-Chapter 31: Weapons Factory-
Location: Geonosis, 9:4:3632 ATC
"No gift is more precious than trust."
The unused room of the factory was dimly lit, nearly pitch black if not for the consistent blue glow that kept bathing dusty walls, hanging chains, and piles of untouched gears. The soft tap tap tap of metal on metal filled the room, a small crab-like machine paced back and forth, changing the direction of the blue glow as it did.
"The Republic was prepared for our defences. They brought enough Clones both on the frontlines and in reserve to account for our strategy. The five-oh-first, thirteenth armored legion, two-twelfth battalion and Galactic Marines were on the ground. Reports suggest the forty-first recon are being held in reserve with more than enough to compensate. In addition to tanks, vehicles, and air support, the Geonosians are woefully outclassed when the Republic uses its resources smartly."
Leaning against a crate, brilliant red optics remained focused and steadied. His armor still bore the scorch marks and dust from his previous hard-fought battle. But in a moment of aloneness, Wraith looked more relaxed than soldierly. His arms crossed, his head tipped down as he focused on the memory of the battle, his demeanor was more that of a tactician reviewing the enemy and plotting his next move. The mobile hologram unit continued to skitter back and forth as he spoke,
"The Geonosians were able to dwindle their resources. They have a lot less troops than they started out with, same goes for walkers and tanks. But our own tanks are gone and they have enough to push towards the factory. The Jedi are focused. They either tried to brush me off in a drive towards their goal or trusted their troopers to get the job done while they kept me from interfering. Now they control the air, their bombers offering constant support. We're running out of lines to retreat back to."
The mobile pologram unit finally paused in front of him to let the render of Count Dooku speak plainly. He spoke calmly, gently even, "In planning for the defence of Geonosis, there was an understanding that we might not be able to repel the Republic during their initial landing. We have accounted for this. However, the well-being of Poggle's droid foundry remains our top priority. The number of droids and machines this facility can produce would allow us to overrun the Republic in a matter of days. The war would be over." Dooku said. "It must stand, Wraith. We cannot let the Republic destroy this place and lose Geonosis a second time. Losing it once was already costly for us and the Geonosians. Now more than ever, young man, you cannot fail." There was a weight to his words and Wraith felt it most directly. In that moment, Dooku was putting all of his trust and faith in him. Experience and training eased the nervousness to nothing more than a passing feeling. What remained in his heart was an assurance. He felt honored.
"I will not let this factory fall, my lord... I will not fail you." Wraith promised.
With the conversation over, Wraith took his leave of the room and was surprised to find Poggle the Lesser waiting for him. He said something, a series of clicks and chirps indiscernible to anyone who didn't know the language. Wraith did not, but thanks to the PUT (personal universal translator) installed in his helmet, he could understand every word.
"There you are. I have been looking for you."
The super-soldier promptly snapped to attention and saluted. Poggle started walking, evidently not too interested in military decorum. "Walk with me." Wraith followed, striding side by side with the aged Geonosian. "I know you are… close to Count Dooku. In our conversations prior to this invasion he always spoke very highly of you. That you represent the best of the Confederacy; its science, its technology, but also how organic it is. The beating heart of a thousand patriots behind the battle droids we readily produce." Wraith listened but focused more on reading as the words flashed across his HUD. "He came to us first, you know. Spoke of our ancient history as one who had been there to witness it. Praised us and promised us nothing but good things if we were to enter into an agreement with him and the Confederacy. Geonosia believes wholeheartedly in this cause. The Republic may think of us as insects, but at least your kind views us as individuals."
Wraith proffered a nod in response. Poggle fell quiet, striding ever onwards. But Wraith could feel a shift in the air. Something about the Archduke had changed. His demeanor had grown dark, a weight settling on his shoulders, a cloud muddied his soul. "I fear this will be the end of my kind." He said softly. "The Republic barely tolerated our existence when they learned of our allegiance to the Separatists. After this will come harsher retribution, further raids and more heavy-handed monitoring. They will not tolerate any more attempts at rebellion… perhaps they would go so far as to exterminate us." His voice trailed off, leaving the deadly reality to hang in the air. Wraith could feel the emotion behind every word. Others would find that ridiculous. But he had lived with the Geonosians now and learned that they were just as sentient as every near-human and humanoid race out there.
They stopped before a door and Poggle continued. "I do not want to lose today. Not just because I want to continue to give back to the Alliance that so elevated my kind, but because I fear death. Maybe that is cowardly for a leader to say. But I do not want to leave this life knowing Geonosians will suffer as I will." Wraith turned, giving him his full attention.
"I promise, Archduke, that I will fight for Geonosia." He promised. "And I will not rest until the fate you fear is rendered impossible." Although Poggle did not speak Basic he did understand it and the bang of his staff against the metal floor was as punctuating a statement as any spoken word could be.
As the Republic established their position on Geonosis, several of the Acclamator cruisers landed on the planet to allow easy access to medical facilities and other vital aspects of surviving on Geonosis. Anakin and Ahsoka had been particularly thankful for the availability of showers in order to cleanse themselves of the dirt and grime acquired over the course of the invasion.
Alone in her designated quarters, Ahsoka stood in her personal refresher, taking a moment to finish adjusting her gloves while making sure the water washed all the blood down the drain. With the last clasp in place, she leaned forward and stared with vacant eyes into the mirror. Before her was a face she did not recognize. One once contorted into a disarming smile as she pressed her Master for his total number of kills, one whose eyes were once so bright and her expression so cheery… the perfect mask that no one questioned.
Now, despite her youth, she looked haggard. Worn out. She didn't feel any older, just… thin. Like too little bantha butter scraped across too much maize roll. She didn't feel like a confident, self-assured commander the troops needed and looked to. But deep down, she knew she just needed to act like one. It was perfect, really. Jedi weren't big in the business of feelings so no one would ever ask so long as she hid it.
And there was plenty to hide.
At least the voices are gone.
Blue eyes glanced down at the sink, watching as the final traces of red hue were washed away. This… probably wasn't all that healthy, and in the bottom of her heart, something nagged her to go talk to Rig Nema. Definitely not Master Che. Healer Nema is gentler. Someone who exuded calm, someone who wouldn't automatically chew her out and write her up in front of the Council. Ahsoka hugged herself loosely as thoughts bounced about. The Togruta didn't feel comfortable with the idea of bringing this up to Anakin. They just didn't have that connection, that level of understanding, acceptance… trust.
