Chapter 11
Jaylsalm was once a crown jewel in the Sith Empire. The moon was larger than many planets in the Jaguada system. During the glory days of the Great Galactic War and Cold War period, the moon was the leading granary for the system as well, providing subsistence and a thriving economy for this section of the New (Sith) Empire.
After several hundred years of periodic war, which saw the collapse of the New Empire, the Eternal Empire, and the Eternal Alliance, the Republic emerged from the chaos as the only functional government. Systems that had been conquered and others that seceded gradually gravitated back under the Republic banner, ushering in a new era of peace as both the Sith and Jedi were utterly ravaged and needed to time to recover from over a millennium of war.
Yet despite the seemingly glorious revival of the Republic, the Senate made many foolish decisions, decisions that the Sith have been able to exploit over the centuries. The most egregious decision was the utter contempt with which they treated the Outer Rim. These systems suffered the most during the great millennia of war yet they never received the money or material needed to rebuild properly. Even today, those systems are the backwaters of the Republic and there are scars thousands of years old the Republic has never bothered to heal.
Following the death of Darth Kaan, the Sith discovered a new way to exploit the hatred the inhabitants of the Outer Rim had for the Core Worlds. Beginning with Darth Bane, the Sith Order worked extensively behind the scenes to help companies like the Trade Federation and Banking Clan grow and expand. Where public aid from the Republic was never coming, these new mega corporations grew exponentially. This served two purposes for the Sith: the first is it created an economic base that would eventually challenge the Republic and the second is it provided a source of military power that was underestimated by the Republic and would willingly follow the Sith for a chance at revenge.
It was Darth Sidious' destiny to take the power of the Sith from the Outer Rim to the Core, to unite the fractured galaxy under one eternal Empire! The Jedi and foolish followers of the Light would be swept aside. The tens of billions of Force users across the galaxy that refused to swear loyalty to either the Light or the Dark would be given no choice in his new order. They would submit or die. These new Force users would bolster the clone army, providing the foundation for a force that would dominate the galaxy.
But those plans were still in the future. His long awaited victory would be so much easier if he could slaughter as many Jedi possible when they came for him. He vowed though that if no other Jedi perished, he would personally ensure Potter died during the assault. With Potter dead, he possessed the first key to turning Skywalker. As he reached out through the Force to his soon-to-be apprentice, he was pleased beyond words that Potter's own words had caused Skywalker to question the Jedi. He still cared for Harry but he felt betrayed by him at the same time. His death would be a welcome initiation to the depths of betrayal.
Sidious would purge Skywalker of his remaining inner light by murdering his mother (the Sand People would be a wonderful tool for that endeavor) and then he would have Skywalker kill Padme. The Dark Lord cackled. Wouldn't it be delicious if she convinced Anakin she never loved him, perhaps even that she loved Harry? Yes that would certainly break the young man's resolve and fill his spirit with betrayal. And when Skywalker was fully turned to the Dark Side and Dooku's talents in diplomacy were no longer needed, the former would kill the latter. Painfully if Sidious had any say in the matter.
As Sidious basked in the dark emotions Skywalker was emitting, he suddenly sensed the presence of at least a half a dozen pure and bright trains of light pushing hard against the dark barrier he erected in the Force. He had never been assaulted so powerfully by the Jedi and nearly lost control of his shield.
Why would so many Jedi be hunting for me he thought as he summoned pain and despair from Krayt to reinforce his shield. Before he could even harness all the pain he desired, at least eight more trains drove hard from another direction in the Force. The shadow widened his shield; pulling so much energy from Krayt he was certain his apprentice would sense it by now. He could not weaken the lad too much either, not if he expected him to lead the defense of the temple when the Jedi finally arrived.
As the pillars of light continued to probe for weaknesses in his defense and barrel against them in hammer strength blows, he cursed Yoda. The little green abomination no doubt ordered these followers to use any means necessary to occupy Sidious and prevent him from adequately countering their plot to capture him, forcing him to rely on Krayt.
Little did Sidious know that this was only the beginning. After an hour of battling these as yet unknown Jedi, a bright star burst to life in the Force. Yoda was joining the attack against him. Under normal circumstances, the Dark Lord had little trouble evading the Jedi Master but between him and these dozen or so other Jedi, he was categorically overwhelmed. Enraged beyond belief, Sidious set traps and fled as quickly as he could, retreating deeper into the Force. Yoda—damn him!—flanked his collapsing shields and traps and pursued him. His other Jedi, sensing their master, followed his lead and avoided the hasty traps Sidious hoped would buy him time.
With no other options, Sidious extended his senses and drew more power from Krayt and what life he could touch on Jaguada and Jaylsalm. He also drew upon as much power as he could reach from Dooku across the galaxy, his life being the only other with which he possessed such a strong connection. With the additional power as a shield, he released his fury, becoming a vacuous black hole in the Force.
As he prepared to battle Yoda and the five Jedi that were not initially blocked by his shield, he failed to notice the large source of power available to him right here on the moon. Hidden in the darkness, he never considered the Light would plant reinforcements amongst his forces.
"My plan is not open for discussion you miserable fool," Krayt snapped angrily at the idiotic Neimoidian officer who dared question him. His hand twitched dangerously under the table, centimeters from his light saber.
Despite the obvious threat in his tone, the fool would not remain silent. "But milord you must understand how isolated you have our regiment. We are the only force in this quadrant of the moon. Suppose the Jedi have plants among your slave force and when their fellows arrive they instigate a rebellion. We do not have the numbers to put down a revolt and challenge the Jedi here at the temple. In such an event, the closest droid force would take at least 30 minutes to reach us."
Krayt waved away such silly concerns. "The Jedi do not have the ability to conceal such an operation from my master." He sneered. "More to the point, they are too noble to employ such an underhanded tactic as well. One needs to simply look at how weak their attempts to restore peace have been while we've expanded our control throughout the Outer Rim."
