Light in the Darkness
Chapter Eight
The blue streaking lines of hyperspace travel died away as the Gray Wardens' fleet entered Coruscanti space. Mandalorian battleships opened fire immediately at the new threat. Anakin keyed in several priority targets for the weapons batteries of the Corellian corvette and the laser batteries opened fire pounding the shields of the nearest Kedalbe-class battle cruiser.
Ashoka piloted the corvette cautiously through the wildfire of turbolaser fire pulsating off of the Mandalorian warships and Coruscant's orbital defense stations trying to fend off the assault. Shaak Ti nearly jumped out of her seat at the communications module when the system chimed an alert to an incoming call.
"Accept the call," said Obi-wan curiously, furrowing his eyebrows.
Shaak Ti accepted the call with the push of a button on the holoprojector and the flickering form of Jedi Masters Yoda and Ki-Adi-Mundi appeared at once. "Skywalker and Kenobi disband your little fleet immediately," ordered Ki-Adi-Mundi.
"You and what army?" laughed Anakin in a slightly mocking tone.
"It had to be done. The clones couldn't be trusted, they were far too close to Palpatine," snarled Ki-Adi-Mundi in reply.
Captain Rex and Commander Cody stepped out from behind Anakin glowering at the Jedi, "I think you'll find that not every clone is the same, General," replied Rex.
Ki-Adi-Mundi narrowed his eyes, "Harboring fugitives as well I see, you are just full of surprises Skywalker," he said.
Anakin snapped, "Enough! There must be some point to you contacting us, out with it! Coruscant has been befallen by crisis, we don't have time for pointless arguing," snapped Anakin, raising his voice.
"Disband your fleet, Skywalker," warned Yoda, "Or an enemy of the Republic you shall be."
Anakin shook his head, "Someone has to save the day Master Yoda," he replied gravelly before shutting off the transmission.
Ashoka turned back to the controls, deactivating the corvette's autopilot and blasted a path through the Mandalorian fleet tearing through the atmosphere in pursuit of the frigates deploying bombers to bombard the planet wide metropolis.
Anakin shielded his eyes as a burst of red laser cannon fire pounded the command bridge violently, the frontal deflector shields absorbing the strike. Anakin returned fire in retaliation mowing down the V-formation of bombers deploying from the Mandalorian vessel.
Obi-wan flinched as the command bridge rocked beneath a proton torpedo as a StarViper zipped past the viewport. Kota's Acclamator fleet penetrating the thick blanket of clouds and gunned down the Mandalorian cruiser. Ashoka steered the Corvette through the empty skylanes and plotted a course through the chaos to the Jedi Temple.
Anakin stared in horror as a wave of bombers bombarded the Temple leaving tongues of orange flame to dance fiercely in the afternoon sky. Smoke plumed up through the open wounds in the Temple walls. Already the hangar was spewing out Jedi starfighters to engage the threat. Kit Fisto's starfighter zipped by gunning down an entire StarViper patrol and joined the Jedi in the efforts to destroy every bomber.
Ashoka seized the opportunity and brought the corvette down for a rough landing through the closing hangar doors and activated the landing gear, allowing the ramp to descend.
Anakin stormed off the bridge alongside Obi-wan. Anakin trudged down the ramp to find twenty-plus Jedi Knights surrounding the corvette with Master Ki-Adi-Mundi standing at the center of the oppressive line with his cobalt blade brandished pointed at Skywalker, "You should have never returned here!" he growled. Aayla stepped in front of Anakin glowering at Ki-Adi, "Now is not the time for infighting, the Order is under attack and you need our help, and you know it Ki-Adi!" she snapped.
KI-Adi glowered at her for a time before relenting and deactivated his lightsaber stowing it at his waist along with the other Knights. Anakin passed Ki-Adi and left the hangar turning down a corridor leading back to the Grand Hall. Shaak Ti pulled him back with the Force as an explosion slammed into the wall he had been standing beside a moment before.
"Thank you," said Anakin bowing his head slightly in gratitude. Obi-wan raced over to him, "I'm fine."
