Episode 6 – The General's Ghost
Victory at Kashyyyk! Following their success in rescuing captured Wookiees and uncovering the mystery surrounding the enigmatic Ghost of the Shadowlands, the Padawan Pack has proven themselves as a capable and resourceful team! Meanwhile Sith Admiral Natasi Daala reports to the Sith Empress, Darth Akul, to prepare the next phase of their nefarious scheme to destroy the Jedi and the Republic!
Sith Capital World, unknown system…
Admiral Daala entered the Empress's throne room. It was a large chamber, reminiscent of Emperor Palpatine's Throne Room on the Second Death Star only made of stone and with no catwalks overhead. The Empress herself sat facing slightly away from the front, the armored Darth Stalker standing at the foot of the steps leading up to the Empress's throne with his arms crossed. Admiral Daala approached the steps and dropped to one knee in an irreverent bow.
"Why is thy bidding, my lady?" Admiral Daala asked, Akul not turning towards her.
"I have finished my translations of the ancient Sith tablets recovered from the tomb of Freedon Nadd. The Jedi have done a surprisingly thorough job in covering their tracks but I have found the information we seek. The weapon we seek has been scattered across the galaxy. One discovery will lead to another but the first piece is located on the planet Kalee, homeworld of the Kaleesh. You are to go there and retrieve this first piece." Akul instructed as Daala rose to her feet.
"I will retrieve the artifact my lady." Daala replied.
"I have no doubt that you will. The Kaleesh are also prepared to join our Empire. Make sure they do." Akul ordered as Daala contemplated for a moment.
"My lady it is not my place to question your commands, but I am not sure how to go about accomplishing this task. What reason would the Kaleesh have for siding with the Empire?" Daala asked.
"I have already taken care of that. As added insurance, you will bring before them a symbol to unify them beneath our banner, to solidify their allegiance to the Sith." Akul said as Daala heard the whirring of servo motors and heavy metallic footsteps approaching from behind her. She turned and what she saw, startled her slightly but her surprise quickly waned, and she turned back with a bow towards the Empress.
"Your will be done, milady." She replied before turning and departing the Empress's throne room.
Meanwhile on Ossus…
The Padawan Pack were seated in one of the halls of the Ossus Academy, with Master K'Kruhk overseeing a sparring session between Padawan Grun and one of the IG-100 Magnaguards that had been brought recently to the Academy by Anakin Skywalker and Anakin Solo following their recent misadventure on Dathomir. The droids had been programmed to act as sparring partners against the Jedi using non-lethal electrostaffs while the Padawans used training sabers against their droid opponents. Grun was struggling to overcome the single guard's electrostaff as the droid's skill was just too much. Able, the clone security officer watched from the sidelines with an annoyed glare, not at Grun, but at the droid. Padawans Velia and Hisari were both watching the sparring session while Yodin sat staring off into space between them. Padawan Ronderu sat meditating, not paying any attention to the situation.
"A Jedi can feel the force flowing through them, Grun. Calm yourself and let the force tell you when to strike." K'Kruhk advised as the droid struck at Grun who moved to block but the droid faked a move and instead knocked the legs out from under him.
"Oh come on, General! The droid's fighting dirty!" Able groaned.
"Peace Commander. Padawan Grun, as well as each of these Padawans must learn that their opponents will not always follow the rules." K'Kruhk said as Able growled slightly.
"Problem there is, Commander?" Yodin asked with a bored tone. He was anxious to leave the training session out of hunger.
"Yeah, I don't like watching Jedi getting beaten by clankers." Able grumbled as K'Kruhk turned towards the Commander. Grun was still managing to barely hold out against the droid.
"I'm certain there are other duties you can perform right now, Commander. I imagine Delta Oh-Seven could use someone to help him acclimatize to his new surroundings." K'Kruhk suggested.
"If you say so General." Able said with a sigh and walked out, keeping an eye on the droid as he left the room.
"What's his problem?" Padawan Hisari asked.
"He is a proud veteran of the Clone Wars. He has low opinions of droids as a result. He cannot be faulted for this as he was bred that way. Now return your attention to the matter at hand, Padawans." K'Kruhk said as Grun dodged an attack by the droid only to be blindsided by the droid's return swing and knocked to the ground.
"Enough!" K'Kruhk commanded, the droid suddenly freezing before deactivating the staff and turning towards the line of Padawans.
"Ow." Grun whimpered as he climbed to his feet, putting a hand to his head as he returned to his seat.
"You didn't do so bad." Tahiri said as Grun scoffed.
"I might as well be Droid Bait." Grun grumbled.
"Patience young Padawan. In time you will learn to wield a lightsaber effectively. No one learns it overnight. Such is the case of Master Skywalker. He is easily one of the best swordsmen the Order has but it took many years of practice and skill to master the weapon. By Grand Master Skywalker's own testimony, he took could barely deflect a bolt from a training remote when he first began. Now then, Padawan Ronderu, it is your turn." K'Kruhk said as the Kaleesh Padawan climbed quietly to her feet, summoning a pair of training sabers to her hand through the force before stepping into the practice ring.
"Hunting mask you require? Hmm?" Yodin asked with a smirk but the Kaleesh ignored him and closed her eyes before she activated the lightsabers. The magnaguard immediately activated the electrostaff and swung at the Padawan but she quickly and nimbly stepped clear of the attack before quickly knocking the droid onto its abdominal plating, driving both sabers into its shoulder plating, the electrical pulses in the blades temporarily shorting out the droid's arm servos. The Padawans were all left in stunned amazement that the Padawan had defeated the droid so quickly and swiftly.
"What the-?" Hisari asked in awe.
"Very impressive, Padawan Ronderu." K'Kruhk said as Ronderu deactivated her lightsabers silently before placing them back on the crate. Soon the Pack was walking silently through the halls towards the commissary.
"She's Kaleesh. Why are we even surprised by her skill with a lightsaber?" Grun asked as they walked, Ronderu walking ahead of them.
"I don't think her race has anything to do with her skill." Tahiri said as K'Kruhk nodded.
"In a sense you are both correct. Padawan Ronderu comes from a race of warriors. Conflict is in their nature. But Ronderu has taken great strides in overcoming her violent tendencies. When Master Kota first brought her to us, she was angry and impatient. Over time, he taught her to resist the anger within her. She has come a long way in her efforts to find peace. Even with the loss of her Master, she has managed to find solace in her Master's teachings." K'Kruhk said as Ronderu paused in the middle of the hallway, causing the other Padawans and K'Kruhk to stop behind her.
"What's the matter?" Tahiri asked as Ronderu suddenly dropped into a meditative stance on the floor, her body shaking as she made a noticeable shuddering sound.