But Rig Nema was all the way back on Coruscant. Light years away. By the time they got back, Ahsoka knew she would've accepted things and moved on. I-It keeps me focused. So I don't screw up and get everyone killed again. And if anyone did find out, they could take me out of the field for a long time… maybe even permanently. I have to help! People, the Clones, everyone needs me! I have to keep fighting this war. I just can't let anyone get killed. Again. The justification sat like a weight in the pit of her lowermost stomach. Reasonable? Yes. Feasible? Absolutely. Healthy? No. Not at all.
Taking a deep breath, Ahsoka quieted her mind and her emotions with one of the meditation techniques she had caught on to. Good for short, spur-of-the-moment necessity, it was her favourite because it took little effort and always helped in the moment. I've gotten this far. I can go a little further. She practiced smiling, batting her eyes to bring out the youthful cheeriness the men seemed to appreciate. Ahsoka felt like an actress preparing to appear at the Galaxies Opera House, the flight of fancy helping her feel a little more limber and loose on her feet, her mind filled with the clouds and oh-so blue skies of Coruscant.
Feeling a little refreshed, and having steeled herself for more to come, Ahsoka took her leave and returned to the battlefield.
With the Republic forces on the ground and securely stationed on Geonosis, the next phase of their plan was to destroy Poggle the Lesser's droid factory. With Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ki-Adi Mundi returning to the cruisers for a much-needed bacta bath, Luminara Unduli would be arriving to to take their place. With her was Commander Gree and the 41st Recon Corps, enough troopers to replenish those lost during the invasion.
Before her arrival, Anakin and Ahsoka had gotten Commander Jet and a squad of Clones taking part in the assault together to debrief the plan to assault the factory. Using a hologram created from data gathered by Rex and his initial 501st scouts, they had a very accurate understanding of the layout of the droid factory and its surrounding territory. Anakin had let Ahsoka take charge and lead the briefing this time. However…
"This bridge is our first waypoint. Focus your fire on the gun emplacements, here and here." Ahsoka stated, highlighting two locations on either side of a stone bridge connecting the factory to the surrounding land. "Because it's only-"
"Because it's only after we neutralize the guns that we can push for the factory." Anakin suddenly explained, cutting her off. Ahsoka frowned and was about to complain about his interrupting her.
"I was…!" She started before pausing, relenting, recomposing herself, and continuing again. "Yes, we can push for the factory." She affirmed in a rough voice. "Now expect stiff resistance from-"
"And don't forget to top off your energy cells and ration packs, once we leave there will be no re-supply." Anakin interrupted again, going so far as to nudge her out of the way to take the focus of the men. This time, Ahsoka's eyes narrowed and her fangs clicked audibly as she ground her teeth together, glaring at him irritably. "Anything else, Ahsoka?" Anakin asked, like he'd done nothing wrong. His apprentice relaxed, although she maintained her sour expression.
"No. I think you've pretty much covered everything... in my briefing." She grumbled, muttering under her breath.
"Very well. Squad dismissed." Anakin said to the troops. The Clones took their leave, Jet and a few others exchanging a couple of looks and quiet remarks over how awkward that briefing had been. Nothing like what they'd experienced under Ki-Adi Mundi. With the men on their way, master and apprentice were left alone. "Okay, what's next?" Anakin wondered as Ahsoka shut off the holoprojector with short, sharp movements. She looked to him, her expression still one of irritation coupled with a dark disgruntled look in her eyes.
"You know, Master, my briefings might go better if you didn't interrupt me every time I tried to-"
"I wasn't interrupting." Anakin interrupted. "I was trying to help you." He quickly added, defending himself.
There you go again! Kriff sakes, Master, let a girl get a word in edgewise!
Ahsoka only seemed to get even angrier. "Which I would appreciate if you didn't interrupt me to do it!" She snapped, finally finishing her thought. "Getting the impression you don't trust me to give the briefing!" She accused with a frown.
Her Master suddenly turned to face her. "It's not about trust. It's about getting the job done right." Anakin tried to explain.
"So you don't trust me to get the job done right!" Ahsoka exclaimed. "I knew it." Anakin sighed at her claim.
"Snips, I never-" He started only for Ahsoka to interrupt him.
"No. No. It's okay, I understand. I'm just the dumb Padawan. You're the all-knowing Master. You can do everything infinitely better than I could." She said bitterly as she crossed her arms and looked away with a huff.
While master and apprentice continued their spat, another master-apprentice duo was arriving. The gunship Dooku Boot made landfall (named so for its noseart featuring Count Dooku getting kicked by the armored foot of a Clone trooper) and opened its bay doors to allow Master Luminara Unduli and her Padawan, fellow Mirialan Barriss Offee, to emerge. They were promptly greeted by Captain Rex. "Good day, General. Skywalker's waiting for you." The Clone said crisply.
"Thank you, Captain." Luminara nodded as she and her Padawan started walking to where Anakin and Ahsoka stood… and they could hear the argument between the two which caused Luminara to sigh while Barriss looked a little concerned at the sight. "At it again, are they?" Luminara muttered.
"Again, Master?" A confused Bariss asked.
"Let's just say that they have a penchant for playing loose with regulations and rules of command." Luminara explained, the barest hint of distaste lingering in her voice. Carrying herself with an elegant, graceful disposition, the Mirialan embodied the prim and proper nature of a textbook Jedi Master; something she had passed on to her apprentice. As such, they stood in total contrast to the rather rough-hewn Anakin Skywalker and the similar way in which he was shaping his Padawan.
The closer they got, the clearer they could hear what was being said. "...Yeah? Well maybe I would trust you if you listened to me!" Anakin said cuttingly.
"Well, if you don't trust me, then maybe you should send me back!" Ahsoka retorted, even bearing her fangs as she spoke. Anakin's expression hardened and he leveled a stern finger at her nose.
"Oh, don't tempt me, Snips!" He threatened.
Luminara, wanting this over with because they had a job to do, cleared her throat. "If you're both finished with your little 'discussion' we do have a factory to destroy." She stated, taking a senior, superior stance to control things. She then glanced at her Padawan. "Well, Barriss? Aren't you going to introduce yourself?" Bariss stepped forward and smiled politely, bowing before the latter. "Padawan learner Barriss Offee at your service."