Anakin continued on his course through the Temple and activated his lightsaber swatting several blaster bolts back at their Mandalorian owners. Anakin, Obi-wan, and Ashoka ducked into the turbolift as Aayla and Shaak elected to stay behind to help keep the Sith forces from further penetrating the Temple's defenses.
Anakin stood placed his hand affectionately on Obi-wan's back and stepped out of the elevator after him as the turbolift stopped. Anakin stopped before the blast doors barring him entry to the High Council chambers. Anakin plunged his lightsaber into the door and with some effort cut a large hole in the doors to pass into the Council chambers.
Obi-wan ducked inside after Anakin and stopped dead in his tracks before the pile of rubble. A small lightsaber hilt protruded from the mound and a tiny, clawed, green hand protruded from among the duracrete bricks sprawled in a pile.
Anakin stared at the rubble with shock, clearing it mostly off the limp form of Yoda. He knelt beside the frail form of the old Jedi Master and found no sign of life left in the Grand Master. Anakin whirled around hearing a lightsaber activate. "Murderer!" accused Ki-Adi his lip curled in a feral snarl.
Anakin activating his hand just in time to avoid dismemberment and drove the Jedi Master back with ease. Ki-Adi slammed his own blade of energy against Anakin's with a loud crackling and sizzling sound as sparks skirted across the floor.
"Wait Ki-Adi! You don't understand-" began Anakin in protest.
"Oh I understand, you came here just to cripple the Order by killing Yoda," replied Ki-Adi dangerously quiet.
Anakin blocked another oppressive set of blows and then entered his preferred lightsaber form, Djem So. Anakin slammed his blade down on Ki-Adi's defenses viciously Ki-Adi stumbled back and Anakin threw him over a chair without another thought.
Ki-Adi rose from the marble floor, a Force bomb primed in the palm of his hand. Anakin shouted spotting the bomb, "NOOO!" he unleashed a storm of Force lightning on Ki-Adi pouring lethal energies into Ki-Adi.
Ki-Adi howled and bellowed in agony. Anakin unleashed a concussive blast and sent him hurtling out of the window. Ki-Adi's crippled form vanished beneath the skylanes far below.
Anakin turned grimly towards the shocked looks on Ashoka and Obi-wan's faces, "It had to be done."
Obi-wan nodded in silent agreement after a moment and ripped Anakin across the room back into the hall with the Force right as the StarViper tore through the Council chambers shearing the top of the spire off. A cloud of dust filtered into the corridor and Obi-wan rose coughing, "A-Anakin?!" he called spluttering in between coughs.
"I'm fine."
Ashoka activated the turbolift, "Come on guys, it's not safe up here."
Obi-wan and Anakin ducked inside right as the lift began its descent back to the lower floors of the Temple. Obi-wan stopped as the masked Sith Lord from Tatooine entered the Temple through the massive hole blasted in the doors. Lightsabers flew off of his belt instantly and in all directions cutting down almost every Jedi present with ease. Shaak ducked behind a pillar just in time to avoid a crimson blade cleaving her in two.
The blades deactivated and returned to the Sith's waist. He stepped over the corpses of Padawans and Knights littering the floor, cackling darkly at the carnage he had wrought. Obi-wan sprinted across the hall blasting the Sith Lord towards the Archives. The Sith staggered taken by surprise, "Obi-wan no!" cried Anakin.
"This is my fight," said Obi-wan craning his head back toward Anakin. The Sith Lord chuckled as he rose to his feet, "An unwise choice Master Kenobi."
Obi-wan turned engaging the offensive driving him back into the Archives with his own version of the Djem So. The masked Sith counterstruck abruptly sending Obi-wan reeling in a shelf piled high with holodisks and datacrons. Several disks flew off of the shelf and shattered upon striking the floor.
"Such a shame for such knowledge to be wasted," rasped the Sith. He raised a gloved hand and several bolts of dark purple lightning flashed off of the Sith Stalker claws. Obi-wan dove aside and the lightning blasted the holodisks into millions of glittering shards.
The Sith Lord continued on in his relentless pursuit sending burst after burst of lightning at Obi-wan. Obi-wan intercepted the final one on the tip of his blue lightsaber redirecting it back at the Sith Lord. The Sith Lord absorbed it into his palm and returned the blast with double the power. "Die, Jedi."
