And here we go!
Chapter Twenty-Five
The two Jedi and Whiskey Company made their way over to Sector Four at a trot, blasterfire and explosions littered the sky. Ships unleashing waves of laserfire down on civilians, ships crashing into office buildings, and droids of all sizes marching through the city streets. Coruscant was a warzone. Never had any of them imagined such a thing would be possible. It was like something out of nightmare.
The distinct sounds of fighting grew louder as they approached their destination. Finally, they came upon an open plaza where droids fought against clones. He groaned, "Another linear engagement." Then he noticed the distinct courtyard that was now scorched, and dotted with rubble and debris. He saw the chic shops and boutiques and realized this was Vulptex Plaza. The place where Kyra and the girls had spent an afternoon in enjoyment had now become a battleground.
The Clone army's line was faltering in the middle and the right flank. If either section broke, they'd be overrun in moments. He turned to the clones, "Sergeant, you and your men reinforce the right flank. Jax and I will take the middle. Send a few of your troopers to the left just in case. Hold the line, Sergeant."
"Yes, General, right away," he said, gave orders to his men, and then the company charged towards the right side of the plaza.
"Come on, Jax."
"After you, Master Kahl."
They raced forward toward the frontline. There he led the nearby troopers and began fighting against the overwhelming odds. Once more sinking deep into the force and deflecting the hail of incoming shots. The Jedi gave cover to a large group of clones behind them, allowing these soldiers to fire free reign at the flanks of the droid lines. Now it was the droid attack that was faltering, and caving in on itself as Aedan and Jax punched through the middle, wreaking havoc on the opposing battle formation.
Bright signatures in the force came up behind him. While still parrying incoming fire, he turned around and saw Master Yoda and Master Windu coming up alongside him and join in on the fighting.
"Well, this is a nice surprise," Aedan said.
"Calls for reinforcements went out before the communications were jammed, but evidently you have things under control," Master Windu said.
"Master," Aedan said, "Who is guarding the temple."
"Have three battalions there we do, but made no attempt to attack the temple the enemy has."
"What?" Aedan asked, incredulous.
"They haven't attacked the Temple or the Senate building or even the senate offices. And they've made no moves to take over the city, just mindless unorganized attacks on soft targets," Master Windu said.
Aedan stared at the Korun Master, still in disbelief, "But, why would they do that? This makes no sense."
"Strange the enemy's strategy is," Master Yoda said, while still parrying blaster bolts.
Realization seemed to dawn on the Jedi Champion's face, "Unless it's just an elaborate distraction."
Aedan frowned, then blocked a salvo of enemy shots. "What could they poss-"
Then all three Jedi masters exclaimed simultaneously, "Palpatine."
"Wait, what?" Jax asked.
"Where is he?" Aedan asked.
"Master Ti, Knight Corobb and Moudama made contact with the Chancellor, and were in the process of escorting him to the underground bunker right before our communications went out."
"We need to help them," Aedan said.
Mace nodded, "But how to find them? I don't think even I can locate her with all this going on."
Aedan nodded. Kyra could, Aedan thought. But she couldn't help them here. "Master Yoda?"
The wizened master had his eyes closed and head bowed, noticeably deep in the force. It only took him a few moments to find them. "Shaak Ti is with him and they're exiting the underground tunnels, about to come upon Sah'C Canyon."
"And that's why your Grandmaster."
He grunted, "Hurry you must. Dark forces pursue them."
"Knight Pavan, stay with Master Yoda," Mace said. "Kahl, come with me." And began walking away.
Aedan nodded, barely hiding his surprise, "Any gunships available. The Sah'C District is a bit of a hike."
Master Windu shook his head, "Not sure about gunships, but I think those might work well enough," pointing at a pair of separatist single troop aerial platforms heading toward them.
Aedan grinned, "I like you're thinking. After you."
They made short work of the droids piloting the STAPs, and were now zipping across the Coruscant cityscape to Sah'C Canyon and the emergency bunker, which were on the opposite side of the Temple and the Senate District from where the Separatists were attacking. This was all just a massive diversion to take the Chancellor hostage. They've killed thousands of innocent people just to capture one man. Aedan could not help the grimace that marked his face as they sped toward their destination.