Taken aback by the extremely formal greeting from the clearly-older Padawan, Ahsoka chose to just be herself while inwardly happy to see she wasn't the only Padawan on the battlefield anymore. "Glad to meet you. I'm Ahsoka." She replied, offering her hand. Barriss accepted it and rose.
"It's good to see both of you again." Anakin said sincerely. It had been a long time since the mission to Anison, where they had first met.
Luminara sighed and glanced at him. "I wish it was under more peaceful circumstances." She confessed.
As wounded men were loaded onto gunships and the 41st Recon took their place, priming walkers and assuming stations and positions, the four Jedi stood before a holomap of their target, plotting the downfall of the droid factory. Luminara had her hand on her chin, thinking out loud as she analysed the map, "A frontal assault is risky. Our losses will be high."
"But not as high as they will be if that factory comes online." Anakin pointed out.
"Indeed," Luminara agreed, "but there is an alternative." Keying in a command, a render displaying a series of tunnels appeared beneath the factory. "Every Geonosian building has a series of catacombs beneath it that run deep underground."
"Some of the tunnels are close enough to this cliff wall so that you could cut a hole and make an entry point." Barriss explained as she gestured to a low point in the valley separating the factory from the mainland.
"Once inside, we could find the main reactor, plant the explosives, and blow the factory inside out." Luminara concluded.
"Looks like a good way to get lost, if you ask me." Anakin remarked, sounding unconvinced by the plan.
"To the unprepared perhaps," Luminara agreed, "but I have instructed Barriss to memorize the labyrinth. All two-hundred junctions." Ahsoka was flabbergasted by the enormity of such an assignment. Anakin just grinned.
"You always were thorough." He said with a smirk.
"It pays for one to be prepared, right Barriss?" Luminara mused.
"Especially when other people's lives depend on your success." Said Barriss with a nod.
"How do we keep the Geonosians occupied while someone else is setting the bombs?" Ahsoka asked.
"Good point, Snips. If whoever's going in there is going to be successful, we'll need to create a diversion." Anakin said, turning his attention to Luminara.
"Precisely. That task will be carried out by you and I, Skywalker, while the destruction of the factory falls to the Padawans." Luminara stated. Ahsoka started. Now you're gonna place the lives of everyone in our ability to take this thing down? Great. Just what I needed. Anakin did a double-take.
"Now hold on, who decided that?" He demanded with a frown. "Walking into that factory could be suicide!" Ahsoka huffed quietly and glared at him.
Then again… any chance to get out from under Skyguy… maybe even prove myself in the process. Don't like having him hanging over me all the time.
"Not if you and I are successful at holding Poggle's attention at the bridge." Luminara countered.
"Master, I can do this. I've had riskier assignments!" Ahsoka insisted.
"But unlike Barriss, you aren't prepared for this mission." He retorted, earning a glare from Ahsoka.
"Not to worry, my Padawan is reliable." Luminara assured him. "She can lead them both through the maze."
"We'll be in and out, Master." Barriss promised.
"See? Dependable Barriss will get us through. Don't worry, Master as you well know, I can follow orders." Ahsoka remarked in a mocking tone. Anakin sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.
Why do you have to be so stubborn and reckless? Surely I wasn't even this bad… Obi-Wan exaggerates.
"Both of you better be wary. Wraith is still out there and there's a good chance he'll be defending this factory." He said at length.
"The super-soldier?" Barriss asked as her eyes widened. "I've heard about him."
"He is not a foe you should underestimate, Barriss." Luminara cautioned, remembering her own painful encounter. "That goes for you as well, Ahsoka." The Togruta teen rolled her eyes dismissively.
"I'm not scared. I've faced him plenty of times before."
"Be mindful and alert, my young Padawan." Anakin chided. "Your rivalry with him shouldn't cloud your judgement."
"So you don't trust me to take him down either?" Ahsoka asked sharply with narrowed eyes. Her master grumbled.
"I'm not going to get into this." Anakin muttered with a shake of his head.
"Then it's decided." Luminara handed Ahsoka a backpack filled with the explosives. She then raised her wrist to reveal a small timekeeping device. "We'll monitor your progress on these chronometers." She gave them one each. Together they synched in unison so they all maintained a steady, consistent reading. Each chronometer beeped simultaneously and flashed green.
"Let's get going. After you Barriss." Ahsoka proffered as Barriss took the lead and they started running towards the bridge, their Masters watching them go. Luminara glanced at Anakin, his feelings and emotions tangible and glaring to her in the Force.
"You feel Ahsoka's not up to the task." She stated.
"I never said that." Anakin muttered, looking at her.
"What is it, then?" She inquired. "Her eagerness to face Wraith?"
'Believe me, that's one thing that concerns me." The Knight grumbled, watching his Padawan leave. "I just... It's nothing." He said with a sigh. "Let's prepare the men." Anakin shifted his focus to something he could control, like he always did. It was a reflexive motion, something he did on instinct when he needed to focus. It's my form of meditation. My way of keeping my head straight. Luminara could sense his shifting emotions, like sand carried on the wind, and opted not to press the issue any further. The two Jedi turned their attention back to R2-D2's holomap.
"We'll have to make a bold move if we're to draw them out of the factory and keep their attention on us and not the Padawans." Luminara noted and Anakin nodded in agreement.
"The best way to do that is to march our troops straight up the middle, parade style. They can't resist that." He determined. Luminara frowned in concern.
"With no cover?"
"Well, we have to make it tempting." Anakin replied.
Meanwhile…
Within the command centre of the droid factory, Wraith stood before a holomap of the area with Archduke Poggle and his tactical droid: TX-21. Outside, row upon row of fresh B2 model battle droids and destroyer-type droidekas could be seen being released from the production line. It was a testament to immense efficiency. The Geonosians were excellent builders and craftsmen.
Studying the holomap with calculated interest, the super-soldier memorized all the possible entrances and exits as well as all the strategically favourable and unfavourable locations around the area. He was taking to his job with robust determination. As Dooku had told him, the factory needed to survive. It was the key to Geonosis.
"The factory is operating at fifty percent production capacity. We have ten garrisons of new droids ready to deploy." TX-21 reported.
