Chapter 17

Alex cautiously travelled by foot to the temple, when it was in sight he could see smoke rise from its rooftop. As Alex drew even closer he began to hear the screams of the Jedi and the blaster fire of the attacking clones. He couldn't believe it, clones were marching into the temple by the hundreds being led by a fully cloaked man and the Jedi were being wiped out, everyone he had ever known was going to be killed. Alex felt compelled to charge in and help his brothers, but he thought better of it. 'I'd be running right into their trap. No, there is nothing I can do.'

Suddenly a piece of the temple exploded and a cloud of fire and smoke covered the sky above. When the smoke cleared Alex saw the clones on one of the balconies killing the defenceless Jedi children. The sight stabbed Alex in the heart, and he felt like he was going to be sick. Again he thought of trying to help but he stopped himself and instead forced his way back towards his ship.

Alex was filled to the brim with rage. He promised that soon he would see vengeance on the one that had caused this. Then Alex spotted the man again, and he watched in horror as the cloaked figure pulled out a light sabre and mercilessly cut down the surrounding Jedi. They fought for their lives but they were of no match for him.

Alex's thoughts turned towards Elexis, they not of anger for what she had done to him, but of concern. "What if Elexis is in there? What if she is already dead?" He did not think that he was being blinded by his affection for her, something that Cordatis would have pointed out. Again Alex's heart was stabbed deep with the idea that he had lost her, and then his emotions changed. "What if she is behind all of this? What is this was her doing?"

Alex started to argue with himself again, "No, Elexis couldn't do this even if she tried. Someone much more powerful must have done it."

"Elexis is still a traitor all the same. She has killed her master, and what ever her reasons are for betraying the Jedi she will kill again unless she is stopped."

Alex breathed deeply. "I know what I have to do, but for now I must talk to Cordatis."

Alex arrived at the landing pad where he had left his ship, but before he could board there was a deep voice that shouted to him. "Halt right there!" It was a clone, followed by three others. The clones blaster was aimed at Alex's chest, "Identify yourself." The clone demanded.

"Is there a problem?" Alex asked.

The clone slightly lowered his weapon, "Only authorised personnel are aloud to leave this area."

'Perhaps I can lie my way out of this,' Alex thought to himself. "Oh but you don't understand," Alex said innocently, "I have to get back home to my wife, she'll be very worried about me with all this commotion going on."

The clone approached Alex slowly, 'Wait for your moment,' Alex muttered.

The clone gripped Alex by the arm, "I'm sorry, but you'll have to come with me."

'Now!' At that moment Alex reached to his belt and grabbed his light sabre. Before the clone could react Alex had cut off his arm and lopped off his head in one very swift movement. The other clones began to fire on him and he deflected the bolts and sent all of them back, killing the remaining clones and leaving them in a pile on the ground.

Alex rushed to his star ship and set it for take off, he didn't know whether they would be after him now and so he took no chances. As soon as he was away from Coruscant he contacted Cordatis.

Cordatis' figure appeared from the holo-com, "Alex, what the blazers happened? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Alex answered, "Sir, they killed all of them, even the younglings."

"What do you mean?" Cordatis asked, even more worried than before.

"The temple, it's all gone and so are the Jedi. Master, why is this happening?"

Cordatis stroked his chin and stared down. "We believe that the senate has taken control of the republics army and that chancellor Palpetine is not who he appeared to be." Cordatis explained.

Alex thought for a moment. "A sith?" He asked.

"Maybe, but now that the clones are against us we will have to stay clear of all systems under republic control."

"Where will we go?" Alex asked.

"To Arkania, on the ice fields where you completed most of your training."

"Very well." Alex said, he decided that he should probably discuss what had happened with Elexis. "Oh and master, I need to talk to you about Elexis." Suddenly the signal was interrupted again by a feed coming from Elexis herself. Her little holographic figure appeared, standing tall and elegant as always. She wore a fully hooded cloak and she seemed different now, darker. "Sorry Alex," She said firmly, "I can't let you talk anymore. I'm sorry it had to happen like this but I needed to find out where you were going. Please believe me Alex, this was the only way, oh and don't try to warm your master about me because after this message I am going to fry your communications."

Suddenly the hologram shut off and there was nothing. Alex was shocked. He tried to recommunicate with her again but it was futile. He set the ship into hyper drive, "I have to get to Arkania." He said to himself, "I have to stop Elexis once and for all."