Obi-wan intercepted most of the storm on his lightsaber absorbing the lethal energy instantly. He cringed as several bolts coursed through his body, lighting every nerve inside him on fire. The blinding storm died away and the Sith Lord frowned behind his mask spotting Obi-wan still standing, "You're quite the resilient one," said the Sith irritably.
Obi-wan allowed the Sith to enter the offensive this time, taken aback by his sheer agility and raw power. Obi-wan staggering backing up into a column beneath the Sith's assault. The Sith slashed for his neck aiming for decapitation and a quick end to the duel. His crimson blade slashed through the column sending a spray of duracrete raining down on them as the wall weakened and the pillar crumbled into a pile of rubble.
Obi-wan entered the Soresu form harrying any attempt to cut him down. The Sith snarled in frustration and feinted for his knees but activated another lightsaber and slammed it down towards Obi-wan's head. Obi-wan gathered the Force and blasted the Sith Lord through the entire line of holodisk shelves. The Sith crumpled in a heap beneath the weight of two shelves pinning him to the ground.
Obi-wan stalked across the hall and dove beneath a table as ten lightsabers flew off of the Sith's lightsaber slashing in hacking in every possible direction where he had been before. One blade slammed dead center into the table the crimson blade blurring Obi-wan's vision with a field of crimson as the blade descended a few inches from his face. Another blade stabbed directly behind him nearly impaling his shoulder.
He rolled free as two blades cut the table into pieces. The Sith blasted the two bookshelves off of him and sent another storm of purple lightning towards him along with the lightsabers of his victims. Obi-wan dove behind the marble staircase behind him and dove into an open doorway sealing the doors shut behind him. Obi-wan flinched as ten blades simultaneously punctured the durasteel door carving a hole big enough for the Sith to enter through. Obi-wan raced up a small staircase and iridescent emerald light washed over him instantly.
Obi-wan ducked into a tangle of wires, hiding himself in the Force as the Sith passed with the lightsabers encircling him like a vanguard. Obi-wan let out a sigh of relief as he vanished down another row of beacons. He dove out of the nest of wires as three of the lightsabers fell upon him tearing the wires apart.
Obi-wan froze as the room fell silent and suddenly the wall of computers and beacons behind him exploded as the Sith erupted through the wreckage of the electronics, his clawed left hand finding its way around Obi-wan's throat.
Obi-wan gasped as any air left in his lungs escaped him. The Sith lifted him effortlessly off of the ground and slammed against another row of beacons. Obi-wan planted a sharp kick in the Sith's side sending him staggering a bit. Obi-wan retaliated and sparks flashed off of his fingertips and soon the Sith fell beneath his own assault of lightning pouring from his fingertips.
The Sith groaned in agony as the lightning poured into his armor, burning away his tattered cloak. Obi-wan turned away from the fallen Sith Lord and stopped hearing a metallic rasp escape the man's throat, "You'll never leave alive!" He pressed a clawed thumb down on a detonator and several pieces of detonite primed for detonation all over the room.
Obi-wan sprinted out of the beacon room and dove over the railing towards the first floor of the Archives, bracing his impact with the floor with the Force. Anakin raced into the Archives with his lightsaber in hands and Obi-wan sprinted forward and tackled him out the front doors as the detonite activated swallowing the Archives in a maw of fire.
Anakin stared up at the flames trickling out of the Archives, his face paled from the realization of how close to death he had just come. "I told you to stay away," panted Obi-wan out of breath with several cuts on his cheek from shrapnel.
Shaak raced over to them through the sea of corpses littering the floor checking on them both, "Minimal injuries for the both of you," she muttered after checking them over. She healed Obi-wan's cuts with the Force and helped both Jedi to their feet.
Aayla was helping Kit limp over towards them with little effort on her part. Anakin glanced around the room beginning to spot survivors trickling out of doorways and rise from the carnage around. Shaak immediately left their side and rushed over towards Ashoka guiding several Padawans and Younglings. Scarcely a hundred Jedi Knights had survived the assault on the Temple. Less than ten Jedi Masters had survived the initial bombing.