"The droids are all well and good, but what about the tanks? Are the newest models ready yet?" Poggle asked.
"No, the super tanks are not ready, but when they are, the Republic forces will be routed. They have no weapon that can penetrate its heavy armor." TX-21 responded. Poggle huffed and tapped his cane on the floor. Then he turned to Wraith.
"You will be out there, fighting for us and with us, yes?" He asked. The super-soldier nodded.
"Yes sir. I'll be on the frontlines, pushing the Republic back." He answered. "But I will also be available to respond to any circumstances if you need me. I don't trust Jedi to do things straightforward. They're not stupid enough to simply throw themselves at our guns." He stated and Poggle nodded in agreement.
"Whatever their plan may be, we will not let it succeed." TX-21 droned. "I calculate an inevitable ninety-seven point one percent chance of victory." The prediction did not sit well with the super-soldier and he ignored. Tactical droids were good for plotting course of direct action, not predicting the future. Wasn't all that long ago they predicted a 30% chance of Republic of Republic surviving the initial invasion. Instead, he made his own logical predictions.
Blasterfire's no good against Jedi. I don't want them coming after snipers hiding out in the factory. Need to face them head-on, a show of strength, reveal that we will stand and fight even after setbacks.
Wraith's gaze returned to the holomap, now actively showing the approach of Republic units bearing down on the bridge connecting to the factory. The battle was about to begin.
With their armies assembled, Anakin and Luminara marched in full force against the droid factory, Clones in parade march with AT-TE walkers between each battalion. Commanders Jet and Gree stood close behind Luminara as Captain Rex marched beside Anakin.
Before them, the gate of the droid factory rose to a fully open position allowing an army of fully-assembled B1 and B2 battle droids to come marching out… led by Wraith himself.
As much as I hate to say it, good to see he's here. Means we've got their attention.
"Here come the droids." Anakin said in a low, cautious voice. "Everybody steady…. steady... keep marching." He called out, determined to see this plan through.
"I hope the Padawans made it past the bridge by now." Luminara muttered. Anakin sympathized with her sentiments, but knew they had bigger problems at the moment.
"That looks like a lot of droids." He mused.
"Well it is a droid factory." The Mirialan remarked.
"As long as we can destroy them faster then they can make them, we'll come out on top." Anakin said. Luminara snickered at his confident words.
"I love your simple logic, Skywalker." She commented. "Unfortunately 'simple' does not apply to our non-mechanical enemy." She added.
"I know, I know. We'll handle him." Anakin responded as they both drew and ignited their lightsabers. "Here we go!"
The droids opened fire first, Wraith drawing his twin slugthrowers as he dumped around after around into the mass his enemies. The Jedi recognized his weapons and moved, letting rounds fly by and strike their men, already giving him a psychological advantage. Clones dropped dead with blood spurting from holes in their helmets, the Jedi otherwise preoccupied deflecting blaster bolts back at the droids while their troops opened fire. It was a moment of visual overload as red and blue raced back and forth, while blue and green flashed brightly where they swung. The Republic forces then charged to engage the closest droids and take them down.
Wraith adapted to the change, holstering his weapons in favour of drawing new ones. One of his combat knives was unsheathed while the blade of his collapsible sword unfolded into position. He had two Jedi to contend with that, in his position, called for a more aggressive style.
With all their abilities, they cannot simply be struck down like common organic. They must be worn down. With their power and history comes an arrogant confidence, Dooku's told me this. I can use that against them.
Soon enough, the Jedi confronted him in their advance. "I still have yet to repay the courtesy you showed me aboard Tranquility." Luminara boldly stated while running a finger along the restored tattoos marking her chin. Wraith swung his weapons into ready positions.
"You are welcome to try." He growled.
Luminara's eyes widened in surprise. "He speaks now?"
"Yeah. Kinda liked him better when he was a mute." Anakin remarked. The two Jedi charged together, attacking Wraith with a combined display of strength. The super-soldier was ready for them, parrying their blades with broad sweeping swings of his own, using long extended motions to counter both Jedi with a single effort. He could keep them here and maintain this for only so long, what Wraith needed and wanted to do was divide and conquer.
Fortunately the Geonosians also had such a plan in place.
With the battle droids attacking from the front, Geonosian warriors attacked from behind. Descending from above to the tune of flurrying wingbeats, their rained fire on the Clones with their sonic blasters, killing dozens with ease as they closed in on the unsuspecting rearmost formations.
The sudden screeches from the Geonosians and the pulsating thrum of their sonic weaponry grabbed Anakin's attention almost immediately. He spied the rock formation (that was really an outpost tower) where the bugs where coming and firing from. "Rex! Order the walkers to take out that structure-!" His order was abruptly interrupted when his danger sense erupted in a fury. The Jedi turned, blocking a last-minute strike from Wraith. But the super-soldier had found his advantage.
With his knife blocked, Wraith roughly shunted Anakin's saber to the side and swung hard with his blade, his vertical slice cutting through robes and flesh to leave a blood gash stretching from Anakin's hip to collar. Ducking low and spinning around, the super-soldier then plunged his knife all the way into Anakin's calf before rising and executing a back-kick that knocked the Jedi flat on his face. "Skywalker!" Luminara cried in alarm, hurrying to intercept.
Wraith locked blades with her vibrant green saber, holding his own with one hand. Twisting their blades ot the angle he decided, he plunged his knife into Luminara's shoulder and the Mirialan cried out in pain. Withdrawing his weapon, Wraith reared back to strike again.
Luminara sensed his path in the microseconds before impact and summoned the Force to create an invisible barrier. The knife struck her side, a potentially fatal blow avoided as the Force cushioned the strike and prevented a deep gouge. Wraith struck multiple times, chipping Luminara's ribs before he drew back and executed a horizontal slash. He missed her saber and her body entirely, but cut across one of her hands to leave her fingers deeply cut and bleeding profusely.
Luminara recoiled, staggering back as pain addled her senses and clouded her mind. Wraith stood composed, poised to strike again, waiting and watching for the right opportunity like a predator circling freshly-wounded prey. The Mirialan remained obstinately steadfast despite her wounds. But even as a Jedi, they were taking their toll.
He's a monster. Plain and simple.
