guards all armed with either force pikes of the MK II Paladin blaster rifle that special members of the chancellor's guard used. One of the guards aimed their blaster rifle at the trooper and just as they were about to pull the trigger, they were sent flying into the wall behind them thanks to a timely assist from me.
"I told you it was the Chancellor and you didn't believe me. Well here's your proof Thire, those are his guards." I spat towards the Commander, firing a full magazine into the guards taking down half a dozen of them while the rest were mopped up by the others. However, these were only a patrol and more of them came running towards us.
It wasn't wise to fire my grenade launcher at the incoming 'guards' and firing my handgun with a bunch of guys with meter long 'shock sticks' was out of the question. Underneath my bandana, I growled with frustration, slung my carbine over my back and unsheathed my sabers. Even before the blades were ignited, I charged towards the followers of the man responsible for the deaths of so many innocent people. My blades soon snapped to life and once again, the Wolf has shown his fangs.
(Start Get Out Alive)
Blocking a strike from one of the red guards with my green blade, I slashed the guard across the chest before reaching out with the force and grabbing one of the guards with a blaster, sending him flying backwards knocking down several approaching battle droids that were also part of Palpatine's security detachment.
Normally, I prefer to shoot my opponents and give them a lead sandwich as their final meal but today I was hungering for some slice and dice action. One of the guards lunged at me with their pike but I was able to roll out of the way and leapt into the air, landing in the center of the guardsmen. Caught unprepared I proceeded to cut them down with out a moments hesitation. They were the enemy and I hold no sympathy for the enemy.
Slashing away at the guards and redirecting blaster fire away from the Coruscant guards I continued to eviscerate my enemies without any consideration.
Blaster fire from my allies mopped up any of the hostiles I missed. I reached out with the Force and grabbed a nearby container and sent it flying into a group of arriving battle droids and terror troopers crushing them.
Despite the odds being in the favor of the enemy, I continued to hack and slash at the enemies when appearing behind them was a swarm of Terror Droids exited from one of the other containers all of them being followed by a larger droid exited another container, firing deadly missiles towards me and the troopers. Grabbing the missiles with the force, I sent them back towards the firer which were then shot to pieces by a series of blaster bolts fired from the droid's anti-personal lasers.
"Big and ugly. Man, why do I have all the luck?" I joked to myself and unleashed a powerful force repulse which disintegrated the horde of Terror droids before I leapt into the air again and landed on the back of the massive droid, plunging my sabers into the back of the massive droid, creating a hole that exposed its power core.
Taking one of my remaining frag grenades, I pulled the pin and tossed into the exposed area and leapt off the droid as the grenade exploded. It dealt a lot of damage to the droid but didn't destroy it. Still active, the droid raised one of its legs attempting to crush me into a pulp, but I grabbed it with the force and held it back for a few seconds before I used the force to lift it up into the air as its legs curled up like a dead spider does and then ripped the legs in half, leapt into the air, ignited my sabers and cut the droid down the middle leaving nothing left but smoldering remains of metal.
(Song ends)
"Damn, captain you have some moves." Jek said impressively as the last of the hostiles retreated.
"This is nothing compared to what I can do with my armor." I remarked shutting down my sabers and walked over to a wounded Thire. "You believe it now Commander, Sidious and Palpatine are one in the same. He set all of us up to do his dirty work and manipulated Fox in trying to kill Fives because he knew the truth about the inhibitor chips. He used you, so what are you going to do now?" I asked the commander.
Thire looked up to me with and removed his helmet revealing that he had also removed his inhibitor chip. He wasn't the only one. Jek, Rhys, Stone, Thorn and Hound removed their own helmets revealing they had also removed their inhibitor chips after Dutch was killed. "We also removed are chips. I never want to kill my own brothers." the commander stated.
I smiled. Before I could say anything, I sensed a disturbance in the force emanating from the senate. "Get back to base and get a squad of troopers ready. The Jedi are about to make a foolish mistake and we need all available Guardsmen ready to arrest the chancellor." I instructed, hoped on a nearby speeder bike and sped towards the senate.
Normal point of view
With Saesee Tinn, Agen Kolar and Kit Fisto by his side, Mace walked into the chancellor's office. Early that day, Obi-Wan had contacted the council that he had made contact with General Grievous and was engaging in a fierce lightsaber duel and instructed Anakin to inform the Chancellor of the recent development.
