Quick disclaimer; I own nothing. The characters, ships, and planets in this story all belong to Disney and Lucasfilm.
Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who followed, favorited, and/or reviewed my last chapter. I appreciate all of your commends. I would also value anything more you have to say; complimentary or critical (if it is constructive, of course). Enjoy the next chapter.
Perseverance: A Mace Windu Adventure
Chapter Two: Speck in the Void
The shuttle slammed into the dominion of empty space, battered and fuming. The top wing had split apart during the trek through lightspeed, and the surface of the ship itself was chipped and scraped beyond repair. Granted the condition it had been in prior to hyperdrive, Windu was lucky that it had even successfully commenced its voyage in the first place. The bumps and jolts of the trip had especially inflicted a number on the craft, to the point in which it was no longer capable of continuing.
Once it could endure no more, it had ceased its jump and rattled uncontrollably, startling the Jedi Master.
Stars! Couldn't I have at least been given a warning?
His entire body was now throbbing in agony.
The Force energy which had been applied to his injuries was spent. They ached to an even greater degree than they had when he had first awaken; and they were almost unbearable back then.
He couldn't help but writhe and scream. The pain was everywhere.
His head, his neck, his arms, his torso, his legs. They all hurt on equaling levels, but also incorporated varying categories of pain.
His entire upper body seared from the Force lightning which had overwhelmed him.
He didn't even want to think about that.
His sides firmly pounded into his inner structures, presumably due to his uncontrolled landing.
That was unexplainable. He still didn't understand how he had survived.
Currently, however, the root of the injuries was not the issue. For now, his focus needed to be on calling for assistance.
Not only was he in critical condition, but he was also confined in the middle of empty space, unable to reach the surface of any nearby planet.
He couldn't activate lightspeed, and his ship was damaged enough so that he couldn't fly at a regular pace for more than a standard hour.
How am I going to get out of this?
He was helpless at this stage. No one would even attempt to search for him or ever be able to find him, unless...
He struggled to collect his comlink from his robes, intending to send an urgent distress signal.
There had to still be other Jedi alive. Many were spread around the galaxy, away from the slaughter which he had witnessed at the Temple.
Then again, most were accompanied by battalions of Clones, whom Windu knew would target any Jedi in their vicinity.
He had already experienced that.
As he gradually typed in the codes to connect to his comlink to the starfighter's system, he spotted a blinking red light on its side and halted.
What?
A trace of dread tingled down his spine.
It could only mean one thing.
A message from the temple?
He tapped the flashing button, anticipating a clone to mock the destruction of the Order, or a young Jedi to desperately plead for aid while azure lasers whizzed by their face.
Instead, a transparent hologram of a bearded man appeared.
His arms were folded together beneath a draping robe, and his posture was particularly upright. His hair was chaotically ruffled and swung somewhat to the side.
His demeanor displayed no panic. He merely stood motionless in front of the projector.
Windu instantly recognized him.
Kenobi?
It indeed was the Jedi Master. His expression was unusually tired and distressed. Fierce lines had formed underneath his eyes, and his whole face seemed to plunge downwards while he frowned. Windu could almost sense a feeling of regret illuminating from the distressed Jedi.
Seeing his trusted colleague in this state prompted a wave of uneasiness to flow through him. Why wasn't he still on Utapau?
"This is Master Obi-Wan Kenobi."
If he was at the Temple, did that signify that it was safe to return? Had the Jedi successfully fought off the attack he had glimpsed?
"I regret to report that both our Jedi Order and the Republic have fallen, with the dark shadow of the Empire rising to take their place. This message is a-"
What?
Windu paused the transmission and buried his face into his solitary hand, distantly shaking his head as he did so.
This can't be happening.
The very two things which he had devoted his life to protecting had both fallen in one night.
One single night.
And he had grasped the opportunity to prevent it all from happening.
To kill the man responsible.
To save his friends from dying.
To generate peace within the Galaxy.
But, the Empire?
A new government had already arisen?
He supposed it made sense. It was clear from the beginning that the incentive of the Sith had been to grasp control over the Galaxy. Although, it had been universally accepted that they would only achieve it through a Separatist victory.
Not through a manipulation within the Republic.
Palpatine's plan must have consisted of turning Skywalker to the dark side all along. He was his shatterpoint, as Windu had sensed. Everything had relied on Skywalker in that one moment.