Arriving at the bottom of the canyon, Ahsoka and Barriss sprinted from one wall to the other. Above, the cacophony of battle could be heard above them just above the tromping of the droids emerging from the factory. Arriving at the other cliff, Barriss felt around for the weak point before igniting her lightsaber and proceeded to cut a rectangular hole. Once complete she used the Force to pull the chunk of rock out to create their opening.
"Nice work." Ahsoka complimented as she strode up to the entry. "Well, here goes nothing." She moved to enter but Barriss grabbed her shoulder.
"I should go in first. I know the way." She reminded gently. Seeing the logic in her statement, Ahsoka also didn't want to argue with a possible new friend.
"Be my guest." She relented and stepped back. Barriss moved inside, glancing left and right to make sure their path was clear before moving in with Ahsoka following after her.
The cavern was very dark with only a few sporadic and heavily-filtered rays of light to guide them. Dark enough that Ahsoka was very thankful for her natural low-light vision. Barriss continued to lead the way and the Togruta couldn't help but wonder how she was faring.
Can she see like I can? I don't know everything Mirialans can do. Wait, is she feeling around with the Force…? Or is she just knowing where to go because she memorized everything? That'd be insane!
The girls continued moving through the tunnels, being wary of guards and blind corners. They pressed on until they were suddenly stopped by one section of tunnel that was the dedication hibernation wing for countless sleeping Geonosians. The bugs covered the walls and ceiling, presenting their backs as a chitinous exterior that unnerved both Padawans. They spoke in hushed tones,
"They're sleeping." Barriss noted.
"We have to find another way." Ahsoka urged, not wanting to risk waking them.
"We don't have time! This direction is the fastest." Barriss countered, gesturing forward with a nod. Ahsoka still didn't think it was a good idea.
"Maybe you're wrong!" Ahsoka retorted.
"Trust me." Barriss urged before leading them on. They crouched and crawled past, moving low and slow, taking care not to touch any number of protruding ends that might turn these organic walls into a shuddering screeching hive of madness.
We'd be dead in seconds… or carried off to who knows where, never to see the light of day again. Ahsoka thought with a nervous swallow.
Ahsoka crawled ahead, desperate to get out and away, and so missed the moment the hand of a sleeping Geonosian suddenly flopped out and landed on Barriss' head.
"Ahsoka!" The Mirialan hissed. The Togruta Padawan turned back to see the situation and hurried back. With gentle, focused skill, she held the arm in place so Barriss could slip out before slowly easing his hand into a limp position so as not to wake him. Together they hurried out of the tunnel and did not dare look back…
So they missed the moment the Geonosian awoke.
Barriss continued to guide them down the labyrinth of tunnels, the pair moving in total silence. It was a welcome reprieve from the chaos of combat outside, although the quiet came with its own brand of terror. Geoenosians lurked around every turn. If they weren't careful, this whole mission would come to an abrupt and horrible end.
"Left at the next junction." Barriss instructed. They followed her direction… until the tunnel just suddenly ended.
"Dead end." Ahsoka realized as she stared at the wall in front of them. "If we make a wrong turn, we may never find our way out. You do remember the way, don't you?" She questioned.
"Of course I do." Barriss responded, sounding hurt by the direct questioning of her intellect. The Mirialan looked around with a frown, trying to remember the holomap. Suddenly her eyes widened as she gazed upon the single column of light coming from above, seemingly no different from the others they'd passed. Her memory jolted and she smiled. "It's not left. It's up!" She stated. "It's this way." Summoning the Force, Barriss launched herself up through the hole above them and Ahsoka quickly followed.
Unbeknownst to them, the awakened Geonosian warrior had taken up arms and was slowly stalking the pair…
The contest between the three raged as hotly as the battle around them did. The two Jedi continued to fight on, but their super-soldier adversary showed no signs of slowing down. While bloody and bruised, all Anakin and Luminara managed to accomplish was leave some blackened scoring and fresh scorch marks across Wraith's armor. They knew they had to persist in order to buy their Padawans time, but both questions how long they could truly keep this up for.
Anakin found his composure, summoning the Force to sustain him. Twirling his lightsaber in his hand, Anakin rushed forward only to have his blade collide with Wraith's weapons again. Launching into another sweeping series of strikes and slashes, Anakin went full-bore into the fight as Wraith moved with lightning-quick reflexes to block each one. Sidestepping a slash, Wraith parried the next strike before going on the offensive. One, two, three, four, five slashes slammed into Anakin's defence as Wraith spun rapidly, hacking and slashing with his blades as he pressed his attack. Using the Force to better his reflexes, Anakin blocked each strike until he and Wraith were locked in another clash, lightsaber grinding against solid metal.
Wraith started to tap into his strength, Anakin's saber moving as Wraith pushed him back and bent him to one side. Withdrawing his knife from the clash, Wraith drove his weapon into Anakin's arm, piercing clean through it with a spurt of blood. The Jedi growled in pain, trying to push past the burning pain he felt in order to fight back. He summoned the Force to aid him and pushed with renewed strength, fighting to overcome the super-soldier. Breaking free with a hard slash, Anakin struck hard with his lightsaber, leaving another glowing slash across Wraith's chest.
The super-soldier rolled back as Luminara moved in to take over. Wraith stood his ground and let her make the first move. The Jedi attacked with a hard downward swing and Wraith sidestepped, catching Luminara off-guard as he slashed at the incoming Jedi, cutting a gash across her forehead.
With blood seeping into her gaze, Luminara would be left distracted, incapable of fully focusing on the fight. True to his intentions, the Mirialan instinctively wiped some blood away with the back of her hand. Wraith didn't attack further, but waited for Luminara to continue. The Jedi did, executing a sweep that Wraith rolled under, popping up behind her and jamming a knife deep into the Jedi's opposite un-wounded shoulder. He tore it free with a spray of blood, the Mirialan crying out in pain.
But with the pain came a sudden resurgence as Luminara found the determination to keep going.
She struck with hard swings of her lightsaber, Wraith parrying each as he waited for another opening. Throwing her strength into another downward slash, the green blade connected with both of Wraith's knives as the super-soldier warded her off, bending his knees as he took the full weight of Luminara's blow. The Jedi reared back to strike again, but Wraith took advantaged and slashed her torso with both weapons, streams of blood flying across the ground.
