Chapter Thirteen
Upon initial sight of the factory, Maul couldn't say he was very impressed with its design. Whether due to its location, which was near a couple lava rivers and carved into a hill that saw continuous doses of ash, or not was beyond him. Nonetheless there were no others in the area and he knew they were at the right location considering the coordinates that Xizor had given to him. "This should be a piece of cake, it's shitty-looking as can be and probably doesn't have much in the way of defenses," Vizsla said suddenly.
I would not underestimate the powers this facility can throw at us if I were you. Even with your skills as a Mandalorian warrior, Kuat didn't get the way it is for nothing Maul thought. Aloud though, he said, "I would be careful of those words Governor, remember that I do not look threatening except for the expression on my face compared to my more massive and brutish brother." Savage briefly looked at Maul with confusion but Maul's look in return said it all, Savage had learned to understand body language at this point.
"Much as I mistrust him, I actually agree with him this time, with all due respect," Bo admitted. "You still mistrust me even after I have made my promise to you and your Governor?" Maul asked. "A Sith Lord had made a promise to give us Mandalore before but look how that turned out. I'm still skeptical you two will help us out despite the proof you have provided," Bo answered.
"And why is that?" Pre inquired, raising an eyebrow beneath his decorated helmet of stature. Savage turned around to look at her and Maul ordered the troops to go ahead of them as he also turned back. "Throughout history, Sith Lords have made many promises to the weak-minded fools who dare follow them into battle. Very few of them ever managed to actually keep their promise whether because they died by the Jedi Order's hands or their promise was false to begin with," Bo explained.
Maul chuckled, admiring this woman's bold way of thinking especially since he couldn't deny what she said to be true, even saying as much aloud. "But if we are in this as separate, independent agencies bound to a single goal, trust shouldn't be an issue now should it?" he asked, very curiously. "So you look at this as a business proposition attempting to acquire properties and not as a military alliance bound on conquest?" Bo replied suspiciously. "I look at it both ways and that is the only way it can be looked at," Maul explained to her.
"How is that possible? I can only see how we should look at ourselves as a military alliance bent on conquest?" she asked, sounding as confused as she was if not more so. "While that is not problematic, trust me when I say that the business part includes persuading agencies like Death Watch and Black Sun to join in an alliance," he answered sternly. She said nothing more at that point, probably seeing the light on how the alliance could be looked at as a business proposition rather than just a military alliance.
"The basics of Vaapad are similar to the basics of any other style: it requires a base of Shii-Cho such as you already have with your sword," Depa said. Arden listened intently as the woman who was normally her apprentice was now in the role of the teacher to train Arden in Vaapad. "Lord Maul said that the styles that worked best for me were Ataru, Soresu, and Vaapad. Do these all work the same way with their need for a Shii-Cho foundation?" Arden asked.
"Yes, all three styles work in the same way on that aspect but in no others are they like that," Depa answered as she nodded. "And that is where Vaapad goes on its own to skirt across the line of the Dark Side without ever actually falling into it, Ataru is acrobatic, and Soresu is defensive. I could see how they would need the Shii-Cho base with their different objectives, however," Arden confessed. "You barely need to know more than the basics of Shii-Cho before you can begin training with any other style though there are those who use it as their primary style such as Jedi Master Kit Fisto," Depa replied.
"But surely the Jedi must know more than Shii-Cho and one other form?" Arden asked, hungrily. "Aside from a primary of Shii-Cho, Kit Fisto can also wield Niman and Jar'Kai, the latter being the incredibly powerful and unorthodox use of two traditional lightsabers rather than one. Obi-Wan Kenobi, the Jedi who offended Maul, has an outstanding knowledge of all the seven major forms though he only ever uses Ataru, Soresu, and occasionally Jar'Kai," Depa answered. "If he has a knowledge of all the forms, then why does he wield only those three?" Arden inquired, confused.
