Chapter V: Order 66

The robed figure quickly lunged towards the taller figure, his blue blade arching towards the chest of his opponent. The older man's green blade quickly blocked the blue blade and responded with a quick thrust to his student's midsection. Jorec quickly dodged to the right and spun, intending to gain momentum on his next attack. The older Jedi calmly reached out with his left hand, and with a surge from the Force sent Jorec flying across the battlefield.

Landing on his back, Jorec quickly kipped up and launched himself at his master. Merrick quickly swung his lightsaber towards Jorec. The younger Jedi held out his blade to stop his master's attack, only to have his lightsaber battered away. Another quick attack and Jorec found himself staring at the green blade as it hovered inches from his neck.

"You should have evaded that move in some other way than trying to block it."

Jorec nodded his head and used the Force to call his lightsaber back to him. He stepped away from his master and ignited the blade again. Jorec heard the clashing of lightsabers from across the courtyard and sighed to himself. He feigned left and quickly attempted to sweep his master. Merrick leaped over the trip attempt and landed a few feet away from Jorec.

The sound of boots hitting the dry ground amplified as Jorec quickly got back up on his feet. He turned to the origin of the sound and saw the white battle armor of the clone troops he and his master had commanded earlier that day.

"Master Fiosnt, what are they doing here?"

Merrick turned to look at the intruders. They wore full combat gear and carried their weapons in front of them. Merrick had seen this posture only once before, he had seen this pose when leading the troops into battle against the droid armies of the Separatists. The realization dawned on him on what the clones were going to do when a warning through the Force was sounded. He let out a curse and said the only words he had time to say.

"Take cover!"

The clones raised their rifles and began firing on the four Jedi, who were quickly racing towards the permacrete support beams of the prefab shelters. With a Force assisted leap, Jorec landed behind one and took cover. He could hear the blaster shots hitting the support beam, hear the permacrete chip and in some portions explode from the shots.

Jorec held his lightsaber in front of him as he sneaked a peek at the attacking clones. A shot came close, only to be deflected by his lightsaber. He could see Merrick doing the same thing, deflecting several blaster shots back towards their new enemy. In the distance, he could see Sen Udo-Mal and his Padawan doing the same thing. Several clone troopers went down to their own shots, only to be replaced by more.

There were several thousand clone troopers in this structure, and all of the Jedi knew that they couldn't hold them all off. Merrick overlooked the battle from behind his cover, and flinched when the shrapnel of exploding permacrete burst near him. He turned around and looked at the Cerean Sen Udo-Mal and his Ithorian Padawan as well. He then turned to look at Jorec, who was now cowering behind his cover.

I doubt any of us is going to make it out of this alive, although Jorec probably has the better chance of escaping this battle.

Merrick deflected a few more bolts back at their shooters before remembering his life. Had it only been three years since his first battle, on the horrific fields of Geonosis? Those three years had seemed like decades, the battles and the horrors of war he had witnessed. He had seen children as young as Jorec fall on the field of battle, but never to such treachery.

"Hey, Sen! We need to try to get at least one of us out of this mess!"

"How, and who?"

"Jorec probably has the best chance!"

Jorec deflected a blaster shot towards the group and quickly returned to his cover. The fear and the treachery of the clones were heavy on his mind. He heard his master shout something, but couldn't make it out over the sounds of battle.

Sen Udo-Mal looked at the cover ahead of him, the shelter of his Padawan was almost demolished, but the brave Ithorian kept fighting on. Knowing that this target was almost dead, most of clones seemed to concentrate on the Ithorian in front of them. With his yellow blade moving extremely fast in front of him, the Ithorian quickly deflected most of the shots coming his way back towards the troops, but his saber could only be in so many places as a blue bolt pierced the Ithorian's leg. He collapsed to the ground, still trying to deflect the many bolts coming his way. Another shot hit the Padawan in the chest, killing the Padawan.

Sen knew what had to be done. One of the three Jedi here needed to survive, at least one of them…

"Tell me when Merrick. We'll provide cover for him."

Showers of permacrete landed on Jorec's head as he cowered behind the support beam, the cover he had been hiding behind was soon going to become unusable. Suddenly, Jorec heard the voice of his Master in his head.

"Jorec, when I tell you to run into forest. Run as far as you can and hide somewhere. Do not look back."

Merrick opened his eyes and hoped his Padawan had gotten the message, he finished deflecting a few shots that came his way.

"Sen, now!"

Merrick watched as the Cerean emerged from his cover and began to move towards the clones. Soon, he joined the Cerean and emerged from his cover as well.

"Jorec, run NOW!"

Jorec felt the Force flow through him after hearing his master's words and soon took off towards the woods at an unnaturally fast speed.

Merrick slowly began walking backward, deflecting shots as he left. He had heard the clones shout to each other to fire at the Jedi making a run for the forest. He watched as Sen was hit three times and fell to the ground in a crumpled heap, the green lightsaber extinguishing as its owner died. He was the only one left, the only one to provide the much needed cover to his Padawan. He would not fail this one like he failed the other on Geonosis.

A shot arced overhead, and Merrick quickly overextended himself to deflect the shot that would have surely hit Jorec. At the same time, a shot slammed into his gut. Merrick felt the blow, yet attempted to stay up as long as he could. A few more shots were deflected, but another shot hit the Jedi Master in the chest.

Unable to stand any longer, Merrick fell to the ground. All that existed in his mind was the pain of his wounds and one thought.

May the Force be with you, Jorec, and with us all…

Blaster bolts raced overhead and to his side as Jorec fled into the woods. With his lightsaber dangling on his belt, the young Jedi ran as fast as he could away from the murderous people that he once thought he could trust. A few shots came extremely close and a slight smell of something burning came to Jorec's nose. The path was illuminated heavily by the twin full moons shining in the night sky. Running quickly along the path, Jorec could hear the sound of the clone troopers following far behind him. Right now, the only thought in his head was how he was going to survive. He didn't notice the ravine in front of him until it was almost too late…