Episode 9 – Dark Grey
War rages on! With conflict brewing on countless systems across the galaxy, the Republic and the Jedi find themselves fighting constantly from battle to battle without any chance of relief! On the Falon Grey, the situation is no different, the pilots and crew of Grey Squadron on the very edge of the breaking point! After a successful mission over Felucia, the Grey Squadron is on the verge of collapse!
On the Falon Grey…
The hangar deck was abuzz as the starfighters of Grey Squadron entered the hangar bay of the carrier. The Greys had just come back from a successful mission to intercept a Sith Destroyer carrying supplies to their forces on Felucia. Despite the victory, several things had apparently gone wrong as no sooner had the fighters touched down and the cockpits opened, the insults started flying.
"Whisker! What the heck?! You nearly shot me out there!" Porky yelled as he climbed out of his BTL-A4 Y-Wing. Each of the Greys used their own fighters on missions unless the mission parameters called for a different type to be used.
"Well he had good reason to, Hutt hips!" Trapper yelled from her B-Wing, throwing her helmet out of the cockpit, nearly missing the crew moving the ladder into place for her to climb out.
"Yeah you nearly clipped him on your bombing run, which you were ordered not to do!" Cut Up yelled from his X-Wing.
"This from easily the most insubordinate of us all?!" Quad Guns asked, crossing both sets of his arms as he stood up in his X-Wing.
"Back off!" Cut Up yelled back.
"Hey! Which of you Nerf Herders took out my stabilizer during the fight?!" Party Girl asked, clearly angry as she leapt out of her X-Wing.
"That would've been Squid!" Quad Guns replied as Party Girl glared at the Quarren who simply sat and pouted in the cockpit of his E-Wing. Shaggy then roared angrily at them from her X-Wing cockpit. Whisker was ignoring all of them but was clearly displeased as he inspected his A-Wing for damages. X3 and Jaina observed the infighting from near their XJ3 type X-Wings with a blank stare.
"Oh boy." X3 said.
"Yep." Jaina replied.
"Vacation?" he asked.
"Big time." She replied.
…
On the Falon Grey's bridge, Jaina and X3 stood around a table in the back of the bridge, a hologram of Galen Marek opposite the table. The Ship's Captain, the Nautolan Rear Admiral: Jinn Toba, quietly stood between the hologram and the two Greys. The table was projecting a hologram of the tactical data surrounding the recent battle.
"We intercepted the Sith Destroyer before any transports ships could launch. Any supplies bound for Felucia's surface were undoubtedly lost in the explosion." Jaina reported as Galen gave a nod.
"Good to hear. I know General Veers will be happy to know the Sith's supply line's been cut." Galen said, studying the tactical data for a moment before looking at the two Greys.
"I get the feeling there's something you're not telling me." Galen said as Jaina gave a reluctant nod.
"Yes sir, although it has nothing to do with the mission's success. If anything we succeeded in spite of ourselves." Jaina reported, a concerned look on Galen's face.
"Explain." He said simply.
"With respect, sir, the Squadron's been on approximately thirty six missions straight over the past two months, ever since the escort mission from Muunilinst, with barely any time to cool down. They're at each other's throats, sir." X3 reported, Galen looking to Jaina who nodded.
"A fight almost broke out on the flight deck. The stress is getting to the squadron sir. We got off lucky this time but I don't know how much more they can take before there's a 'friendly fire incident' that ends up costing us more than one pilot." Jaina said as Galen put his hands behind his back.
"Did you say thirty six missions?" He asked, earning nods from both. Galen thought for a minute before looking at Rear Admiral Toba with a curious look, a smirk forming on his face. The Admiral stood at attention.
"Admiral Toba, Republic Intelligence informs me that there might be enemy activity near Glee Anselm. Might want to take Grey Group to the system for a period of oh say…a week…with permitted shore leave?" Galen asked, all three officers catching his meaning and smiling. The Nautolan Admiral grinning widely.
"By your orders, General. But what of Felucia? We'll need additional forces to guard the system in case the Sith attempt to bring supplies into the system." The Admiral asked as Galen gave a nod.
"Liberty Group's just finished a patrol of the Yavin system and should be available. I'll inform Admiral Moor and Kento to head straight to Felucia." Galen said as Jaina and X3 both bowed to the hologram.
"Thank you sir." Jaina said as Galen gave a nod.
"Even Jedi need a chance to calm themselves. May the force be with you." Galen said before his hologram disappeared.
A day later…
"FIRE IN THE HOLE!" Cut Up shouted as he cannonballed into a diving pool at one of the resorts on Glee Anselm, the tropical island planet proving to be the ultimate stress relief. Porky was napping on a beach chair under the shade of a Shade Droid (essentially an umbrella on three long legs). Whisker was climbing a palm tree for his own personal enjoyment. Quad-Guns was stalking around the pool area, carrying two hydro-blaster pistols and a hydro-rifle (advanced squirt guns with small moisture vaporators on them for a limitless ammunition supply), daring anyone to mess with him but he had a huge smirk on his Xexto face.
"Oh boys? Anyone want to put lotion on my back?" Party Girl asked flirtatiously in a scandalous two piece swimsuit that was clearly too small for her. Squid and Trapper had disappeared beneath the waves of the nearby ocean a while ago, but considering they were both of aquatic species, no one was that concerned. Shaggy was visiting the resort spa getting a long overdue grooming. X3 was sitting at the poolside bar, watching the other pilots on the poolside. He was the only one not in swim gear but he was wearing a tank top and black pants with boots under his trademark red jacket.
"You seem down." Jaina commented as she passed by. She was also not in swim gear. Instead she was wearing Jedi robes.
"What are you talking about? I'm having a blast." X3 replied, giving Jaina the once over then glaring at her in disappointment.
"Your emotions say otherwise." Jaina replied.
"Well not being able to swim is kinda a bummer. I know how, it's just…" he said, flexing his left hand. With his short sleeved shirt on, you could tell his left hand was fake due to the obvious and abrupt difference in skin coloration where real skin met synthflesh.