The foolish Neimoidians still looked skeptical. Before he could punish them for their insolence, he doubled over, his head pressed against the table as his stomach contracted in pain. He had long ago grown accustom to his master siphoning his power to feed his hunger and bolster his strength. It was in many cases a minor feeling and easily ignored. Once his master fended off the attack from the Jedi or accomplished whatever mission he was conducting, Krayt's power would return.
Right now though was unlike anything he ever felt. His master must have been caught in a terrible predicament to pull so much power at once. Through the haze, he even sensed Tyranus' power being summoned as well; but it made no sense. Who but the Jedi could accost him so? And why now?
Master can you hear me he called through the Force. His master did not respond. All Krayt could sense was a powerful black hole deep in the recesses of the Force being assaulted by the Light. In his weakened state, he didn't know how many Jedi were assaulting him but the Light was overpowering his senses. There could be no doubt the Jedi came ready for war.
The Sith Lord of Pain sat up, taking several calming breaths as he drew as much strength as he could from this new pain. After several hitching breaths, he overcame the feeling of his master feeding so forcefully on his power. When he opened his eyes, he saw every Neimoidian officer looking at him as if he were a living embodiment of their worst fears. Several had vomited and at least two had feinted or fled. When he reached up to feel his face, he realized his hood was down and the spell he conjured to cloak his face had fallen
He smiled carnivorously, relishing the terror radiating off these fools. "You see now my power. Imagine the power of my master. Do any of you fools have any more criticisms?" No one moved until he gestured at the colonel who questioned him before. "Rise," he commanded. The pathetic alien could not hold his gaze but he at least managed to stand straight. Without warning, Krayt ignited his light saber and sliced the fool in half perpendicular with his waist. There was no blood as the two cauterized halves fell to the side with a sickly squelch.
"This is the fate that remains the rest of you if you fail to repel the Jedi when they come for my master. I will tolerate no further insubordination. Am I perfectly clear?" Absolute silence was his answer. "You have your orders. Carry them out and leave my sight."
Once he was alone, Krayt fell back in his chair. He despised himself for his weakness but he could not fully compose himself while Darth Sidious continued to ravage his power. He again closed his eyes and attempted to communicate with his master, to find some way to beg him to ease the grasp he held upon him. It was to no avail though. The Dark Lord of the Sith would do what he felt he needed to survive, and right now he clearly believed that the threat of the Jedi defeating him in the Force was greater than their imminent arrival.
With great effort and focus, Krayt channeled his pain into a wall between his power and physical body. He would be unable to use the Force but he could at least perform physical tasks without doubling over in agony. The vicious assault within the Force the Jedi were unleashing on his master must portend an imminent invasion. The droids would be responsible for raining fire on the Jedi to slow down their assault on the temple but they would inevitably break through. What that dead colonel didn't understand is Sidious wanted the Jedi to have a relatively easy time breaching the temple. And if the Jedi could not break in on their own, eventually the droid forces would retreat within to allow them access. The Dark Lord wanted the Jedi inside so he could lay his trap for Harry Potter and Krayt could kidnap Anakin Skywalker. He did not understand why Sidious wanted the temperamental Jedi. Unlike Dooku however, he knew better than to ask.
Despite this wholly unexpected attack on Sidious, Krayt continue to regard the Jedi as thoroughly predictable beasts. It was safe to assume they would approach the temple from all entrances, or at least most. Since their effort was to capture his master, it was also safe to assume they would leave a force outside the temple to protect their line of retreat. Krayt was sufficiently confident they could drive the Jedi off planet with the droid presence on hand since the Jedi would not be fighting to reclaim the planet but fighting to ensure they could kidnap his master. But if they needed to call in another force to buy time, it should not be much of an issue.
Since Krayt's responsibility was to capture Skywalker and bring him to the meditation chambers on the ground floor, he focused his efforts on stationing prototype IG-80 Magna Battle droids within blocked corridors and blasting holes into the ceiling to give him additional perches from which to scout the Jedi. He deployed 2-3 dozen B-1 and B-2 droids to augment the defenses as well.
The second element of his plan was creating passageways where he could trap Skywalker and reconnect with one of the ancient pathways to the meditation chamber; the chamber was on the ground level but there was no clear way to enter. When the Temple was constructed, a labyrinth of tunnels and halls created a maze to divert people from the small chamber. If one of the Jedi saw him pull Skywalker through a trap in the floor, he could not have his path lead straight to his master. Instead, he spent an additional three hours making sure they reconnected with the original maze. Every path was already committed to memory; having to traverse them with Skywalker wouldn't be an inconvenience.
When he reached the chamber, he hoped perhaps he could speak with his master but he could now see how perilous his battle was with the Jedi. He sat with his legs crossed but instead of his relaxed posture, his back was arced as he face looked skyward. His eyes were closed as he grunted and muttered curses at the Jedi assault. As his energy swirled around him, Krayt noticed new cracks under him along the foundation of the floor. How long could he fight off the Jedi before the temple collapsed? They wouldn't arrive for at least 3 days. Could his master even sustain the fight against the Jedi for that long?
"Damn the Jedi," Krayt snarled.
"Come on you useless Hutt-spawn! Move your asses!"
Ron Weasley and Aridon Flicre both grunted and lifted a large crate from a storage ship and lugged it over to a shaft dug through the moon to the core. Ron let his hand rest on the crate and muttered a short incantation. It was a modified Muggle-Repelling charm Hermione developed a few years ago to distract non-Force users. He used the time traveling to Jaylsalm to teach his comrades this way they could unload crates with weapons and move them where they could get to them quickly instead of leaving them massed in a couple storage ships in one place.