Kyra was nearing Aedan when she felt him moving in the opposite direction at an accelerated rate. He must be on a ship or speeder now, but where in the blazes is he going? She turned the speeder bike around, avoiding the dozens of engagements going on all around her, Hoppie following right behind her. There was a nudge from the force. Kyra quickly looked behind her, and saw two vulture droids were now on their tale. Before she could even give Hoppie a warning, missiles were fired. She leapt from her speeder, and landed on Hoppies, settling on the seat right behind him, just as her speeder was turned into a smoking ruin. He nearly lost control from the surprise and jostling of his new passenger. She wrapped her arms around him tightly, and he made swift maneuvers, but the starfighters were still right behind them. Kyra reached forward and unhosltered his sidearm that was on his hip, and fired a half-dozen shots into the droids. The bolts didn't slow them down a bit, so she reholstered the firearm.
Kyra closed her eyes, and let the waterfall of the Force cascade into her. She raised one hand and sent a wave of force energy into the side of one starfighter, the impact sending it hurtling off its intended path directly into its wingmate, causing both of them to bounce of each other and veer wildly off to either side, both smashing into superstructures, and erupting into fireballs.
"Well, I'm just enjoying this day more and more," Hoppie yelled backward.
Kyra couldn't help but smile, "I'm sure you are."
"Care to direct me?" he asked.
"You got it," she said, "We're not too far away."
Aedan noticed Mace Windu decelerate his STAP as they came to a stop, the typical scowl on his face was even more accentuated as they drew towards the underground passageway that Master Ti was supposed to bring the Chancellor out of. "What is it?" Aedan asked.
"I sense..."
Aedan closed his eyes, sinking deep in the force. He reached out, and found Shaak Ti. She was trapped and in pain.
"What the force?" Aedan cursed. Windu just squinted at him. "Master Ti, she's hurt and incapacitated. Corobb and Moudama are...gone."
Master Windu looked towards the passageway. "Then who has the Chancellor?"
Aedan shook his head. "I don't know," he said. "I can't make out the signature."
Mace sought the answer on his own. And found it. "Grievous," he sneered. "He'll be coming out soon. We'll ambush him here, just be careful with the Chancellor."
Aedan glowered, "Obviously."
The two Masters hid on either side of the tunnel exit, five meters back from the entrance. Aedan could feel the monster getting close—could sense the vileness of him. He found himself eager for the fight. It didn't matter to him how skilled Grievous was, no one person in the galaxy was a match for Aedan and Master Windu together.
Aedan felt his heartbeat increase, his palms start to sweat. If he could take Grievous out here, the separatists would be down to one leader, Dooku. Cutting their leadership in half would be monumental in getting closer to the end of the war. He was moments away from turning the tide.
He nodded across the way to Master Windu who slowly inclined his head in return. Their foe was a mere fifty meters away when the force whispered to him. He turned sharply, and brought his blade up just in time to stop an electrostaff from smashing into his skull. He knocked the blade away, sliced at a leg, and then brought the blade back up from low right to high left, dissecting the formidable droid. He looked past the fallen machine and saw two dozen more Ig-100 Magnaguards converging on their position. Mace himself was fending off four at once, and barely holding his own. Where is Kyra when you need her?
An electrostaff came zipping through the air like a spear, forcing Aedan to duck and roll to his left, pushing him farther away from Mace. "Kriffing, Kesselled...Karks." They throw staffs now? While the droids didn't seem to be the upgrades he faced on Onderon, their battle tactics may have been enhanced. Software augmentation. Lucky bastards.
Three IG's attacked in rapid succession, and Aedan was forced to back up, his blade moving in a beautiful rhythm of parries. But only focusing on defense against close combat droids isn't the most effective strategy, as they never fatigued, never over-extended or lunged, and never attacked in anger. Attacking was the best option against droids, and so he did. He let out a semi-circular force push around him, creating distance, and knocking his opponents off balance, then he rolled forward and sliced through one droid, stopped, pivoted, and slashed backward towards a still stumbling droid. This gave him some breathing room, letting him flow into more dynamic attacks.