"Not rated for water?" she asked as he nodded.
"I have to put a protective casing on it whenever I bathe." X3 replied.
"Ah. I know I'm name dropping again but I could talk to a few people and see about getting you a watertight replacement." Jaina offered but X3 gave her a dismissive wave.
"Thanks but no thanks. I'm the one who got his hand lopped off and it's my burden to bear. But thanks for helping with the modifications. It hasn't jammed ever since." X3 replied taking a sip from his drink.
"So this is how you relax? You just sit at the bar drinking and watching the others?" Jaina asked, stepping over so she could watch the rest of the squadron. Cut Up and Quad Guns were in the middle of a "firefight." Cut Up having confiscated the Xexto's hydro-rifle and the two were ducking in and out of cover, firing at one another. Porky was getting annoyed because Quad Guns was using him as cover. Whisker was quietly and peacefully sitting atop the palm tree he had climbed earlier, enjoying the view of the ocean. Party Girl was flirting with a Nautolan attendant that had brought her a drink. Squid and Trapper were still submerged somewhere beneath the waves. On occasion one would burst out of the water in an elegant fashion before splashing back down.
"I'm just happy to not see them fighting one another…well not with the intent to kill at least. Hydro-guns are acceptable. What about you Princess? Not going for a swim yourself?" X3 asked, Jaina looking to the tropical jungle further inland.
"The Force is strong here so I thought I'd take the opportunity to meditate for a while." Jaina said, earning a roll of the eyes from X3.
"One of the things that makes me glad I'm not a Jedi anymore. You can't enjoy the simpler things in life. Always have to find some kind of deeper meaning to everything." X3 mumbled as Jaina smirked towards him.
"Uh-huh. How often do you meditate on average? Remember I can tell when you're lying." Jaina asked as X3 took a sip of his drink with a slight scowl.
"Once a week." He muttered.
"I thought so. Some of your training still sticks with you despite your shunning of the Order." Jaina said as X3 sighed.
"I won't deny I can feel the force still. I really am not even trying to shun the Jedi. I just…don't feel like the Order is for me. Not after Cato Neimoidia." X3 said as Jaina gave an understanding nod.
"For what it's worth, your father passed along your lightsaber to me. It's in my quarters on the Falon Grey. I'm not trying to pressure you to return to the Order. I just want you to know I have it if you want it. It might come in handy." She said as X3 gave a shrug.
"I dunno. Force, it's been so long since I held the damn thing." X3 said as Party Girl snuck up from behind and put her arms around him.
"What's with the long face chief? Has sad sacks over here got you down? We're on vacation! Live a little chief!" Party Girl said as X3 blushed slightly.
"Blue, I'm fine." He replied with a smirk towards the Zeltron woman.
"Liar. I know when someone's not having a good time. Come on, chief I think you need to let off some steam." Party Girl said with a suggestive smile as she took him by the hand and started leading him off to the resort.
"Where are we going?" he asked, startled.
"Breaking the rules on fraternization, of course." Party Girl replied. Jaina was mildly disturbed by his response of…
"Sounds good to me."
…
The sun was beginning to set on the horizon as Jaina returned from the jungle, approaching the resort where most of the squadron including Party Girl but not X3 all sat around a number of large tables that had been pushed together to form one single table. Food of different varieties had been laid out for the squadron. Quad Guns was the first to notice Jaina's return.
"General! Glad you could make it! We saved you a seat!" the Xexto called, Jaina smiling and nodding appreciatively as she sat down.
"This looks good. Thank you." Jaina said as the squadron members handed her a plate.
"Turns out Admiral Toba's cousin runs this place and he's treating us to this dinner as a reward for our service to the Republic." Cut Up said as Jaina used the force to call a few pieces of food to her plate.
"Remind me to thank the Admiral and his cousin. Has anyone seen Xavier?" Jaina asked, looking for the absent Captain.
"He's…resting in my room. He was a busy boy." Party Girl commented with an implying smile.
"I can imagine. I'm still shocked at just how much he's changed since I knew him when he was a Padawan in the Jedi Order." Jaina said, Porky nodding in agreement.
"The Captain told us he was an ex-Jedi but he's never told us why there's an ex at the beginning. He said it was something that he doesn't want to talk about but that it did relate to his cyborg hand." Porky explained.
"Yeah. Hey, you mind telling us? You were the one that gave him the droid hand." Cut Up said but Jaina seemed hesitant.
"I really shouldn't. I should respect his privacy." Jaina said before hearing someone clear their throat from nearby. They all turned to see X3 standing in the doorway.
"The reason I haven't said anything was because my view is biased. Jaina, you were there. You have my permission to tell the story. It's time you all knew why I'm no longer a Jedi." X3 said, walking past the table to grab a plate, fill it up, and then head back towards the doorway.
"You're not staying, Captain?" Trapper asked.
"It's not a story I like hearing repeated…at least not while I'm present to hear it." He said, walking through the door. The squadron watched him leave before turning towards Jaina.
"Well General?" Cut Up asked as Jaina sighed.
"Okay, fine. As you know, Xavier was born and raised in the Jedi Temples at Yavin IV. He has an older sister, Ferroda, and his father is Master X2. His mother was an ex-Bounty Hunter that joined the Rebellion during the war, and was one of the founding members of the first Grey Squadron. His father was the one who trained him as a Jedi. Even back then, Xavier went by the nickname X3. He was a promising Jedi Padawan and we were friends. He and my younger brother Anakin used to hang out a lot. He was an aspiring pilot, and a surprisingly gifted strategist which should come as no surprise to you all. It seemed as if he was on a steady path to become a Jedi Knight. Then…there was Cato Neimoidia." Jaina explained, her expression indicating she was lost in thought.
"Cato Neimoidia? What happened there?" Porky asked as Jaina sighed at the memory.