This large canyon was adjacent to Temple C. Based on the location of the planet shafts and equipment; they were going to turn this field into a geothermal generator for this quadrant, or possibly this hemisphere. The overwhelming majority of Jedi infiltrators were responsible for unloading the gear. Ron wasn't sure who arranged that but he suspected one of long term plants the Order of Shadow embedded one of the Separatist slave companies. It was a great plan too. Ron and the others could place the guns where they would do the most good and while a small handful of others could organize the non-Jedi slaves.
However well organized the plan was Ron wished the rest of the Jedi would arrive quicker. Not only because he hated playing a slave but because the later the attack took place, would the more prepared Sidious be. Ron wasn't naïve enough to think the Jedi were springing a trap on an ignorant enemy; nor were the masters on the Council of First Knowledge. Anyone who stopped to even casually examine Sith action during this rebellion and was mildly cynical could not miss the genius of their actions. Every campaign ostensibly seemed small and inconsequential, slowing moving the galaxy to war but nothing overt or even particularly treasonous had yet occurred.
But at the same time, every campaign was also designed to force the Jedi to spread out their resources, at least if they wanted to minimize the deaths of innocents. And when the Jedi refuse to take the bait, the Sith not only win on the battlefield but they could spread propaganda among wavering systems by painting the Jedi as callous and uncaring. It reminded Ron of the blood war back in his time. Voldemort the schemer was nothing compared to Sidious but Rookwood was a sneaky devil. After Dumbledore died and Voldemort started outsourcing his strategy and propaganda to Rookwood, the Order and Ministry were categorically overwhelmed, especially since Moody wouldn't even hesitate before engaging the Death Eaters. Ron shuddered, even after all these years. If Rookwood hadn't chanced been killed by friendly fire in a Ministry raid, Voldemort probably would have won the war.
So consumed he was in his musings, he almost missed the overseer bearing down at him. A clandestine wave by Flicre kept him from being smacked around. "Thanks mate." His colleague simply nodded. One thing Ron never failed to find odd about some of his colleagues was how introverted and aloof they acted. They were steady and reliable but they were so much more withdrawn than other Jedi.
As Ron slipped back into the work routine, he looked up at the sky. It shouldn't be more than 2-3 standard days before the invasion force arrived. If they could capture Sidious, this rebellion would die. The Jedi had done everything they could to prepare. He could only hope it would be enough.
Balmorra Space Station—12 hours later
"The position of the Republic comes direct from Chancellor Palpatine and leaves no room for discretion," stated the Republic Ambassador, E'klass Pibleb. "The Republic does not and will not recognize the legitimacy of any so-called Confederacy of Independent Systems. Rebels captured in arms against the lawful government of the Republic will be considered insurgents, subject to the laws and penalties applicable to their deeds."
Count Dooku smiled genially, not even slightly abashed by the Ithorian's blunt declaration. "Whether the Chancellor acknowledges the Confederacy is irrelevant; the government exists and is recognized as legitimate by the people she represents. I am compelled to point out this attitude on the part of your leader and your government has contributed to the disenchantment of the Outer Rim people with the Republic."
"But sir, what you must understand…what you must understand," Dooku paused, closing his eyes but otherwise showing no unusual emotion. "Forgive me Ambassador. Ma'am. I shall return momentarily." He rose slowly and left the chamber without a backwards glance.
"What the bloody hell was that all about," muttered the ambassador to his aid in his native tongue. "What say you so far Admiral Hollwil? As an outsider to this rebellion, I am curious to hear your view of the Count and his cause."
The admiral did not hesitate to offer her opinion. "The Count is a butcher ambassador. I understand that, as a soldier, I do not make policy, but forgive me if I question the wisdom of negotiating with a man who possesses no honor. I wish I could say otherwise but these wasted diplomatic missions and the snail's pace rebuilding of the Republic Army are doing more to help Dooku and the Separatists. We can only turn the other cheek for so long before they try to square us up."
The ambassador looked like a man who sat on a tack but was far too diplomatic to say anything. "How vivid admiral," he said, giving her a look of feint distaste before excusing himself.
She suspected she would find her way into a report of his back to Coruscant, in unflattering terms no doubt. "Fools," she muttered. She sometimes considered resigning her commission and joining one of the Resistance groups in the Outer Rim. There were plenty of systems that despised Dooku and the Sith rebellion and wanted to defend their borders; they all needed experienced military personnel to lead their militias and were paying quite handsomely.
"Admiral? May I interrupt you ma'am?"
"Of course lieutenant. What can I do for you?"
"Ma'am I wish to review the officer rotation we discussed this morning."
"Are we having issues already," she asked dangerously. Lieutenant Nassjac Dawlanc grimaced ever so slightly but nodded. "Very well. Come to my office."
Once the door was closed, Ariel clicked a button on her desk. "Which officer bracket Lieutenant?"
"B-37 admiral." The live feed came online, showing Dooku grasping a sink and breathing heavily. He reached down and rewound the footage back 75 seconds. "I'd suggest you deal with this quickly," he said, handing her a pair of headphones before raising the volume. "I wouldn't wish the situation to escalate, what with our distinguished guests."
She smiled, thanking fate she decided to promote Dawlanc. She couldn't have asked for a better aide-de-camp. She fiddled with the volume and resolution when Dooku began speaking. It was mostly unintelligible but she caught the mutterings about his master and being attacked by light. He then cursed the Jedi and, after more mutterings, asked if he should return to Jaylsalm but he didn't seem to get a response. After a couple dry heaves, Dooku suddenly arched his back, seemingly in pain. The feed cut after more mutterings about the Jedi coming.
Ariel closed the live feeds and pulled up an archive file from 12 hours ago, shortly after Dooku arrived. This was in his room but there was no video feed. Since she couldn't be sure the Sith wouldn't sense the microphone, they hid it under the floor, as close as possible to one of the shield sensors. His lightsaber couldn't penetrate to touch it and, as events would prove, it was close enough to other electronics to not be readily discernible in the Force.
