Hello ladies and gents', I am your host Director K.W., and welcome back to another chapter! Yes, another chapter posted within less than a week's time, and I am so happy to finally get past this and move on to much bigger and more eventful events that will happen to our hero, Kydan Witress! So I won't keep you guys here long with the introduction, so I'll just keep my mouth shut lol.
As always, if you guys like what you are reading and want to keep up-to-date with the series, leave a fave and/or follow to show your guy's support cause it's you guys that make this worthwhile. Have a fan-tucking-tastic day/night! See ya' in the next one!
- Director K.W.
Planet: Geonosis
Location: Geonosian Research Tower
Date: 22 BBY
Time Lapse: Fifteen minutes after leaving the labs
Kydan, Rilicia and White Claw squad finally reach the cargo area after a few mishaps with some remaining resistance on the last few floors back down. As the twin doors slid open, the first thing that they all saw was...absolutely nothing. Before them was nothing but pitch black darkness that engulfed the entire bay. The two Jedi ignited their blades as purple and green lighting intertwined with one another across part of the room, while White Claw squad and R.S. activated their hub lights on their helmets, hoping that it will help give more light in the large room.
"Rilos? R.S? Scanner? Where are you guys at?!" Kydan shouted throughout the room as the group made their way through the cargo bay slowly.
"This is strange. We were only gone for nearly an hour. Where could they have gone, and why would the lights in here be all off?" Rilicia questioned them all, unsure as to what was going on.
"I don't know..."
"I got a bad feeling about this, guys..." R.S. said in a cautious tone, he and his brothers cocking their weapons as they aim them in position.
Just then, every light in the bay turn back on, revealing nothing but two dead white armored bodies and the destroyed Spider Walker and droids in the bay room. Besides those, the cargo crates have all been arranged in specific areas around the room, leaving a wide open space between them and the other side of the room.
"What the heck is going on?!" Rilicia cried out in shock.
"I don't understand. I thought we cleared out the tower already!" Kydan shook his head in utter confusion
"Oh I concur, Master Jedi..." a ominous voice replied back.
Walking towards the small group was a crimson red and grey armored Mandalorian approaching them, wielding what appeared to be a customized E5 series droid blaster gripped in his gloved hands. Following close behind him were two regular B1 Battle Droids, each one on opposite sides of the Mandalorian.
"I have to say, you put on quite a show here in our tower. Sadly, however, like all other performances, the show must come to an end."
"Who are you?" Kydan demanded to the Mandalorian.
"I am Ulrok, one of Alurak's Elite Guards. Well...I should say was before I was assigned to take on a group of clones and their Jedi in the research facility. My masters have ordered me to take you all down, one way or another."
"I don't think you know who your dealing with, do you?" Boomer mocked back.
"That depends on your point of view, clone. Though, I can confidently say that my master knows who you are...Kydan Witress."
Taking back a bit, Kydan looked at Ulrok in surprise. "H-How did you know my name?"
"Does it really matter? It's not like any of you are getting out of here alive...well, at least most of you won't. But of course, before we continue any further, I believe you are somewhat acquanted with these clones..."
Coming from behind Ulrok and his guards, four more battle droids approached, escorting all but four familiar clone troopers. It was no doubt but Rilos and the entire Black Moon Squadron. Forcefully, the four clones were pinned down to their knees with their hands behind their backs as the droids that had escorted them stood behind them with their blasters in hand.
"Black Moon Squad!" Kydan shouted in shock.
Tiredly raising his head, Rilos replied back to his commander in a weak and guilty tone. "Sorry sir...we failed our mission."
"Sad to say, these clones didn't put up much of a fight after we stunned them all," Ulrok mocked to them all, feeling a bit proud of his little accomplishment. "Perhaps you two Jedi will prove to be better foes than these clones would have."
Raising his hand, Ulrok makes a signal towards the droids as they all aimed their E5-series blasters in the back of Black Moon squad's heads. Silently, each of those clones were feeling the fear and terrifying emotions running through them all. This was the first time that they ever had to experience death of some kind. They definitely were not ready for this.
"W-What are you-" Kydan muttered out just as Ulrok signaled one last time to the droids.
"Fire." With no time to react from any one of the Jedi or clones, four gunfire shots were heard from dthe battle droid's blasters as all four of the clones dropped to the ground head first, each one laying on the floor lifeless with energy blaster holes in their heads from the back.
Kydan's eyes were wide open, his jaw half opened in the process as he had just witnessed his own clone squad be executed right in front of his own eyes. His entire team, besides R.S., were all dead, leaving only him and R.S. as the last survivors of their broken team.