Luminara recoiled for a split second, giving Wraith the advantage he needed. Cutting across her side as he bolted past, Wraith drove his knife into her back again, stabbing the Jedi three times before kicking her to the ground. Luminara tumbled and Wraith would've have pressed his advantage had Anakin not intervened with the Force.
Slamming Wraith into a nearby pillar and holding him in place, the super-soldier struggled as cracks formed in the stone beneath him while his body was rendered immobile. "Rex, a little help here?" Anakin ordered his second in command.
"Get up there trooper!" Rex barked to Draa who ran up to the Jedi with an MPS-6 rocket launcher. Kneeling and taking aim while Anakin deflected incoming rounds, Draa blasted the super-soldier point-blank as Wraith and rock disappeared behind a sizeable fireball.
With him out of the question, Anakin moved to check on Luminara. Both of them were dirty and bloody, sporting harsh wounds and looking plenty beat-up and worse for wear. Yet the problem of the droids remained and they just kept coming.
"We must hold the line. Continue the distraction." Luminara said, wincing as she attempted to assume a proper lightsaber stance.
"I know." Anakin agreed as he wiped blood from his neck. Further thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of a new unit of droidekas, the destroyers rolling to the frontlines before converting into their battle mode. "When it rains it pours…" Anakin groaned as a hailstorm of blasterfire began.
Inside the factory, Poggle was observing the scope of the battle as it unfolded. So far he did not like the stubbornness of the Republic. It was slowly but surely pushing the droids back towards the main gate. Once there, more untold problems awaited him. He slammed his fist down on the holotable in frustration and turned to TX-21. "They are getting too close! We need something more, more droids, more warriors!" He ordered desperately.
"My lord, I beg you to let us use the secret weapon." The droid responded. Poggle stroked his lower chin tendrils in response, pondering the possibility.
"How many are available for immediate use?"
"We have twenty units ready now and many more on the way." TX-21 answered. The numbers were enough to satisfy the Archduke and he gave his assent, seeing no other choice.
"Move them from the factory to the bridge. I don't want the Republic coming any closer." He commanded.
"Thank you my lord." The droid replied. Striding over to a nearby command console, TX-21 transmitted new orders to the ready-zone at the base of the factory. "Deploy the supertanks. Attack formation."
Wraith was back in the fray.
Scorched from head to toe, his armor more black than grey, the super-soldier looked like he'd been through hell. The Republic certainly wasn't expecting him to get up and keep fighting after taking a near point-blank direct hit from a rocket. But there he was, alone in a sea of shattered droid bodies, living up to his reputation and giving the enemy a reason to fear his now-credible 'unstoppable' nature.
Anakin swung his lightsaber from right to left, his weapon blocked by Wraith's gauntlet as the super-soldier countered with a blow to his midsection and one to his face, blood staining his knuckles as it flew from Anakin's mouth. Barely recovering, the Jedi threw another slash that collided with his armored shoulder, Grabbing his limb, Wraith held Anakin's arm at bay and punched him square in the face with his free hand. Then, pulling the Jedi in, Wraith drove his knee into Anakin's torso, the air rushing from his lungs as he doubled over. A double-axehandle blow put Anakin flat on the ground.
Luminara's lightsaber promptly slammed into his armored back. Wraith loosed a grunt as he tanked the blow as the Mirialan raised her saber to try again. Quickly rolling ahead, he forced her to leap back to avoid his swinging legs. But that was the moment Wraith spun with a sweeping kick, forcing the Jedi to leap over his leg in order to avoid getting knocked down. But that's when Wraith drew back and snapped out with a straight kick that caught Luminara on the shin, driving her to one knee. She nearly collapsed, pain surging through Luminara's body as Wraith rose and tackled the Jedi, throwing her to the ground.
The super-soldier moved in and hoisted her to her knees, the move giving Anakin enough to snap his hand out and blow Wraith over with a Force push. The super-soldier tumbled to his feet, sliding back against the bridge as the Jedi recovered. Both were still soldiering on, enduring despite their wounds. Wraith picked himself up, ready to go again…
But the sudden grind of metal drew his attention back to the factory gate.
The slab of metal lifted slowly, allowing sunlight to filter in and illuminate the next wave of reinforcements. The caught the super-soldier's eye. He recognized those designs and they were a welcome addition to the battlefield. His confidence in a possible victory swelled.
The super repulsortank. An experimental vehicle designed by Baktoid Armor Workshop to be an assault-model cousin of their MTT troop carrier. It was a hulking beast of a vehicle, equipped with ray-shielded armor forged from permasteel and outfitted with four anti-personnel blaster cannons, two mainline laser turrets and a roof-mounted three-barreled mortar launcher.
Twenty of these behemoths bore down on the Republic's new position, gleaming in the bright afternoon sun while showing off their blue-striped paintjobs complete with large CIS crests plastered on either side.
Much to the surprise of the Jedi, Wraith, upon seeing the arrival of the repulsortanks, began walking away from the battle. He stepped between the tanks, letting them pass on either side as he strode calmly back towards the factory. His simple demeanor was enough to give the Jedi pause, his casual disregard for the battle a statement in itself as if to say 'they can take it from here'.
Both Jedi bloody and battered to a point where Obi-Wan during the initial invasion looked clean and resplendent by comparison. "Looks like the Separatists have a new toy." Luminara noted with a wheeze as the attackers slowed to a halt. Now was the time for the next phase of their strategy. The Republic had brought along AV-7 Antivehicle cannons capable of handling the factory's defences and now that they were close enough it was time for a good shelling.
Anakin looked to the men. "Rex, pick your targets." He ordered.
"Yes sir." Opening his commlink, Rex conversed with the gunnery crews as they prepared to fire. "Elevation four-two-seven." The Captain ordered as the guns tilted higher. "Steady… steady… FIRE!"
A salvo of blinding blue cannons rounds streaked towards the incoming tanks, pounding the foremost vehicles with enough shellfire to level the average battlefield. Rock crumbled and disintegrated around them. Stone structures keeled over and collapsed under the withering fire.
But the tanks remained untouched.
Rex was flabbergasted. "Sir… nothing could withstand that!"