"No…no go away! BACK AWAY!" Ronderu yelled as she put her hands to her head as if in pain.
"Something's wrong! Call a medic quick!" Tahiri called, a nearby academy guard raising a comlink to call security. Ronderu suddenly let out gasp as she caught her breath, her eyes wide in horror.
"What is the matter, Padawan Ronderu?" K'Kruhk asked as he helped the Padawan to her feet.
"I…I do not know Master. I saw…I saw Kalee in flames. My people crying out in pain and anger as a dark shadow consumed them." Ronderu said as the Whiphid Jedi Master pondered for a moment.
"Perhaps you have been granted a vision, young Padawan." K'Kruhk said as the Kaleesh Padawan looked him in the eyes.
"I do not know for certain Master but there is one way to find out. I must go to Kalee and see if my people are in any danger." Ronderu said as K'Kruhk pondered for a moment before nodding.
"Very well. I will speak to the Council for their guidance on the matter, and then the Pack will join you to Kalee to ascertain the meaning of your vision." K'Kruhk said as Ronderu bowed to the Jedi Master in thanks.
"Thank you, Master." Ronderu said as K'Kruhk smiled and walked away towards the Council Chambers, leaving the Padawans in the hall.
"Your people will be okay, Ronderu. We'll make sure of it." Tahiri said as Ronderu looked down at her and gave her a nod. Ronderu easily towered over her fellow Padawans.
"I thank you for your support. I only fear what we will find when we reach my homeworld." Ronderu said as she started to walk down the hall, her fellow Padawans following after her.
"It occurs to me, that we hardly know anything about you. I mean we know Tahiri was raised by Tusken Raiders on Tatooine, Hisari grew up in the Taris slums, Pirates orphaned me near Kamino, and Yodin doesn't even know where he came from. But we know nothing about you save for the fact you're Kaleesh." Grun said as Hisari nodded.
"Yeah, you got any friends or family still on Kalee?" Hisari asked.
"If you must know, I have twenty brothers and twelve sisters, all sharing the same father but with different mothers. In regards to friends, I have none." Ronderu explained.
"That's a lot of mouths to feed." Tahiri said, she and her fellow Padawans stunned by Ronderu's number of siblings.
"Kaleesh men typically have many wives. It is not uncommon. I was even betrothed to one of my father's friends before I left to join the Order." Ronderu said as the Padawans blinked.
"Engaged, you are?!" Yodin asked, startled by her answer.
"Formerly. My intended husband was killed in combat. Truthfully, I have no interest in finding a mate." Ronderu said.
"So that rules you out Yodin." Hisari sniggered only earning a glare and a smirk from the diminutive Padawan.
"Marry you off if we tried, we could not." Yodin shot back as Hisari sneered at him but said nothing.
"Please, the way you two bicker, people would think you were an old married couple." Grun mumbled.
Later…
The Pack's Starspeeder dropped out of hyperspace near Kalee, the transport fast approaching the system. Able sat at the helm again, helmet on, while Sev sat on the back row, examining his cleaned and restored DC-17 rifle. Ronderu sat meditating while Grun and Yodin played a game of Dejarik on a portable table. Hisari was spinning her inactive lightsaber in hand while Tahiri listened in as K'Kruhk spoke to the hologram of Wedge Antilles.
"Master K'Kruhk, Luke tells me that you and a few Jedi are headed to the Kalee system." Wedge said as K'Kruhk nodded.
"Yes Commander Antilles. We are investigating a disturbance in the Force felt by one of our Padawans. We are not sure what we will find there but we might need support in case things get too rough." K'Kruhk explained.
"Sure thing Master K'Kruhk. We've received reports of Sith forces being spotted in some of the outlying systems and will be on hand in case things go south. Let us know if you need any help. Antilles out." Wedge said before his hologram disappeared.
"So, going against the Bone-Lizards. Sounds fun." Sev commented. He now sported a buzz cut and a clean chin, having extensively cleaned up following his rescue from Kashyyyk. He had swapped his old Katarn armor out for a more conventional suit of Republic Soldier armor. His blaster and backpack were the only things from his commando armor he still carried. He did add a shield belt to his armament to compensate for the loss of his Katarn armor's built in shield unit.
"We are not here to fight against the Kaleesh, Delta 07. We are here to ensure their wellbeing." K'Kruhk stated.
"Which will likely involve some violence." Ronderu commented, her eyes still closed in meditation.
"Told you. Fun." Sev said as Able shook his head.
"How did we get saddled with the defective deluxe model?" Able mumbled.
"Big talk coming from a shiny." Sev retorted, earning a glare from his fellow clone.
"Gentlemen, remember you are brothers." K'Kruhk scolded.
"Yeah but even brothers fight some times." Sev replied as the Starspeeder came in for a landing outside one of the Kaleesh villages. The Kaleesh eyed the vessel with suspicion but otherwise showed no interest. As the Jedi and their two clone escorts disembarked the Starspeeder, one of the Kaleesh spotted Ronderu and approached her, carrying an Outland Rifle in hand.
"You. What brings you back to the homeworld? And who are these outsiders?" the Kaleesh asked as Ronderu regarded him with a dark glare.
"Know your place. I am still your elder and you will treat me with respect, worm!" Ronderu threatened, taking her fellow Jedi by surprise. K'Kruhk however observed the exchange in silence with little sign of surprise.
"Call me that again and I will cut out your tongue!" the Kaleesh man warned but Ronderu was not fazed.
"I call you what I will, worm!" Ronderu yelled, the two glaring into each other's eyes for a moment, daring the other to make a move. It remained this way for a while until the man started to chuckle in amusement.
"Ronderu it has been too long." He said as Ronderu allowed a small smirk to form on her face.
"Indeed it has brother." Ronderu said as the other Padawans immediately caught on.
"Siblings." Grun said as he facepalmed.
"She did say she had a lot of them." Tahiri said.
"So what brings you back to the homeworld, sister?" the Kaleesh asked.
"A powerful vision has brought me here. I must speak with father." Ronderu said as her brother nodded.
"I will take you to him sister but be warned, he will not like it that you have brought outsiders with you." He said as Ronderu glanced towards her fellow Jedi.
"They are my friends and companions. I will vouch for their presence." Ronderu said as her brother gave a nod.
"Be it on your head sister." He said before turning to leave. Ronderu then rejoined her fellow Jedi.
"It appears we are not welcomed here by your family, Ronderu." K'Kruhk said.
"My people are not very trusting of outsiders, especially Jedi. However, I recommend caution Master." Ronderu said as K'Kruhk nodded in agreement.
