Chapter Sixty-Seven: Resisting the Abyss

The Force cushioned me as I landed in a crouch at the bottom of the tower, my lightsaber igniting at my side. Krell was spinning his blades through the clones, grabbing two of them and bowling down a squad with their bodies. The Jedi turned and ran, racing across the airbase.

I took off after him at full speed as he used the Force to plow down the next line of clones in his way. Dogma stepped out from behind an Umbaran starfighter, practically stepping into my lightsaber. I disengaged it just in time, rolling sideways to avoid a full-on collision with him. Still, our shoulders hit, sending us both reeling.

I looked back at the clone, seeing the confusion in his eyes as he lifted his gun to aim at me again. My jaw tightened, but I didn't look away as I straightened. My gaze cast after where Krell had left the airbase to flee into the forest. I had to follow.

Looking back at Dogma, I dared him to shoot me as I took a few steps away. "Don't move!" he yelled, but his voice was quivering.

I rolled my eyes at him before taking off in a run after Krell. Behind me, I heard him yelling at Rex and the others as they exited the tower. They'd handle it, I was sure. Thus, I ran head-first into the Umbaran forest in pursuit of the rogue Jedi.

Unfortunately, the overarching darkness of the planet made sensing Krell, an equally dark Force signature, incredibly difficult. On the plus side, I was also channeling the Dark Side as I stalked through the mist confidently; I was concealed from Krell's senses, too.

The clones, however, I could sense as they rushed into the forest behind me, creating a search pattern. I avoided them. Partly because I didn't want to endanger them. And partly because I didn't want them getting in my damned way.

I nearly stumbled a bit in my jog at that dark thought. It's true, some part of me whispered. It was a sinister part of me….one that mirrored the voice of Darth Bane. I knew it wasn't really him, as I'd banished his presence from my mind forever. Still, that didn't mean his teachings and influence didn't stay with me, tucked deep within the vaults of my brain.

The sound of blaster fire ripped me from my thoughts, sending me straight back into the power of the Dark Side. I chased the sounds, leaping through the arching branches. When I stopped to look over the scene, though, I found only dead clones.

Their armor was still simmering from the burning blade of Krell's lightsabers. He was close. My heart ached for the clones he'd murdered, but I merely channelled the pain into my rage. I pushed myself forward, sticking to the trees to maintain the high ground and engaging the thermal imaging on my goggles. I needed every advantage I could get, even with the help of the Dark Side.

My wrist comm beeped with the 501st code, followed by Rex's voice. "Anybody got anything?" he asked as I opened the comms to listen. I crouched in my place in the branches, scanning the forest to see some of the clones' heat signatures.

"Uh, negative, Captain," came the response, "We lost him." There was a pause. "Wait-" The sound of blaster shots, screams, and the whir of lightsabers. I scanned the forest, seeing the flashes of heat in the distance. I took off in a run, leaping from branch to branch as the clones screamed in the comms. "He's too powerful! Hurry!"

The Force told me it was too late already. I sensed Rex and Fives, glancing down to see them close by. Krell was ahead, taking down the last few clones that he'd ambushed. I was silent in the trees before leaping down amongst the readying squad of 501st soldiers.

"Kriff," Kix cursed as I walked calmly beside him. "Scared the hell out of me." I didn't respond, looking up into the trees with my thermal imaging. Something tickled at my brain, but I did nothing.

That was foolish.

I flinched as Krell used the Force to shove me sideways. I wasn't even sure where he was. The clones fired off into the darkness as I flew headfirst into the base of a tree. "Osik," I cursed, pulling my sparking goggles from my face. The impact had shattered one side, slicing my cheek with the frayed mechanics. Leaping to my feet in a rage, I threw the goggles on the ground and ignited my saber, holding it before me in a ready stance.

Still, Krell was nowhere to be seen amongst the swirling mist of the Umbaran night.

"You should have listened to the ARC Trooper from the beginning, Captain," Krell's voice echoed from somewhere above, followed by a long cackle. "He was right!" he admitted with glee. "I was using you."

He laughed more, the sound horrible and nightmarish as it bounced through the eerie silence of the forest. Another laugh, and the ignition of a lightsaber. I whirled, seeing the Jedi sneer as he sliced through four men with a casual whirl of his weapon.

Krell looked around at us, brandishing his double-bladed sabers. "You've all been my pawns!"

"Get him!" a clone cried, everyone opening fire. Krell was quick to use the Force to shove me back before deflecting the shots from the men. I was ready for the push, though, bracing my feet and digging my lightsaber into the ground. It dragged through the hard dirt, burning a line, but it kept me from flying backwards and nearly knocking myself out again.