Sadly, Obi-Wan later reported that Grievous had escaped. But the biggest surprise came when Anakin reported that Palpatine was indeed a Sith Lord having told Anakin that he knew the ways of the Dark Side of the Force.
With this information Mace and the four council members that were still at the temple went to arrest the Chancellor in order to save the Jedi Order and the republic. Despite Anakin's plea that they were going to need his help, Mace ordered Anakin to stay at the temple and wait for his return. This was partially due to the fact that Mace still didn't trust Anakin after all the reckless actions Skywalker had taken, but mainly due to his friendship with the Chancellor.
"Master Windu. I take it that General Grievous has been destroyed then, I must say you're here much earlier than sooner." The Chancellor said faking a surprised tone and complete unaware that the listening device the Lone Wolf had planted was sending the events to every citizen in the republic, be they criminal or senator.
"In the name of the Galactic Senate of the Republic…" Mace began as the four Jedi ignited their lightsabers. "You're under arrest Chancellor." He added.
Palpatine was unmoved by this, got up from his seat pulled his remaining saber from his robe, ignited its blood red blade and hurled himself towards the four Jedi with a war cry. He plunged his saber into the body of Agen Kolar before slicing Saesee Tinn across the torso leaving only Mace and Kit Fisto.
Kit blocked a few strikes and would have been killed had it been for Kit leaping out of the way of the strike before igniting his fallen Padawan's lightsaber. He never got the chance to attack the newly identified Sith Lord as Red Guardsmen arrived and surrounded the Jedi Master.
Outside the senate, both Robert and Anakin had arrived and made their way towards the Chancellors office. Robert however had a more difficult time since he ran into some Battle Droids who were disguised as cleaning droids who then began to open fire on the Lone Wolf. "I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS!" Robert roared and fired his carbine while running through the volley of blaster fire.
Back in the Chancellors office, Mace and Palpatine continued their duel matching each other move for move before Mace finally disarmed the Chancellor and shattered the window of the Chancellors office just as Anakin arrived.
Still trying to convince Anakin to join the dark side, Sidious tried to make it seem that the Jedi were trying to assassinate him while Mace was trying to keep Anakin on the light side. Sidious then unleashed a torrent of Force Lighting causing Mace to block the electrical attack which was sent back to the Chancellor which deformed his face.
"I'm going to end this, once and for all." Mace admitted.
"You can't. He must stand trial." Anakin protested.
Meanwhile, Robert had used the last of his carbines ammo and was down only to his handgun when Kit arrived. "Go, Skywalker needs you. I'll deal with the droids." The council member said. Robert nodded and bolted for the chancellor's office.
Back in the chancellor's office Mace was still poised for the final blow. "He has control of the senate and courts. He's too dangerous to be left alive." Mace reminded the former slave while Palpatine tried to 'beg' for his life.
"Its not the Jedi way. He must live, I need him." Anakin begged. Mace ignored this and raised his saber and prepared to kill Sidious only to have his saber holding hand cut off by Anakin leaving the master swordsman vulnerable to an attack by Sidious who sent Windu plummeting to his death below.
For a moment it seemed like Anakin was finally going to give into the dark side and become Sidious new apprentice, but that moment was shattered when leaping over a kneeling and confused Anakin was Robert who delivered a painful one-legged kick to Sidious chest, pushing the master mind behind the entire war back a few inches from the edge. "Leave. Him. Alone." The Lone Wolf declared igniting his sabers.
"What are you doing?" Anakin asked.
"You think he can help you save Padme from dying? He'll just kill her and your children so he can turn you into a monster. She's already given birth, she's alive. What you saw was a vision that Sidious planted in your mind so you would be his. He's afraid of you because of the Prophecy, that's why he wanted you." Robert stated and admitted.
"It matters not. Skywalker may not have embraced the dark side when I manipulated those pathetic sand people into kidnapping his mother, but one way or another Skywalker will be mine!" Sidious declared and began to electrocute Robert.
Hearing this, a newfound resolve came into Anakin's mind. Now he knew who was responsible for his mother's death and wanted the man he once thought of as a friend to be brought to justice. Igniting his saber once more, Anakin got in front of Robert and deflected the lightning being sent to boy Ahsoka loved, sending it outside the building. "I'll never turn to the Dark Side. You failed your excellency. I am a Jedi, now and forever." Anakin declared.