"Did any of you hear about an incident known as the Droid Blockade of Cato Neimoidia from three years ago?" Jaina asked, Shaggy letting out a roar while nodding.
"Yeah I did too. Didn't it involve some insane former Trade Federation diplomat from the Clone Wars that reactivated an army of inactive Separatist Battle Droids and unleashed them on the civilian populous of Cato Neimoidia?" Trapper asked, Jaina nodding.
"Yeah. Former Senator Lott Dod. His mind had been deteriorating in his old age and somehow he fell into this delusion that the Clone Wars were still ongoing and that the Republic had discovered evidence tying him to the Confederacy of Independent Systems. He activated an entire invasion army of droids that the Neimodians had been sitting on for more than thirty years and blockaded Cato Neimoidia, imposing a twisted version of martial law. The Neimoidians turned to the Republic for help in clearing out the droids and the insane Dod so the Republic pledged the Endor Fleet, still under the command of the great Admiral Ackbar, to attack and remove the droids. For the Jedi veterans of the Clone Wars, it was a chance to fight the old enemy again so needless to say, my grandfather, Master Anakin Skywalker and Xavier's father, Master X2 leapt at the chance. My grandfather even pledged the support of his own private legion of former Imperial Stormtroopers, the 501st Legion, to the cause." Jaina explained, causing Porky to nearly do a spit take.
"Whoa wait, the 501st? Wow those guys are the best of the best!" Porky yelped.
"Skywalker's Fist." Party Girl said, enamored by the concept.
"Yeah they were there. So was X3 and I." Jaina replied, startling some of the Squadron.
"Wait, really? You had to have been a teenager." Cut Up commented.
"I still am a Teenager, I'm nineteen. I was a Padawan then, training under my Aunt Mara Jade Skywalker. X2 was still training Xavier then, and my grandfather was training the son of Galen Marek in the ways of the Jedi. The plan was simple: get past the blockade, infiltrate Dod's Palace, shut down the droids, arrest Dod. Aunt Mara would fly her ship, the Jade Saber, carrying a group of elite Republic troops including X2's wife, Shara, and Kento, through the blockade to Dod's palace. My grandfather, X2, Xavier, and I would fly escort for the Jade Saber along with the 501st's Black Squadron for additional support. I even had one of my family's droids, R2-D2, as my onboard astromech. I still remember the skies over Cato Neimoidia…it was one of the most chaotic scenes I'll ever remember." Jaina explained, looking upwards, lost in thought…
25 ABY, three years earlier…
Three T-65 X-Wings, a TIE X1 Advanced with yellow racing decals, the Jade Saber, and a squadron of TIE Interceptors with shield upgrades and white aurabesh markings reading 501 on the wings, flew down towards the topside of an Imperial-II Star Destroyer, pulling up to fly across its hull before flying down past it towards a massive sea of New Republic and old Separatist Droid Ships engaged in battle, the fighters and Jade Saber immediately began flying towards the surface, the three X-Wings still with their S-Foils closed as they flew through the battle raging around them. In her cockpit, Jaina couldn't help but swallow nervously at the swarms of droid fighters flying around them, attacking the other Republic fighters. (A/N: Yeah I'm envisioning a slightly reimagined version of the opening space battle over Coruscant from Episode 3)
"So grandfather is this where the fun begins?" Jaina asked wryly as Anakin Skywalker smirked. He only had a headset on his head.
"Oh the fun just started, Jaina!" Anakin replied.
"Locking S-Foils in attack position! You okay over there, X3?" X2 asked from his X-Wing.
"Ready to pull the ears off a gundark!" Xavier replied. As a Padawan he had a mullet and the long Padawan braid.
"Uh, guys! We've got incoming!" Mara exclaimed from the Jade Saber.
"I see them! Vulture Droids! Huh! Never thought I'd see those tin cans again!" Anakin replied as swarms of old CIS Vulture Droids flew towards them from atop an old CIS cruiser.
"Black-2 to Black Leader, we're on your tail and ready to assist!" the 501st Squadron 2IC reported.
"Keep them off the Jade Saber!" Anakin ordered, opening fire at the approaching Vulture Droids, launching a volley of the X1's cluster seeker missiles, the missiles chasing after the droids and destroying at least seven of them. The Jade Saber's turrets were firing at the Droid Fighters that got past the Jedi or the 501st TIEs, Kento and Shara manning two of the turrets. The younger Kento kept his hair as a buzz cut even back as a Padawan but had allowed a long length of black hair to grow for his Padawan braid, kept near the lower back of his head near the neckline on the right. He was sitting as one of the rear gunners on the Jade Saber.
"We've got some other kind of fighter coming up on our tail! They're not Vultures!" Kento exclaimed just as Anakin's X1 flew past with Jaina close behind.
"Tri-Fighters! Still droids but dedicated air superiority!" X2 reported as his and X3's X-Wings flew past to intercept the Tri-Fighters.
"Damn pieces of junk! Hold on back there!" Mara shouted to the soldiers in the Saber's hold as she brought the ship around past a Corellian Corvette, the ship's cannons blasting the Tri-Droids out of the sky with ease.
"Make for the surface! You have to get to Dod's Palace!" X2 ordered.
"You don't have to tell me twice! Sticks, X3, you're with me!" Mara ordered, Jaina and X3's X-Wings quickly turning around and flying off to regroup with the Jade Saber.
"Hey Skywalker I bet I can bag more droids than you!" X2 chuckled as Anakin smirked.
"Challenge accepted, X2. Jaina, this is where the fun begins." Anakin commented before firing off a round of cluster seeker missiles, punching a hole in a swarm of droid fighters attempting to intercept the Jade Saber. Anakin suddenly saw four missiles fly past his cockpit leaving blue exhaust trails as they flew towards the Jade Saber, X3 and Jaina's X-Wings.
"Sticks, X3, Saber, you've got homing missiles on your tails! Watch yourselves! Probably Buzz Droids!" Anakin exclaimed, the two X-Wings breaking formation to lose the missiles while the Jade Saber's gunners attempted to shoot them down. One missile got blown apart by the gunners but the other overtook the saber, exploding ahead of it and releasing a swarm of Buzz droids onto the ship.