When I looked up from my crouching position, I saw Krell decimating what remained of his forces. His own men. Slaughtering the very people willing to follow his orders to their deaths. I saw red, my fist clenching at my side.

As my fingers tightened, the knuckles turning white, the ground began to quake. My very bones trembled with anger and raw strength. Rex and Tup both glanced to me in fright as I screamed every curse I knew at Krell, thrusting my hand forward with each one.

I knew many languages. So I knew a lot of curses.

Krell was shoved backwards with each one, the Force billowing with such recklessness that it was spreading enough to bowl over the clones, too. But I ignored them, leaping with a banshee-like cry to slam my blade down on Krell's. He blocked me, but even I could feel his shock.

"I've had enough of you," he growled, shoving me back.

I caught myself, though, quickly setting my feet again to block his coming attack. He was fast with his dual blades, which made it incredibly hard to block him with only my one. I had to even the odds, then.

Overcome with fear and anger, my blade locked with one of Krells, the Besalisk bracing it between three arms. I pushed as hard as I could as the other double-sides saber came around in his fourth hand to go for my head. I lifted my palm, letting the Force flow with my emotions and take over. His blade stopped before my hand, pulsating in the air as I held him back.

Twisting my lightsaber in my other hand to hold it in a reverse grip, I took advantage of Krell's surprise and swiped the blade up the center of his chest. The Jedi was too quick for that move, even with his shock. He leapt backwards, tearing his saber from the hold I had over it through the Force.

Still, while I may have failed to kill the Besalisk….I didn't fail to slice one of his sabers down its center. Maybe it was luck. Maybe it was the Force. But the light flashing from my lightsaber passing through his hilt told me only one thing: I'd split his kyber crystal.

The odds were getting much closer to even.

I flourished my white blade before me with cockiness, holding it before me in my usual guard. Behind me, the clones had begun to circle again, weapons trained on the Jedi. Krell dropped his destroyed weapon, holding his remaining green blade before him.

"It's over," Rex called again. "Stand down!"

Krell glared at us before he suddenly threw his lightsaber. The clones opened fire, but the Jedi leapt into the air and out of sight. His saber hurtled towards Rex. I lunged in front of him, slashing my blade sideways to deflect it.

I caught one end, knocking it away. Still, the blade spun and one side caught my shoulder guard, searing over the beskar. It caught the edges of my armor, the skin burning painfully. I cried out as I fell to my knees, my weapon disengaging as I clutched the smarting skin. Thankfully, the beskar was forged to take glancing blows from a Jedi's blade.

So it kept my arm from being completely chopped off.

But it still hurt like hell and I was sure there would be a lot of healing to be done later. But for now, the wound was cauterized by the lightsaber and I wasn't feeling anything but anger at that moment.

So as Krell's saber came flying back through the air towards me, I rolled sideways to avoid it. I turned as it passed, my lightsaber igniting in a crossguard before my chest as Krell landed in the center of the clones again, slicing through their numbers. Others he punched or threw into trees.

It was easy for him.

And I felt that he took pleasure in it.

I rushed forward as he sliced through another clone, slashing at his weakened defense. He was smart, though, using the Umbaran landscape to cut off the line of fire from the clones while battling me.

I ducked under his next slash, rushing past him to plant my foot into the base of a tree. Leaping off and over him, I swung my blade over my side to block his sweeping defense, planting the heel of my boot into his cheek. I rolled in my landing, turning quickly to pounce on the dazed Jedi.

I slashed and hacked at him with all of my passion and anguish. I hated him. Hated what he represented. Hated how he saw the clones as objects. Hated how he belittled me. Hated how he murdered my friends like it was nothing. Hated how he was going against everything the Jedi Order claimed to stand for.

Our lightsabers met harshly, the Dark Side pushing my blade harder against his. He held me back, but I saw the fear in his eyes. I revelled in it.

"You're nothing," he sneered over our locked blades, my jaw clenching. "You're just a Sithling."

I paused, feeling a moment of dark clarity. I wasn't always a creature of darkness. This….Sithling that Krell spoke of. But in that moment….I was.

"Yes," I whispered, feeling the Dark Side flow over me, making it hard to breathe, "I am." Gritting my teeth, I twisted my blade around his, dipping it down. It cut through the two arms that held his saber, severing them. The Jedi cried out in pain and fear. He was beaten.