The audio feed was fragmented but just as today, there were unintelligible mutterings about his master and taking his power and some sort of light attack. Ariel was not a Jedi of course but she was reasonably certain Dooku's master—Darth Sidious if she remembered correctly—was either being attacked by the Jedi through the Force (which made no sense to her) or physically. Based on Dooku's demeanor and actions, she assumed it was the former.
Of course the problem was what to do with this information. If the Jedi were attacking Sidious and she hadn't even heard a whisper about it, no one in the Republic knew. She knew how powerful the Jedi were too of course. How could she not when she met Harry and Obi-Wan? But it wasn't exactly a galactic secret the Jedi Order was a relatively small fraternity, even compared to the might of the Separatists. If they were attacking a Separatist system, they would be horribly outnumbered.
But what could she do? Even if she could convince the Republic to send a scouting force, it would take at least a fortnight.
"Please pull up our dispositions lieutenant," she asked.
He bent over her desk and, after a few seconds, pulled up a hologram of the planet with the location of each of her six flotillas. When she first took command of this station four years ago, it had 2 small flotillas with mostly small arms fighters and light cruisers with no accompanying capital ships. After the hutts were rescued and gave their testimony, her existing flotillas were fully modernized and she received 4 more besides. Centrally located on several hyperspace lanes, the Republic was not going to risk this system just because Balmorra was technically independent.
Based on the map, she could detach three flotillas for an expedition but she could not afford any backsliding from the captains under her command. Since the new flotillas came under her command 18 months ago, they proved competent and loyal but there were limits. If she detached and led three flotillas on an unsanctioned mission, they would rightly fear losing their commissions. It went without saying what would be her fate for issuing those orders.
The men and women under her command though had to understand the Sith threat. If they or the Jedi captured or killed that bastard Sidious, wasn't that worth the price? She saw it that way but would they?
Seeking more information, she looked up how long it would take to reach Jaylsalm. If the flotilla went flat out, it would take the capital ships 25-27 standard hours. She could take a light cruiser ahead of the fleet though. The cruiser, with a better hyperdrive, could reach the moon in 20-22 hours. She swiped away station coordinates and entered those for Coruscant. It would take 3 standard days to reach the moon from the capital. If Dooku's episode last night was the first sign of an attack, her force would arrive a couple of hours after the Jedi. Would the battle be lost by then? Was it worth the risk?
"Can you please inform our guests that I regretfully will need to adjourn and you've consented to sitting in my stead?"
The young lieutenant bowed his head. "Of course ma'am. May I ask how long you may be indisposed? For my own information of course."
"I'd say perhaps 1-2 days lieutenant." She lowered her voice and beckoned him closer. "It is imperative you maintain appearances here at the station Dawlanc. Even this goes off without a hitch, I'm likely out. If anything about this reaches Coruscant before we engage…" She let that hang.
He served with her for four years and spent the last 18 months as her personal advisor. He wouldn't fail her. "You can rely on me ma'am." He gave her a crisp salute and marched out without a backwards glance.
Once he was gone, she spent the next hour speaking with each flotilla commander individually. She was not surprised that four of them were reluctant. After 20 minutes of back and forth, Captain Kricyr Alltoml agreed to join the mission as the third flotilla commander.
"You must promise me Admiral that you will abort the mission if you do not receive word from the Jedi," he insisted. "We will need every minute possible to turn back if we wish to avoid a diplomatic catastrophe."
"Of course Captain. I will fly aboard the Vanicus myself. If I cannot make contact with the Jedi within two hours of my arrival, I will order an immediate withdrawal."
Before she left the station, she swore her captains staying behind to secrecy. Despite their vows, she still disabled their ability to send independent messages outside the flotilla and routed all communications through the station. It wasn't a perfect solution but it would slow down communication enough to at least give Dawlanc a chance to deflect any probing questions or concerns.
"It is a pleasure to see you Admiral," Commander Ciwani Mhazim said as she stepped out of her shuttle. The Cathar lost her planet already to the Sith in this rebellion. Her loyalty and discretion for this mission were absolute.
"Thank you Commander. Are you familiar with our mission?"
"Yes ma'am. Captain Pum'larey's home world is preparing for a Separatist invasion if the Republic doesn't act soon. She has no more love for those people and their Sith puppet masters than I do. Judging by your presence on my vessel, am I correct in assuming we are traveling ahead of the fleet to ensure we can withdraw in time if we do not rendezvous with the Jedi?"
She nodded approvingly as he led her to the bridge. "Excellent deduction Commander. Thank you for taking this risk. I…"
"There is nothing to say ma'am. I love the Republic and I am a proud Cathar. I cannot in good conscious pass up the opportunity to strike back at the Separatists. If I am to be drummed out of the Navy, so be it. It is a small price to pay for the chance to end this rebellion before more suffer and die."
"Well said."
Jaylsalm—20 hours later
From his shanty on the outskirts of the slave village, Gilcor Reabow monitored droid army com channels. Over the past two and a half days, there were increasingly paranoid reports about something happening in the Sith temple. Darth Krayt refused to let the specifics leak to their lackeys in the Trade Federation but Reabow knew enough to read between the lines: Darth Sidious was fighting for his life against Yoda and the other Sage Masters. The temple foundation was nearing the breaking point as the rush of Force power threatened to overwhelm the structure. Judging by the hasty Trade Federation repair crews swarming the Temple a few hours ago, the Temple perhaps may not even survive the attack.
In a fortuitous turn of events, the Sith have not called in significant reinforcements despite the assault on Sidious. They brought a battalion (800 droids, mostly B1s) to a field south of the slave village. They also ran up six AD towers. There was a strong droid presence around each tower so outright sabotage was out of the question. Reabow pulled Annrae Carmadl and Darjay Paccayt—his two best hackers—from the fields and assigned them to either taking over or taking down those towers. So far they managed to take over two, both at opposite ends of the field. When the attack came, they could severely damage the others, with any luck before the hacked towers were destroyed.