The entire fate of the galaxy, in the hands of a young, unstable man.
All of the appointments between the two, the conversations they held, the sincere friendship they had developed.
It had all been leading up to this.
How could I have been so blind?
They should have never assigned Skywalker to the espionage mission.
They should have realized that his loyalties to the Chancellor were too grounded, and that he would acquiesce to the darkness surrounding the twisted politician.
We failed everyone.
The beings which had relied on the martial and political protection of the Republic would now face infinite levels of anarchy and corruption.
The Jedi around the Galaxy would inevitably perish.
The Sith would reign supreme.
For a time, anyway. If Windu could escape his dire situation, he would execute every possible step to terminate the Sith's rule.
But, for now, he was merely left to ponder Kenobi's message.
He reluctantly tapped the resume button.
"-warning and a reminder for any surviving Jedi: trust in the Force. Do not return to the temple. That time has passed, and our future is uncertain. Avoid Coruscant. Avoid detection. Be secret, but be strong."
Windu sighed.
Exile.
How could a powerful Order of ten-thousand Jedi Knights be confined to exile within a day?
"We will each be challenged: our trust, our faith, our friendships. But we must persevere and, in time, I believe a new hope will emerge."
A new hope?
What was he implying?
"May the Force be with you. Always."
The message ended, and Kenobi's image faded away into oblivion.
Windu peered into the infinite void of space surrounding his ship.
Kenobi's out there. Somewhere.
In a time of wholesome darkness, there were still shades of encouraging news.
Of all the Jedi in the Order, Kenobi was one of the colleagues whom he respected the most.
His defeat of a Sith Lord as a Padawan, his optimistic attitude towards every situation, his unbreakable demeanor of serenity, his insight on every salient decision, his utmost devotion to the Jedi Code, his unheralded reliability in battle, and his incomprehensible mastery of Form III.
The list could go on forever.
Kenobi had perhaps contributed more to the Order than any other member in his time.
In some ways, he was the ultimate prototype.
The individual which every Jedi should always aspire to be.
With his recent defeat of Grievous, this assessment contains even more legitimacy.
Too bad there's no longer anyone to look up to him.
The negative feelings returned.
To every positive note, a negative setback always materialized.
In these dark times, it was impossible to avoid them.
If Kenobi was alive, though, who else could be?
Surely, Master Yoda must have survived. He would have foreseen these events, and would have been able to fight off any assaulting Clones. The Wookies would have also likely taken his side.
Then again, if an attack was swift enough, no one could stop it.
Windu had seen that when his fellows masters; Kit Fisto, Agen Kolar, and Saesee Tiin had been struck down within seconds.
They were all powerful and accomplished warriors, having trained all of their lives for the very moment which lied before them.
Regardless, all of the training, meditating, and studying faltered.
Once Windu had blinked, two of the Masters were already dead, and the third was slaughtered soon after.
A shadow had stood over them all, with flashes of crimson flickering away from his figure and bolting towards the last remaining Jedi in the room.
No.
Windu clenched his fist, ignoring the pain that followed.
Not him.
He inhaled sharply.
Don't think about him right now.
He then exhaled sedately, and scanned the controls in front of him.
Focus on the task at hand.
He needed to unearth a source of rescue.
The comlink.
That was the key to his survival. That was his shatterpoint.
If he could create a form of contact, he would likely survive.
"Emergency Code Nine Thirteen. This is Jedi Master Mace Windu. Emergency Code Nine Thirteen. Any surviving Jedi, please report."
He waited, anxiously peering at the comlink as it searched for any responding frequencies.
Nothing.
"Emergency Code Nine Thirteen. Anyone, please report."
He tapped his fingers against the base of his seat, nervously muttering to himself as he did so.
Someone else had to be alive. Kenobi couldn't be the only other one.
The shift in balance, however, told him otherwise.
The Sith were in control. The remaining light in the Force was now only an unnoticeable flicker.
Still, others must have survived.
They had to of.
Suddenly, a sequence of inaudible clicks sounded from the comlink.
A frequency had been picked up, and it was a Jedi channel.
Windu excitedly tapped the transmitter, and another holographic figure appeared.
This time it wasn't Kenobi. Instead, Senator Bail Organa's image appeared.