I didn't stop there. Before his blade and hands even hit the ground, I pushed out carelessly with my free hand. The Besalisk was thrown back like a wild wind had surged past him. He crumpled, crippled by the pain of his lost limbs and the shame of defeat by my hand.

But I hated him. I wanted him to suffer. And then I wanted him to die.

My free hand clenched, the tendons flexing. Krell's body was pulled upright and dragged back across the ground to kneel at my feet. He was battered and defeated, but he still wore that terrible smirk.

"Yes, Sithling. Strike me down. Show this group you call your family what you really are." His words were enough to make me pause, hammering through the hum of dark power that buzzed like a haze over my mind. My eyes lifted to see the frightened clones, their blasters aimed at the space between Krell and I. They were afraid of me.

Why did I like that?

No….No, I hated that. I loved them. I didn't want them to-

"What are you waiting for, coward?" Krell spit, drawing the curtain of darkness over my thoughts easily. Was that what he wanted? "Do it!"

I thought I heard the voices of the clones. Rex. Fives. Jesse. Kix. But I couldn't be sure over the thumping of my heart in my ears. Krell's dark gaze was dead-set on mine, goading me. Daring me.

Fine. He wanted to die so much? I'd be more than happy to oblige.

Somewhere deep inside me….I knew it was wrong. Even for someone like me. I'd hurt him. Humiliated him. And took him down. My job was done. But the Dark Side whispered for more. It lusted for bloodshed. For power. It promised me power….if I killed Krell.

Who was to say there wouldn't be more Jedi like him? I had to protect Rex and Fives and the others from people that would do them harm. People that see them as property of the Republic, and not men.

I was doing this for them, I told myself as I lifted my lightsaber in the air. There was only the call of the Dark as I swung.

But my blade never touched the defeated Jedi. A firm hand caught my wrist, my head whipping sideways in rage. The anger melted when I saw the worry and fear in Rex's golden eyes. And even beneath that….understanding.

"He's unarmed," Rex said gently. I wasn't sure where his helmet had gone...hadn't he been wearing it? "He's done. You got him." The captain's hand was gentle as he slowly eased me a few steps backwards before sliding his fingers over where mine clutched my saber.

Krell smirked and opened his mouth to mock me, but was lit up in a flash of blue electricity. He fell forward, unconscious. Behind him, Tup stood proudly, holding up his rifle with glee.

Rex slowly eased the lightsaber from my grasp, the blade disengaging as soon as he had it. It was clipped to his belt for safe-keeping. Likely because he was frightened of how I was acting.

I felt a bit nauseous as the captain took a small step back from me, giving me space. "Get him in cuffs and into a cell," he ordered his men, who were more than happy to bind the dishonored general. The dark haze was still over my mind, but Rex's touch had reconnected our link. It grounded me.

And now I was struggling to fight it off.

"Kida?" Rex asked when he turned to me, trusting his men to handle Krell. "Are you alright?"

I swallowed, but didn't respond, my fists still clenching at my sides. The captain took a step forward, but I shook my head. In that moment, I was realizing how out of control I was. I didn't want to hurt him.

Rex seemed to read me without my having to speak. He glanced at Fives, who was quick to lead the others out of the clearing with Krell's unconscious form. When they were far enough away, Rex stepped closer, despite my hesitance.

When I shook my head in fright again, not looking him in the eye, he sighed through his nose. "I'm not afraid, Kida," he said softly, surprising me. Even more shocking was that, when I searched his feelings, I realized he wasn't lying. "You won't hurt me."

But a part of me wanted to. I had wanted to kill Krell. I had to kill Krell. And Rex had stopped me. He got in my way.

Rex's gloved hand touched my cheek, making me flinch. "Kida?" he asked, a bit of nervousness creeping into his mind. He guided my chin, nudging me to meet his gaze. When I did, I was struck with how soft his eyes were. There was no judgement there, like I'd expected there to be. No fear of me….just fear that he'd lose me.

And love. So much love.

I found that feeling in him, holding onto it with determination. The Dark Side tugged at me mercilessly, trying to drag me back under to drown in it. I refused, now that I was looking into the golden pools of Rex's gaze. I focused on it, letting myself drown in him, rather than the power of the darkness.

"Rex," I whispered, feeling the dark side of me recede back into the corner I'd built for it. My legs gave out. The clone captain's eyes widened slightly before he crouched with me, catching me against his chest. I called out to the Bendu in my mind, letting it lead me back to my balance.

As it did, I felt my head fall against Rex's shoulder, my eyes closing from exhaustion. My job was done.

I dreamed of death.