Sidious growled with disgust at what he just heard. To think the man, he tried to manipulate for thirteen years had just announced that he would never join the dark side. "So be it… Jedi. If you will not be turned than you will be destroyed." Sidious declared, summoning his saber back to his hands before clashing with Anakin.
"You still don't get it Anakin; I was the one who organized everything. The blockade of Naboo, the Separatist Alliance, the War all the leaks about the republic offensives the separatists were more than prepared for. Taking the people of Kiros and selling them into slavery, the attack on the Jedi temple, framing your padawan for terrorism, I was the one who has been molding you into your true self; my new apprentice." Sidious gloated completely unaware that all he said was being broadcasted to the entire galaxy.
"Keep your ideals. I don't want them." Anakin responded, sending a powerful Makashi slash towards the Sith Lord who quickly countered the attack.
"You could have all the power in the galaxy and yet you deny your rightful place by my side, why do you still side with the Jedi, even after they stood aside as your padawan was almost sentenced to death?" Sidious asked, pushing Anakin into the hallway where they continued their duel.
"I have a reason to fight. My family. My Padawan. They are the reason I will never turn to the Dark Side." Anakin answered countering a Niman strike from the former Chancellor before locking blades with the Sith Lord.
"Pathetic." Sidious countered, pushing Anakin back into the wall before attempting take Anakin's head off only to have the chosen one to roll out of the way. "I have great things planned for the galaxy. Once more the Sith will rule the galaxy and you Skywalker will be part of those plans." Sidious added.
"Hate to break it to you old man," Robert said from behind, sucker punching Sidious square in the jaw. "But those plans aren't going to come to fruition." He added before he was joined by several Senate Commandos, Tan Divo, Thire, Rex, Barney, Ray, Lincoln, Caesar and several dozen Shock Troopers.
"Chancellor Palpatine or Darth Sidious." The Lieutenant began. "For crimes against the galactic republic, you are hereby under arrest." He added.
"Drop the lightsaber 'sir'. We've got you outnumbered." Rex added training his pistols on the Sith Lord.
Sidious just chuckled. "If that's how you want to play it. Well than, Captain Rex, Execute Order 66." The Sith Lord stated. Rex didn't move, neither did Thire and the shock troopers.
"Sorry 'sir', but I am not going to follow those orders. Besides, I removed my inhibitor chip. Same goes for my brothers here. Slick was right about one thing, we were slaves. Slaves to a bastard like you." Rex snarled.
"Pathetic creatures." Sidious growled and plunged his saber into the ground cutting a hole in the floor and escaping. Several shock troopers approached the hole and fired their blasters, only to have their shots deflected back at them by Sidious.
"Go after him, General. I've got to get the word out to the rest of my brothers about the Chancellor." Rex urged. Anakin nodded and jumped down the hole after Sidious with Robert right behind.
Down in the maintance passages below the senate building, Sidious pulled out a special commlink that connected him to all Clone Commanders across the galaxy. "Commander Cody, the time has come. Execute Order 66." He instructed.
On Utapua, amidst amongst the blaster fire and explosions, Cody received the order and responded. "Yes, 'my lord'." Cody said to the chancellor but he didn't follow the order. Instead, he ordered the gunner of a nearby ATTE to target the core ship several levels above where Obi-Wan was heading towards. The Mass-driver cannon fired and massive projectile slammed into the side of the core ship destroying one of its engines.
Obi-Wan wasn't the only lucky Jedi. On Felucia, Aayla Secura was almost killed by one 327th trooper that didn't get their inhibitor chip removed. Just as the trooper was about to fire, Bly saved his general and killed his 'brother'.
On Saleucami, Commanders Ponds and Neyo had received the order and were about to warn Adi and her cousin Stass, but Stass was killed by a trooper who also didn't remove their inhibitor chip. Adi sliced the clone's speeder in half killing the trooper before she stopped to check on her cousin, only to find that she had died.
