The third chapter is here.
A GOVERNMENT TOPPLED BY CIVIL WAR!
REFUSING TO ACCEPT PRINCE LEE-CHAR AS THE NEXT RULER OF MON CALA, THE QUARREN PEOPLE JOIN THE SEPARATIST ALLIANCE AND LAUNCH AN ALL-OUT ATTACK ON THE MON CALAMARI.
CAUGHT UNPREPARED, THE YOUNG PRINCE AND HIS JEDI PROTECTORS ARE QUICKLY OVERWHELMED AND FORCED TO RETREAT IN THE CAVES FAR BELOW THE CAPITAL CITY, LEAVING COUNT DOOKU AND HIS ALLIES TO PLAN THEIR NEXT MOVE...
Ahsoka and Revan swam up beside the prince as the other two Jedi, two senators and Ackbar spoke to Yoda and Windu. "We've lost contact with all clone troopers and Mon Cala soldiers. The Quarren ambushed us. They were ready to attack long before the peace talks came to an end." Fisto informed them. "Desperate, the situation is. Reinforce your position with clones. We can-" the hologram started glitching a bit and the Grandmaster's words were cut off from it. "Master, please repeat. Are you sending reinforcements?" Fisto asked. "You're breaking up." Windu said before the hologram finally cut out. "Are they coming?" Lee-Char asked him as he swam towards them. The five in front of them turfed around. "I don't know." Fisto admitted with a sigh.
"But they know our situation. They must know how to send help." Ackbar said. "Yeah, but it may take them awhile to get here. We're gonna have to get ourselves to the surface to the surface and get off this rock." Anakin said. The prince moved in front of him. "I will not leave my people to die." he said. "With all due respect, your highness, if we stay, we all die." Anakin replied. "We must reach the surface and see if our ship is still there." Padme said. "The prince will decide our course of action." Ackbar said. "I think it is best for us to try and escape using your ship." Lee-Char said. "As you wish, your highness. Follow me." the older Knight said before they started to swim.
The group hid near some large seaweed as they watched Quarren and droids swim around the area. "That's a lot of enemy troops between us and the surface." Padme said. "It's no problem. I just hope your a fast swimmer." Anakin teased his wife while smirking. Padme mirrored it. "Says the boy from the desert planet." she teased back. "Are you certain your ship is still there?" Tills asked them. "There's only one way to find out." Anakin replied. "I'll create a diversion so you can get past those patrols." Fisto said. "All right, try to get a mini sub or two. It'll help us speed to the surface." Anakin said. "No problem." the Master replied before swimming upwards fast. A minute later a Quarren sub floated down to them quickly and Ahsoka grabbed it. "Ahsoka, your up first. Take the price and Senator Tills." Anakin told her. "Got it." she replied as the two grabbed onto one side each. Revan managed to grab onto the bottom right as she took off towards the surface.
Anakin, Padme and Ackbar caught up with them just as they neared the surface and could see the ship's silhouette in the water. A few seconds later they could see what looked like an explosion before pieces of the ship hit the water and started to sink. Anakin and Ahsoka maneuvered out of the way of some small pieces before they and their passengers had to abandon the subs as larger pieces they couldn't avoid started floating towards them. The Jedi activated their sabers and started to deflects bolts as droids closed in on them. "Well, prince how do feel about fighting again?" Anakin asked him. "Master Jedi, we're too vulnerable here. We must reach the seafloor." he replied. "Grab onto the debris. Let it carry you to the bottom." Anakin said, grabbing a giant piece as it floated by. "I think i'm getting seasick." Padme said, her voice wavering as she and the rest grabbed onto the same one.
Fisto and a SCUBA trooper grabbed on soon after. "Back so soon?" he asked Anakin with a slight joking tone. "Yeah, the ship had some problems." the older Knight replied. "I can see that all around me." the Master said. "This is our only chance. We need to split up and hide the prince's whereabouts." Ackbar said to them. "I'm not sure that's the best strategy." Anakin replied. "I'm sure. Captain Ackbar's words are my own. It will give us the best chances of surviving if we split up." Lee-Char said. "As you wish." he replied before addressing his padawan. "Ahsoka, you, Revan and the prince go with Kit and take the clones. I'll take the senators and Captain Ackbar. Lay low. Our only hope is that Master Yoda can send help in time." Anakin said before floating over to the senators, who were a bit behind them on the piece of debris. "No, Prince Lee-Char is our only hope." Ackbar said, placing a hand on Lee-Char's shoulder for a moment before joining the other three. Both groups let go when they neared the ocean floor before Ahsoka and Revan's hid in the sandy water that was disturbed when the part of the ship they had held onto crashed against the seabed.