"We shall follow your lead Ronderu." K'Kruhk said.
"We'll stay with the ship in case we need to retreat back to friendly space on short notice." Able said as Sev cracked his knuckles.
"You sound scared, Able." Sev said, earning a glare from Able.
"I agree with the Commander on this one Delta 07. Given the nature of the Kaleesh, it might be wise to have an escape plan just in case." K'Kruhk said as the former commando nodded.
"Whatever you say General." Sev said, climbing back inside the Starspeeder. The Padawans then set off into town, taking note of the suspicious or apathetic looks the other Kaleesh gave them. Ronderu led them to one of the larger structures in town, a large ziggurat-like structure. As they approached the steps leading up to the top of the structure, Ronderu stopped and turned towards her fellow Jedi.
"I feel that I should warn you. This is a temple of my people. We are very protective and defensive of our pantheon of gods. For your sake, refrain from speaking, no matter what you see or hear." Ronderu said before turning to lead them up the steps. As they reached the top, Ronderu's brother was already there along with a taller Kaleesh flanked by a pair of masked Kaleesh warriors brandishing swords. The taller Kaleesh wore a headdress similar to the hunting mask Ronderu regularly wore. Behind him was a statue that the Jedi were unable to recognize due to the lighting.
"Ronderu. You have returned to us." The Kaleesh greeted with a low tone to his voice as Ronderu dropped to one knee in respect.
"Father." She replied.
"Why have you brought outsiders with you to the temple?" the Kaleesh asked, looking the Jedi over curiously.
"They are my friends and allies, father." Ronderu said as her father looked them over one by one before stopping before K'Kruhk. He looked the Jedi Master over for a moment before turning back to Ronderu.
"Why have you returned to us, daughter? Why do you seek me out?" her father asked as Ronderu looked up at him.
"I have been shown a vision, father. A vision of our world in flames, our people consumed by a great darkness. I believe it to be a vision of the future father, of a time where our people will be attacked once again by outsiders." Ronderu said as her father stroked his chin in thought.
"And the outsiders you have brought with you, they are not these same outsiders from your vision?" he asked.
"No father. I trust these outsiders with my life. They have helped me to tame my angry spirit and to focus it into more constructive means." Ronderu said as her father crossed his arms over his chest.
"The stench of the Jedi I smell upon you. Do you seek to shame our name by allying yourself with the enemy of our most holy ancestor?" her father asked.
"Holy ancestor?" Tahiri whispered, confused. Ronderu's father snapped his head around towards the Padawan, a look of annoyance directed at her.
"Remove the Jedi from the temple." He ordered, his guards and Ronderu's brother moving towards them but Ronderu suddenly leapt into their path, her lightsabers ignited.
"Back away. The Jedi are with me. You try and bring them harm and you will have to go through me." Ronderu said as K'Kruhk cleared his throat.
"Ronderu this isn't necessary." He said softly.
"Master I know what I am doing. Please trust me." She said back to him.
"Then let us help you." Hisari said, reaching for her lightsaber but Ronderu raised the edge of her lightsaber close to Hisari's face.
"I will deal with them myself. I must." Ronderu said as her father drew a vibrosword.
"Then prove to us that the Jedi have not dulled your skills with the blade in favor of peace and pacifism." He said as Ronderu quickly swung one of her lightsabers across in front of her, forcing the four Kaleesh back. They began to circle each other, Ronderu spinning her lightsabers menacingly. One of the guards suddenly lunged at her but was swiftly disarmed when Ronderu sliced through the hilt of his sword, sending the blade clattering to the ground. She quickly spun in time to block a blow from the other guard. She then gave the guard a powerful kick to the stomach, knocking him onto his back before she quickly spun and used the force to throw the broken sword blade off the top of the temple just before the first guard could reach it. She then heard a gun cocking and she spun her lightsaber around in time to intercept a potentially lethal shot aimed at her chest by her brother, the slug being instantly vaporized by her lightsaber blade. She then force pushed her brother onto his back before quickly spinning back around in time to block her father as he attempted to plunge his sword into her chest. Ronderu and her father glared at each other's eyes, neither showing a willingness to capitulate.
"Family or not, you must realize you are doomed." Her father said but Ronderu was unfazed.
"Oh I don't think so." She replied before suddenly using the force to launch herself backwards and away towards the darkened statue. She landed atop the statue before dropping down, her lightsabers touching a pair of large fire basins, igniting them and illuminating the statue behind her. K'Kruhk and Grun both immediately recognized the statue.
"Master, is that-…" Grun asked as K'Kruhk nodded, pulling his straw hat over his eyes.
"It is a statue of General Grievous, one of the most notorious Kaleesh in galactic history and a murderer of countless Jedi during the Clone Wars." K'Kruhk said as Ronderu deflected another strike against her from her father's guards, one of them now attempting to strike her with his fists but she easily repelled them with a strong double kick to their stomachs before raising her lightsabers to swing at her father, her savage skill with the lightsabers reminiscent of Grievous himself.
"You speak the name you outsiders know as one of our most holy ancestors but to us he was Qymaen jai Sheelal." Ronderu's brother said as he stepped up next to the Jedi, holding his side. Ronderu was still fending off her father and his guards with ferocious skill.
"You honor a Jedi killer?" Hisari asked in disgust. Ronderu's brother glared at her for a second before turning his attention back to the fight.
"I honor him as any blood descendant of the great Qymaen would." He said, startling the Padawans.
"Wait you mean you're descended from Grievous?" Tahiri asked.
"As is Ronderu. Our father is his last surviving grandson. Ronderu's full name is Ronderu laj Sheelal. We are the great-grandchildren of the great Qymaen." He said, causing the Padawans to stare at Ronderu in shock. Ronderu was surrounded on all sides by her father and his guards but as they attempted to charge her, she swung her lightsabers back, striking the guards across the chest, wounding but not killing them before bringing them back around and knocking the sword from her father's hand and holding her other blade to his chin.
"Yield, father." She said as her father smiled and backed away slightly before bowing to her.
"It seems that my initial preconceptions were misplaced daughter. You have not weakened under the Jedi's tutelage. Indeed I believe that perhaps this is a sign from the gods themselves." He said as he stood up. Ronderu arched a curious eyebrow, deactivating her lightsabers and clipping them to her belt.
"What?" she asked.
"Ronderu, your arrival here cannot be coincidence for we have been visited by the empty shell of the great Qymaen himself, come to guide us to a glorious war among the stars." Her father said.
"Qymaen's shell?" she asked, further confused.
"Yes. He arrived only hours before you did." Her father said.
"Qymaen's shell? I'm lost, what are they talking about?" Hisari asked Ronderu's brother.