There was a terrible presence. Something dark and sinister. But it wasn't the same ancient signature of Darth Bane. This was younger, and far more powerful.

A dark chuckle rippled through the darkness, making me whirl as my feet were thrown out from under me. My environment, though I couldn't see it, felt like it was shifting and morphing rapidly beneath me.

I stumbled, falling hard onto a firm metal floor. I looked up with a start, seeing the late evening light pouring through the wide windows. The sunlight was striped across the floor as it streamed through the shutters, making the dust dance in the air.

A figure sat before me in a meditative position, silhouetted by the light. I sucked in a sharp breath when I recognized him as Pong Krell. It dawned that I was seeing the Jedi Temple on Coruscant….with a Krell before his turn against the Republic.

His brow was furrowed in deep thought, his neck bobbing as he swallowed thickly. Whatever he was seeing, it was nearly darkening the room with its terrible energy. With a steadying breath, I took a daring step forward, staying quiet despite knowing it was a vision and Krell couldn't detect me.

I reached out, my fingers grazing his temples. The Force was already pulling me in when I touched him, the vision shifting easily to follow Krell's.

Krell disappeared, my hands dropping to my sides in shock at the sights before me. Things were shifting rapidly, emotions tearing through me like a maelstrom. I was on the city streets of Coruscant, the sky painted a terrible red and speckled with smoke. The space above us was a battlefield.

It shifted again and I was standing in a familiar apartment on Coruscant's surface. I heard the gentle whirring of mechanics, making me turn to see C-3PO shuffle past me. I watched him go before searching the room he'd left. I stepped in, seeing Padme's back as she looked out her window. Her shoulders were trembling.

My mouth dropped open when I saw why. Past her, out the window and across the skyline of Coruscant was the Jedi Temple. And it was on fire. I stepped up to the window in horror, hearing Padme let out a terrible sob beside me.

I wanted to comfort her. To tell her everything would be fine. But what had happened? Rather...what would happen in the future?

The image of the Temple melted away, being replaced with a feeling of emptiness. Loss. Grief. And then terrible, terrible heat.

"Don't do this. Don't do this, come back!"

It sounded like Padme, but I couldn't be sure. I looked around me, stunned by the sudden heat and light. The planet itself was aflame, covered almost entirely in lava.

Mustafar.

I, like many who often traveled the galaxy, had stopped there many times to refuel. Why had the Force brought me here?

"I hate you!"

I whirled to try and find the voice, but found nothing. I smelled burning flesh and felt terrible pain...both emotional and physical. I fell to my knees in the hot volcanic soil, but the soft dirt soon shifted to hard metal.

There was the sound of an amphitheater cheering, exploding in a roar. "This is how liberty dies," I heard what sounded like Padme's voice echo, "With thunderous applause."

I heard screaming, looking up to see a long hall of dark metal walls, lined with red ray shields. I stumbled forward to look into one, reeling backwards when I saw a young woman. Her short black hair was slick with sweat, sticking to her dark skin. She was exhausted, no longer screaming despite the pain she was experiencing in her terrible prison. She was trapped in a torture device, but there was no one attending her. They'd left her there to suffer.

A terrible cold came over me, floating down the hall like a dark cloud. I turned, seeing only darkness creeping towards me. There was a heavy, foreboding breathing. It was raspy and slightly mechanical.

Fear shook me to my core as I took a small step back from the approaching darkness. There was the sound of a lightsaber igniting alongside the breathing, a horrible red blade appearing in the black shadow.

A scream ripped from my throat as I fell backwards into darkness.

I sat up with a start, ripping myself from the vision in my terror. Kix was at my side in a moment, his face filled with concern as he touched my shoulder.

"It's alright, you're alright," he soothed, trying to get me to lay back down. But I'd have none of that.

I brushed the medic off, sitting up again with more force. "Where's Krell?"

Kix looked alarmed for a second, his eyes cutting sideways nervously. "You're welcome." He gestured the to bandage on my arm where Krell's saber had caught my beskar. I nodded both in thanks and to get him to continue. "And that depends. Are you going to murder him?"

"Wouldn't you like to?" I grumbled, but backtracked when he didn't seem to take it well. "It's a joke. I'm fine, Kix."

Still, the clone pressed his lips into a disbelieving frown. I pushed him back gently, swinging my feet over the side of the cot. I was in our make-shift medbay….which was horrifyingly full.

"We've imprisoned Krell," Kix said finally. "And Dogma."

My brow arched. "Dogma? He went that far to try and stop us?"

"He's a good kid. Just….confused."