The group took cover behind a giant pillar of rock as a few droids passed by before they swam away quickly and into a small cave. "I don't think we've been followed. Commander Monnk, post a lookout." Fisto ordered the clone before he and his brother swam over to the entrance. "We have no army, and we don't know if reinforcements are coming. What are our options?" the prince asked the three Jedi. "We sit tight. There's not much we can do." Ahsoka replied. "Sir, you'd better come see this." Monnk said to the Master. The three Jedi and prince floated up to the clones and hid in the seaweed next to them while watching what was happening not far from them. Droids and Quarren were escorting hundreds of captured Mon Calamari. "So many prisoners. Where are they taking them?" Lee-Char wondered. "To become slaves." Fisto answered quietly. "I can't believe Nossor Ri and the Quarren agreed to this." the prince said. "Count Dooku rules here for now, not the Quarren." she replied. "What you see, Prince, is the future of all the people on this world. Mon Cala and Quarren, all slaves for Count Dooku." Fisto replied solemnly.
The couple and prince moved to the back of the cave while the other three watched the enemy move by. "There must be something more I can do." Lee-Char said. "I know it's hard, but you have to be patient." Ahsoka said gently. "But you saw my people. I've failed them." he replied quietly. "No. Remember Captain Ackbar's words: You are the hope of your people. As long as you live, they will endure." she assured with a small smile. "I need an army. We have to fight back." he insisted. "You don't have to carry a sword to be powerful. Some leaders' strength is inspiring greatness in others." she replied wisely. Although Revan found the philosophical side of the Jedi boring, he didn't mind it when his wife would say something related to it. "But my people don't even know i'm alive. How can I inspire them if they think i'm dead?" the prince asked.
Lee-Char blew on a shell horn and the sound traveled far enough to reach the Mon Calamari prisoners. "Go now, the prince. Hurry!" Ahsoka said. "People of Mon Cala, all people of Mon Cala who would not be slaves, have hope!" he reassured. "We will fight for you, prince!" a Mon Calamari exclaimed. "You will not be prisoners much longer!" Lee-Char called out to them as the others floated up behind him. "Okay, I think the show is over. The guards will be coming. We have to go." Ahsoka urged him before droids started shooting at them. The Jedi activated their sabers and started deflecting while the clones returned fire when a blue bolt took a droid out from nowhere. The group looked up to see a whole army of Gungans swim past them and towards the Separatists. "Gungans. The tide has turned in our favor." Fisto said with a smile. "Let's free my people. Attack!" the prince yelled as they swam forward to help the Gungans and free Lee-Char's people.
Fisto blocked a few bolts that were shot at the prince before taking out two droids. He grabbed a Quarren spear floating in the waiter and took one of the droids out before the couple slashed one that almost took him by surprise from behind. The two floated over to him and started deflecting while he returned fire. A few minutes later a tornado of sand appeared around them and they looked up to see a Separatist Trident drill assault ship spinning around with its four mechanical tentacles stretched out while two smaller ones swam around it. "Stay in the centre! There's less turbulence!" Ahsoka told the prince. The bottom of the ship opened up and the Karkarodon from before dived towards him with a roar before grabbing him. Lee-Char managed to kick him off while the couple spun around and headed towards a group of droids, slashing them to pieces before Ahsoka Force pushed the shark a few feet away, managing to stun him for a moment.
The young couple swam up in front of the prince and held their sabers in a defensive position before the shark shook his head clear and looked at them. He clicked a button on his belt before retreating outside the tornado as a few droids surrounded them and started shooting. While the young Jedi were distracted with blocking bolts, the shark came from behind and grabbed the prince. He roared and attempted to bite him when Fisto suddenly appeared and kicked him off the young Mon Calamari, breaking his jaw in the process. The Master ignited his blade and tried cutting the shark, only for his wrists to get grabbed and end up disarmed. Fisto retreated a few feet away and the shark snapped his jaw back into place before roaring at the older Jedi and rushing him.
Revan and Ahsoka took out two more droids and tried to swim over to Lee-Char when another droid stopped them momentarily. The shark tried going for the prince again after punching the Jedi Master across the face, hoping he was stunned long enough. Unfortunately for him, the older Jedi recovered quickly and grabbed the shark's ankle before kicking him away. "Ahsoka, Revan stay with the prince. I'll hold him off." Fisto told them. Ahsoka launched a cable from her forearm gauntlet into the ground and Revan wrapped an arm around her waist before se pulled them towards it, grabbing Lee-Char as they zoomed towards the seabed. They looked back up to see the older Jedi surrounded by the shark and lots of droids before leaving. The three watched from some seaweed as their friends were captured.
Ahsoka placed a comforting hand on Lee-Char's shoulder before he shrugged it off. "Now we're the only ones left." he said quietly. "I'm sorry, Lee-Char." she apologized gently. "I know what I must do. I know my people need me. I just don't know how to win this war." he said. Revan couldn't help the surge of jealousy when she held the prince's hand comfortingly with both of hers. "Look, I know you're scared, but you can't let your fear control you." she said with the gentle tone still in her voice. "Aren't you scared?" he asked. "I used to be, all the time, until I realized that if you make decisions out of fear, you're more likely to be wrong." she replied with wisdom, letting go of his hand. "I will unify Mon Cala again. I promise." he said with determination before the heard a distant sound. "We have to go." she urged before they swam away.
Chapter 3 is now done.