Rage and anger began fueling and flowing through his blood and veins, grinding his teeth harder than he has before. With swift movement, he re-ignites his purple blade as he makes a fast dash at Ulrok, his eyes colored in a rose bud red. Anger was all there was now. "I'LL KILL YOU!"
"Kydan, wait!" Rilicia cried out to him as she saw him charging towards Ulrok and his droids.
"Dispose of these pests," Ulrok waved carelessly to his droids as he began walking away and making his way to the other twin doors from where he had came from earlier.
"Roger roger!"
As Ulrok makes his way out, the rest of the droid forces raised their blasters at the oncoming, raging Jedi who had no attentions of stopping anytime soon.
"Blast them!" the Droid Commander ordered as a couple of B2 Super Battle Droids were marching up behind them, aiming their wrist blasters at Kydan as they began to open fire.
With one large leap, with the Force to give him an added boost, Kydan jumps over all the gun blazing droid forces, landing right behind them all as he continues to give chase at Ulrok
"Karabast! Flash, you and the others get rid of these droids! I'm going after Kydan and Ulrok!" Rilicia ordered as she too began to chase after the two.
"Copy that ma'am!" Flash and his men quickly take cover behind the arranged cargo that was
Rilicia, copying what Kydan had done, leaps over the droids as she was able to see Ulrok and Kydan turning to the left side of the hallway, likely heading towards the Hangar Bay area. She started to think that it would possibly be Ulrok's plan to lead herself and Kydan there and away from their own team. Creating a small note to herself, she concluded that this was a trap that was awaiting them. Making haste, she starts to follow them both.
Just don't do anything stupid 'til I get there Kydan...please, she thought to herself hopefully, praying that nothing will happen to him before she gets there.
Time Lapse: Ten minutes after Ulrok is being chased by Kydan, along with Rilicia close behind...
The sound of metal smacking against solid metal flooring covered the halls as the two foes made haste, one of them trying to outrun the other while the other's intentions is to capture him, possibly alive. The young Jedi's anger still boiled, and his hate towards the Mandalorian lingered and manifested. He knew it was wrong to let his emotions get the better of him, let alone to creating the thought of wanting to end his life for. But considering that his entire squad died right before his eyes clouded his judgment ever more.
Not too far behind was Rilicia herself, doing all she can to try and reach them both before something terrible happens between them. Honestly, though, she was more worried that Kydan would indeed kill the Mandalorian the moment he gets his bare hands on him.
Ulrok's plan was going quite smoothly than originally planned. By leading the Jedi away from their clone troopers, it gave him the better opportunity to face them alone and capture the Witronian Jedi. He still didn't understand why his master wanted the young man whatsoever. From first glance, he was nothing but a normal Jedi Padawan that was no different from any other Jedi of their Jedi Order. But his master was quite persistent and very determined to have him captured alive, so without another thought in mind, he just followed his command.
"Face me like a man, Ulrok!" Kydan shouted from behind, his voice still carrying the anger he had towards him.
"Oh don't worry, Jedi,"Ulrok spoke under his breath, "you will get your chance soon enough."
Knowing exactly where they were going, he makes a quick dash towards the right as he put more effort in his sprinting. Less than a minute, he reached a set of twin doors as he presses a small button on his left wrist, the doors opening up to him passing right through the entrance. Ulrok enters the hangar bay where his personal large speeder that he required from Mandalore awaited him, along with three B2 Super Battle Droids standing guard. Working on the speeder was a lone, working B1 Battle Droid, fueling up the speeder for escape.
"The Jedi are right behind me! Shoot the first one that comes through!"
"Roger roger.", the B2 droids replied, loading their wrist blasters as they approached the entrance doors slowly.
Within a full minute, Kydan too entered the hangar bay and took in his surroundings, looking upon the objects and layout of where he was. So focused on the things around him, he was snapped out of his focus as he looked back up to see the two Super Battle Droids approaching him, their wrist blasters loaded and ready to gun him down.
"Oh great, more droids," he sighed in annoyance, raising his blade in a defensive stance. Within seconds, the laser barrage from the droids came down on him, barely having time to deflect the bolts with his lightsaber as they all kept flying towards him. On instinct, he swiftly dodges to the right as some of the incoming shots almost catch him off guard. "Woah!"
Using the advantage that was given to him, Kydan immediately dashes towards the droids, deflecting the laser bolts that kept coming still as he swings his blade sideways, slicing the droids with one swift and precise slice through the middle of their mechanical waists. As the droids fell, he stood upon the broken droids, facing down Ulrok who had watched the entire scene while standing beside the speeder, which was almost ready.