Right. I stood, wobbling only for a moment. My body was still tired, my mind racing from the vision. In the final moments the Force had shown me, I'd known the approaching being was a force to be reckoned with. And not one I would ever be able to stand against.

"Where's Rex?" I needed to see him. The vision had been rattling. His eyes were the last thing I saw before I passed out. The only thing that drew me back to my balance. Back to the Bendu.

I'd been foolish enough to hope they'd be the first thing I saw when I woke. Of course, that wasn't possible considering he was a leader. He was in charge, especially now that Krell was out of command.

Kix pursed his lips again, but answered nonetheless. "He commed a bit ago for Tup, Jesse, and Fives to meet at the brig. Krell's awake." The medic paused for a moment. "He'd want you there."

I nodded, accepting the pistols he had collected for me and holstering them. My lightsaber wasn't there-likely still latched to Rex's belt for safe-keeping. As I strode from our makeshift infirmary and across the compound, I earned a lot of looks. It seemed that the story of me going absolutely berserk on Krell had gotten around.

If the clones hadn't seen me rampaging across the compound with their own eyes, of course.

I saw Jesse and Tup waiting outside the Brig, their helmets held at their sides. They both smiled gently when I approached, but I still reached out timidly to search their minds. To my surprise, they were only glad to see me. There was no fear.

I returned their smiles as I approached, though mine was rather weary.

"Nice to see you back on your feet," Jesse acknowledged, clapping my shoulder gently. "You had us worried when Rex had to carry you back."

I had to fight off the blush that threatened to darken my complexion. I hadn't known he'd carried me all the way back. "I just needed some rest," I said smoothly, falling back into my casual facade easily. "I'm feeling much better now."

"More like yourself, I hope," Fives' voice called, making me turn to see him approaching beside Rex. They both looked tired. And angry.

"Much," I assured them. "But I wouldn't miss…" I gestured to the group as they finally joined us. "Whatever this is."

"Confronting Krell," Fives growled, Rex glancing over me with his golden gaze. The others took my silence as an answer, walking into the open doors.

Rex paused for a moment beside me, the back of his hand grazing my arm gently. He was wracked with shame. Horror. Rage. Grief.

A part of me wanted to fixate on that, too. Honestly, I kind of did.

But there was the Bendu whispering. I touched Rex's thoughts gently with my own, opening our link. With a tenderness, I smoothed over his worries softly, reminding him of the good things. We brought down Krell before he could kill more. We found and captured a traitor to the Republic. While we lost many, many of Rex's closest friends made it out of this battle alive. He'd brought me back from the darkness on his own. His men were behind him again.

My captain's lips twitched upwards only slightly, his touch getting stronger for just a second before it left me entirely. He appreciated my presence and my support. And maybe even my optimism, despite how I shared his lust for bringing Krell to justice.

Deep down, I still wanted to gut the fallen Jedi. But I pushed that need down for the sake of the people I loved.

And so that I didn't completely lose myself to the darkness.

Again.

I followed Rex into the brig to stand to his right, the elevator descending under Tup's control. He was the only one to put his helmet back on. I wondered, for a moment, if it was so he wouldn't have to look Dogma in the eye.

They were the same age. Batch-brothers, as some of the clones nicknamed themselves. And I knew they were close, despite some of their differing opinions. This wasn't easy for him.

As the elevator lowered us past the glaring Umbarans, Rex silently passed my lightsaber back to me. I said nothing as I accepted it back and attached it to my belt, but I knew what it meant. We all did.

It meant he, and the others, trusted me. He'd taken it when I'd lost control. When he feared I was a danger to myself and others because of my blind rage. Now...I was driving with both hands on the joystick. And they knew it.

It was reassuring, if nothing else.

I needed every boost of confidence I could get as the elevator slowed to a stop, revealing the level with only two occupants. Dogma was in a cell to our right, just adjacent to where Krell knelt. The Jedi looked up at us with a low growl, but said nothing.

Rex's face was contorted in an angry sneer as he gave a hard glance towards Dogma before stepping forward. No one was watching the young clone, but I saw his expression drop, his eyes downcast. He was ashamed.

Kix was right. The poor kid was just confused. And that's what he was. A kid.

My heart ached, but I forced myself to focus on our main issue-Krell. "Why, General?" Rex asked, standing before Krell's cell. "Why kill your own men?" I stepped forward with Fives, staying just behind Rex. Maybe it was to intimidate Krell. And maybe it was to give Rex some form of emotional support. Both were needed.

The Force moved darkly in the Jedi's cell as he stood. He chuckled, "Because I can. Because you fell for it. Because you're inferior!" My blood was already boiling again. Each word he spoke was like a nail in his damned coffin.