Plo Koon blasted away the rubble barring his freedom. He stepped out of the sealed Training Room and into the Grand Hall. He brushed the dust particles away from his respirator and guided out several more Padawans and a straggling Jedi Knight. "At least someone on the Council survived," said Ashoka smiling rushing over to Plo Koon to help.
Kota's militia stormed in through the fallen doors marching off to secure the Temple. "We cleared the skies but the Mandalorians and some of the Sith Lords are keeping us out of the Senate district," reported Master Kota. "The Chancellor!" said Anakin standing up.
"I'm sure Supreme Chancellor Mon Mothma will be fine, she's a strong-willed woman," assured Kota with a smile.
Anakin nodded and tuned towards everyone present, "Any Jedi still able enough to fight needs to follow us to the Senatorial district. We need to secure Coruscant from the Mandalorian and Sith threat," he said loud enough for every Jedi present to hear.
"May the Force be with us," said Plo Koon smiling and raising his lightsaber into the air.
Over a hundred sabers filled the air with colored light. Anakin led the Jedi to the hangar watching Ashoka race up the corvette and warm up the engines. Kit, Plo Koon, Shaak Ti, and Aayla all sprinted up into the belly of the Corellian corvette after her.
Anakin and Obi-wan followed feeling the ramp rise up beneath their feet. The corvette raced out of the hangar with a storm of Jedi starfighters flying alongside. Several Acclamators passed overhead casting the Jedi force into darkness. Turbolaser fire began to dot the sky as the remaining Kedalbe-battleship opened fire on the approaching starships.
Interceptor V-class frigates glided out from behind apartment towers pounding the Acclamators with their frontal laser cannons.
Ashoka steered the corvette out of the way of several proton missiles and watched the starfighters zip ahead annihilating the Interceptor V-class frigate with a flurry of laser fire. The Interceptor V frigate plummeted down towards the lowest levels of the metropolis. Proton torpedoes and proton bombs flew off of the Jedi starfighters and engulfed the Kedalbe in a maw of pink and blue flame.
Anakin raised a war cry along with Kota's men over the comm system as the Kedalbe-class warship plummeted passing the Senatorial rotunda and plummeted through the skylanes below vanishing from sight.
lowering the landing ramp as well. Anakin raced off of the command bridge alongside Obi-wan cutting down the Mandalorians guarding the doors. The survivors watched the remaining Mandalorian warship vanish up into the clouds; "THEY'RE RETREATING!" roared Anakin to the Jedi and Kota's militia sprinted towards the door.
A cry of victory rose among their ranks. The Jedi Knights poured into the rotunda securing the barracks and releasing the Senatorial Guards being held hostage. Anakin walked into the Congressional Hall spotting every Senator in their respective podium.
"So glad you could join us Master Skywalker and Kenobi," rang down the voice of the Sith Lord from Alderaan.
"Who are you?" asked Anakin fiercely.
"Darth Adonnexus at your service," he said taking a mocking bow.
"Why have the Sith chosen now to return?" asked Obi-wan.
"Because the galaxy is still crippled from the Clone Wars, the Jedi order nearly diminished. The fruits of victory are just ripe for the picking," replied Adonnexus.
"Yes, well you've lost," said Anakin, "The Mandalorian fleet is crippled beyond repair, you lost many of your Sith Lords and you are all that remain."
"Your point?"
"This is the end for you," said Obi-wan activating his lightsaber.
"We shall see," said Adonnexus, activating his double-ended lightsaber. Anakin Force leapt across the gap and landed in the Chancellor's pod. He slammed his blade aggressively down on the Sith, immediately entering his favored Form V.
Obi-wan attacked as well driving the Sith Lord toward he edge. Adonnexus leapt over the two and attacked from behind. Obi-wan turned in retaliation and slapped his saber aside delivering a shallow cut up his chest vertically. Adonnexus staggered back and Anakin seized the opportunity and rammed his lightsaber through the Sith Lord's heart.
"There is no emotion, there is peace."