"Now its just you and me, Ulrok," Kydan replied in a dry tone, pointing the end of his purple blade at the mandalorian.
"That remains to be seen, Witress," he replied nonchalantly, very much unfazed of the situation. "But that doesn't mean that I'll just simply surrender to you without a fight.
A big grin formed on his lips, "I was hoping you wouldn't."
Placing his blaster on his back, Ulrok pulls out a metal hilt and activates it as it extends out into a longer metallic blade. The blade looked very old, however seemed to be kept in good shape all this time.
"This blade, out of the many that other Mandalorians, including Jedi, grasped, was taken from your ancient temples in the Outer Rim territories," he explained to the young Jedi. "Since then this sword has been used by us. Many had died upon its blade, and it has been too long since I faced another Jedi, perhaps even the first to face a Witronian. I hope you made your peace with the Force, cause that is where you are going."
"My fate has already been decided, Ulrok, and my fate has told me that I will defeat you, one way or another."
"You say that, Jedi. But it's gonna take more than just words to grant you your wishes. Better to make due with your own actions."
Narrowing his eyes, Kydan dashes towards Ulrok in an attempt to strike him with his lightsaber with a single strike. But Ulrok was quick enough to block his attack with his vibroblade. Ulrok retaliates by swinging his blade at Kydan head front, causing a small clash of blades to commence. A minute passes as Ulrok issues a thrust at Kydan, but he easily sidesteps towards his left as he elbows the mandalorian in the back, causing Ulrok to almost fall flat to the ground. Trying again, Kydan attempts another strike at Ulrok while leaving himself open for an attack, but again fails as Ulrok activates his jetpack, flying into the air and dodging Kydan's attempted attack at the same time.
Ulrok rises into the air as he stares down Kydan from twenty feet off the ground as he laughs at Kydan's expense and futile attempts.
"You are a fool, Witronian!" he laughs down at the Jedi below him. "I have encountered few of your Jedi brethren, and each one of them have fallen before me! What makes you think you can do this on your own?"
"Because he isn't alone!" a voice shouts from behind Ulrok.
Causing Ulrok to slightly gasp underneath his helmet, he turns around and see Rilicia jumping in the air and slices Ulrok's jet pack. He didn't have much tim to react before the slash caused him to fly out of control in the air as he heads straight down, crashing right into the one lonely battle droid who was operating on the main computer.
Groaning from the pain he felt, Ulrok is quickly confronted by Kydan and Rilicia, both of them aiming their sabers directly at them as they glared down at him.
"In the name of the Galactic Republic and Jedi Order, you are under arrest, Ulrok!" Kydan demanded Ulrok.
Taking a moment to take in his utter defeat, Ulrok starts to chuckle in a venomous tone, at first softly and then loudly. This caused both Jedi to become confused by this sudden reaction from the Mandalorian.
"Not today Jedi..." Ulrok shook his head slightly, a menacing grin formed underneath his now cracked helmet. "I may have lost this fight, but I ain't going to your Republic prisons, nor neither will you see the days that come after this..."
They both raise their eyebrows in an much more state of confusion as Ulrok takes the opportunity to reach into his pocket and pull out a small handle activation device.
"Now we shall all die for the glory of the future empire!" Pushing the red button on top, the sounds of explosions are heard, coming from the top floors, including the cargo bay where the rest of Black Moon and White Claw Squads were still in.
"What the-?! What's going on?!" Kydan shouted in utter surprise, feeling the entire shack underneath their feet.
"It's the tower! Ulrok is trying to blow up the tower!" Rilicia replied back, realizing Ulrok's true intentions finally.
"We have to get out of here!"
"It's too late, Jedi! My masters planned this whole entire thing from the beginning, authorized by Nedoura himself! There is no way out! Not even your Jedi powers can save you from this!"
Feeling rage and anger boiling inside once again, he moves his lightsaber and aims it at Ulrok's chest. "You monster! Your destroying the entire tower with all of us in it!"
"Exactly, Witronian. I ain't going into any karabast prison cell for my whole life. I might as well kill all of you with me instead. For the-ACK!" Realizing what happened, Ulrok looked down and saw Kydan's lightsaber stabbed into his chest and heart. Aggressively yanking his saber, Ulrok body goes limp and lifeless.
Rilicia looked at him with wide eyes. "Kydan!"