Ha. As if I'd let this shabuir have a coffin….

Rex was as angry as me. "But you're a Jedi. How could you?"

"A Jedi?" Krell laughed again. "I am no longer naive enough to be a Jedi." My jaw clenched, remembering how he'd preached about the sacred nature of a Jedi's lightsaber. "A new power is rising. I've foreseen it." I sucked in a sharp breath as the Force surged into my mind again as he spoke. "The Jedi are going to lose this war and the Republic will be ripped apart from the inside."

I heard the screams again.

A child's voice. "There's too many of them. What are we going to do?" A crashed Republic Star Destroyer with graves at its base….each marked with a clone helmet.

"In its place is going to rise a new order," Krell continued. I saw crowds cheering as lightsabers were destroyed by soldiers in black armor. The symbol on the banners looked like the sigil of the Republic….but something was wrong. The colors were inverted and it had less spires. "And I will rule as part of it."

I shook my head, dragging myself from Krell's thoughts. I'd seen enough of his vision in my dreams. I didn't want any more.

"You're a Seperatist," Rex accused.

"I serve no one's side, only my own." Huh. My brow lifted at Krell's response. It was very bounty hunter-like for him to say that. Like something I'd say.

Of course, I didn't go parading around and calling myself a Jedi. Nor did I deliberately sabatoge and murder countless numbers of men just becase I could. I was a shebs'palon, sure, but I wasn't a psychopath.

"And soon," Krell continued, drawing my attention back, "My new master."

"You're an agent of Dooku," Rex surmised.

"Not yet. But when I get out of here, I will be." I was genuinely amused, at this point. Not by the fact that he'd murdered my friends, but by the fact that he thought he'd actually work for Dooku. I knew more about the ancient Sith than most, having been taught by one. But most people knew about the Rule of Two, especially Jedi. This guy was an imbecile.

I pushed down my amusement to continue listening, my arms crossing over my beskar. "After I've succeeded in driving the Republic from Umbara, the count will reward my actions and make me his new apprentice."

That pushed me too far. I let out a long, loud, and rather sarcastic laugh. The entire room looked to me in shock, the Jedi growling lowly. I met his gaze without fear, now knowing how truly misguided he was.

"You're insane if you think Dooku would take you on as an apprentice," I chuckled darkly, popping my hip. "I've seen your vision, Krell. But you reveal how little you learned from your lessons as a Jedi."

The Besalisk sneered, his lips curling to reveal his teeth. "You could have never have seen what I've seen. You, untrained Sithling with-"

"I've seen it," I spit, the room darkening with the shift of my power. To everyone's surprise, Krell stopped mid-sentence when I spoke. "And as most Force-wielders know, the future is always moving. You could have worked to avoid it, rather than try and empower yourself. You were naive to think this future you saw was set in stone. "

Krell watched me with a dark gaze. "What do you know? You know nothing of the Force!"

I lifted my chin proudly, knowing my Force signature was emanating power. Still….I could admit with satisfaction that the power was one of balance. Peace. Justice. "I've been trained by forces far older and more powerful than you could understand." I smirked. "Even if I wasn't, it was still enough to beat you."

The Jedi didn't have a chance to deal a snarky response. Dogma, his hands still bound before him, had approached their joined ray-shielded wall. "How could you do this?" he asked, exasperated, "You had my trust. My loyalty. I followed all of your orders, and you made me kill my brothers!"

My heart ached from the pain pulsing out of Dogma's cell. It echoed in his brothers that stood around me, but Dogma was the only one who stood by Krell until the end. Blindly, with some hope there was a reason behind it all. And now the Jedi admitted he was anything but that.

Krell only laughed as he turned to the horrified clone. "That's because you were the biggest fool of them all, Dogma," he taunted, my frown pulling deeper as we all grew angrier on the elevator. "I counted on blind loyalty like yours to make my plan succeed!" He chuckled darkly again while Dogma's face fell from anger to total defeat.

Rex, though angry, kept his head. "That will never happen," he assured the Jedi smoothly. "You're a traitor, General, and you will be dealt with as one." Rex's voice was low. Had I not known the man in the way I did, I would have been shaken by his tone.

Krell didn't seem bothered, blind in his arrogance. "You never learn, Captain. The Umbarans are going to retake this base, and when they do, I will be free." The Jedi sat down again, his four arms….minus two hands...bound behind his back. His head dipped in meditation, ending the discussion.