"Trying to rip apart my ship?! I think not!" Mara said, flipping a switch, electrifying the hull and destroying the Buzz droids.
"Nice work there red! Why did you have that to begin with?" X2 asked, watching X3 ahead of him attempting to shake the Buzz missile.
"Oh you know, gotta have something to repel the mynocks with!" Mara replied as the Jade Saber started to enter the atmosphere, the X-Wings and TIE Fighters following close behind. Jaina and X3 were still trying to shake the missiles behind them.
"Can someone get this thing off my tail?!" X3 asked in frustration as he dodged and weaved through the bridge cities of Cato Neimoidia to try and shake the missile but to no avail.
"Hang on son, I'm right behind you!" X2 replied, flying his fighter in so it was following the missile.
"R3 switch to autopilot!" X2 ordered, letting go of the controls so he could reach out with the force and cause the missile to crash into a tower, the missile exploding on impact.
"Thanks dad, I owe you one!" X3 replied.
"Speaking of familial assistance, I could use some right about now!" Jaina grunted, still unable to shake the droid missile.
"R2, show her how it's done!" Anakin said to the familiar blue colored astromech in the droid socket on Jaina's X-Wing. R2 beeped a confirmation as Jaina suddenly found her X-Wing switched to autopilot, the X-Wing suddenly spinning in an endless barrel roll before suddenly lurching downward beneath a support beam, confusing the missile's computer and causing it to explode against the beam.
"Thanks R2, now I owe you one!" Jaina said as she regained control of the fighter. R2 beeped a cheery response as the X-Wing regrouped with the rest of the fighters and the Jade Saber.
"Black Leader, there are several more Droid Fighters inbound from orbit! Permission to intercept?" the 501st squadron 2IC asked.
"Go, we will take it from here! Well done, all of you!" Anakin replied.
"An honor as always Lord Skywalker." The 501st 2IC replied as the remaining TIE Interceptors broke off and flew upwards into the sky as the Jade Saber and its Jedi escorts saw Dod's Palace in the distance.
"There it is! Stand by for a landing!" X3 exclaimed.
"Well have you noticed that the shields are still up?!" X2 asked, looking straight ahead at a large hangar bay with shields over the entrance. Jaina quickly locked on and fired a proton torpedo, the torpedo flying in and destroying the shield generator.
"Good shot, Sticks!" Kento complemented as he vacated the gunner position on the Jade Saber, rushing towards the front of the hold.
"Coming in for a rough landing! Hang on!" Mara exclaimed as she brought the Jade Saber into the hangar, the ship smashing through several battle droids as it came in for a landing. The X-Wings and Anakin's TIE doing the same thing but the minute the cockpits opened up, the Jedi pilots were airborne with their lightsabers active, landing as they began to cut down the battle droids inside the hangar. The boarding ramp of the Jade Saber lowered, Kento immediately charging out from inside with his saber active followed by several dozen Republic Troopers and 501st Stormtroopers including Shara, the ex-Bounty Hunter carrying a blaster pistol as she followed behind Mara Jade and her lightsaber. After a few tense seconds, the hangar was secure.
"We're clear!" X2 called, the Republic forces regrouping. Xavier was carrying a green lightsaber like his father's own.
"Set up a perimeter at this exit. No droids in or out." Anakin said to the soldiers as R2 rolled up to him, beeping as he approached.
"Present company accepted, of course." Anakin said, rubbing the astromech on the dome.
"R2, patch in and see if you can help us find Lott Dod." Jaina said as R2 rolled over towards a nearby droid interface terminal, plugging in as the Jedi gathered around. R2 then began projecting a hologram of the palace.
"It appears Dod is in the heart of the palace: his treasure room." X2 commented.
"But look, there's at least two battalions of droids between here and there." Mara said, motioning to a swarm of red dots inside the palace. The dots then started moving, albeit slowly, towards the hangar area.
"Uh oh. They're coming." Xavier commented.
"They're bottlenecked if they try and come in here. There's only one way in." Kento said, earning a blank stare from Jaina.
"Yeah but there's only one way out for us." Jaina replied, Kento face palming in response.
"Good point." He humbled.
"Then it looks like it's gonna be six Jedi and almost two dozen soldiers versus…almost a thousand battle droids." X2 commented, activating his lightsaber and drawing a blaster pistol from a holster at his side.
"We're right behind you X." Shara said with a nod as she and the troopers raised their blasters, the Jedi activating their lightsabers.
"Wait, look here. There's an antechamber located right here near the hangar. The Droids will have to pass through there to get here. The room's designed as a sort of, security area with layers of shield curtains in the hallway." X3 commented, pointing at a room outside the hangar.
"So activate the shields, that way the droids have to pass through them before they can open fire." Jaina commented.
"Then you guys only have to deal with a few droids at a time." Kento added.
"A very wise strategy, all of you." Anakin commented as they hurried into the antechamber. It was a large semi-circular room full of cargo containers that could be moved to provide cover. Even though the droids were still several minutes out, they could hear the rhythmic thumping of the droids marching towards them from within the palace. The hall leading into the antechamber was reminiscent of the rows of laser gates in the Theed Plasma Refinery on Naboo, only with a series of shield gates instead of lasers. R2 quickly raced over and plugged into a slot by the door, two of the 501sts moving a few crates over so as to protect the astromech from incoming blaster fire.
"We'll set up here and keep the droids occupied." Shara said as the troopers began moving containers around to form rows of cover directed towards the entry hall. The Jedi and Shara quickly gathered near R2 who started to project the hologram of the Palace again.
"X2, Mara and I will go in and face the droids head on, thin their ranks to give you a better chance. The Padawans will sneak through these maintenance tunnels, bypassing the bulk of the droids and heading straight for Dod. Remember, we want him alive. We will join you when we can." Anakin said as the Padawans nodded.