At the Temple itself, they brought in two companies (300 droids): one company of B2s and one company of LR-57s. The increase in firepower was worrisome but not overwhelming, and by no means required significant alterations to their plans.
If there was any cause for concern, it was the nebulously named Objective A and Objective B. When Reabow first arrived a month prior to the first slave shipment, the Sith were focused on eliminating Objective A and capturing Objective B. There was no other language broadcasted for those objectives besides programming code clusters for what they called prototype security droids. Since the assault by Yoda and the Sage Masters started taking their toll, Krayt sent directives that they were abandoning Objective A and focusing on capturing Objective B as quickly as possible. The droids would prioritize containing the Jedi as opposed to slaughtering them.
There were also orders to defend a specific sky lane from the temple, traveling south-southeast at a 65° angle from the center of the temple. The AD towers were zeroed in on different coordinates along that trajectory as well. He couldn't figure out why. The only logical idea he could identify was the Sith expected a fast shuttle or fighter would reach the temple and get them out quickly.
The flow of communications began to taper off overnight. As the sun was beginning to rise, Master Vilbum contacted him through the Force. Hello Reabow. We will arrive sooner than expected. I expect we'll drop out of hyperspace within the hour. Has the situation changed?
"To a certain extent master but not overly so." Reabow quickly and concisely explained the changes in the droid force and the situation with the Sith. He also outlined the deployment of Jedi Shadow and the changes to their plans. "I'm afraid we cannot do much about the AD towers unless Annrae and Darjay can hack at least one or two more. If we do not destroy them, they could be turned against us or the invasion force."
He continued to sense Vilbum in his thoughts but his master remained in silent reflection. You have done well Reabow. I do not believe there is anything more we can do. Please impress upon Annrae and Darjay the importance of hacking those towers. I sense one more could turn the tide. If you destroy the other three outside our control, they should at least be able to hold out long enough to hurt the new droid battalion.
"Of course master. I will leave them to their work after the invasion force arrives. Perhaps if the droids are distracted, we can breach the tower defenses quickly."
Good man. I will be in contact before we begin our descent.
After breaking his connection with Gilcor Reabow, Master Vilbum went to converse with Master Yoda. With the invasion due to begin shortly, the Grand Master was leaving the attack on Sidious in the hands of the Sage Masters. Vilbum found him in his small chamber. "I've reached my agent in the field Master Yoda." He gave the same brief recap of the new droid deployments and new Sith objectives.
"Interesting it is they seek to keep one open sky lane they do. More disturbing it is that seek to kidnap one of our Jedi." Yoda ears drooped sadly. "Fear I do difficult it may be to prevent this kidnapping since know the identity of the Jedi victim we do not."
"I understand your fears Yoda but if we can capture Sidious, he can't capture our Jedi." Before they could discuss any changes to the overall invasion plan, a communications droid entered the room.
"I'm sorry for the intrusion Masters. I have an urgent hale from a Republic officer. She states she would like to parley with Master Yoda."
"Why would a Republic officer wish to talk with you? And why now?"
Yoda chuckled. "A powerful ally is the Force but act in mysterious ways it does. Know of this admiral I do not but sense my old padawan I do in her thoughts." Yoda summoned his floating disc. "Come with me Master Vilbum. Necessary you will be to change our invasion plans I sense."
A hologram of Admiral Hollwil already stood in the center of the bridge as Yoda and Vilbum entered. The young admiral bowed when she recognized Yoda. "Thank you for seeing me your excellency." She bowed at Vilbum as well. "Forgive me sir but I am not immediately familiar with you by sight."
"Master Vilbum this is admiral. A longtime colleague of mine and great master in the Order he is. G-9 stated an urgent hale for me you had. Confess I do why a Republic admiral would so immediately need me I do not know."
"I'll spare you unnecessary explication masters. I am the commander of the Balmorra Space Station. As I'm sure you've no doubt already deduced the Republic is unaware of my presence in the Jaguada system and that I have brought with me half of my fleet."
"And why have you come to Jaguada admiral," interjected Master Vilbum.
"Count Dooku is meeting with a Republic emissary on my station. I've had the Sith butcher under surveillance since he arrived. I do not know much about the Force but there have been at least two episodes where he has suffered a sort of amalgamation of a panic attack and physical pain. In both instances, his ramblings mention his master, Sidious, being attacked by light. He also cursed the Jedi and asked if he should come back to Jaylsalm. It would seem safe to say the Jedi are attempting to take out Sidious based on his episodes and Dooku was feeling the effects of that attempt across the galaxy."
"Sound deduction that is admiral but still missing is why brought you here, unbeknownst to the Republic, this news did."
"Forgive my being frank but the Jedi are known to be a relatively small fraternity. Having only met three Jedi personally, I can vouch for your capabilities but there is such a thing as fighting out of your weight. If the Sith, and more importantly their Separatist lackeys are waiting for you, quantity takes on a quality of its own."
Yoda eyed her contemplatively. "So sure you are that prepared for us the Sith are?"
"I couldn't answer that question since I have no knowledge of your plans. I can only use my own observations and judgment. For instance, I arrived about 30 minutes ago while you are still in route. Were you aware two Lucrehulk-class Trade Federation Capital Ships were orbiting the moon?"
This was indeed news to both masters. Vilbum quickly contacted Reabow, who stated there had been no mention of battleships orbiting the planet. Yoda instead contemplated the young admiral. He sensed great resolve and tenacity. He was unsurprised she possessed a feint connection with the Force. It wasn't strong but her natural strengths were boosted by the occasional insight to the Force.