While droids did not tire, did not over reach, and did not let emotion into their attacks, they were predictable. Aedan saw the six droids ahead of him. Saw exactly how they would react to his maneuvers. Silly droids, he thought. No creativity. No improvisation. Only programs. And once he himself recognized the program it was over.
He dashed forward, slicing through the first, ducking under the second's strike, impaling the third through the chest, and rolling backwards under the fourth's strike bringing him right back to the second droid, which he decapitated swiftly. He released a force push into the fourth magnaguard, then grabbed the closest one and pulled it towards him, bringing his lightsaber through its midsection as it passed by.
Three more moved in on him, their purple tipped electrostaffs spinning in complex patterns, attacking with speed and power. Aedan could not keep the smile from his face. This was just far too enjoyable. He could sink into Vapaad and cut through these non-sentient enemies without hesitation. Without remorse. His blade matched the attackers' complexity, speed, and power, and turned it back on them. His lightsaber scorching through their numbers. Then, in unison, all of the remaining droids in the area moved to attack Master Windu. The Korun Master immediately began backing up, trying not to let the magnaguard numbers circle him. Aedan ran towards the droids, and began slashing at their backs, trying to help the Jedi Master whom he couldn't even see. A cry of pain from Mace spurred Aedan on even more, and slashed violently at the exposed backs of the droids trying to get to Master Windu. He cut through three. Then the Force spasmed.
He whirled around bringing his lightsaber up, as the Supreme Marshal Commander of the Separatist droid armies, General Grievous, leaped down onto him. Aedan blocked the descending cyborg's saber strike, but was too off balanced to block the kick to his sternum. It connected solidly and sent him flying backward, his head smacking the permacrete as the momentum sent him tumbling. He rolled to his feet, the pain nearly causing him to double over, but luckily no organs were damaged. He brought his saber up, and prepared to engage the Separatist General, who loomed over Aedan, his spindly, long armorplast covered limbs making him look like a re-animated skeleton. His large yellow eyes bored into Aedan's, a mechanized chuckle emanating from his cybernetic vocal modulator. His two arms extended out wide, a lightsaber in each hand, and then the blades began spinning like propellers as he advanced towards Aedan.
Well, that's a neat trick.
Aedan stepped diagonally to his right striking at one saber, causing the blade to stop spinning, then he ducked under the incoming swipe from the left, and slashed down at Grievous' hand. But the monster let go of the hilt, retracted his hand, so Aedan's strike passed through nothing but air. Grievous then caught the hilt of the saber, and slashed at Aedan. Only decades of disciplined training kept him balanced and in control after the missed attack, and allowed him to tilt his torso to the left, dodging the wicked strike, and then turn his dodge into a roll to avoid the incoming cut from the right.
Okay, so he's got some skill.
Aedan already recognized the answer to Grievous' unorthodox and dynamic style was simple, basic sword techniques. And while the cyborg may move fast, the Force was faster.
Grievous zipped forward, both of his sabers coming up and then around from the left side. Aedan blocked the attack and pushed forward creating a saber lock. Grievous reacted exactly as Aedan presumed, bringing his left saber back, up and around. This left his front completely exposed, so Aedan let go of the hilt with his right hand, thrusting it upward, and releasing a force push directly into the cyborgs unprotected face, blasting him backward several meters, and causing him to land unceremoniously in a heap.
Aedan wasn't surprised to see him recover quickly, a growl escaping as he began marching forward again. Grievous raised his arms again, but this time each arm split into two. The bottom arms grabbed lightsaber hilts at his waist and ignited them. Four lightsabers now whirled around him as he headed straight for Aedan.