"His knowledge of all others is only to how they function and how he can counter them with the forms he uses. Juyo, a branch of Form VII like Vaapad and Darth Maul's form, would not fit him due to his lack of an aggressive nature. Djem So, an offensive opposite of Soresu, would not fit him because he does not have the physical strength and power necessary to utilize its heavy blows. However, because he is more agile in build, the styles Ataru, Soresu, and Jar'Kai work for him though the third is more situational than the other two," Depa explained.
"And I'm guessing you know this from having seen him in battle, personally," Arden stated. "I saw his use of Ataru in battle when he was a Padawan and his use of Soresu as a Jedi Knight, shortly before my coma. But I have never seen him wield Jar'Kai although I have heard reports where he used it and used it as proficiently as, it not more than, either Soresu or Ataru individually," Depa replied. "He sounds much like Xendor was with our swords: versatile and using a few forms despite knowing many," Arden said.
Depa smiled and stated that she was glad she finally had connected someone to Arden's long-forgotten past. "Now if you don't have any more questions, I think it's time we began your training with the basics of Vaapad," she added. Arden nodded, smiling back at her colleague, and readied her sword for whenever Depa ignited her lightsaber. Then the spar that would determine how much Arden actually needed to learn about Vaapad began, mere seconds after Depa finally activated her own blade.
Though Xizor knew he had made an excellent choice by relenting command of the Kuat expedition to the Sith and their Mandalorian allies, he found himself bored. He knew that he was meant to play a part much greater than the provider of troops and some guide throughout the galaxy. So when Guri brought him news of Obi-Wan Kenobi's meeting with the Hutts, he had an idea. "Guri, tell me, what's the latest from the organization called Occupy?" he asked.
"Wait a moment," Guri answered as she went into search mode, her body freezing as she searched through her artificial mind for recollection of Occupy. Then she unfroze and was ready for a reply to give him that not only surprised him but impressed him with the information she recalled rapidly. "The movement known as Occupy was founded two years after the start of the Clone Wars and gained initial success in their movements dubbed Occupy: Senate Chamber and Occupy: Republic Courts. However, after the failure of both of those movements to send the point across to the Chancellor, they fell from the light and have since done many small occupations on in the Inner and Mid Rims," she said.
"Have they done anything of late that could help them hold their own against the debts that have undoubtedly accumulated since the failure of their most famous movements?" Xizor asked intently. "They recently conducted a protest on Malastare in favor of protecting the spot where the last Zillo Beast was found from fuel drilling. However, this one was actually a success and the Malastare government has put a sanction, forbidding the extraction of any fuels in that area," Guri answered. I must admit I never would have guessed that the Occupy movement would have a protest that succeeded; even with their overwhelming failures, they will still prove useful he thought silently.
"Contact the leaders of Occupy and tell them I have a place they can protest against on condition that they do it for at least two weeks and not a moment sooner than that before dissipation. Black Sun will see to it (through the money the now-dissolved Council owed me) that the bounty hunter Embo makes sure to keep the victims trapped inside their home from the outside by any and all means. However, it is the mercenary Asajj Ventress who will see to it that any who actually escape are either turned back or killed during those two days," Xizor explained. "And just who is the target if you don't mind me asking that, milord?" she asked.
"The Jedi Council during one of their meetings in the Jedi Temple in the Republic's capital planet. And when you contact them with this offer, tell them that in exchange for help from Embo and Asajj, they must make sure they have Obi-Wan Kenobi trapped with the Council during their protests. If they accomplish this and keep the movement strong for those full two weeks, they will be rewarded regardless of the outcome of their occupation. But if they manage to trap both Kenobi and Skywalker in the Temple for more than three days, then they will have a million credits going toward their funds regardless of their longevity," he answered.
"But if Kenobi and Skywalker cannot escape due to being the targets, they will then turn to Anakin's Padawan Ahsoka Tano for assistance. She in turn could escape and attempt to acquire the assistance of Senator Amidala in obtaining the ear of Chancellor Palpatine toward this. If that happens, the movement will be dissolved by might of the Republic police before their time is half up," Guri stated. "And that is when Ventress and Embo enter the fray, I promise you that," Xizor replied meticulously.