"You got it, Master." Kento said as he, Jaina, and Xavier ran off down the hall, the sound of the droids getting closer and closer. They reached the entrance to the maintenance tunnels just as they saw the front line of droids beginning to round the corner. The three Jedi Masters were already running into the center of the hall, R2 activating the outer and inner most shield curtains, effectively boxing the Masters inside the hall. The three Jedi activated their lightsabers, standing their ground.
"So, not to sound cocky but, anyone want to wager on how many clankers they can take down before breaking off to join the Padawans?" X2 asked.
"I've got fifty credits." Mara commented as the droids walked into view, two rows of Super Battle Droids at the front of the line.
"One hundred." Anakin replied as the droids approached the shield curtain.
"Fifty on my husband!" they heard Shara calling from behind them.
"Matching Mara's for fifty! May the best clone win!" X2 said with a smirk, drawing his blaster pistol and immediately scoring a headshot on the first droid through the shield curtain. The Jedi Masters immediately found themselves deflecting blaster fire from the rows of droids, the three Jedi steadily advancing towards the droids until they were close enough to cut them down.
"Already at thirteen! How are you doing over there old man?!" Mara asked as she cut down swaths of droids with each swing of her lightsaber.
"Jade, I was breaking droids since before you were born!" Anakin replied.
"So that means I'm winning right?" Mara asked, swinging at a B1 Battle Droid only to see it flung back through the shield by a force push, causing it to crash into two other B1s, snapping the droid's "spine" and destroying it.
"That's cheating!" Mara hissed, realizing that it was her father-in-law who had done it.
"Can't cheat at a contest without rules!" Anakin replied.
"You call that cheating?! Please!" X2 called, prepping an Ion grenade and throwing it towards the shield curtain, pushing it through the curtain via the Force so it landed in the center of a crowd of droids before detonating, eliminating at least forty droids due to their tight marching formation.
"Now that's cheating!" X2 said smugly.
"Your mother was a Dug, X2." Mara muttered sarcastically as they took advantage of the brief lull in the fighting from X2's grenade to fall back slightly.
"Actually she was a cloning vat, but was about as nurturing." X2 replied as the next wave of droids arrived, the Jedi immediately swinging into action.
"No cracks about my mother if you please!" Anakin said with a serious expression.
"Relax, we're not that stupid, old man!" Mara replied.
"Who in your family can we insult, Skywalker?" X2 asked with a smirk.
"My son-in-law!" Anakin replied without hesitation.
"Done!" Mara said with a smirk. From behind the shield curtain, Shara and the 501sts were watching patiently from their cover spots.
"They're Jedi Masters, all of them, and they can crack jokes while fighting?" one of the non-501sts asked.
"They're that good." Shara replied with a shrug.
"I just hope the Commanders are having an easier time of it." One of the 501sts said.
"Me too." Shara replied as they continued watching the three Jedi Masters cutting down droids in piles.
…
In the maintenance tunnels, Kento, Xavier, and Jaina were climbing a ladder up through a narrow tunnel towards a service hatch. As they reached the hatch, they could hear the rhythmic thumping of the droids marching overhead. Kento motioned to be quiet as the marching sound continued. Eventually the marching began to grow softer. Kento quickly opened the hatch and peaked out briefly before leaping out of the hatch into a courtyard, watching the back of the droids disappearing into a single large tunnel.
"All clear." He whispered into the tunnel, the two other Padawans climbing out of the tunnel, closing the hatch back up with the force.
"Alright, we're here but where's the treasure room?" Xavier asked.
"Presumably the room with the most security." Kento commented as they looked around. Jaina however pulled out a comlink.
"R2, can you hear me?" Jaina asked into the comlink, receiving a series of beeps and whistles with the faint sound of slashing sabers and blaster fire in the background.
"We're in some kind of courtyard. We just emerged from maintenance tunnel, THX-1138." Jaina reported into the comlink. R2 proceeded to beep and whistle his response.
"Thanks R2, we'll keep you posted." Jaina said before pocketing the comlink.
"What did he say?" Kento asked.
"We're close. Dod is directly above us, locked in his vault but to get in we need to deactivate the magnetic locks on it. R2 says he can't disable them from where he is. Kento, you think you can perform that party trick of yours?" Jaina asked as Kento rubbed his temples.
"Yeah but I'll be a dead weight afterwards if I do." Kento replied.
"Probably should deactivate the locks then." Jaina said as they started to run towards the base of a tower-like bridge support. The bridge spanned across the entire courtyard with another tower on the opposite end.
"I take it the control room is in there?" Xavier asked as they reached the base of the tower, pressing a button to call for the turbolift but nothing happened.
"Locked down. Looks like they don't want visitors." Kento said, looking up at the tower.
"And to think I brought a housewarming gift." Xavier said, tossing an EC Grenade up and down in his hand as Jaina raised her comlink.
"R2 can you unlock the east turbolift to the security control room?" Jaina asked, receiving a beeping confirmation. A few seconds later they heard the control panel beep, the controls turning from red to green. Kento immediately pressed the call button.
"Thanks R2." Jaina said, pocketing the comlink again as the turbolift doors opened. The three stepped onto the turbolift and rode it up to the second floor, the door opening to reveal a room full of battle droids manning a series of control stations.
"Halt." One of the droids instructed in its monotonous robotic voice.
"We were sent by Mr. Dod to perform an inspection." Kento said.
"What is your business here?" the droid asked.
"To perform an inspection." Kento replied patiently. All three Jedi had their lightsabers in hand.
"Inspection, uh, that doesn't compute. You have to uh-you're under arrest." The Droid said before it was suddenly cut in half by Kento's Lightsaber. The other droids in the room drew their blasters and opened fire on the Jedi but were quickly and swiftly cut down by the Jedi.
"Guard the doors!" Xavier instructed as he stepped up to the master control panel, Kento and Jaina stepping over to face the doors in case more droids showed up. Xavier knelt down at the control panel and pulled out a small datapad, plugging it into a port on the control panel.