"In our culture, a person is divided into two halves, the spirit and the shell which the spirit inhabits. The shell is mortal while the spirit lives eternally and will one day return to inhabit a new shell." He explained. Now K'Kruhk was curious.
"And you say Grievous's 'shell' has returned?" K'Kruhk asked but his answer came from Ronderu's father.
"Yes, Jedi, he has. We do not believe that the great Qymaen's spirit is part of it anymore, but Ronderu's coming here cannot be coincidence. Come Jedi, we shall introduce you to him." Her father said as K'Kruhk scowled slightly, remembering his own encounter with Grievous.
"I have already met the 'great Qymaen' back when he was alive, back when we knew him as Grievous." K'Kruhk said as he and the others fell in step.
"And you still survived the encounter. Perhaps it was not your time to die, Jedi." Ronderu's father said as he led them towards the city center.
"There have been many times where I felt that it was my time but I have repeatedly survived." K'Kruhk said as Ronderu's father glanced at him curiously.
"He speaks the truth father. He is a hero of the war the great Qymaen fought and died in only they fought on opposite sides." Ronderu said as K'Kruhk scratched his side.
"I still have the scarring to prove it." He mumbled as they approached the entrance of the city center.
"Tell me then Jedi, does Ronderu's skills seem reminiscent of the great Qymaen's own when he was alive?" Ronderu's father asked as K'Kruhk glanced at the Kaleesh Padawan and gave a nod.
"Yes. I can say her skills and fighting style does indeed appear reminiscent of Grievous's own. But it should be noted that Ronderu has struggled with controlling her anger and I am proud of her accomplishment." K'Kruhk replied but her father said nothing as they entered into the city center, passing rows of other Kaleesh, many of them bowing before what appeared to be another statue of Grievous only seated on a stone throne.
"Wow they really like Grievous here." Grun mumbled.
"Many statues of him, they have, yes?" Yodin asked but Tahiri gulped nervously, noticing some of the subtleties that said otherwise.
"That's no statue." She said. Suddenly a pair of eyes flashed open within the statue, the fingers and toes suddenly clinching slightly before the "statue" stood up onto its feet, adopting the stance familiar to the General.
"Why is this Jedi scum in my presence?" Grievous asked, eyeing the Jedi curiously. K'Kruhk looked Grievous over curiously while the other Padawans except Ronderu seemed nervous. They had all heard the legends and stories surrounding Grievous. Ronderu however appeared skeptical of her Great-Grandfather's suspicious survival. Ronderu's father immediately dropped to one knee.
"Great Qymaen, may I introduce you to one of your great-granddaughters, Ronderu laj Sheelal." He introduced as Ronderu glared at Grievous.
"Ah named after the great Ronderu lij Kummar. How insulting that this Jedi slime be named after such a great warrior of our people." Grievous said, glaring at Ronderu in the eyes before the Kaleesh girl snarled.
"Silence imposter!" Ronderu ordered, causing her fellow Kaleesh to gasp in disbelief, some of them grabbing their weapons.
"How dare you!" one of the Kaleesh men said as he raised his rifle but K'Kruhk stepped in with his lightsaber active.
"Let her speak." K'Kruhk said as Ronderu took a step forward towards Grievous, getting close to his face.
"I am a servant of the living force yet I sense nothing alive about you. You are not the great Qymaen but a machine programmed to believe he is the real Qymaen." Ronderu hissed as her father rose to his feet.
"Daughter we are aware of this already." He said, startling Ronderu and the Jedi.
"What?" she asked as "Grievous" started to laugh.
"You are correct, Ronderu laj Sheelal, I am not the real Qymaen jai Sheelal but this body did indeed belong to him at the time of his death on Utapau at the end of the Clone Wars." "Grievous" explained.
"It is as I said, the shell of Qymaen had returned but his spirit has not." Ronderu's father explained.
"Then where did this droid come from?" Ronderu asked, not noticing as some of the Kaleesh at the back of the room started moving into position near the exit, armed and ready for a fight if necessary but Yodin noticed this.
"Bad feeling about this, I have." He mumbled worriedly.
"An offworlder brought Qymaen's shell to us and now that you are here, then perhaps there is a chance for the great Qymaen to walk amongst us once more!" Ronderu's father said as Ronderu looked at him confused.
"What are you saying?" she asked as he placed his hands on her shoulders.
"Ronderu, the way you fought up within the Temple of Qymaen has opened my eyes. It has been prophesied that the great Qymaen would return to the galaxy as separate beings, the shell and the spirit. The shell has returned as the prophesy foretold and now, the spirit has revealed itself to us." He said, motioning to Ronderu whose eyes widened.
"You believe me to be the returned spirit of Qymaen?" she asked.
"Your techniques, your skill with two blades, are reminiscent of the great Qymaen's own fighting style as your Jedi Master verified moments ago. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, you are the returned spirit of Qymaen. The vision that brought you here was Qymaen's spirit being drawn back to his body." He explained as Ronderu seemed conflicted by the information.
"And what if she is as you believe her to be, what does this change?" K'Kruhk asked as Ronderu's father smiled darkly at the Jedi Master.
"If she is the Spirit of Qymaen, which all signs point to her being, then we have before us a rare opportunity to reunite his spirit with his body." He said as K'Kruhk pondered.
"And if she refuses to go through with this?" he asked. Her father merely scowled and snapped his fingers. Suddenly Sith troopers emerged from within side rooms of the city center, aiming their blasters at the Jedi. Many of the Kaleesh had their weapons drawn against the Jedi. The Jedi were forced to raise their hands in surrender, including Ronderu.
"I take it these are the offworlders who brought the General's 'shell' to you?" K'Kruhk asked as "Grievous" let out a small chuckle while the Kaleesh confiscated the Jedi's lightsabers.
"You are correct, Jedi. Allow me to introduce myself. I am N-K Necrosis, a battle droid built from the remains of the late Qymaen jal Sheelal." The droid said.
"And he is a loyal servant of the Sith Empire." A woman's voice said from another room. At this a human woman in the uniform of an Imperial Admiral entered. Ronderu immediately had a flashback to her vision of the shadow consuming Kalee and glared angrily at the woman.
"The shadow I saw in my vision! It was you!" Ronderu hissed, the human woman looking her over with a cold and emotionless expression.
"I am Admiral Natasi Daala of the Sith Empire, and in the name of her majesty Darth Akul, I hereby place all of you Jedi under arrest as enemies of the state." The woman said as Sith Troopers quickly moved to apprehend the Jedi, slapping binders on their wrists.
"What shall we do with them, Admiral?" Necrosis asked but Ronderu's father stepped in.