And it just got interesting
Then pain erupted in his back, dropping him to his knees. Electricity spread through his body, immobilizing him. Two magnaguards had come from behind and jabbed their electrostaffs into his back. He couldn't stop the agonized scream that came from his upturned jaws. He was paralyzed as the white armored creature moved towards him with that same mechanized laugh. "Foolish Jedi, setting a trap for me?" He said, "I am the strategist, and you are just a pawn." He then raised all four lightsabers for the killing blow.
Aedan tried to move, but the electrical charge still coursing through his body rendered him helpless. He tried calling on the Force, but even his cognition seemed to be affected. He struggled, he tried thrashing, twisting, anything, but it was no use. His body wasn't under his control. He wasn't going anywhere.
Once again, I'm at the mercy of another monster. And here I thought I was something special. Guess this is the end.
Damn. I wish I could have seen her one more time. He closed his eyes, sighed internally, and gave himself to the force.
I love you, Kyra.
Then a completely unfamiliar voice sang out in his mind, "Fate isn't finished with you yet," it said.
A violent impact of metal smashing into metal startled him, and then the two energy blades digging into him let up. Recognizing his chance, he immediately spun around with his saber, slicing through the two droids behind him, and then turning to face Grievous.
But Grievous wasn't there. He was a dozen meters away, a speeder bike pinning him against the nearest wall. A familiar looking speeder bike.
It can't be.
"I love you too," a very familiar voice said from behind him.
He whirled around. There she was, shimmering blue and vibrant, lighting up the entire area even in broad daylight. Their eyes locked, but that was all they had time for as Kyra and Aedan were swarmed with Ig-100's. Together, they unleashed their full power, cutting the droids to bits. Alone, Aedan had been formidable, and could handle a dozen or so Magnagaurds on his own. But Kyra and Aedan fighting alongside one another made them unstoppable. Plus, Aedan realized, they had a sniper. Hoppie was on top of a nearby ledge, thinning the ranks with expert marksmanship.
Aedan saw out of the corner of his eyes, two Magnaguards roughly escorting Chancellor Palpatine out of the tunnel that he and Mace had set up on. Grievous had recovered and was now leading them away from the battle.
"Master Windu," Aedan yelled, "He's taking the Chancellor."
"I know," he yelled back.
Aedan turned to Kyra, We got this right?
She nodded.
"We'll clear a path for you, and you get to Grievous."
The Korun Master scoffed, "If you can do that, then I'm all for it."
Let's do this
Aedan let loose a force push towards their immediate attacks, freeing up space, and then Kyra intensified in illumination, and shot one hand towards a group swarming on Mace Windu. Half his attackers were blown away, smashing into a nearby permacrete wall.
Aedan sprinted forward and lanced into the others attacking Mace, carving a path through them. He felt Kyra leap over him and the cluster of droids so she was on the opposite side of Master Windu, and she began dispatching the enemies swiftly and with extreme prejudice. Aedan was swift and methodical and lethal, but Kyra...Kyra was a tempest of power, yet so impossibly graceful. She was so fast that she no longer parried attacks, she just beat them to the strike, her blade whipping out faster than their super-augmented droid circuits could fire.
Together they cut through the lethal magnaguards as if they were nothing more than protocol droids. Each new droid that stepped up to fill the place of a downed droid followed their predecessors in impossibly short time.
The two Jedi danced through the final group, and Mace now had a clear path. He didn't spare them a glance, just rushed through the clearing they made and went after Grievous with a force-enhanced sprint. Now Kyra and Aedan, along with Hoppie's sharpshooting, had to make sure that none pursued him.
The remaining Magnaguards fell to the varied attack, and the three found themselves alone in one of the many Sah'C Canyon Plazas.
Kyra wasted no time and rushed toward Aedan, wrapping her arms around him. He reciprocated the embrace, lifting her up off the ground, and twirling her around. She let out a giggle, and Aedan's heart finally felt like it could beat freely again. The pain in his chest was gone. He settled her back down to the ground, and she buried her head in his neck, her hands grasping at his tunic, his shoulders, and his head. "Force, I missed you."
She nodded into him, "Let's not let that happen again."
"Agreed."
A cough sounded to their right, and they both noticed Hoppie walking toward them. "I know this is a time for reunions, but shouldn't we at least try to help Master Windu."