Rex scowled, but turned away from the Jedi, Tup tapping the controls to move us upwards again. We said nothing as we rose towards the ground level, listening to the Umbarans cast jeers at us.

When the elevator stopped, I finally opened my mouth. "I can explain what I was talking about," I started, already knowing they were all wondering.

Fives turned to me abruptly as Tup took off his helmet. "I think you should. What vision are you talking about?"

I swallowed, shifting uncomfortably under their gazes. "When I was…" I glanced away, trying to figure out the right way to phrase it. I settled on, "resting, the Force showed me the vision Krell had; The one that made him abandon the Jedi."

The clones were quiet as they watched me in the entrance of the brig. When Rex spoke, his voice was soft. Timid, even. "Was he...right?"

His brothers gave him shocked glances, but I only smiled softly. "No," I assured them all, "I don't think it's ever right to give up hope. What I saw….wasn't great. But I don't believe it was certain, either. Even if I don't follow the Jedi Order, I'm willing to fight to keep them from extermination. And to prevent the fall of a democracy." I touched Rex's shoulder gently, offering him another smile. "Just like you."

The corner of Rex's lips curled slightly and he gave me the smallest of nods in thanks. We turned and left the brig, the doors hissing closed behind us. While the clones had accepted my vague explanation of the vision and reassurance that Krell was wrong, it didn't soothe their fury over his actions.

Ahead of us, Appo was approaching, his helmet at his side. "Captain, we've repaired the transmitter," he reported, "It looks like it was sabotaged. We received a message from General Kenobi. His forces have captured the capital, but the remaining Umbarans are headed here."

"Get everyone on the perimeter," Rex commanded immediately. "We need to prepare for a full-scale attack."

Appo saluted dutifully. "Yes, sir!"

Rex was silent for a moment as he sighed, watching Appo run off to follow his orders. "Krell sabotaged the transmitter," he said finally, turning to look at us. "He's been against us from the beginning."

"If the Umbarans get to him, he'll turn over all our intel…." Fives jumped in, "The defense codes, everything. He'll strike a crippling blow to the Republic!"

"Something has to be done," Jesse added. I watched them silently, knowing where this conversation was going already. I'd toed that line once before and they'd pulled me back. Was this an instance where I returned that favor? Or was this really the only way? "We can't risk the possibility that he might escape!"

Finally, Tup spoke. His voice was soft, resigned, but firm. "As long as Krell's alive, he is a threat to every one of us."

Rex glanced between us all, his gaze finally settling on me. He didn't have to speak for me to know what he was thinking: he was wondering why I hadn't added my opinion. In reality, I was torn. I had wanted Krell dead for a long time.

But even with that wish aside, we were dangerously low on supplies and uninjured soldiers. We likely wouldn't last terribly long against a full-on attack. And it was certain the brig would be a primary target for the Umbarans.

However, I also knew that if Krell were to be executed...it would be Rex who would pull the trigger. Even if it was right, the action would break him. Eat at him until there was nothing left.

I didn't want to see him go through that.

Still, I felt his mind. I knew what he wanted to do, deep down. So I set my jaw and gave him a single, solemn nod.

"I agree," Rex said finally with a sigh, straightening his back nervously. "Tup, go help Dogma." The young clone hesitated for a moment before obeying reluctantly. Rex waited until he was out of earshot before quietly saying, "He's young. He doesn't need to be here for this."

None of us responded as we re-entered the brig, Jesse now manning the controls of the elevator. I wanted to offer to do the deed. I'd happily pull the trigger on Krell, after all. But I knew I couldn't.

And so did everyone else.

When the elevator stopped again, Dogma's ray shield deactivated quickly. Fives guided his younger brother out while Rex stepped forward, his heart racing beneath his armor. Krell was standing again, his gaze steady and curious as Rex drew his pistol.

"Turn around," the captain commanded calmly. "Step toward the wall." Krell had the gall to roll his eyes before obeying. "On your knees." The ray-shield disengaged between them, but Krell didn't kneel.

Instead, he chuckled, glancing over his shoulder at us. "You're in a position of power now, Captain. Even your little Sithling whore had it, even if for a moment. How does it feel?"

Rex's anger flared darkly under the raised brows from his brothers after Krell's comment. My own rage reared its ugly head, but I pushed it down for now. I had to remain steady….for Rex.

"I said," Rex repeated, deliberately aiming at Krell now, "On your knees."

Finally, after a pregnant pause, Krell obeyed. But not without comment. "It feels good, doesn't it?" he tempted, his voice dripping with honey. "But I can sense your fear." I could, too. My eyes cut sideways to Rex, seeing his pistol trembling in its aim-something I've never seen it do. "You're shaking," Krell observed, too. "Aren't you?"