Guri nodded, understanding what his plan was now but still had a few questions left. "Why Embo and Ventress of all the combinations of bounty hunters and assassins you could choose?" was the first question. "Embo is-shall we say it?- unique considering that not only does he wield a crossbow blaster rifle from Kashyyyk, he is also gifted in the martial arts style of the Echani and has a hat that can be used for many purposes from shield to sled. As for Asajj Ventress, besides her talents with Jar'Kai and her former alliance with the Separatists, she has a score to settle with the Jedi," he answered. Guri felt satisfied with that answer but she still had one last one on her artificial mind she trusted he could answer.
"Shall I reveal who we are or will anonymity be in our best interest?" she asked. "If they ask for a name, tell them you would not like to reveal your name or your association. But if they really insist, tell them that if they do a fine job of protesting on the Temple, we will reveal ourselves," he answered. Then he dismissed her so that she could go about making the necessary communications and sending out the necessary messages.
But before she left, she had yet another question to ask of him and he was glad this was the last one. Despite that, she did make a good point with that she asked: "Why do you want to hold the mightiest members of the Jedi Order at their place of living? You could just locate several neutral worlds about to come under attack from the CIS and let them have at it as they would always do before." "Having them distracted on several neutral systems has too many risks I'd rather not chance; it would be far safer to keep them distracted with something at home instead," he answered.
Then he added that when asked about the purpose, it was to protest about the change the Jedi Order had gone from peacekeepers to Generals who sliced and hacked hapless, wayward Separatists. Xizor and Guri both knew that the Occupy Organization was fully aware of the changes the Jedi had undergone and had probably been waiting for a return to Coruscant that suited their purpose. "Count on them wanting to turn their resources on the Jedi in revenge for the warmongering they have done. Malcontent and hatred of the stupidest kind is likely to brew in their hearts and rally them into protest more easily than say, protecting the sleeping place of an ancient animal," he stated.
Guri bowed, thanked him for those instructions, and left to go conduct them whilst leaving her Master to be by himself except for his thoughts. He already knew this movement would not work but so long as Embo and Asajj did their real job, which was to keep him from getting caught, it didn't matter. One more failed protest and the Organization would fall into permanent disarray regardless of their success with occupying the Jedi Temple. Xizor found it convenient that he was getting rid of an organization that had pestered him thrice before and keeping the Jedi off Maul's scent simultaneously.
It was very Sith for any man to think about his own purpose no matter what he thought of the needs of others. And Maul was lucky Xizor was willing to go this far to protect him until he was ready to complete the final phase of his ultimate plan. For even though Xizor's idea would throw off the Jedi and the Republic, it would do nothing against the Separatists and their nefarious leader, Dooku. However, as Xizor would soon find out, the worst the Separatists would do in this situation is use it as more justification to leave the Republic for worlds about to defect to their cause already. That in itself was hardly ever the stuff of legends regardless of the time or the war this sort of thing was used in.
Hephaestus watched as Death Watch and Black Sun's troops cut through the ranks of his troopers like a lawnmower to grass though not as slowly as that was when cutting through its target. Before the attack, he had had ten thousand biological soldiers that he could deploy against the forces that were before him and he was outnumbered five fold. Now, he had barely a fifth of that number and his enemies were nearly at his doorstep with their superior numbers and strategy. Worst of all, the alliance before him suffered no casualties and only a few wounded though these were hardly more than scratches and grazes at best.
Shit, what do I do? They're almost here and I know for certain that they will kill me if I stay and fight! Damn it, they'd kill me if I tried to escape rather than being taken prisoner as well he thought to himself with fear. It was at this moment, as his soldiers were struck down like roses all around him, that he decided to make a break for it now. Doing so, he hoped he might have a chance to escape before being taken prisoner or shot down the very moment his enemies were at his door.
Using a secret escape hatch, he slid down the tunnel it hid and came out the other side in anticipation of running a marathon. The tunnel was about half the height of the factory and because of that, he was unknowingly entering territory his hunters were acquiring. Maybe they won't notice me in the midst of all this excitement and I may be able to bolt to the shuttle he said to himself silently. What he didn't know however, was that even when he did succeed in getting to the shuttle, he had not escaped the watchful eye of Pre Vizsla nor would he escape the retribution Bo-Katan would deliver.