"There's no time for lectures Rilicia! We have to get-" Before Kydan could finish his sentence, a large explosion appears behind him from the cargo crates and computer, engulfing both him and Rilicia in the chaos of the explosion as everything goes black before their eyes.
Time Lapse: Several minutes passes by...
Kydan slowly awakens, groaning as he felt the pain around his entire body. He tries his best as he focuses on his surroundings before him, finding that he was under fallen debris from the ceiling that had collapsed on him from the explosions. Using what strength he had left, he lifts the debris off himself with the Force as he lifts himself up on the process. He then frantically starts looking around the hangar for Rilicia.
"Rilicia? Rilicia! Where are you!?" As he glances towards where the speeder is, he sees a figure stuck underneath some fallen debris. He could see that the person had blonde hair and Jedi robes on, as well as a bit of blood running down their right arm. He only knew one person that had blonde hair, as his eyes widen in fear. "Rilicia!"
Quickly, he rushes towards her, jumping over the falling debris on the ground as he approaches her. He uses all his strength to pushing the debris off her as he could see her more clearly. His worried became worse as he saw her head and right arm covered in some of her blood, her left leg twisted in a very bad way. He holds her in his arms as he tries to wake her up. "Rilicia!? Can you hear me!? Rilicia!"
Slowly waking up, Rilicia gazes toward who was holding her when she realized who it was. "Ky...Kydan? Is that you?"
"Don't talk, I need to get you out of here and fast! We'll-"
"No, Kydan...not this time..."
He looks down at her with a look of disapproval. "What do you mean 'not this time'? I'm getting you out of here! I'll contact an immediate tran-"
"Kydan, I'm too weak to be moved...the medics...they can't help me..."
"Don't say that! I'm not losing you like my squad! I-I can't lose you yet...not now..."
"I know Kydan..." Weakly and slowly, Rilicia places her hand on Kydan's as a gentle smile crosses her lips. "Kydan... do you...remember what I was...saying earlier, back in the labs?"
"What about it?"
"Before Flash interrupted us, I was...trying to tell you...something important..."
"What?"
"I...wanted to say that I...I-I love you..."
Kydan's eyes widen and his heart skipped a beat. She actually loved him? Rilicia did? He would have never thought that, out of all the other Jedi he knew, that Rilicia would love someone like him, let alone have feelings for him. Because of who he was and what he could do, he always considered himself a danger to everyone around him.
"You...love me?"
Her lips made a small grin, "Surpised?"
Taking the moment to take in what she just said, he takes a deep breath before looking back to her, staring her in the eyes. "Rilicia...I...I love you too. I loved you ever since the day we met in the Jedi Temple all those years ago. I just never thought you would love someone like me."
She weakly giggles in a very soft tone. "Funny... cause your friend there had always known..."
Confused by her reply, he gave her a very confused expression. Who was she talking about? 'Friend?'
"Who do you mean?"
Raising her hand weakly, she points her finger towards to who was in front of her. Still confused, he turns his head around and finds who she was speaking about. There, standing beside Kydan and in front of Rilicia, was a dark figure that stared at her with red rose bud eyes, which could be seen as a concerning look to them. It was no one else but Dark.
"Your friend...that you speak to," she saids as she looks to Dark, "your name is Dark, isn't it?"
Both Kydan and Dark seemed stunned. They didn't know that Rilicia could even see him, let alone hear him! So far, out of the years knowing each other, the only other people that were able to see Dark were the ones who have either study their kind, who were Witronian or even those who have trained to use the power of Dark's species.
'How is this possible? Kydan is the only one that should be able to see me.'
"I actually first seen you... on that day and time when I met Kydan...perhaps it was fate..."
"Rilicia...I..." Not able to finish what he was going to say, tears start to fall from his eyes and roll down his cheeks. He couldn't bear to say it. In fact, he couldn't bear with what was happening at all. He wished this was all a dream. A bad dream.
Understanding why he was crying, Rilicia placed her hand on his cheek and weakly smiled at him. "Do not mourn me Kydan...instead, rejoice for me..."
He wipes off the tears from his eyes and cheeks as he stares her in the eyes. He could see, and sense, the pain and agony inside her. He wishes that his powers weren't the cause of all of this. He couldn't bear to see her like this. It only made things worse than before. "Please...don't go..."
"Kydan...listen to me...I want you...to promise me something..."
"What that?"
"Promise me...that you'll end this war..." she takes a deep breath before continuing on. "And find yourself...a loving family to settle down with...get married...and have children that you'll love more than me. Can you...promise me this at least?"