Adonnexus gasped and plummeted out of the podium towards the ground below, the screams of Senators filling the Congressional Hall. Anakin deactivated his lightsaber, "You're all safe now!" he called out. Cheers erupted from the crowd and the Senators filtered out of the building as emergency vehicles began to descend on the rotunda.
Obi-wan and Anakin ascended up into the corridor just outside Mon Mothma's office. They raced out of the lift towards her office spotting her standing in the center of the office alone.
Anakin moved to enter the room feeling the Force scream out a belated warning. Mon Mothma smiled spotting the Jedi and made to walk forward. Anakin spotted Kota's Acclamators in the distance clearing the skies. Mon Mothma extended her arms crossing the office. Obi-wan's cheerful smile slid off his face as a premonition took over his sight. He saw Mon Mothma standing in the exact same position and suddenly the office vanished scoured with fire from concealed explosives hidden in the art pieces brought to her office this morning.
Obi-wan returned to reality, "CHANCELLOR-"
Fire ripped through the room swallowing her administrative aides in the flames. The flames quickly caught up and swallowed Mon Mothma instantly in a split second. Obi-wan pulled Anakin behind the cover of a statue and held him close fearing for the end.
The flames died away and Obi-wan loosened his hold peering out to find the burned corpses of the late Supreme Chancellor and her aides scattered around the office. Plo Koon and Kit Fisto burst into the room alongside medics.
"Adonnexus' last act," murmured Obi-wan staring out the broken window as emergency vehicles streamed towards the office.
Anakin sat in Yoda's old seat in the council chambers sparing a glance up at Obi-wan staring curiously at the holoprojector chiming an incoming call. Plo Koon accepted the call with a wave of his hand. Shaak sat in her own seat beside Aayla, with Kit beside Aayla.
Eeth Koth was closer to Anakin and Kota sat beside Anakin staring at the pixelated form of Supreme Chancellor Bail Organa appear. "Greetings, Master Jedi. I hope the repairs on the Temple are running smoothly, I presume?"
"All is well, Chancellor Organa, and the repairs on the Temple are nearly complete," announced Plo Koon with a hint of a smile behind his respirator.
"Good, I'm glad to see any traces of this past crisis are over. May the Force be with you!" he said graciously.
"And with you," replied Anakin before ending the transmission.
"Grand Master Skywalker, what is our course of action?" asked Eeth Koth.
"Rebuild, finally for the first time in decades the Republic has found peace," replied Anakin smiling.
Shaak Ti interrupted the rabble of cheers, "There are still adjustments to be made to the code and the mantra."
"From this day forward, the Jedi will not be shackled to a stoic life. Emotion is good; otherwise we are not sentient in nature. Anger, hate, and jealousy all lead to the dark side of course, but there are ways to avoid this as well," began Anakin, "As of now I make a motion to revoke the banning of emotional attachment and that marriage is consented throughout the Order as of now."
"All in favor," smiled Anakin.
Every hand rose in favor of the motion and Anakin adjourned the meeting turning towards the window. Obi-wan stayed behind approaching him after every other Councilor member had left.
He nuzzled his head against Anakin's shoulder pulled him into an embrace, "Good then this makes us legal now," he murmured in his ear. Anakin smiled staring down at the bands on their fingers glinting beneath the fading sunlight.
"At least now, we can live carefree and at peace," muttered Anakin to him.
"Eventually, we're going to retire and leave the Order behind to live out our lives together right?" asked Obi-wan quietly.
"Of course," replied Anakin at once.
"The galaxy owes us at least that much."
A/N: And fin! Another ending to yet another great chapter. I must say I really enjoyed this chapter even though there's no smutty yaoi deliciousness. Don't be mad at me for no AniObi or CodyRex sex scenes in this chapter. Don't worry though there will be plenty of yaoi in the next chapter.
I'm going to try to keep this story going, and in the next few chapters I have several surprises in store for all of you readers.
Review, follow, favorite! It really means a lot to me, I know you all enjoy the story. I can see the stats! Still thanks to all those who have reviewed since the beginning it really means a lot.
*cough* Review or I'll unleash the power of this fully operational battle station on your genitals *cough*