"That's enough, Krell," I said finally, my words sharp.

But he didn't listen. "What are you waiting for?" the Jedi asked Rex, ignoring me entirely. "The Umbarans are getting closer."

"I….have to do this," Rex declared, more to himself than to anyone else.

"You can't do it, can you?" Krell asked. I felt it, too. Rex couldn't. It was against everything he believed in….executing a Jedi without a trial.

Over my shoulder, I sensed Dogma's determination spike. Krell missed it, too consumed in his smug belief that he'd get away without Rex pulling the trigger. In the end...I suppose he was right.

Maybe I should have moved to stop him. I knew that whoever pulled the trigger could be court-martialed. And the selfish side of me really didn't want it to be Rex.

But I also felt the emotion driving Dogma. The need he felt to be the one to do it. It was his redemption, in his eyes.

"Eventually," Krell droned cockily," You'll have to do the right thing and-" the blaster shot went off over my shoulder, but I was the only one who didn't flinch.

Aside from Krell, of course, who slumped forward, dead.

Everyone turned to see Dogma holding the pistol he'd stolen from Fives' belt, the nozzle smoking. "I….I had to," he said, struggling to say the words, "He betrayed us." Fives took the pistol back gently, but there was no anger in his face.

Rex turned back to look at the dead Jedi, but my gaze was on the crumbling young clone. He fell to his knees beside his brother, whimpering apologies. I breathed out slowly through my nose before finally kneeling beside him.

The poor boy flinched when I touched his face gently. Without opening his eyes, he leaned into my touch, just slightly. Clones were so terribly touch deprived. "It's okay," I whispered, making Dogma's eyes snap open in shock. I met his gaze without hesitation, my expression soft. "It's okay," I said again.

His usually hard face melted into one of terrible grief, tears pouring down his tattooed cheeks. His head dropped forward to nestle on my shoulder immediately, seeking comfort in any way he could, despite the binders. I glanced up at Fives and Jesse as I embraced their brother, my heart tearing apart for him.

He'd taken down Krell….something all of us wanted to do, but somehow didn't have the guts to. He'd saved us.

Yet, it wouldn't be long until Kenobi's forces arrived, avoiding the fear of an attack altogether. They, functioning on the laws of the GAR, arrested Dogma. As more forces and supplies arrived to fill the airbase, my friends had gathered by a gunship, not far from where Dogma was being boarded.

I watched the young clone look over his shoulder to find his captain, giving him a nod. I smiled, seeing Rex return it. I saw Fives approaching where Rex, Jesse, and Tup were standing, so I followed, but at a distance.

I wasn't sure why, but something felt...private about the moment. I waited behind the gunship, listening to Fives speak to the captain. "General Kenobi's battalions have routed the last holdouts of Umbarans, and we've secured all sectors." The ARC Trooper seemed satisfied. Happy, even, for their victory. "We did it. We took Umbara."

Rex's mind was elsewhere, though. He looked out over the airbase, his eyes scanning the injured. "What's the point of all this?" he asked, making me tilt my head curiously. "I mean, why?"

"I don't know, sir," Fives responded immediately. "I don't think anybody knows. But I do know that someday this war is gonna end."

"Then what?" Rex asked over his shoulder, his arms crossed. "We're soldiers. What happens to us then?"

None of his brothers responded as they watched the gunship holding Dogma fly away. Finally, I couldn't bear the silence anymore. I stepped around the gunship, stepping between Jesse and Tup.

"You live," I said, making them all turn. I cast my gaze between them all, finally settling on Rex. "And you remember your brothers who fell. You live for them."

They all cast me sad, but grateful smiles before they began to disband. With the Umbarans on the run, we would be leaving soon to take on our next task. Rex stayed beside me, his hand slowly reaching out to take mine in the shadow of the unoccupied gunship. He squeezed my fingers gently, which I returned.

There was a lot to talk about, I knew. But for now, he didn't want to talk. He just wanted to stand there together and….live.

So that was what we did.

MANDO'A

Shabuir- motherfucker

Shebs'palon- asshole

Author's Note:

Thanks for reading!

I've been considering doing the "Friend in Need" story before the "Slaves of Kadavo" Arc. Half because ZabuzasGirl and I have already brainstormed it. And half because it will set up an interesting emotional arc to open up slavery discussions.

Lemme know whatcha think!

As always, reviews/shares/likes are always appreciated and encouraged!

-Ryder