Pre had to admit that there wasn't much glory in taking the lives of these security guards due to their lack of skill with a blaster. Where the flying hell did these morons get their training at, Kid Valley? Did they play so much laser tag that they won a certificate that automatically validated their ability to protect this sort of place? he asked himself in frustration. It was then that he noticed a man with nothing but a pistol running toward a nearby shuttle in order to make his escape off this rock.
Pre shook his head, disgusted that this man was the leader of the forces at this facility- who else would be fleeing for their lives to a nearby shuttle? Immediately calling upon Bo, he waited until she arrived from killing several dozen troopers with her flamethrower, their burns fatal beyond repair. "Yes sir, who is that you like me to kill, this time?" she asked. "See that man over there who's going towards that junky looking shuttle?" he answered.
She saw what he was talking about after he pointed out to her and she knew what she to do right then and there. "I'll get him down and make him regret trying to flee like the coward he is," she assured the Governor. Oh I don't doubt that, at all my love he thought though he didn't say this aloud. He was still surprised that his feelings for her were changing to where he secretly called her his love though he was still confused as to why looking at her sparked lust in him.
He watched as she punched in a code on her wrist gauntlet and bent over enough to allow her jetpack missile to fly out without hurting her and hit the target he had tasked her with taking out for him. At that moment, he turned away because there was something about seeing her bend over that sparked his lust even more greatly than it already was and it was the worst that it could possibly be in his immediate recollection. To distract himself and hopefully see to it that no one else noticed, he ignited his darksaber and killed a few guards who had come to try and stop Bo from attacking her new target. Then he heard an explosion that he knew to be a successful hit on one of the engines and watched as the ship plummeted over the edge of the hangar bay and down to a fiery death.
Victory of the bittersweet sort was near for Hephaestus and so much so that he could taste it. He had escaped the horrors taking place in the facility he had been entrusted with for twenty-eight years and could report what happened to the head of Kuat on Coruscant. But then something happened that changed everything: his engines were compromised by a missile or other projectile of that sort. How is this possible, not now when I am so close!? he shouted in his mind and aloud.
Try as he might, there was nothing he could do to fix the problem and he stood helplessly as the shuttle made its spiral down to the lava lake below the very wide base of the old facility itself. Due to being used to forge the droids, this facility was more than deep enough to contain a small Republic cruiser and would have no difficulty vaporizing his shuttle. No, no, no, no, not the lake of molten lava where we extract the metal! he shouted to himself. Then, as though death motivated it, he had an epiphany of all he had said and done as a living man.
It was at that hour that he realized that for all his talk and for all the work he had done, he had indeed failed to achieve the humble dream his brother had shared with him and fulfilled for himself. He not only failed to fulfill the dream he shared with his brother but like his more cowardly brother, he had tried to flee when his facility fell before him. And now, he was going to join his wife whom Xizor had personally enjoyed the privilege of killing by slitting her throat with one of his claws. Forgive me sugarlips, I am nothing short of a big failure compared even to my brother and he's hardly better off now Hephaestus thought, making his peace just in time for his end.
As Maul and Savage rounded up the remaining engineers at the facility, Vizsla took a good look at the slaughter he had helped create alongside the ruthless Sith brothers he was presently allied with. Indeed Black Sun and Death Watch would do well together just by themselves though I could see the need for others to join us he thought. Bo was distracted with making sure that anyone they had fought and wounded was now dead so he didn't worry about her. It was his own self-occupation that he found most troubling so he decided there was only one thing to do: report success to Xizor.
And that was just what he did when he activated his comlink and told Xizor that the slaughter was glorious and any deaths honorable though this was far from the truth. "Excellent and I have just made some arrangements to insure this success lasts, now we are set," the Fallen said. Pre didn't like the sound of that and decided he would bring it up to Maul as soon as possible. He never did get the chance to do so before they were caught up in other things that required immediate attention from them.