"They must be ray-shielded." Anakin determined. "We're going to have to get creative…" At that moment, the roof-racks of the tanks slid back to reveal their mortar launchers and all three barrels were suddenly a blaze of light. Each tank let loose half a dozen warheads that sailed through the air, whistling a deadly tune before slamming into the Republic's turrets and reducing them to scrap amid plumes of fire and concussive shockwaves. Other mortars struck the AT-TE walkers, destroying them outright as each collapsed one by one, while others still fell among the ranks, churning up pieces of dirt and men amid thick puffs of smoke that filled the battlefield with the sharp stench of nitrate and the stomach-churning scent of spilt blood…
Down under the factory, Ahsoka and Barriss reached the top of their access hole and climbed out just underneath the assembly lines. A small hole offered a window into the churning machinery within, and the sight left the girls astounded. "Whoa… that's a lot of droids." Ahsoka breathed. Sure enough, the factory had over a million B1 and B2 models under construction, with most of them ready for deployment at a moment's notice.
The sudden gravity of the situation filled the Togruta with the urge to succeed.
"Come on, the main control room's this way." Barriss urged as they took off down another tunnel… still unaware of the Geonosian warrior following them.
Their path took them to another vertical access tunnel which ended in a metallic hatch that opened up right in the middle of the facotyr's power plant. The core, the heart of Poggle's industrial operation, loomed red and conical before them. "This is it. We're here." Barriss announced as the Padawans hopped out. They wasted no time opening Ahsoka's backpack full of detonators and began attaching the devices on every solid surface within reach…
Meanwhile, their Geonosian stalked had taken a detour, reporting straight to Poggle and TX-21 with the startling news. "Two Jedi in the control room? That is impossible! How could they have gotten past security?" TX-21 droned.
"I do not care how! We must stop them!" Poggle retorted. "Contact Wraith and send him to the control room immediately. And you," he snapped, prodding the droid's chassis with his cane, "get a tank there. Delay them until the super-soldier arrives."
Wraith received the call just moments after his return to the factory grounds. The gate had closed behind him, leaving the super tanks to wreck the Republic. But the sudden alert caused his blood to run cold. I knew it. I knew they had some trick up their sleeve. Breaking into a run, he bolted for the control room…
The pair of Padawans finished planting their explosives and synched the detonators to their chronometers. "And now we make ourselves scarce." Ahsoka remarked. But before they could make a clean break, one of the service doors screeched to life as heavy gears and trundling axles unexpectedly hoisted it open. Revealed on the other side was Poggle the Lesser, TX-21, a cadre of elite Geonosian warriors and one of the super tanks.
The Padawan's swiftly brandished their lightsabers and stood back to back, ready for a fight. "Collect the bombs and then bring me their lightsabers." Poggle ordered before a king his leave. The Geonosians promptly swarmed, unloading sonic rounds into the Padawans. Ahsoka and Bariss moved, aided by the Force, acrobatically avoiding a horrible end as sonic projectiles exploded where they had been mere moments before.
"You heard His Highness; collect their pathetic little bombs, then we will kill them." TX-21 droned. The tank moved into action, firing heavy laser blasts that were promptly deflected or blocked, keeping the Padawans on the back peddle as the Geonosians changed targets and plucked the detonators off the factory core.
"See if your stupid tank can take this!" Ahsoka growled, hurling a spare of explosive that stuck to the tank's chassis… right next to TX-21.
"Fool," the tactical droid uttered a synthesized laugh, "the super tank is impervious to all weapons-"
He was right. The ensuing explosion did not put so much as a hole in the tank's armor. The concussive blast did however destroy TX-21 in the process.
With one problem solved, the Jedi still had to contend with the tank's firepower. And the Geonosians. "The bombs!" Ahsoka cried out as the insectoid collected the last of their detonators. They promptly took flight and she gave chase, leaping through the air and snatching two by their legs as she attempted to bring them down. "Stupid… green… bugger…!" The Togruta growled in her vain effort to wrest control. The Two Geonosians altered their path and swung their legs, throwing Ahsoka into the uppermost portion of the pwoer core and slamming her hard into metal. The Togruta teen dropped like a stone, bouncing off pieces of metal until she landed in a dazed heap on the floor. Barriss moved to cover her from super tank fire, helpless to stop the Geonosians as they fled out the very access hatch the Jedi had entered through.
Blast! Now we don't have any bombs and we still have a tank after us!
The roof-rack retracted, revealing the mortar launcher underneath. Barriss thought quickly, analyzing the tank's layout, and realized that the armored shell might be hiding something thinner underneath. With a powerful Force leap she topped the vehicle and drove her blade through softer durasteel, carving open a hole to reveal the two droid pilots within. "Where'd she go-?" One of them wondered before the Mirialan dropped down and hacked them both to pieces.
Ahsoka came to just in time to see Luminara pop open the outer access hatch and beckon her inside. "The bugs took the bombs." She stated gravely as her fellow Padawan hoppped in beside her.
"What are we going to do now?" Ahsoka questioned. Barriss shook her head slowly.
"I don't know what to do without the bombs." She admitted, very much at a lost. Ahsoka looked around their new surroundings.
"Well, this tank could destroy the power generator…" she mused, "and probably us along with it." It was a sobering, difficult reality to grasp. Neither Padawan wanted to embrace that possibility.
"I-I guess… that's our only choice." Barriss realized. Nodding as she inhaled deeply, Ahsoka set her Ind to the course at hand.
I didn't think it would end like this. There's so much more I wanted to do… things I wanted to see, places I wanted to visit… I guess I'm just destined to be one of the Jedi who dies in this war. At least I'm going out for a good cause. The Republic will be spared the terror of who knows how many battle droids with this factory gone… If we're not prepared to fight for it, then we deserve to lose it.
The teen opened her comms. "Master, can you hear me?"
"Ahsoka! Set off the bombs, we're about to get overrun!" Anakin ordered above the din of multiple explosions. Ahsoka exhaled.
"I'm sorry, Master. We can't make it out."
"Can't make it out?" His voice was one of confusion which then slowly took on a note of horror. "Ahsoka wait!" He cried.
"Fire." The Togruta said quietly, toggling the activation switch on the tank's console.
Little did either of them realize that, as Ahsoka was closing the outer hatch, Wraith had arrived on the scene. At first, he questioned where all the action was… but as he watched the tank's weapons turn on the power generator, his eyes shot wide open beneath his helmet. The Jedi had commandeered it.