Windu frowned. Organa wasn't a Jedi.
"Senator Organa? How did you receive this message?"
Organa beamed and let out an ecstatic sigh to the sight of the Jedi Master.
"Master Windu, thank the Force that you're alive. We all thought you were dead."
We?
Windu hid the smile which was beginning to form.
Could Organa be with other Jedi?
"That doesn't quite answer my question, Senator. How were you able to pick up this frequency?"
Organa cleared his throat, straightening his posture and adopting a neutral expression.
"Yes, of course. I apologize."
He glanced to something offscreen.
"I'm using Master Yoda's comlink. I was able to rescue him and Master Kenobi after the Clones' betrayal."
This time, Windu couldn't prevent the smile from emerging.
Yoda had survived.
Even better, he was in the company of Kenobi.
Perhaps the three could supply a more sufficient strike against Palpatine. Yoda and Kenobi were certainly more accomplished than the three Masters whom had previously accompanied him.
"Excellent. Are they currently with you?"
Organa nodded. "Yes, they've both just arrived from their confrontations. But Master Windu, we thought you had been killed by Palpatine. What happened? How did you-?"
"We can discuss these matters later," Windu interrupted, "I'm in need of rescue right now. My ship has lost its hyperdrive ability, and I am badly wounded. I will send you my coordinates for pickup."
"Yes- yes, of course. We will come as soon as possible."
Windu began to tap away at his controls. "I'm sending them to you now. Thank you for your assistance, Senator."
Organa inclined his head, "It's my privilege to assist you, master Jedi. We will be with you shortly."
With that, the contact ended.
Windu would escape death again.
A cloaked figure rested in a cushioned chair, surrounded by various priceless statues and artifacts. The walls around him contained a distinctive hue of blood-red, and the transparisteel window which would normally place the city on display was shielded by a dark shade. His eyes were closed, and his posture was noticeably straight.
His general appearance was that of a tired, fragile old man.
His face was scarred and twisted beyond repair. A creased hood covered the top of his head, concealing a wave of hair even whiter than the snow of Hoth.
Nearly everyone in the galaxy viewed him as a harmless, innocent politician. They believed that he only sought to protect and care for them; to look out for all of their best interests. He was regarded as a father-figure, with wisdom and experience that can only follow with age.
Those especially close to him, however, knew that essentially none of this was true. Yes, he certainly was wise and experienced, but he wasn't innocent, harmless, or caring in any way.
He was actually quite the opposite, as he was the enigma of the Dark Side; the Lord of the Sith. The most powerful being in the galaxy.
And now, he was also its unabridged ruler.
Senator Palpatine, Chancellor Palpatine, Emperor Palpatine.
The public could label him with any stature of political power that they wanted to.
His hidden name, his most boasted title, was Darth Sidious.
Only a select few even knew of the name's existence.
And even fewer grasped its meaning.
One whom had grown to understand it was the man who stood before him now.
"You are interrupting my solitude, Vice Chancellor."
Sidious now opened his eyes, which gleamed brightly with malevolence. A mischievous grin appeared on his deformed face.
He started again, "No, I have mislabeled you. That position is no longer needed. We must find you a new one."
The man, a blue Chagrian with a pair of piercing horns sprouting from his stout head, Mas Amedda, bowed thoroughly in submission.
"Forgive me, my Lord, but I bring urgent news."
Sidious narrowed his demanding gaze. "They had better be. I don't take these obstructions lightly."
Amedda swallowed back a wave of fear, "Jedi Master Mace Windu was spotted on Coruscant last night. He was pursued by a squadron of Clones, but managed to escape the planet. His current whereabouts are unknown."
The Sith's eyes widened in a reaction of restrained shock.
"Are you certain?"
Amedda nodded. "Security footage was able to confirm. He was originally found laying in an alley nearby the Senate offices."
Sidious let out a quiet groan, "I see."
He then pressed a button which raised the shade and rose to his feet, strolling to the colossal window and gazing at the alluring image of the populous city, "Search the planet for more Jedi. He may not have been the only one to escape from the Temple," he turned to his informer, "you are dismissed."
"Yes, my Lord." Amedda bowed once more and hastily departed.
Sidious' plan now possessed another obstacle.
Another Jedi to obliterate.