"You may do what you will to the Jedi but Ronderu remains under my guard until the procedure." He said, alarming Ronderu and the Jedi.
"Procedure? What procedure?!" Tahiri asked as Necrosis and Ronderu's father turned towards them.
"In order for the great Qymaen to make his return, we must unify his spirit and shell. However we cannot merely remove his spirit from Ronderu as it remains bound to her flesh. So for the union of spirit and shell to be completed, we must remove parts of Ronderu's flesh and bind them to Qymaen's body." He explained as Necrosis opened his chest panels to reveal a synthskin sack full of green liquid, an empty gut-sack ready for use. The sight of the gut-sack was the final piece of the puzzle for the Jedi and their faces flashed with horror. Ronderu quickly attempted to summon her lightsabers to her hand but as she pulled at them through the force, she was shot by one of the Sith Troopers with a stun bolt, causing her lightsabers to clatter against the ground, landing near her body.
"Commander, take the Jedi to dungeons for holding, then transfer them to the shuttle for transport to the Empress." Daala ordered as the Sith troopers started to escort the captured Jedi away while two Kaleesh warriors picked up the unconscious Ronderu, carrying her off in a different direction with Necrosis close behind.
"NO! Let us go!" Hisari yelled but was shot with a stun bolt for her trouble, knocking her out.
"Peace young ones, there is still hope." K'Kruhk said before they were each shot with stun bolts for easier transportation.
…
Back at the Starspeeder, Able was polishing his helmet from the pilot's seat while Sev leaned against the interior wall of the Starspeeder. Sev then opened his eyes and looked out through the forward viewport curiously, hefting his rifle onto his shoulder as he approached.
"Something the matter Sev?" Able asked as Sev glared out the viewport, his survival instincts kicking in.
"You ever had that feeling that weird feeling when something bad is about to happen?" Sev asked as Able glanced out the viewport with him.
"Yeah. You got that feeling too?" he asked as Sev picked Able's blaster up off the floor and handed it to his fellow clone.
"It's like I've got an angry Wookiee rampaging in my stomach." Sev said as Able turned to the controls.
"General K'Kruhk, what's your status?" Able asked, but received no answer.
"General K'Kruhk, please respond." Able said. The silence was enough for Sev to cock his rifle.
"That's it. Angry Wookiee has become hungry rancor." Sev said as he pressed a button on his shield belt, activating the shield.
"Yeah I don't like it. I'm putting a call in to Commander Antilles." Able said as he started to enter a few commands but Sev saw something that made him doubt his brother's chances of success.
"We've got company!" Sev exclaimed, pointing at a number of Sith troopers and Kaleesh warriors running for the Starspeeder.
"Slag it!" Able grunted as he started the ship's engines, the doors and boarding ramps slamming shut automatically. The Sith and Kaleesh attempted to fire at the Starspeeder but the vessel's shields were already up.
"Eat this, Sith Scum!" Sev exclaimed as the Starspeeder lifted off, its blaster cannons swiveling slightly as it opened fire on the Sith and Kaleesh, killing a few of them before the Starspeeder rocketed into the sky. Inside the city center, Daala heard the sounds of combat outside and raised a comlink to her face.
"Status report, what's going on out there?" Daala asked, annoyed by the disturbance.
"The Jedi's transport wasn't unmanned like we thought! It's escaped the surface and our fighters are too far out of range to catch it before it can make the jump to lightspeed!" a Sith officer reported back.
"The transport is of no consequence. The Jedi are still here. Don't bother with trying to catch it." Daala ordered.
"We just lost it in the atmosphere. It's gone, ma'am." The officer reported.
"Good. We have the Jedi in custody. We'll be transporting them to the Spire when we've finished here." Daala said as she put away the comlink, unaware that her conversation had been overheard by the clone brothers aboard the Starspeeder as it touched down in the jungles of Kalee outside the city, unnoticed by the locals.
"Well there's our answer, Sev." Able said as he pulled on his helmet.
"Never thought you'd be the one to recommend a rescue mission." Sev said as Able smirked at his brother from beneath his helmet.
"I might've been bred to be a front line solder, but my time in the Rebellion taught me to be a Commando." Able said as Sev smirked at his brother while handing him a couple of thermal detonators.
"You ever gone on a jailbreak before?" Sev asked, Able nodding his head.
"Too many. One of my squad's regular assignments was to break Imperial Dissenters out of prison to join the Rebellion. You?" Able asked, cocking his rifle.
"Well there was the time on a Republic Assault Ship that got taken over by Trandoshans. That was fun. Had to rescue a member of my squad that had gotten taken to the detention level. Then there was the time on Kashyyyk when we freed a bunch of Wookiees. Oh and then there was when the Commanders and I busted you and the General out of that same camp." Sev said as Able opened one of the doors on the Starspeeder, the two climbing out from inside.
"Right. You want to lead or do you care?" Able asked as Sev shrugged.
"Ladies first." Sev said with a smirk. Able shook his head but took point anyway as they headed towards the city center.
…
In the dungeons, K'Kruhk and the Padawans had just awoken from their stunned slumber. The Padawans had been put in a single cell while K'Kruhk sat in a cell across from them. Ronderu was the only one not present.
"How do we keep ending up in these situations?" Grun asked.
"Lucky, we are not." Yodin grumbled.
"I'm more worried about Ronderu and what they may be doing to her right now." Tahiri said worriedly. K'Kruhk sat in his cell across from them, meditating.
"What the Kaleesh don't realize is that the only thing they will be doing is needlessly killing Ronderu. Placing her within that droid will not bring the result they're after. That droid is already the closest they will ever come to having the original Grievous returned to them. Having the organs and parts of one of his blood descendants won't bring him back." K'Kruhk said as they heard a door slam shut down the hall.
"Someone is coming." Grun whispered as they heard footsteps approaching. They were soon greeted by the sight of Ronderu's brother and the two guards from the temple.
"Jedi, I have a question to ask of you." Ronderu's brother said to K'Kruhk.
"Ask your question but you may not like the answer." K'Kruhk said, still in his meditative pose.
"Will my sister truly become the great Qymaen through this procedure?" he asked.
"Very unlikely. I suspect that all you will receive in return is the death of an innocent girl, your sister, her vital organs extracted and placed within a machine to die. The machine will not inherit the spirit of Grievous." K'Kruhk said as Ronderu's brother scowled and glanced away in thought for a moment then turned to the guards and said something harsh to them in the Kaleesh language. The guards nodded before running off to the end of the hall, opening the door behind them but they did not hear the door slam. Ronderu's brother proceeded to open a pouch at his side and pulled out a lightsaber, igniting its blue blade and immediately cutting the cell door locks off the cells with a single swing. He then deactivated the lightsaber and tossed it to K'Kruhk.