"Alright, let's see if we can't crack Dod's safe." Xavier said, slicing into the systems. Soon he was able to bring up security footage from across the palace. He quickly isolated holo-footage of the three Jedi Masters battling the droids, the soldiers guarding the hangar entrance behind them, and Lott Dod riding on a mechno-chair, ranting to an old hologram of Nute Gunray inside his treasure room. On the Jedi's screen, it showed that the three Jedi Masters had lost some ground to the droids and were getting closer to the rear shield.
"Sheesh he has lost it." Kento commented.
"No kidding. Have you read his idea of martial law? He said Ewoks are a crime punishable by Hutts." Jaina said as Kento shook his head.
"Must suck to be an Ewok under the Dod regime huh?" Kento mumbled as Xavier continued to slice the controls.
"How goes the slicing?" Jaina asked.
"Almost got it…" he said before the console started beeping, the datapad screen turning red, "…scratch that. No I don't."
"What's the problem?" Kento asked.
"The treasure room's got a master control panel in there. It can override the commands from any other control panel. Dod's apparently got a security droid working under orders to keep the treasure room secure." Xavier said, disconnecting the datapad.
"Looks like we get to see your party trick after all, Kento." Jaina commented as Kento sighed heavily.
"Okay but I'm gonna be exhausted afterwards." Kento said as they headed for the turbolift.
"I don't think I've ever heard of this party trick before." Xavier commented as they stepped onto the turbolift.
"It's a trick I learned from my dad. He used it a few times to bypass magnetically sealed doors with the force but it's very strenuous even for him. It takes a massive amount of concentration with the force to pull off. He used it once on the Death Star when they were rescuing Jaina's mom to break them out of a garbage masher on the detention levels." Kento said as they reached the bottom floor, hurrying towards the treasure room doors.
"You mean ripping the head off an AT-AT at Hoth was easier?" Xavier asked.
"Yes actually." Kento said as they continued on.
…
Back in the halls, the Jedi had reached the rear shield wall, forced back by the constant stream of droids that were still coming.
"Get ready men! They're about to come through! R2, get ready to drop the shields!" Shara exclaimed as the troopers quickly took their marks, taking cover behind crates and cargo containers.
"NOW!" Anakin ordered, the shield suddenly dropping, allowing the Jedi to leap backwards, the soldiers opening fire on the droids.
"Eat laser clankers!" one of the 501sts shouted as they continued barraging the droids with laser fire. Two of the 501sts had set up a grenade launcher behind the rear most stack of crates and were periodically firing EC Grenades into the crowd of droids, thinning their numbers substantially but the Droids continued their slow and steady march forward.
"Let's hope the Padawans can make it to the treasure room in time! This is getting pretty dicey!" Mara exclaimed as she and the other two Jedi continued to deflect the droid's laser fire back at them.
"Agreed! R2, can you track them?!" Anakin asked, the droid beeping an affirmative.
"They're almost there! Come on kids don't let us down!" X2 exclaimed, skillfully deflecting laser fire with his lightsaber in one hand and firing his blaster pistol at the droids with the other.
…
On the upper levels, the three Jedi were running down the hall, approaching the treasure room when they saw a pair of IG-100 Magnaguards emerge from two separate hallways on either side of the doors. The droids activated their electrostaffs upon spotting the Jedi.
"Xavier, time for that housewarming gift of yours!" Kento exclaimed, Xavier instantly priming and lobbing the EC grenade at the droids, the grenade detonating, causing the droids' circuits to be shorted out, the droids falling lifelessly to the ground shortly afterwards. The Jedi immediately raced towards the door to the treasure room, Jaina and Xavier taking defensive positions on either side of Kento.
"Alright, time for my party trick." Kento said, taking a deep and relaxing breath. He then calmly raised both hands towards the door, closing his eyes. The two Padawans soon heard the metal around the doors to the treasure room beginning to groan and creak. They then saw parts of it beginning to buckle and dent, crumpling inward as the literal sides of the door were crushed into pieces of twisted scraps of metal. They looked and saw Kento's expression, clearly struggling to rip the door apart until finally the doors themselves started to give way. Finally the doors flew off the walls, one of them crashing along the ground, smashing through some of Lott Dod's treasures while the other smashed through the windows, leaving the door to plummet down to the courtyard where the Jedi had been moments earlier. The addlepated Dod simply sat babbling fearfully in Neimoidian, falling off his mechno chair. Kento, out of breath, limped into the room, collapsing against the ground.
"Doors gone, taking a nap now." He panted, slipping into unconsciousness.
"Quick, shut down the droids!" Jaina exclaimed, Xavier running in to find only a smashed panel.
"Damn it! The panel got smashed by the doors!" Xavier grumbled, turning towards a holo-emitter showing the Jedi and troops fighting against the droids.
"They're out numbered! They need to retreat!" Jaina said, reaching for her comlink. Xavier then found a working droid interface.
"Jaina! Get that droid of yours in here!" Xavier said, Jaina quickly raising the comlink to her face.
"R2 can you hear me?!" Jaina asked, the droid beeping a reply.
"We need you in the treasure room on the double!" Jaina replied. R2 beeped a confirmation, unplugging from the interface in the antechamber and quickly racing out the doors into the hangar.
"There's too many of them sir!" one of the 501sts exclaimed.
"Fall back to the Jade Saber! Shara, get in there and warm up the engines!" Mara ordered, the ex-Bounty Hunter quickly running towards the doors, slipping through them just in time. A second holo-emitter then activated in the treasure room, showing a hologram of Shara running onto the Jade Saber while R2 raced to the back of the hangar, activating his rocket boosters and flying out of the hangar to reach the courtyard above. The 501sts and the other soldiers were quickly falling back into the hangar bay while the three Jedi covered their retreat. They then saw a hologram of an old CIS Tactical Droid appear from atop the mechno chair.