What she had asked him to do seemed so difficult. How could he love someone else more than her? How would that be possible? On of top of that, it's like she wants him to leave the Order and do all this. He couldn't even think of doing such a thing. But yet, he knew he couldn't let her down. Because he loves her so much, that alone meant that he would keep his promise to her, someway. "...I promise."
Smiling, Rilicia releases her hand from Kydan's cheek as it fell to her side." I will always...be...with...you...Kydan...al...ways..." With one last breath of air and exhaling, she closes her eyes slowly as her body stops moving and no sound of breathing or talking left her mouth.
He could not sense her anymore. He knew that she was gone.
Locking his eyes on her, more tears fell from him, but not without the senses of fear, hate, anger and frustration boiling. All those negative emotions running through his body made him place her body down, stand up from his position, look up and yell out loud across the hangar. Nothing but pure hatred was spoken. NEDOURA! DOOKU! I WILL HUNT YOU! I WILL KILL YOU ALL!
As he yelled, he could still feel and hear the tower crumbling and exploding around him, all at the same time. He looks back down towards her lifeless body, still fueled with anger and pain. Dark could sense his emotions, and he knew they weren't good. 'Kydan, we need to leave now. There's nothing more we can do here.'
Not saying a word for a few moments, he silently nods to him. "Yeah..".
Carrying her body to the speeder, Kydan places her in the back with her lightsaber cluthed to her chest and jumps into the speeder, powering it up. Before taking off, he looks back tot he hangar, uttering a final farewell to the men that sacrificed their lives for them both. "May the Force be with you all...you all succeeded, along with Rilicia. Mission accomplished..."
Using the Force to open the hangar doors, he punches the speeder to the maximum speed and drives off towards the rest of the Republic forces who had just won against the Droid Army as the tower crumbled into a pile of large debris from a long distance. All that was left was a crumbled rock pile, full of debris and useless material.
Planet: Geonosis
Location: Republic Landing Site
Time Lapse: One hour after the destruction of the Geonosian Research Tower
Staring upon what seemed to be a recent buried grave, Kydan stares at a tombstone that was carved with the words;
'Hear Lies Future Jedi Knight Rilicia Urios, a great Jedi and friend to all.'
Many thoughts plagues his mind, everything that had happened over the course of many hours since coming here has left him scarrred and unsure of what was to come next in this war. It would take time for this to settle into him, as well as to clearly ponder on what he will do next. As of now, he was clueless and lost.
So lost in his mind and thoughts, he didn't even hear the sound of a LAAT Gunship from behind land to the ground. A figure walked off the gunship and started to walk towards Kydan. "I'm sorry Kydan...about Rilicia."
He didn't reply back to the Jedi Master beside him as he kept staring at the grave before them.
The figure with long gray hair and facial hair, Coneros Witress, walks up beside him as he stares at Rilicia's grave placing a hand on his nephew's shoulder for any comfort he could give him. "She was an excellent Jedi...and a very good friend too."
"She would've been the best Jedi Knight in the Order."
"Indeed..."
A few moments of silence left between them as they both stared down at her grave. Knowing that it would only hurt even more if they were to stay here any longer, Coneros speaks up. "Kydan...the battle here is over. We must leave this planet and rejoin back on Coruscant. The Council is going to want our reports."
"...Yes, Master."
The older Jedi Master starts to walk back, followed by Kydan before he stops and glances back towards his old friend's grave one last time. This would be the last time he would ever see her again. His first friend...and his first love. "...Keia su tong Rilicia... rest peacefully within the Force." With one last glance, he turns back towards the gunship and walks away, leaving his friend to rest peacefully.
As the gunship, carrying both Kydan, Coneros and a handful of clones, leaves into the atmosphere, a dark figure with black armor and robes watches them fly away from the area of Rilicia's grave. He keeps watching the gunship til' it was no longer in sight.
"So you've finally grown, huh?" Removing his hood, Nedoura walks up towards a sand rock formation as he turns his attention towards Rilicia's grave, including the large portion of graves that were owned by several other fallen Jedi and Clone Troopers. A vicious grin forms on his lips. "Too bad you couldn't save her. It seems that your own powers are not yet strong enough, as I had previously thought. But there is still time. Perhaps once you have grown a bit older and stronger, we shall see if you are worthy to face me...just like your father had."
As the last words escape from his mouth, he starts to laugh and then more menacingly, the sound of his laughter being heard throughout the dunes of the desert and rocky world of Geonosis. For today was the mark of the Clone Wars, and the beginning of a much larger future that awaited them all.