Aedan let go of Kyra quickly, and greeted Hoppie with a smile, and a handshake, though there was something different about the lieutenant he couldn't quite place. "Right," he said, "Let's go," and the three began running in the direction Master Windu had left.
Mace Windu was moving. He was cutting the distance down between the Chancellor and himself—mere seconds away from confronting the monster who was taking him hostage. He still could not believe what he had seen from Aedan and Kyra. That was perhaps the most incredible display of swordsmanship and teamwork he had ever witnessed. Chagrinned, he did not think even he could move like they did. So swift and powerful and...synchronized. They had been lethal, but in tune, and full of light. And frankly he wouldn't have gotten free if it wasn't for them.
So, this was it. This was his chance to make up for his mistake on Geonosis, three years ago, when he had Count Dooku in his grasp. He could have ended the war then and there, but he had failed. Now, by taking out Grievous the separatist army would be down one monstrous warlord, and the whole movement would be in Dooku's hands. Hands that are far more reasonable than this abomination he was pursuing now.
He sprinted around a corner, and saw the Chancellor, still being escorted by two Magnagaurds, Grievous, and then two more Magnaguards bringing up the rear. They were getting close to a shuttle. This was his chance.
Master Windu sprinted forward, the rear Magnaguards perceived his approach, and charged forward. They attacked simultaneously, electrostaffs thrusting forward at Mace's head. At the last second, the Jedi Master sidestepped to his right, leapt off one foot, parried the staff below the energy blade with his hand, and sank his violet blade deep into the droid's torso. He let his momentum carry him into a spin, turning his left shoulder all the way around, which caused the other droids second strike to pass through air, and Mace slashed sideways, decapitating the droid. And then he sprinted for Grievous. The Chancellor and his handlers had just stepped onto the shuttle. Grievous stood at the top of the boarding ramp, and brandished four lightsabers. Mace sneered, the vile audacity of this monster holding the sabers of his fallen brothers and sisters creating a torrent of anger inside Mace. But as a seasoned Jedi, and master of Vapaad, he channeled the anger and stretched his hand forward, unleashing that pent up anger into force energy.
He crushed Grievous's torso with a brutal squeeze of his fist, the audible snapping and cracking of duraplast armor echoed down the street, and Mace couldn't help but smile. He had him.
The cyborg dropped to his knees, arms wrapping around his damaged chest. "Take...off," Grievous said between agonized, choking breaths.
The shuttle began lifting off the ground, the boarding ramp beginning to retract. Mace's hopes sank, but he dashed forward regardless, calling on every last bit of power, and leapt upward towards the ascending shuttle. His left arm extended upward, his hand reaching, grasping for the lip of the ramp. The tip of his first two fingers hit the edge. He immediately curled them, trying to find purchase, but the ship accelerated upward, and his fingers found nothing but smooth metal, as he began sliding down. He jammed his still lit lightsaber into the hull of the ship, hoping to slow down his descent, but the violet blade just cut through the metal, barely slowing his drop, and was through the side before he could find something else to grab onto. He started to freefall, but used the force to pull himself towards the hull of the ship. The effort and reciprocal drain were nearly incapacitating, but he pushed through it. His left hand and two feet made contact with the outside of the ship. He then jabbed his lightsaber back into the hull, and began cutting a hole into it.
Blasterfire lanced towards him. Enemy starfighters were providing support to Grievous' ship. Some of the shots hitting the ship even, but the power settings were evidently turned to low. He continued cutting, disregarding the onslaught. Pain blossomed as one laser bolt grazed his left shoulder, then another burned into the back of his thigh, but he pressed on. He had three quarters of a hole cut. He was almost there. Then the force rippled, and he was forced to face the attackers, as a squadron of vulture droids neared and opened up with more precise firing. He removed his blade from the ship and began deflecting fire, but the barrage was too much, his focus too divided and he lost his grip on the ship. The droids continued firing, as he slipped from the side. He tried to hang on but the incoming blasterfire overwhelmed him and he had to focus on deflecting. He fell from the ship, down to the cityscape below.