"Senator, we have beaten the intruders back to the-…Alert! Intruders in the treasure room! They are attempting to escape! Destroy their escape vessel!" the tactical droid exclaimed before the hologram disappeared.
"How are they going to do that, there's no way into the-…no…No!" Xavier said as they saw a large door open up in the floor of the hangar bay. They watched in shock as an AAT rose from up into the hangar bay from below. X2 saw the tank rising up and his eyes widened.
"SHARA!" he yelled, the ex-Bounty Hunter looking up in alarm before turning to see the tank's main gun swivel towards the Jade Saber. Shara quickly disappeared from inside the cockpit. The Jedi in the treasure room could only watch in horror as the tank fired a single shot, the Jade Saber exploding in a ball of flames and burning rubble.
"NOOOOOOOO!" Xavier cried out in horror. In the Hangar, X2's face fell in shock and horror before he quickly ran towards the burning hulk. Time seemed to slow down for Xavier as he watched his father run onto the burning remains of the Jade Saber, not paying any attention as one of the 501sts pulled a rocket launcher from his back and fired a rocket, destroying the tank. None of them even noticed as R2 flew in through the broken window and quickly plugged into the interface. Xavier watched in horror as his father carried out the broken and battered body of his mother, her entire right leg having been blown off just above the knee. He quickly set her down on the ground, grasping her left hand.
"Shara, Shara! Stay with me, you'll live through this!" X2 said, trying to keep her alive. At the same moment, the droids began shutting down thanks to R2's interfacing with the console. All over Cato Neimoidia, the droid army began shutting down, the Republic forces celebrating their victory over the old enemy.
"X?" Shara asked weakly, opening her eyes as best she could.
"I'm here, Shara, I'm here." X2 replied, holding her hand as a 501st soldier ran up with a medical kit, quickly running a bio-scan on her. Shara smiled weakly up at X2, gently stroking her thumb against his fingers.
"We've…had some great times together." She said, the 501st soldier looking at the results of the bio-scan and slowly looking to Anakin and Mara, shaking his head slowly. X2 had seen the soldier's reaction and tears were beginning to well up in his eyes, but he put on a brave face for his wife for her final moments.
"Yeah…yeah we did." He replied, his voice shaky as he smiled at her.
"Remember when…when you had to fight your brother…that last time?" Shara asked, X2 brushing her right cheek with his hand.
"Yeah. Yeah I do." He replied softly.
"I know…how you felt then…you feel the…the same way…now…" she said softly. In the treasure room, R2 had rolled up next to Xavier and Jaina as they watched in silence. Dod had been knocked unconscious when he fell from the mechno chair and Kento was still asleep over by the entrance. Shara weakly raised her right hand to gently caress X2's bearded face.
"Don't…let me…be your…downfall. Stay…a Jedi…stay…" Shara whispered as her eyes closed and her head fell slowly back. Her arm slowly dropped down onto her chest as X2 felt her life slip away through the force, the old clone lowering his head in sadness. Anakin had to turn away, bracing himself against the wall, reminded of his own wife's passing. Mara had more control of her emotions and lowered her head, the soldiers around them removing their helmets in respect of her passing. Even the 501sts had removed their Stormtrooper helmets, showing their identical Fett-clone faces. In the treasure room, Xavier was frozen with an expression of shock on his face. R2 beeped sadly while Jaina put her arms around the now motherless Padawan. Back in the hangar, Anakin felt a disturbance in the force, causing him to raise his head upwards before he started walking towards the door, his pace increasing with every step. Back in the treasure room, Jaina still had her arms around the Padawan, holding him close so as to comfort him. She was alarmed when she heard the hiss of a lightsaber activating. R2 quickly backed away with an alarmed squeak. Jaina let go of Xavier and backed away to see that he had activated his lightsaber, his head lowered and breathing heavily. He slowly turned to glare at the unconscious Dod. He began to walk towards him slowly, a look of anger on his face.
"He killed her…he is the one who killed her." He said in an angered whisper.
"Xavier, what are you doing?" Jaina asked sensing a growing anger within the young Padawan. R2 had backed away towards Kento who was beginning to stir.
"I'm going to dole out the punishment this slime deserves." Xavier said, taking his lightsaber in both hands as he continued to approach the unconscious Neimoidian.
"Xavier, don't do it! We need him alive!" Jaina yelled but her pleas fell on deaf ears. She was reaching for her lightsaber ready to use it if necessary.
"Xavier, don't give in! You're headed straight for the path of the Dark Side! You'll be lost!" Jaina yelled but Xavier raised his lightsaber back, ready to strike the defenseless Neimoidian down.
"NO!" She exclaimed, swinging her active lightsaber across in time to block his blow. Xavier spun his head around towards her, his eyes a clear color of red and yellow, the Dark Side taking a firm grip on him.
"Stay out of this!" He spat but Jaina shook her head.
"You're leaving me no choice, Xavier!" Jaina replied.
"So be it." Xavier said with a low tone before rearing back and swinging at Jaina, the older Padawan quickly blocking the blow but she quickly reared back her free hand before thrusting it forward unleashing a powerful force push, launching Xavier through the window out of the treasure room, sending him plummeting to the courtyard below. He quickly righted himself on the way down, landing in a roll and glaring up at the treasure room. Jaina quickly leapt down after him, landing crouched on one knee below.
"Xavier!" a voice yelled, a lightsaber activating. They turned and saw Anakin approaching, his lightsaber raised.
"Don't give in to your hatred, Xavier. It will only lead you down the path to the Dark Side." Anakin said as Xavier rose to his feet.
"That slime killed my mother! You don't know what it's like!" Xavier yelled.
"Don't lecture me about the Dark Side! I do know what it's like! My mother died in my arms! You feel hate! You feel anger! But you cannot let yourself give in to your feelings!" Anakin exclaimed, unintentionally dropping into his Vader voice.
"Stay out of this!" Xavier yelled, turning his blade towards Anakin, the former Dark Lord raising his saber defensively. At the same time, Kento dropped down with his lightsaber active.
