Chapter 13
And now… a new chapter.
Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker was nervous, since he and his Padawan, Adenan Kornen, were waiting for the rest of the non-traditionalists to come, Balancers or Neutral.
Anakin was hoping that the neutrals would join them, so they won't have to die by the hand of the Clones. Now, Anakin was seeing how much Adenan was trained in the force and the lightsaber.
They were in a not-so big quartz room, which was almost empty, Anakin was sitting on a chair at the right side of the room, Adenan deflecting blaster bolts from a training droid in front of him. He was doing kind of good, in the Level 7 difficulty.
Anakin then used his remote to higher the difficulty to Level 8, a beep was heard and Adenan visibly tensed at the higher difficulty
"Stay calm and use the force to guide you" Anakin instructed
"But, I never could do good over Level Seven!" Adenan exclaimed as he deflected another blaster bolt "But okay… I guess"
Adenan calmed himself as he deflected another blaster bolt near his ear. Then, they heard a few knocks on the door.
A scribe came in. He was a human who had fair skin, was wearing a Nemodian-style Hat and fully white robes
"All the Jedi came!" The scribe exclaimed as Anakin turned off the Training Droid. Adenan deactivated his lightsaber and panted
"Come on!" Anakin told Adenan, who quickly stood up and came with Anakin.
Everything was almost normal outside, with the very blue sky and sandstone buildings beside the forest and green grass. There were almost all the Jedi to be seen.
A Jedi Master came to them with many other Jedi. All of them were visibly split into two groups. Anakin knew the Jedi Master who was in the front, it was Shaak Ti! Anakin and Adenan bowed in a sign of courtesy.
"Hello, Anakin and Adenan" Shaak greeted
"Master Ti" Anakin greeted back and looked at all the Jedi "So, these are all the non-traditionalists!"
"Yes. But I cannot guarantee that they will all kill the Traditionalists" Shaak told Anakin
"Yes, I know I won't!" A Jedi stepped in. It was Ki-Adi Mundi, a one who doesn't want the code to change "You are killing innocent Jedi who want to defend their tradition and honour!"
"We are killing because they are hunting us down!" Anakin exclaimed "The code needs to change Master Mundi!"
"But we aren't the only ones here" Plo Koon, a Kel Dor Jedi Master, whispered
"Who is here then?" Anakin asked
"We were followed, by the Traditionalists!" Plo exclaimed
"What?!" Adenan screamed
Then, Anakin saw a shadow covering them, so he looked up and saw a few more Republic Cruisers jumping out of hyperspace. The split group split more, marking the divide in the Order. They all activated their lightsabers, Anakin quickly did, Adenan followed Anakin's movements.
Meanwhile, in the central command center of the front Republic Cruiser, Mace Windu activated the speakers, so he could be heard by that area.
"Traditionalists, Friends, Traitors and Enemies! I have full control over the Cloning processes! We have to defend the code from corruption of the Balancers, we must defeat them! Attack!" Mace Windu exclaimed
The Traditionalists and the right side of the split groups on ground attacked the Balancers and the left side of the split, who attacked back. All the Clones they had support of attacked other side, there were visible differences in the old Clones and the new Clones, who were wearing Phase I armour, except they were as comfortable as Phase II.
This was an all out war on the forest planet as many Jedi and Clones started getting killed, or injured. The entire battle was messy. As blaster bolts were flying everywhere and, at the same time, lightsabers being flung, swung and spun everywhere, making the inexperienced fighters die in the battle, and that counted most young Padawans, and the Traditionalists Clones'. Adenan had a specific strategy, as he ducked, then spun his lightsaber up, deflecting a lot of blaster bolts at both sides, Adenan then activated his rainbow shoto and deflected all the blaster bolts that were coming at anybody on his side. Then that made most of the Traditionalists Clones' die. They slumped onto the ground senseless. Mace Windu then realised that the Balancer's might've taken the best Jedi. But that was actually a wrong answer.
Now, the Traditionalists desperately decided to launch bomber squadrons. The orange clones began throwing bombs at the balancers, which made the good guys killed quicker. Then, Adenan jumped up and a New Clone Bomber aimed a Thermal Detonator at him midair. When the New Clone thrown it, Adenan quickly ducked in midair, making the thermal detonator hit the Palace that was right behind the battle area.
"Uh oh!" Adenan mumbled to himself as the palace began to cripple due to the explosion on the front wing.
Mace decided to kill Balancers purely on explosives. That move was a wrong one. Since the Traditionalists launched Republic Gunships with missile launchers, and hitting the Balancers, devastating the environment of Chameta. The Balancers took cover and began to revise battle plans.
"Let's make the battle fair!" Anakin exclaimed "By bombing the Traditionalists!"
"No! We might devastate this planet Master!" Adenan countered "I suggest an air assault, to get rid of the gunships and cruisers"
"We will need the most skilled pilots and the fastest ships for that" Shaak told all of them "It's worth a shot!"
Anakin turned on his comlink "Everyone listening to this, get on your fighters and prepare for an air assault. We must target every main bomb fighter"
All of them quickly listened to Anakin's orders. Adenan and Anakin got on their Jedi Starfighters as the rest flew in the air. The 501st and Adenan formed on Anakin as they all headed to the Traditionalists fighters and cruisers.