Other Jedi weren't so lucky. In the midst of a raging blizzard on Mygeeto Ki-Adi Mundi was gunned down by Commander Bacara's men who completely ignored his and Jet's orders to stand down. It did little good for despite taking down a few troopers, Ki-Adi was gunned down. "What have we done?" Bacara said, removing his helmet before roaring as the wind blew past his face.
High above one of the cities on Cato Neimodia, Plo Koon flew his starfighter through the wreckage of recently shot down droid starfighter with Warthog and Captain Jag by his side when he looked behind to see Jag had fallen put of formation and began to pepper his fighter with cannon fire. Lucky for the Kel Dor Jedi Master, Jag was quickly shot down by Warthog who flew along side his general and gave him a two-finger salute.
On Kashsyyyk, Commander Gree had also received this order and walked over to Yoda. He looked to the other trooper that was with him and shock his head no. The other trooper however, who also didn't remove his inhibitor chip raised his blaster and was poised to execute the grand master of the Jedi order, only to lose his head.
Before Gree could explain the situation, Luminara just contacted the grandmaster telling him the droid army had just begun to retreat from the planet. It wasn't just Kashsyyyk, all across the galaxy the droid forces began to retreat from all active battlefronts across the galaxy.
Back on Coruscant, Sidious had reached the hanger bay below the senate containing his personal Eta-Shuttle which was fueled and ready for immediate departure. He was about to leave when Anakin and Robert arrived, their sabers ignited and ready. "You think we're just going to let you get away? You got another thing coming old man." Robert stated, throwing off his armor and tying his bandana around his head.
"As much as I would love to stay and fight the two of you, I'm afraid I have a more pressing engagement with your pathetic lover." Sidious said before he snapped his fingers. Decloaking in front of the two Jedi were a dozen of terror troopers. "But I will leave you with some company." He added, boarding his shuttle which then quickly departed.
As the Sith Lords shuttle rocketed away, the Terror Troopers lunged towards Anakin and Robert who made quick work of the troopers. By the time the others arrived, flight control had reported that Sidious shuttle had just entered hyperspace and they were unable to track his trajectory. "We may have lost him, but now he's got nowhere to run. He still doesn't realize that I bugged his office and everything he said and the duel was broadcasted to the entire galaxy." Robert said.
He then turned to Anakin. "You didn't kill Mace; you weren't even an accomplice. You were confused. Sidious was the one who killed Mace. Despite everything, you stayed true to yourself and rejected the Dark Side. Qui-Gon would be proud of you. You deserve to be happy Anakin. I'm sorry I kept the fact that Padme gave birth from you, but if you knew about this than Sidious would have used that to his advantage." He added.
"I know. I still can't believe it. Not only am I a father, but I nearly joined forces with the person who no doubt would have killed them. Its because of you that I am still with the Jedi. Thank you." Anakin said, smiling and holding out his hand.
Robert took Anakins hand and shook it. "We'll find Sidious. He doesn't have long." Robert stated.
What neither of them knew was that the moment Sidious's shuttle dropped out of hyperspace over Earth, he contacted Darth Maul and gave him his new orders.
So that happened. Palpatine was revealed, Mace, Saesee and Agen are dead, Kit is still alive, Anakin stayed with the Jedi, knows he's a father, the galaxy knows the truth, Order 66 failed to achieve its full objective, Grievous is still alive and Darth Maul has returned to center stage. A lot to take in, don't you all think.
I know that it may seem that to many Jedi are still alive, but keep in mind that I don't know the name of every single Jedi that survived or was killed during Order 66, but keep in mind that not all Jedi were spared the cruel fate of being betrayed by their men.
Now, I have noticed that many people have voted for the A-10 for the Aircraft the Lone Wolf should pilot when he gets to Earth. I will admit, the A-10 Thunderbolt is one of my favorite fighter planes, but keep in mind it is a close air support attack aircraft and is more suited for attacking ground targets like tanks, enemy ground troops and other land-based units. It is not suited for dogfighting; despite the fact it is armed with the powerful 30mm cannon. While it does appear, I will use that aircraft, I want to here which Air-Superiority Fighter Aircraft you would like to see the Lone Wolf pilot, for dogfighting.
Anyways, next chapter will feature what I hope to be a long and large-scale battle before we reach the climax of the story. I want to know, should I bring in the prototype of the X-Wing or not? That is one of my favorite Starfighters.
Please read and review and I will see you all next time. Good night.