"What is this?" K'Kruhk asked as the Kaleesh started passing out lightsabers from within the bag to the Jedi.
"These are weapons collected by the great Qymaen in life. I return them to you now to facilitate in your escape." Ronderu's brother said as the Jedi examined the lightsabers, recognizing that they were indeed not their own.
"The lightsabers of Grievous's victims. I think one of my own is among them." K'Kruhk said as Ronderu's brother allowed him a look inside the bag. After a second K'Kruhk grinned.
"Hello again old friend." K'Kruhk said as he pulled out a lightsaber, one that Grievous had taken from him long ago.
"Why are you helping us?" Tahiri asked as Ronderu's brother glanced at her.
"My father is conspiring to murder one of his own children. We believe our father has misread the prophecy surrounding the great Qymaen's return. It is said that he would return yes, but that one of the two halves would force the other into submission through combat and they would be fused together through fire. My father intends to let these Sith bring about the return of Qymaen but even I know that a person's spirit cannot be inserted within a machine like this. There is no combat! There is no fire! Only outsiders and their machines! More than this, the great Qymaen's shell was brought to us as a bargaining chip in exchange for an artifact that Qymaen brought to the homeworld during the war you spoke of." Ronderu's brother explained.
"Artifact? An artifact from the clone wars?" K'Kruhk asked, suspiciously.
"Yes. The Sith Outsiders have already taken the artifact to their vessel in orbit." Ronderu's brother said as he started to lead them out of the dungeons where several Kaleesh men and women stood over a room full of dead Kaleesh and Sith guards, their weapons and communicators having been confiscated. Each of the allied Kaleesh wore hunting masks, one of them handing a similar mask to Ronderu's brother who quickly put it on and started handing out the remaining lightsabers to the other Kaleesh.
"What do you know of this artifact?" K'Kruhk asked but the Kaleesh shrugged.
"Qymaen said very little of the artifact, only to keep it out of the hands of the Jedi, that it was the remains of a weapon of great power." He said as they exited into the city streets.
"Where is Padawan Ronderu being kept?" K'Kruhk asked.
"The temple. They plan to perform the procedure there." Ronderu's brother said as he activated the lightsaber in his hand, causing it to emit a green glow.
"So all of these people behind you are your siblings?" K'Kruhk asked.
"Some are, others are our tribesmen, but we are all united by our belief in Qymaen's legacy and that the method our father is taking to see the fulfilment of the prophecy is in error." He replied as they saw a number of Sith Troopers on patrol ahead of them. The troopers saw the approaching mob of Kaleesh with the Jedi prisoners now armed. Upon seeing the Sith, Ronderu's brother pointed at them and yelled something in Kaleesh. His fellow Kaleesh immediately raised their weapons and shot down the Sith in a hail of gunfire. The gunfire alerted a number of Sith troopers and the Kaleesh loyal to them, the streets quickly turning into a warzone. At the top of the temple, Admiral Daala stood nearby with Ronderu's father as a pair of Sith Medical droids approached the still unconscious Ronderu as she lay on a medical table. N-K Necrosis stood nearby with the confiscated Jedi Lightsabers inside of a box next to him on the floor. They all heard the commotion in the street below and peered down to see war breakout in the city streets.
"What's going on?! Who let the Jedi free?!" Daala asked angrily.
"It appears my son has decided now to be a good time to usurp me as chieftain." Ronderu's father growled angrily. Daala glared at him in annoyance.
"The Sith Empire will not let that happen, chieftain. Necrosis! Put down this insurrection! Leave no survivors!" Daala ordered as the droid let out a menacing chuckle and pulled four lightsabers from the box before charging down the stairs, his arms splitting into four, a lightsaber in each hand, as he leapt into battle, landing in the center of a crowd of Allied Kaleesh and cutting into them. The sight of one of their gods fighting against them made some of them flee while others became emboldened, seeing a chance for personal glory.
"Necrosis!" K'Kruhk yelled, catching the droid's attention.
"Your battle is with me, droid!" K'Kruhk called as Necrosis laughed maliciously.
"K'Kruhk, Whiphid Jedi Master. You were listed as one of General Grievous's victims. I guess this is my opportunity to finish what he started." Necrosis said as he started spinning his upper lightsabers rapidly, recreating one of Grievous's signature combat moves. K'Kruhk, familiar with the General's tactics was unsurprised but knew he still had to be cautious. The Kaleesh both friend and foe alike backed away from around the Jedi and the Droid, creating fighting around them. During the chaos, Tahiri and the Padawans quickly slipped away, headed for the stairs to the temple, cutting through Sith and Kaleesh that were still fighting against them. Ronderu's brother supported them along with several other allied Kaleesh. Atop the temple, the Medical Droids were still preparing to perform the procedure but Daala was very displeased with the turn of events.
"Chieftain, I must return to my ship in order to better coordinate my forces. I warn you, if this city falls to these rebels, we will burn it to the ground." Daala said as she turned, walking towards a small Sith fighter and climbing into the cockpit.
"It won't Admiral, I assure you. Once the great Qymaen is reborn, we will have victory." The chieftain said as Daala looked towards him with a skeptical glare.
"We shall see." She said as the fighter started up, the cockpit closing before the fighter took to the skies. Down below, the Jedi and their escorts made it to the temple steps and were about to start climbing when several Sith and Kaleesh soldiers started firing on them from the temple's various levels.
"We're completely exposed!" Hisari exclaimed as they ducked down beneath the first level, Ronderu's brother and his fellow Kaleesh firing up towards the Sith and their supporters.
"We've got to get up there before-!" Tahiri said before they saw an explosion further up the street, several Kaleesh and Sith troopers firing at something around the corner. Suddenly a pair of Sith Combat Walkers charged out from around the corner and started heading towards the battle.
"Oh Sith-Spit, they brought the walkers!" Hisari groaned but Yodin noticed something about the walkers.
"Something different with the walkers, there is! Attacking their allies, they are!" Yodin exclaimed. Sure enough the walkers were indeed blasting and immolating Sith troopers and opposing Kaleesh in their path. One of the walkers then approached the Jedi, the cockpit clearly showing a smirking former Clone Commando at the controls.
"Sev!" Tahiri exclaimed as Sev turned the walker's guns on the Sith taking cover on the temple's levels, Able's walker running up to assist.
"Looks like we made it in time!" Sev replied, as he and Able teamed up to eliminate the Sith.
"Able!" Tahiri called, catching the Clone Commander's attention.