"So, what's your orders General?" A Clone pilot asked
"Adenan, take the left squadron and bomb the left ships" Anakin ordered
"Yes Master" Adenan quickly went out of the formation to work on that
"The rest, come with me!" Anakin went forward, and all the others followed, then they reached the right squadron
Adenan wasted no time he went to the left squadron, which was shooting at them. Adenan did a spin, dodging two shots.
"Pilots, go forward and kill as many as possible, I'll handle the rest!" Adenan ordered
"Err… yes sir!" A Clone Pilot went forward
The 501st never actually had a taste of Adenan's custom battle tactics. Adenan soared up, and when he was clearly over all the bomber ships, he shot at them down under. Adenan stayed at that altitude, seeing the entire battle, looking for a clear head at the cruisers. Adenan tracked it down, and then he commed Anakin in a private signal.
"Yes Adenan?" Anakin asked
"I have an idea. Is it okay if the squadron that went with my forms on you?" Adenan asked
"What are you planning?" Anakin asked back
"Oh… to bomb the Traditionalist Cruisers from over them. I'm really high up in space!" Adenan answered
"Okay, weird battle planning, but I have a feeling it might just be crazy enough to work!" Anakin exclaimed "Do it!"
Adenan went down to the altitude where the battle was going on, from the behind. He told the squadron that went with him to form on Anakin, who immediately went to the Cruisers right after that. Then, he called the bomber squadron on the Balancer's side.
"Commander Kornen! What's your orders?" A Clone Bomber Pilot asked
"Form on me!" Adenan ordered
The Clone Bomber Pilots wasted no time, when they were all formed on a triangle shape behind Adenan. They all went close enough to the crowd of enemy ships until Adenan and the formation could go up without being seen.
In the central command station of Mace Windu's cruiser, and Admiral came to report to Windu.
"What is it, Admiral?" Mace asked, darkly
The Admiral was bought aback by Mace's dark tone, but regained his composure, and reported "Apparently, there's a bomber squadron and a Jedi Starfighter that's coming right on us, but we haven't seen any fighters at that position!"
Then, the cruiser shook wildly. This shaking put everyone off-balance. When the shaking stopped Mace Windu realised what was happening.
"That's because they're on top of us!" Mace exclaimed "Get them!"
Before all the Clone Pilots could respond, the bomber squadron hit many other cruisers. There was one cruiser which got exploded, it crashed towards the planet, most of it disintegrating midair. The Bomber Squadron then came from the other side, exploding more cruisers.
"This battle's over! Retreat!" Mace ordered all the Traditionalist-supporting people in battle.
All the Balancer-supporting people cheered as the Traditionalists tried to go back to Coruscant, a few succeeded, but many got killed.
All of them went back to their cruisers. Adenan and Anakin were walking together to their central command station. Admiral Yularen was there with Yoda, but the rest were continuing their work in the Cruiser.
"Congratulations Commander Kornen! Thanks to your… weird battle planning, we won!" Admiral Yularen congratulated
"Thanks Admiral, but, this isn't over yet… I can feel it!" Adenan told the Admiral
And he was right, it wasn't. Since, back in Coruscant, Mace Windu entered the Chancellor's Office, it was still red, but instead of Sith Artefacts, there were Nubian Artefacts, like off-white pots instead of black ones.
When the now-Jedi Grand Master went into the office, and sensed, two lifeforms in the force, inside Chancellor Amidala. One of them was similar to Anakin Skywalker. 'So it's true', Mace thought 'The Chancellor and Skywalker did break the attachment rule!'
"Master Windu! What can I help you with?" Padmé hoped it wasn't about the Balancers
"I am aware that you recently got to know Adenan Kornen" Mace started
"Yes, he's Master Skywalker's apprentice, is he not?" Padmé had a bad feeling about this
"I want you to tell me all his friends!" Mace exclaimed
"Why?" Padmé asked
"Because he destroyed military personnel in battle! I want to execute all of them, to make his weakness reveal!" Mace answered
"Love, isn't a weakness Master Windu!" Padmé objected "And I will not let you execute Adenan's friends!"
"He is a traitor!" Mace argued "And love IS a weakness!"
"How so?" Padmé asked
"Like the one you marrying… Chancellor Skywalker!" Mace exclaimed. Padmé's eyes widened "Yes, I know, due to the babies I'm going to take to the Jedi Order once they are born!"
"You will not take my babies!" Padmé exclaimed
"Oh… I will, you just wait and see!" Mace seethed, then went to a mocking tone "And your little 'Ani' won't be able to save you!"
Mace left with a cold atmosphere in the Chancellor's office. Padmé got a cold feeling. Mace Windu was truly dark now. Padmé has no choice, but to wait. 'Oh Ani! Please, help me!', she thought
Meanwhile, in Anakin Skywalker was meditating in his cruiser quarters with Adenan
"Oh Ani! Please, help me!" Anakin and Adenan heard Padmé's voice
Anakin and Adenan quickly opened their eyes. Adenan looked at Anakin with his brown eyes, looking for answers.
"I think you already know" Anakin nudged Adenan
"Mace Windu is threatening Padmé!" Adenan exclaimed, wide eyed
"We must go to Coruscant!" Anakin exclaimed
"Now?" Adenan asked
"Now." Anakin mumbled
Yup, you can already guess what the next chapter's gonna be all about. But for those who don't get it… NEXT CHAPTER: CORUSCANT RESCUE