Despair and frustration filled his head as he slowed to the ground below, the force gently easing him down. He landed lightly then looked upward as Grievous' shuttle continued to fly upward and turned to nothing more than a small spec in the air. It appeared the rest of the enemy ships that had been attacking the city were returning back to space as well. The Korun Master dropped his head, I had him.
With nothing left to do he turned around and began the slow walk back to the temple. After only a few steps he found Aedan, Kyra, and a clone Lieutenant rushing around the corner. They slowed as they saw him alone, and immediately deflated, knowing they had failed.
He couldn't help but shake his head, still trying to come to terms with what he had seen them do. Their...attachment, feelings, love...whatever, made them stronger. Is that possible? It's like they were channeling their own fallacies into something stronger. Mace froze mid-step.
"By the Force," he whispered.
Isn't that why I use Vapaad? To channel my own darkness into something positive. Force almighty. How could I be so obtuse? I can't help my angrier, darker side, but I can harness it and use it for good. Is it so different that they've taken their...connection, and harnessed it and used it for good.
He sighed. It was clear now, separating them would be a mistake. He knew Master Yoda will have far better insight, but he also had a bad feeling that he's already seen all of this, and was merely toying with him like usual.
Master Windu, still shamed with defeat, only nodded to Aedan and Kyra as they passed by. He knew he was considered grumpy and unapproachable, and frankly that made things easier for him, keeping others at bay. Attachment for him was out of the question. But maybe, just maybe, it wasn't for others.
"Force, help us."
Aedan and Kyra watched the Korun Master walk away from them, the disappointment radiating off him. They turned to each other and shrugged. Kyra looked up, and saw hundreds of enemy fighters ascending, "They're pulling out?"
Aedan nodded, "They got what they came for. Come on, let's get to the 'Guile, maybe we can help out up there," he said, turning away from them and starting to jog off. He took a few strides but noticed they hadn't moved and were just standing there. Kyra's eyes were wide, and beginning to fill with moisture. Hoppie looked away, and then sighed, "Right, about that."
"What?" Dread filling Aedan.
Kyra covered her face with her hands, "I'm sorry, Aedan. I did my best, but..."
"There was nothing she could have done. We were overrun by dozens of Seppie fighters."
Aedan sighed, and then walked towards Kyra who still couldn't bear to look at him. He wrapped her up in his arms, and said, "It's just a ship, Kyra."
She shook her head, "It's your ship, and Gennady's last gift."
"I'm just glad you're okay, and that you're here," he said, "Come on, let's at least get back to the temple and find out what we can do."
They were able to hitch a ride on a gunship back to the temple, and found Yoda and Master Windu organizing the relief effort.
"Are we mounting a rescue mission?" Aedan asked.
"Underway one is already."
Kyra stepped forward, "How many are going? Can we still join?"
Yoda shook his head. "Delicate this mission is, small and secret it must be."
Aedan raised an eyebrow, "Meaning?"
Mace Windu answered for him, "Skywalker and Kenobi."
Aedan smiled, "Ah, well, if you want something done, call the best. I feel much better now."
"Well, how can we help here?" Kyra asked.
"There are thousands of people trapped under all the debris and rubble, seek them out, and extract them," Master Windu said.
Aedan nodded, "You got it," he said, and the two turned and walked away.
"Kyra," Mace said, causing them to stop, "Before leaving, Anakin made contact with Ahsoka."
Kyra's hand went to her mouth, "What?" she said stunned. "Is she okay?"
"She's alright," he said, "She, along with some of the 501st are aiding Bo-Katan in the siege of Mandalor."
Kyra dropped her head, "Is-is she coming back? To the order, I mean."
Master Windu shook his head, "I don't know. I just," he hesitated for a moment, "Thought you would want to know."
Kyra blinked back tears, "Thank you, Master," she said, and bowed deeply.
Aedan locked eyes with Master Windu and nodded as respectfully as possible. "We'll go help with the relief effort." The two turned and headed out to help in the beleaguered city.