"Orders Commander Velia?" Able asked as his and Sev's guns fell silent, Sev's walker turning to deal with other Sith troops behind them.
"Get back to the ship and bring it here, we're going to need to get out of here in a hurry!" Tahiri said as Able nodded.
"Right away! Sev! Hold the line!" Able ordered as his walker turned and charged back down the streets, several allied Kaleesh following after him for support.
"The path is clear, let's move!" Ronderu's brother ordered as he and the Padawans charged up the steps. At the top of the temple, Ronderu's father growled and reached into the box of lightsabers, pulling out Hisari's double bladed lightsaber. When the Jedi and Ronderu's brother reached the temple, they saw the Medical droids about to start cutting into the still unconscious Ronderu.
"Stop!" Tahiri yelled as she attempted to charge forward but Ronderu's father blocked her path, igniting the lightsaber in his hands.
"Back away! You will not interfere with the return of the great Qymaen!" he ordered as the Padawans held their lightsabers ready.
"Father, look at what you are doing! Are you willing to sacrifice my sister, your daughter, to bring the great Qymaen back? Don't you remember the prophesy?! It said the great Qymaen would return when the shell and spirit would come together in combat, one forcing the other into submission, the two being bonded together through fire! It never said he would return by a bargain struck with offworlders intent on killing her!" Ronderu's brother said as his father glared at him. At this, the Jedi sensed something they hadn't before: A strong darkness growing within the chieftain.
"You fool. You think I am not aware of this?! Ronderu is a Jedi, and is not the spirit of the great Qymaen! My grandfather would have sooner killed her than allow her to be his reincarnation! I am the true reincarnation of the great Qymaen's spirit!" the chieftain declared, earning his son's ire.
"No father, she is his spirit! You are a blasphemer and you shall die for your heresy!" Ronderu's brother declared as he raised the lightsaber in his hand and charged at his father with a battle cry. The chieftain quietly raised his hand towards him, causing his son to suddenly fall silent and stop his charge, drop his weapons, and put his hands to his throat. The Padawans immediately realized what it was they sensed in the chieftain.
"He's a Dark Jedi!" Hisari exclaimed, the Jedi dropping into a fighting stance.
"More than that, Jedi scum." The chieftain said before tossing away his son, and removing his hunting mask, revealing red and black tattoos on his face.
"I am a Sith Lord!" The Chieftain declared as he ignited the lightsaber in his hands and spun it with a flourish.
"Attack, Jedi!" the Sith Chieftain ordered. Tahiri, Grun, and Yodin remained in their position but Hisari snarled angrily and charged with a yell.
"No HISARI!" Tahiri exclaimed as the Padawan attacked the Sith Lord. She managed to deflect a few blows but was suddenly dealt a mean blow across the chest, causing her to let out a scream in pain as she fell to the ground in agony. On the ground below, K'Kruhk sensed the Padawan's pain and looked towards the temple.
"The Padawans!" he said in soft spoken horror, sensing the Dark presence with them in the temple. He spun back around in time to block another Necrosis's attacks, shoving the droid back with the force, sending him flying into a crowd of Sith Troopers. K'Kruhk seized the opportunity to run for the temple. Necrosis had quickly recovered though and was about to pursue the Whiphid Jedi Master when he heard a chiming sound coming from a comlink attached to his side. He quickly snatched the comlink and activated it, causing a hologram to project the unhappy face of Admiral Daala.
"What is it, Admiral?!" Necrosis asked in annoyance.
"I am ordering you to withdraw Necrosis. We are needed elsewhere." Daala instructed.
"A retreat?! Never!" Necrosis hissed. Daala's face tightened in annoyance.
"You will withdraw, override command O6651." Daala ordered as Necrosis's head twitched slightly.
"As you command Admiral." Necrosis replied before turning and throwing a Sith Trooper off of a speeder bike and racing away. Back at the top of the temple, the chieftain chuckled as he stomped down on the wounded Hisari with his clawed foot, causing her scream louder in pain until she finally fell unconscious. He suddenly felt Tahiri give him a powerful force push, shoving him off of the wounded Padawan long enough for Grun to rush in and pull the wounded Zabrak away.
"You're only delaying the inevitable Jedi! It won't be much of a victory in killing five Padawans, but it's still a victory all the same!" the chieftain said before he suddenly heard a loud crinkling sound coming from behind him. He spun around to see the medical droids metal torsos imploding as if being crushed. He also noticed Ronderu's hands were moving and her eyes open. She suddenly leapt up from the table, leaping back onto the statue of Grievous and then up and over her father, landing next to her fellow Padawans.
"Surrender father, you cannot win!" Ronderu said, summoning the sole remaining lightsaber in the box and Hisari's dropped lightsaber to her hands. Her father glared at her for a moment before suddenly flinging the destroyed medical droids towards them with the force. Ronderu managed to cut through the airborne hulks and lunged at her father but the Sith Chieftain leapt back and swung at her. She quickly dodged the swing, and blocked another.
"Father, why have you done this?!" Ronderu asked as she exchanged blows with her father.
"Qymaen fought against the Jedi during the Clone Wars! I only wish to continue his legacy and exterminate the weak and cowardly Jedi who sided with the Huk during the Huk War!" he responded before bringing his lightsaber around for a wild swing but Ronderu deflected his attacks masterfully.
"Join me Ronderu! I know you! Your anger is equal to Qymaen's own! Release your anger and become my apprentice!" the Dark Lord taunted. Ronderu closed her eyes and shook her head.
"No, father. You have allowed the Dark Side to consume your mind. I will not yield." Ronderu said as her father glared at her angrily.
"Then you shall PERISH!" He yelled, raising his lightsaber to strike again only to be launched backwards, towards the edge of the temple roof. Ronderu turned and saw K'Kruhk had arrived and held his lightsaber activated.
"I might have something to say about that!" K'Kruhk said as he stepped up next to Ronderu. The Chieftain scowled angrily as he climbed to his feet. They then heard a loud sound from overhead, and saw swarms of Sith fighters flying through the sky towards the city.
"It is too late for you Jedi! You will perish upon this world by the hands of the Si-DAGH!" the chieftain yelped as one of the Sith fighters exploded overhead.
"What?!" He asked as he saw Sith fighters exploding overhead. K'Kruhk's communicator suddenly crackled to life.