On an amusing note, he realized not just one but two of his former padawans occupied her thoughts. Dooku of course was at the fore of her mind but another was imprinted quite strongly on her subconscious.
"Bother your agent no more Master Vilbum. Trust the admiral we should. More observations you have yes?"
"Thank you for your trust Master Yoda. Both battleships are operating in complete comms silence. My sensors didn't even detect radar bursts. Based on your path from Coruscant, they would be hidden on the other side of the moon upon your arrival, which leads me to believe they were there to either ambush you trying to escape or to cover a ship trying to escape from Jedi pursuit."
"As I said before, I don't know what they have on the surface; those battleships hold at least 150 Vulture-class droid starfighters and 150 Trade Federation droid bombers each. Based on their location and the fact they're sitting there in total silence, I'd assume they will cover a ship fleeing the system while their fighters and bombers will go after your invasion force."
"That is an unexpected development. It is fortunate the admiral decided to risk her career to come to our aid."
Yoda nodded. "Correct you are. Very foolish both we and the Sith have behaved but ahead of us in the end they would have been. So focused on Sidious we were of late, ignored certain possibilities we shouldn't have. Grateful we should be that clouded the Dark Lord's connection with the Force enough to block the admiral's intervention from his vision."
"Indeed,' Vilbum said. He was disturbed that the Council of First Knowledge and the Shadow missed the battleship deployment. The casualties would have been horrendous.
"Dwell not what might have been Master Vilbum," Yoda advised. "In motion the Force always is. Make adjustments we should but perhaps inform the entire Jedi force we should not."
Vilbum considered and nodded. "How large of a force did you bring admiral?"
"I have three Mandator-class capital ships, six Procurator-class heavy cruisers, and nine CEC light cruisers. We can deploy 600 Z-95 fighters and 600 H-60 Tempest bombers, along with a compliment of other interceptors and light fighters."
"Came prepared you did," Yoda commented. "Suggest I do that use the majority of your force to attack the Trade Federation battleships. Ignorant of our arrival they of course would never be but ignorant of Republic involvement they certainly will be. Perhaps 60-90 of your fighters and bombers, provide air cover to our Jedi Shadow rebellion and the assault on the temple they can. An additional 30 fighters and bombers will attack the closest droid outposts just before the rebellion begins. If catch them unaware, disorient their defense we can and make difficult any possible escape."
"That is a sound plan. Normally I would like to send surveillance droids to survey the targets but I don't want to risk alerting them. Can you give me a general lay of the land?"
"Leave that to you I will Master Vilbum. Inform the strike team commanders of the new developments I will. Since largely independent the Republic force will operate, unnecessary I think it is to involve the entire command group in your discussions with the admiral."
Leaving his companion behind to iron out the last details, Yoda contemplated if he should inform Harry the young admiral was now involved. He of course sensed his old padawan's repressed feelings for her when he first returned with the Hutts. At first he assumed they would fade with the passage of time, not because he didn't feel Harry shouldn't love but more because he felt it was more a physical attraction than one grounded in the deepest depths of the Force.
But even the most casual observation of his subconscious thoughts showed Harry had feelings for the admiral, feelings Harry probably didn't fully realize himself. He was quite surprised (and unexpectedly pleased) he felt the admiral reciprocate those feelings for his old padawan. He could not derive very much of their future but he sensed great strength would come from their bonding. Yoda also knew that, despite Harry's undeniable affection for Ron and Hermione and happiness for their union, privately the lad wished he had a woman in his life with which he could share such a relationship.
After brief consideration, he decided not to tell Harry. He had the utmost confidence he would not allow this to distract him but he didn't wish to burden the young man either. Instead, he returned to his chamber and called for the Masters Windu, Piell, Drallig, and Bridger. After outlining the Republic involvement, Master Bridger raised an important concern Yoda and Vilbum had overlooked.
"I believe we need to consider the political repercussions of having in essence a rogue Republic fleet involved in this operation. Even if we capture Sidious, this can have major consequences relative to our relationship with the Senate."
"Waldan is correct," Mace agreed. "Had we captured Sidious without Republic involvement, the Separatists would claim the Republic and Jedi were complicit in an invasion. It is too good an image and helps their propaganda even if it is proven false. With genuine Republic assistance, we not only jeopardize our relationship with the Senate but risk driving countless systems under the Separatist banner out of fear."
"I don't believe that will be the case," Master Piell replied. "Let's say the worst occurs and Sidious escapes. The Council of First Knowledge has ears throughout the Outer Rim. There are many systems that have bitterly resented what they view as Jedi and Republic inaction while their neighboring systems are subjugated and their own borders are threatened. There are governments-in-exile protected on Coruscant representing a wide range of systems and planets from Cathar to Scarif. All these voices have been screaming for some action on the part of the Republic and to a lesser extent the Jedi."
"Suggest you do presenting our mission as an attempt to free a system from the Separatists do you, Master Piell? Possibly even portray it as an attempt to secure a joint Republic/Jedi outpost in a critical Outer Rim system you think wise yes?"
"Yes master. Speaking for myself, I did not expect or sense Sidious' change in plans or the potential ambush he tried to set for us. That could've cost us dearly. Now I believe we can turn the tables on the Dark Lord of the Sith. This system is incredibly valuable, as we all know. With the Republic force on hand, we can hold off the Separatists long enough for a larger force to come from Coruscant. Even the most hidebound Senator won't give up this system. It is too valuable. This is especially true since, for all intents and purposes, we've already liberated it and we just need 'official' recognition. And with it in Republic hands, we send a message to the freedom fighters throughout the Outer Rim that they aren't being ignored."
The other masters shared a few looks, contemplating the plan. "Support this proposition do you all?" He waited for their agreement. "Agree I do as well. Discuss it in greater detail we should once completed our mission is."
