Chapter 6
Deslly and the outcasts had a rough landing on Courascant. It was difficult at best to land unannounced, undetected and in the most out of the way place nearest to the temple possible. They had left their hyperdrives in orbit and landed in an abandoned district northeast of the temple. Deslly explained that he didn't want to run into another group of rouge clones. They had taken a sky taxi by back roads to outside of the temple and walked the rest of the way when Deslly just stopped.
"I know, I feel it to", Mena said from behind him, "should we help them"
"No, Mena, they're already dead", Deslly whispered in a state of disbelief, "we should get out of here before more...", Deslly was unable to finish his sentence because a young Gran jedi had run out of the lower door in front of them and had nearly fallen over backwards in shock. He pulled himself together and ran behind the group lightsaber in hand and said something in a language that only Deslly understood.
"Please help me the clones have revolted and they're killing off jedi and HE is leading them. I thought that I was the only one left, if you're smart you'll kill them before they tell him that I am still alive". Deslly's worst fears were realized at that moment, his isolated incident had become a galaxy wide problem for the jedi. If clones were revolting the jedi wouldn't last long against them and the droid armies of the separatists.
"Everyone behind Mena and myself get your lightsabers in hand and whatever comes through that door you attack first and ask questions later, understood?", this was met with nods and the hum of many lightsabers. Deslly braced himself for what was going to happen and opened the door.
Instantly several cloned jumped out only to be cut down where they stood, the ones that followed were some what unsure of what to do, where they had been chasing one wounded jedi apprentice now there were six jedi.
Thankfully the clones were few in number and didn't stand a chance against Mena and Deslly and the battle was soon over but it was the young Gran he was worried about. He seemed weak within the force almost as if he was fading.
"You are alive master Deslly we were beginning to think no one was coming. You fell for the retreat code, we tried to stop them..." he let his voice trail off.
"Silence young one, you are injured".
"Yes, fatally, I will soon die and..." the Gran's face showed no fear in death, like a warrior, like a jedi.
"Silence", Deslly repeated only softer this time, still looking for a way to treat the wound, "tell me who is responsible for this tragedy?"
"Palpatine, he is the one who was Dooku's master, the one some called Sideous, it was he who was the sith lord all this time". The Gran was near hysteria now.
"Is that who led the troops through the temple?", He had given up on the wound now, there was nothing that would save him now.
"No, it was not him, he said his name was Vader, he has joined the dark side".
"Who has joined the dark side? Speak!"
"Master Skywalker", Deslly was stunned, the other jedi could only gasp and look on in horror. Their brightest hope, their proudest son, was now nothing more then another servant of the dark side.
"What of the council?" Deslly managed to choke out, slowly coming back to reality.
"Everyone is dead, if you don't want a similar fate, you should run while they still think you're dead too", the Gran was struggling to speak the blood was now coming out of his mouth.
"What do you mean?" he was worried now, or more worried then before.
"You were reported killed in action yesterday, all of you were executed as prisoners, I recognized your faces from the broadcast that was why I was surprised to see you I thought I had died also". He was fighting to breathe now.
"Come with us". He said knowing that the young one could not.
"No, I have accepted my fate, my organs have been ruptured and I have almost bled to death, I'll stay here so that you can escape".
"That was not a suggestion, I am ordering you".
"I was not suggesting either", he finished. Fighting all his injuries and pain he gathered the force around him and stood firm on his feet and ignited his lightsaber, "at least they will not get me alive", the jedi marveled at this feat, he stood strong now with determined features. Not afraid, but ready to accept death and beyond. Like a true jedi.
"Mena, take them and run", Deslly shouted as more thumping on the door started, everyone ran back to the ships except Deslly who stayed behind for one second longer.
"Are you sure"
"Yes"
"Then the force will be with you, always"
"And you master Deslly", he said and smiled to hear the sound of Deslly's escape and as the clones broke through the door he brought his lightsaber to bear on his own neck. The jedi ran towards their ships but Deslly had other plans.
"Stay away from our own ships, jedi fighters will be conspicuous, we will find alternative transport off of this planet and to somewhere safer".
"Where do we go then, master?", Lebor was more confused then normal with his master.
"To a cantina not far from here, a lot of pilots hang around there one of them may be able to help us".