"I don't know what's going on, but I won't let you harm my Master." Kento said as Xavier snarled. He turned to run towards the palace entrance but Jaina stood in his path.
"Xavier, please! I don't want to fight you!" Jaina said as Xavier glared at her, his anger clear in his expression.
"If you won't step aside, I shall have to go through you instead!" He yelled before charging towards her but Jaina stood prepared as he leapt into the air, his lightsaber reared back in his left hand, ready to strike her down but she quickly brought her lightsaber around in one swift swing. Xavier tumbled to the ground, screaming in pain as he clutched his left arm, his hand having been sliced off just below the elbow, his severed hand and lightsaber landing next to him on the ground. As he rolled in pain, he glared at Jaina who turned towards him, sadness clear in her face, tears running down her face in remorse for having had wounded him.
"Now don't you see?! Now don't you see what happens when you let hate and anger consume you like this Xavier?!" She yelled tearfully at him. Xavier rolled onto his chest, growling and crying in pain and anger.
"I HATE YOU!" Xavier yelled, attempting to call his lightsaber to his remaining hand through the force, only for the inactive hilt to fly away from him towards the waiting hand of one person neither had seen arrive.
"XAVIER!" X2 yelled. Xavier's face lit up in horror as he saw his father. He looked up at the window for a second then at the stump of his hand as realization came upon him, the dark taint in his eyes disappearing in under a minute. He then began to break down into mournful crying. X2 quietly approached his son's injured form, helping him onto his knees and embracing him, both men quietly mourning the loss of someone they both loved dearly. Anakin quietly put a hand to Kento's shoulder, the Padawan quietly understanding his Master's order as they walked past in silence. Jaina merely stood watching in silence.
The following afternoon…
On Yavin IV, several Jedi, Commander Able, a number of former Grey Squadron members, X2, Xavier, X2's daughter Ferroda, the entire Jedi Council, Kento, Jacen, Jaina, and Anakin Solo gathered around in silent memorial as they watched Shara's body burn atop a funeral pyre. Even though she was not a Jedi, she was the wife and mother of three Jedi who wanted to honor her as such. Xavier's left hand had a bacta cast over the stump.
…
The next morning, Jacen and Jaina were walking through the halls of the academy, heading for a training session with Master Marek when they passed Xavier's room. They noticed that the door was open and saw X2 sitting on the edge of an empty bed. The twins both paused and looked in.
"Master X2…where's Xavier?" Jaina asked as X2 took a deep breath and looked at the pillow where a lightsaber lay.
"Gone. He's left the Order." X2 replied.
"Left? You don't think he's-…" Jaina said but X2 shook his head.
"No. I think he's confused…his world was just turned upside down. He's never had to cope with the loss of a loved one and…he's felt what it was like to let the Dark Side take control of him. He's scared. He realized what he had become and it scared him to death. I think he believes that by leaving the Order, he'll be able to escape that ever happening again. We both know he's only fooling himself but…the force tells me to let him go. And if there's anything I know how to do well, it's obey orders. It's in my conditioning after all." X2 said as he stood to his feet, walking towards the door, passing the twins as he went.
…
Just outside of the system, in his T-65 X-Wing, Xavier sat with a solemn look, as he flexed his newly installed cybernetic hand that had been installed the night before, after the funeral. It didn't have the synthflesh on it so it was just the metallic casing and inner workings of the cybernetic installment. On his lap was a burnt smelling, soot covered red jacket, the same one Shara had been wearing when she died. He pulled the jacket on around him before making the jump to lightspeed, bound for places unknown.
In the present…
"After that, he joined the Republic Military, using his authority as a Jedi Padawan to get assigned as a Commander in charge of Grey Squadron. He was the only member for a long time, eventually getting demoted down to Captain when his resignation from the Order was discovered. His father allowed him to keep his rank but we've all given him his space. But that's why his hand is cybernetic. It's his reminder of how he let his grief overtake him and let him fall to the Dark Side. He keeps that old jacket, because it's all he has left of his mother besides memories." Jaina finished explaining. The Greys were all silent, looks of contemplation and pity on their faces.
"So…the Captain…he's ashamed of himself?" Cut Up asked, Jaina nodding.
"Yes. That and…for all intents and purposes…he's still grieving. He was very close to his mother. Kento, Jacen, and I used to tease how he was such a momma's boy. Now none of us are laughing about it." Jaina said as she stood up from the table and walked away, leaving the squadron in quiet contemplation. She walked through the halls of the hotel until she reached a specific room, knocking on the door. The door opened for her almost instantly. She saw Xavier sitting at the table in the room, his arm stretched out towards her, having opened the door with the force while he sat hunched over the table, his left arm propped up on it, a blank stare on his face. Jaina quietly entered the room, the door closing behind her.
"I told them." Jaina said after a moment of silence.
"I know." He replied.
"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked.
"No." he replied simply.
"Okay." She said softly. They remained silent for a moment then turned back towards the door.
"My lightsaber." He said, causing her to pause.
"What?" she asked.
"My lightsaber. I'd like it back after all." He replied.
"You're not going to do anything that's going to end up making me regret giving it to you, are you?" she asked.
"No. I just want it." He replied.
"Alright. When we get back to the ship, I'll bring it to you." Jaina said as Xavier nodded.
"Thanks. And…for what it's worth…I see it all too well." He said, referring to Jaina's words when he had his brush with the Dark Side. Jaina gave a quiet nod before walking out the door. As soon as she left, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small canister with a holo-projector on it, set it on the table, and activated it, showing a hologram of his father, his mother, a twelve year old Ferroda, and a ten year old Xavier. He stared at the hologram with a smile, a tear running down his cheek at the better memories of better times.
"Good night mom." He whispered, deactivating the hologram.
End Episode 9.
Needed a flashback episode, also needed another Jaina episode. This fit the bill. As to whether we'll see X3 return to the Jedi…well…not even I know the answer to that yet.