"Last thing to discuss we should, the possible identity of the Jedi Sidious desires to kidnap. Two suspects I have: Harry Potter and Obi-Wan Kenobi. Defied Dooku they did two years ago and nearly took Krayt from him. Helped identify a major flaw in Sidious' plans Kenobi did as well, with the help of Harry's interrogations. Others there may be but, besides the Council leadership, defied Sidious so grievously no other Jedi has. And quite accomplished both are in their own right. If turned they were, powerful pawns for Sidious they could be."
Drallig looked skeptical. "I fail to see why Sidious would expand the Sith Lord fraternity even further. While I've certainly come to agree with your theory that Sidious is resurrecting the Sith triumvirate, it defies logic why he would add a third apprentice." The other three masters agreed with their comrade.
Yoda however sensed a dark reversal coming. "Fear I do that marked for death my old padawan is. Etched in the darkness of Darth Sidious' shadow is a virulent hatred for Dooku. Necessary it is to keep Dooku alive for his diplomatic talents and because serve as a 'legitimate' face of the Separatist conflict he can. But forgive his failure to kill the hutts on Balmorra and for the loss of the bounty hunters Sidious cannot. Once trained the new apprentice is and no longer needed Dooku's diplomatic talents are, murder Sidious will have Dooku at the hands of his new Lord of Betrayal."
"Betrayal the other reason I believe Harry or Obi-Wan are logical candidates for kidnapping. Committed they are to the Jedi for different reasons they are but run deep those loyalties do. If turned they can be and broken by betrayal they are…to a dark place that could take Sidious' plans for the galaxy."
Mace didn't believe either Knight could be turned but he knew that if Sidious kidnapped a Jedi, they would either turn or be killed. "From a tactical perspective, they are two of our more accomplished Jedi. Can we afford to keep them on the sidelines?"
Master Piell took a different position. "I don't want to weaken our assault but if our success is dependent on two Jedi, we're already doomed to failure. Besides, we don't have to leave them on the sideline. With Republic air support, why not create a new assault force to take over the droid AD towers and secure the sky lane? This way we can use them to attack a vital target, one that may prevent the Sith from escaping even if they overwhelm our force in the temple."
"Hmm. What say you Master Drallig?"
"Every Jedi is at risk to fall and we should not risk losing Sidious to save a particular Jedi. If our primary goal is the Dark Lord's capture, we need to be objective. Do the odds of capture improve with Potter and Kenobi? If so, we would be derelict in our duties if we sidelined them."
"And you Master Bridger. What say you?"
"I've had perhaps the least interaction with Potter and Kenobi. I sense a strong personal affection on the part of you and Master Windu for Potter. I don't wish to imply that clouds the judgment of either of you but the affection you both feel is no less real." He sighed. "That being said, I think we should keep them out of the temple. Yoda is right that losing either of them, either to death or defection, would be disastrous."
Yoda sensed the hesitation amongst all four commanders. None of them knew the best option and all were worried about the potential consequences. The Jedi leader empathized with their misgivings since he shared them too. And while Yoda was taken aback by Master Bridger's assertion he cared for Harry, he could not deny it either. What concerned him was perhaps it was clouding his judgment. If he hadn't trained Harry, would he worry as much about his falling?
Whatever his feelings for his old padawan or how they came into being, there were no less real, as was the need to protect him. More than anyone else besides Hermione and Ron, Yoda understood Harry would never want to be protected, seeing it as a sign of weakness. But could he forgive himself if he lost Harry as he lost Count Dooku? He had never been as close to the Sith Lord as he was to Harry but Dooku's fall was still painful to the old Jedi master. How much worse would losing Harry be?
"Decided I have. Instead of Strike Teams 2 and 3 attacking the temple, Strike Teams 1 and 4 will instead. Divide the other teams and send half to secure the AD towers not under Jedi control already. Monitor the air corridor between the temple and Trade Federation battleships they will to prevent a shuttle coming to rescue Sidious. Once taken the towers are, the remaining force will regroup with the Jedi Shadow and return to the temple if not yet captured Sidious is."
The other masters bowed and left. He still sensed their uncertainty and, again, felt the same way himself. But he alone was the Grand Master of the Jedi. He would need to shoulder the burden of responsibility for decisions such as these.
"May the Force watch over us," he whispered.
Anakin Skywalker paced with anticipation. He was eager to land on the moon and start doing something, especially now that it seemed the plan to capture Sidious received a massive boon in the form of the Republic fleet. Master Bridger summoned the Strike Team and gave them their new orders. Instead of playing defense outside the temple, Anakin would have a chance to help capture Sidious. He privately hoped he could even tangle with Krayt.
"Calm yourself my young padawan," Qui-Gon said as Anakin continued to to-and-fro. "This will be unlike any mission we have undertaken since we defeated Granta Omega on Korriban."
Anakin stopped and stood straight. His first reaction was disappointment and guilt but that was quickly replaced by anger. Why would Master Qui-Gon bring up that particular mission? Did he truly think Anakin didn't remember the dark feelings Korriban inspired? Did he think Anakin would ever forget the guilt he felt when Tru Veld was killed, in part because Anakin's desire to one up the other padawan caused him to refuse Veld help when his lightsaber failed?
Qui-Gon sensed Anakin's anger immediately and knew the cause. "Anakin please calm yourself. You must not blame yourself for Veld's passing. I certainly do not blame you and never would. Many more experienced Jedi before you have been swayed by the dark power of Korriban. I want you to remember that experience because Darth Sidious possesses similar power to Korriban. If you are not prepared mentally for the struggle, his power may be no less corrupting."
Anakin didn't respond. The constant lectures about checking his emotions and exercising restraint and moderation were growing tiresome. Especially annoying is the fact other Jedi demonstrably didn't cope with this nonsense. The Jedi Shadow was an example of Jedi living outside the Code. Sometimes he felt there was a certain portion of the Jedi who were maddeningly ignorant of how the galaxy really worked.