The jedi made a slow journey avoiding troops and scout ships but after a few hours they made it to a shabby looking cantina on one of the lower levels. As soon as they arrived Deslly cautioned them to stay out of sight.
"Wait here, while we are gone Tyr is in charge, don't talk to anyone", and then he left to find a pilot with Mena in tow. Tyr, Lebor and Tara were finding it increasingly difficult not to be noticed. The room was filled with aliens of all sorts and the only noise was the bad music and a recorded holo of Palpatine declaring all jedi enemies of the republic. Tyr watched with a mixture of interest and disgust at the traitorous chancellor but he was pulled to his senses by a gruff voice.
"Hey look, a jedi", Tyr tensed ready for a fight but he realized that he was not the one being spoken to.
"Maybe there's a finders reward if we call it in". He felt the other two behind him take notice but a more menacing thought take hold, what Deslly and Mena had been found but his fears were put to rest the voice that answered was a young human male.
"Shut up and go about your business", he spoke quite clearly and confidently.
"I'm going to shut up and go about my business", the weedy looking rodian mused to himself, his companion was less amused.
"What are you stupid, he's one little jedi, his mind tricks are for kids. Let's just take him down now"
"You want to go home and forget everything that has happened today", as the young man spoke this time he waved his hand at them, it was the rodian who responded again.
"I want to go home and forg..."
"No, we don't", his friend hit him over the head, "stop listening to the jedi you idiot"
"I want to go home and forget", the rodian turned and walked out of the cantina.
"See what you did to him. You're gonna pay for that, jedi.
"You're wasting your time, slime, I'm not a jedi". He barley raised his voice but everyone was paying attention now.
"You sure look it small fry, only jedi carry laser swords"
"I'm not a jedi", the voice said more quietly this time.
"We'll be the judge of that, now come quietly and maybe we won't hurt you too much". The gruff character started punching his fists.
The man had an amused look now and raised an eyebrow at his aggressor, "If not?", he asked.
"I'm sure you're worth enough, dead".
"As you wish", the voice stated blankly and then Tyr saw the young jedi jump from his bar seat and ignite his lightsaber, which illuminated the whole room a menacing red. At least he was right, thought Tyr, he wasn't a jedi only sith carry red blades. He didn't think he just acted. Even if he was a sith he was in the right here. Tyr made a decision,
"Lebor, Tara, we're helping him"
"But his lightsaber…?"
"I'm in charge for now, just do it". The three of them moved to the crowd that had encircled the lightsaber wieldier and were about to engage them when Deslly spoke from behind them.
"Interesting choice, Tyr, attack from the right with Mena and Tara, Lebor to the left with me, now". Five lightsabers activated outside the circle Mena and Tyr's blue Deslly's orange and the others green, the boy with the red lightsaber flipped over the crowd and beside Deslly.
"Thank you master jedi, I'm here to make peace not war".
"Too late now young sith", the way Deslly said sith could have frozen the blood in your veins, "you're in one".
The six lightsabers pointed at the restless crowd of aliens, at that point everyone not involved suddenly left the cantina to find refuge. The crowd surged towards them blasters out and vibro weapons in hand, the jedi and the sith fought back, going left and right tearing through them. The young sith fought close to Deslly, whenever Deslly disarmed an opponent the sith would go in for the kill only to be blocked by Deslly's blade. The young sith learned quickly what the short jedi was doing and how his way of fighting was different.
The jedi were fighting without giving in to hate and anger but rather fighting with pure minds and clear thoughts and soon the sith was doing the same. In a short time the crowd had dissipated and the jedi were exhausted.
"You have some explaining to do young one", Deslly stared down the sith.
"Where shall I begin? Master jedi".
"With your name"
"My name is Drogan, yes I was a sith but don't hold it against me, I came to warn you but I was too late".
"Warn us about what, young Drogan".
"About Palpatine and Skywalker, about the sith academy and about my brother".
"Well, young Drogan, I think you had better tell us everything but not now, we need to get out of here". They made a fast exit leaving the crowd to tend to their wounds and a rodian to tend to his sanity.
"...to go home and forget everything that has happened today", the rodian stumbled in the other direction, clearly drunk.