"Rogue Squadron, accelerate to attack speed! Engage all Sith Forces!" Commander Antilles' voice rang through the comlink as Republic X-Wing fighters flew in, engaging the Sith forces overhead. High up in the sky were Republic cruisers in low orbit, deploying landing craft to assist the Allied Kaleesh in repelling the Sith invaders. The Chieftain snarled at the sight of the Republic forces and was about to attempt to attack when they heard the sound of a starfighter's engines coming from behind the chieftain. They looked and saw a well-kept Belbullab-22 Starfighter rising up from behind the temple, still sporting its old CIS emblems and markings. In the cockpit sat Necrosis with the cockpit canopy opened. The Chieftain growled before leaping up and backwards, landing inside the cockpit, the canopy closing as Necrosis opened fire on the Jedi, forcing them to jump clear as the starfighter tore into space. As the Jedi watched the fighter disappear, Sev came running up to the top of the temple.
"Get ready to move! Able's almost here with the ship!" Sev exclaimed as they heard the Starspeeder approaching, and soon they saw it fly up next to the rooftop, the side doors opening.
"Hurry!" K'Kruhk ordered as he picked up the injured Hisari before he, the Padawans, and Sev raced to the Starspeeder, jumping onboard.
"We're all onboard! Get us out of here!" Grun ordered.
"Right away!" Able replied as the doors slammed shut and the Starspeeder took to the skies, a pair of Sith fighters chasing after it, firing on it as they flew.
"I can't shake them!" Able exclaimed, the rear view screen near the corner of the ship activating to show the Sith Fighters behind them. Luckily however, an X-Wing flew into view behind the fighters and shot them down.
"Rogue Leader to Yavin Runner VIII, I'm forming up on your six! I'll escort you clear of the atmosphere!" Wedge said over the comms as K'Kruhk looked towards the view screen.
"Much obliged Commander Antilles. I suspect Commander Able got a message off to you about the Sith presence here!" K'Kruhk said, catching his breath.
"Negative General. We chased a Sith Destroyer to the Kalee system. They're trying to take the planet. We have reinforcements on the way, but the Kaleesh seem to be in a state of civil war planet wide. Some are helping us while some are siding with the Sith." Wedge replied as Ronderu lowered her head in sadness.
"Then my vision has become reality." Ronderu said as she turned to tend to the wounded Hisari. Sev and K'Kruhk were tending to her already.
"I thank you for the support Commander. We will return to the Academy immediately." K'Kruhk said.
"Acknowledged General. You're all clear to make the jump to lightspeed. Rogue Leader out." Wedge said as they watched his X-Wing break off and turn towards the planet before the Starspeeder jumped to lightspeed.
Meanwhile…
Admiral Daala with Necrosis and the Kaleesh chieftain flanking her, stood before a holoprojector aboard Daala's flagship. The holoprojector then activated with an image of Darth Akul.
"My lady, Kalee is engulfed by civil war. Half the planet swears loyalty to the Empire while the rest sides with the Republic." Admiral Daala reported as Akul grinned and turned towards the chieftain.
"Excellent. What of the artifact you were sent to retrieve my apprentice?" Akul asked as the chieftain bowed.
"It is onboard the Destroyer, my Master." He said as Akul smiled at him.
"You have done well my apprentice. It has been long but your efforts have not been in vain. Welcome back, Darth Sheelal." Akul said as the chieftain bowed again.
"It is good to be back, my Master." Sheelal replied.
Back on Ossus…
The Pack waited anxiously for word on Hisari's condition. K'Kruhk sat meditating nearby while Sev and Able stood by the doors. They were watching the medical droids inside, treating Hisari as she lay on the operating table. Jedi Knight Ferroda Grey, Master X2's daughter, was helping to treat the wounded Padawan.
"Master K'Kruhk? Will she be alright?" Grun asked. K'Kruhk concentrated for a moment before answering.
"Her future has become very cloudy, Grun. But for Hisari's sake we must not lose hope that she will…" K'Kruhk said, stopping when he and the Padawans all sensed something in the force, as they looked towards the operating room. The medical droids were scrambling and Ferroda looked as if she were straining. They all watched for what seemed like an eternity.
"Live, she must!" Yodin said, almost tearfully as he watched. Finally, Ferroda's strength gave out and she lowered her head in defeat. She looked towards the glass and shook her head. The hearts of the Padawans all sank, K'Kruhk removing his hat and lowering his head. Even Able and Sev removed their helmets, placing them over their chests as Ferroda pulled the sheet over Hisari's head. Yodin placed a hand on the glass in sadness, lowering his head in grief.
…
That evening outside the academy, the Pack, Sev, Able, and a number of Jedi, including Luke, Mara, Tionne, K'Kruhk, and Maris, all gathered as Hisari's body burned atop a funerary pyre while a hologram of the deceased Zabrak was projected on a stand behind her pyre, all of them watching in silent sadness. The Pack was especially somber, Yodin even shedding a tear as he watched.
"You loved her, didn't you? I mean, why would you give her such a hard time if you didn't, right?" Tahiri asked with a sniffle and a chuckle, not taking her tear filled eyes off of the pyre. Yodin lowered his head and nodded.
"Yes." He said softly. As the fire continued, Jacen Solo approached from behind.
"No, not one of the Padawans." He said sadly and softly.
"Padawan Hisari. Struck down by a Sith Lord on Kalee." Maris replied, wiping away a tear.
"What was she doing there in the first place?" Jacen asked sadly, trying to understand how everything had happened. They then noticed Ronderu turning and leave the funeral, passing Jacen before coming to a stop.
"I killed her. Had I not gone to Kalee, then Hisari would not have died." Ronderu said before continuing on towards the temple. Luke then looked over at K'Kruhk.
"I think it would be best if the Padawan Pack be dissolved for the time being." Luke said as K'Kruhk nodded in agreement.
"I agree. But I will continue to watch over the remaining Padawans. We will celebrate Hisari's life together." K'Kruhk said as Jacen, looking at Tahiri, pondered for a moment then approached the Jedi Masters.
"Masters, uncle, if I may, I have a request to make." Jacen said as Luke gave him a nod.
"The council reconvenes tomorrow morning." Luke said as Jacen nodded quietly in response, turning back towards the pyre in silence. As the Padawans continued watching the pyre, they all felt a strange sensation in the Force, as if they could hear Hisari calling for them from a distance, K'Kruhk also hearing this as well as Ronderu. What this sensation meant however, was a mystery to all of them.
End Episode 6
I own Darth Sheelal and Ronderu's brother. I really wanted to do an episode that involved General Grievous, but seeing as how he was dead well before 28 ABY when this series takes place, it would be difficult. Luckily Star Wars Galaxies came through and presented us with N-K Necrosis which was Grievous's body in droid form. And yes, Grievous technically could have a blood descendant as according to Wookieepedia, he took several wives and had a lot of kids so its possible for his lineage to continue. I did take a creative license with the Kaleesh and their belief system, specifically the shell and spirit thing.