What hurt him more was the betrayal by people he once thought almost like family. Master Qui-Gon was beyond a doubt a powerful Jedi and more in touch with reality than some in the Council, not that that was saying much. But his lectures, especially since the rebellion began, chafed at Anakin's sense of right and wrong. It was almost as if his Master saw him once again as a nine year old slave child. Everything was about controlling his emotions and understanding the larger picture of the struggle in the Force.
To Anakin, this attitude flew in the face of the Jedi mission. Outside the Order, Jedi were often viewed as peacekeepers and defenders of the weak and downtrodden in the galaxy. Ever since this Separatist rebellion started though, it was one excuse after another about why they couldn't take the fight to the rebels. While the Jedi meditated on the safety of Coruscant, people were dying throughout the Outer Rim. After relative peace in the galaxy for hundreds of years, people were coming to view the Jedi as something much different than peacekeepers; they were being viewed as a bunch of hidebound philosophers who would rather think and reflect than step out and save people.
Harry's betrayal hurt more than anything. Once upon a time, he looked at Harry and his friends like older siblings and mentors. They were so calm and confident, even when he first met them. And they knew how the galaxy worked. Maybe it was because they just finished defeating a Dark Lord in their place and time whereas the Jedi hadn't faced a real challenge in hundreds of years. They seemed to understand, as he did, that action was necessary to protect the innocent.
But then Harry ruined that. The man he once admired wasn't motivated to protect the innocent. His first concern was the people he cared about and staying in their good graces. Anakin doubted that Harry knew he fell out with Anakin. Part of Anakin wondered if Harry even cared that he betrayed Anakin's beliefs. Still, it wasn't that he hated Harry; he still cared for him on some level. But Anakin no longer valued his opinion nor would he seek his advice any longer.
He came back to his senses, realizing Qui-Gon had been watching him. He could not read the expression on his master's face but he came to his own conclusions. "Forgive me master. I understand you do not blame me for what happened to Tru Veld. It is just something I carry with me to this day."
Qui-Gon observed his padawan before evidently deciding not to press the issue. "Remember mission parameters. The strike team will breach the temple from the west on the ground level. Since we do not know where Darth Sidious is, I will lead half of the team to the upper floors while Master Bridger will lead the other half around the ground floor and search for any sublevels. Unless and until Darth Krayt comes out to fight, we are not to search for him." He eyed Anakin very seriously. "Do you understand my young padawan?"
Anakin fought the urge to roll his eyes. "Yes master," he said but he knew he would be looking for that bastard the second he entered the temple. As far as he was concerned, the junior Sith Lord was their best chance to capture Darth Sidious. Why waste precious time playing hide and seek and putting more Jedi at risk as they fight a droid army?
He was grateful Qui-Gon decided not to push the issue. As their shuttle descended near the temple, he heard the sounds of several dozen fighters strafing and bombarding the droid army amassed against them. Once they were low enough for him to see the surface, he watched in fascination as the Jedi Shadow and Republic air force battled the droid army and pushed towards six massive AD towers. Anakin noticed two of them firing on the droids while the other four were acting strangely, firing randomly in the sky. By the looks of things, the droids and Jedi were fighting an online war to control them.
Once the shuttle touched down, Anakin and Qui-Gon joined their strike team and the one led by Master Drallig. With the change in orders, they would take the temple while the teams led by Masters Windu and Piell would split duty protecting the outside of the temple and sending aid to the Jedi Shadow in the valley below.
"The moment has arrived," Master Vilbum's voice boomed over the sounds of the blaster fire and explosions from the valley. "We'll have a smaller force to guard the temple but we feel it is worth the risk so we can secure the droid AD towers. Master Bridger and Master Drallig have the orders for their forces. Fight hard and may the Force be with you."
Anakin needed no more encouragement. Mindful of Qui-Gon's eye on him, he fell in with the other Jedi, careful not to push ahead, at least until they were actually in the temple and he had more freedom to move.
Droids and pieces of droids littered the area outside of the temple. Some walls had been blown open wide, likely from missiles. There were scattered shots from the temple on the Jedi preparing to enter but it wasn't much more than a nuisance and easily deflected. Evidently the Sith hadn't expected a Republic force to aid the Jedi.
When they reached the entrance, Master Bridger entered first then waved in Jedi in pairs. "I sense the majority of droids on the floors above. I assume they were moved when the Republic fighters and bombers attacked the temple." He threw a sonic detonator down the hall to his right. Before it landed, a blaster bolt destroyed it from the shadows. He grunted. "My team with me. We'll flush out those droids and see if we can either link up with the Drallig or find a way to the sublevels. Good luck Qui-Gon."
"May the Force be with you Waldan. My team, we'll take that staircase up. Julibri and Reiange will take point with Anakin and I in support." He pointed to five other Jedi. "You will stay here and guard the staircase on the main level. The rest of you will follow my padawan and me. As we reach new levels, I'll divert a handful of you to scout the floor while the rest of us continue up. If you do not find anything, come back to the staircase and hold your ground. If you hear fighting from the staircase, come see what is happening."
Anakin internally fumed. He didn't want to be attached to Qui-Gon's hip for this entire mission. By keeping him in support, he couldn't investigate anything until they reached the top floor or if something happened. "Master, may I stay with our forces to guard the staircase?"
"That won't be necessary Anakin. They will be able to coordinate well enough alone and can assess any danger they may detect." Qui-Gon hoped (without expecting) his soft answer would not overly upset his young padawan. He knew Anakin wanted to venture off on his own to fight Krayt, or maybe even Sidious. Qui-Gon refused to give him that chance.
Clamping down on his rage, Anakin managed a curt nod. At the first sign of Sith movement, he would be off like a shot.