No! He started sprinting, powering ahead at top speed as he activated his micro-missile launcher. Snapping out an arm, he fired. No! No! NO! NO! Three missiles were loosed in quick succession, slamming into the super tank in a vain attempt to disable it, blow open the hull, kill the Jedi, something… anything! He drew a slugthrower, firing wildly as acid-tipped slugs struck the hull but failed to penetrate.
The roof-rack opened again and the mortars unloaded their payload… Wraith was powerless to stop it.
They struck home, detonating with fantastic force that resulted in a sudden overload that blew out the generator. The explosion that followed was so powerful it blew the tank over and enveloped Wraith in a wall of heat, flame, and infinite white…
"Sir, this place is getting ready to blow!" Rex shouted. "The evacuation ships are arriving and I suggest you get on one!"
"Not without Ahsoka!" Anakin retorted. He changed frequencies again. "Ahsoka, can you hear me? Ahsoka-!" His cry was cut off by thunderous explosions coming from within the factory. Plumes of smoke and flame rushed from opening throughout the structure, rising higher and higher until even the tallest spire was lit with flame. Dust exploded from disturbed rock, cracks formed and streaked skyward, the entire building groaned and the surrounding grounds shuddered as if assaulted by a groundquake.
And then it collapsed. The spires fell, bringing dust and dirt with them as they crushed the super tanks crossing the bridge as well as the bridge itself. The rest of the factory exploded, shooting fountains of fire into the sky and sending burning pieces of debris raining down for miles around. A storm of dust and dirt rolled across the remaining Republic force, knocking any unsheltered Clones off their feet.
In the aftermath, only a burning crater remained of the droid factory. About a mile deep and twice that across, it was a pit that no one could have survived.
No… No no, she's there. She has to be.
Summoning the Force, Anakin bolt across the canyon and did not stop moving until he stood at the crater's edge. His wounds did not matter, only the vacant void in the Force that threatened to punch a hole through him did. "Ahsoka, come in." He said hoarsely into his commlink. "Ahsoka, can you hear me?" Anakin almost shouted into his comlink. No answer came. He sensed a presence beside him and looked to see Luminara by his side. She knelt, calm and composed, as if about to meditate. In his near-delirium, Anakin thought she was collapsing out of grief. "Master Luminara, don't worry." He urged, speaking to both her and himself.
"Be at ease Skywalker." She responded calmly but with a hint of sadness in her voice.
"At ease? We need to act now! Ahsoka and Barriss may still be alive down there!" Anakin exclaimed.
Luminara shook her head slowly. "There's not enough time, I sense them drifting away." She whispered. Anakin shook his head, vehemently.
"No, we'll get them out." He declared as gunships arrived carrying Rex and the others. Together they started searching for the Padawans…
Deep beneath layers of ruined factory, cloaked in ash, the wrecked super tank lay dark and dormant. Ahsoka and Barriss triggered their lightsabers for some illumination. "How deep do you think we're buried?" The Mirialan queried.
"It's probably best not to think about it." Ahsoka murmured in reply. She started to think, to plan. "Hand me that power cell will you?" Barriss reached for the wall, removing a single cylinder that had been slotted into the tank's pwoer bank. "Thanks. Mind holding the light?"
"Whatever you're doing, I hope it works." Barriss mused as she took Ahsoka's lightsaber. "Because I'd sure rather have died fighting up there than starving to death down here."
"Don't worry. We'll run out of air long before we starve." Ahsoka morbidly remarked.
"That's a comforting thought. Thanks." Barriss sarcastically replied. Ahsoka continued to fiddle with the power cell, disassembling it into core components.
"Master Skywalker had taught me a trick or two. I think I can get this communicator working." She explained. They sat in silence for a moment as Ahsoka worked, picking apart her broken commlink and integrating pieces of the power cell.
"What happens to us now doesn't matter. By destroying this factory we've saved countless lives elsewhere." Barriss commented. Ahsoka nodded in acceptance but refused to give up just yet.
"Well I'm about to save two more." She replied. The teen started tapping the open end of the commlink against the power cell, creating a brief electric pulse as she did. Knowing the inner-workings of how commlinks worked well enough, her efforts were beginning to be rewarded…
Carrier-model LAATs had been brought in to help move the debris. But even with the extra manpower and machinery, Anakin's patience wore extremely thin. He knew time was short, he knew Ahsoka and Barriss didn't have long… but the reality presented a great many obstacles to be overcome first. "We cannot abandon our Padawans." He growled under his breath. Luminara sensed his emotions plainly, he's wasn't exactly hiding them and they were vividly on display.
"You misjudge me. I too care for my apprentice," Luminara said quietly, "but if their time has come-"
"I refuse to let Ahsoka die." Anakin snapped, a fierce look in his eyes. "She will find a way out."
"If my Padawan has perished, I will mourn her, but I will celebrate her as well through her memory." Luminara stated, sounding like a very traditional Jedi.
You may think it's wrong to care, to feel something. But I'm not like that. I won't ever be like that no matter how much you want me to be.
"Well, I still plan on celebrating this victory with my Padawan… in person." Anakin retorted in a firm voice. All of a sudden, his commlink began to beep. It was singular, one blip after another. "Wait… I'm picking up a pulse on Ahsoka's comm channel." He exclaimed. He traced it, following the electrical impulses. "It's coming from over there!"
"I'll move the heavy machinery over, sir." Rex stated.
"No time." Anakin countered. With that, he closed his eyes and sank deep into the Force and Luminara did likewise. Together, their power doubled and took control over the debris. Even with one arm, Master Luminara's pwoer went unchecked, raising her good limb along with Anakin as they lifted massive slabs of metal telekinetically. Soon the wrecked super tank was revealed at the bottom…
And moments later, a dusty, dirt-covered Barriss and Ahsoka emerged from the remains, coughing and spluttering as they stepped into daylight. The Masters were collectively surprised, happy and relieved.
"Barriss!"
"Ahsoka! I knew they were still alive. I told you we shouldn't give up on them." Anakin said.
"It's not that I gave up, Skywalker. But unlike you, when the time comes, I am prepared to let my student go." Luminara countered. "Can you say the same?" Anakin stayed silent and said nothing more as he dropped down into the pit along with Rex, Kix and a few other Clones. Ahsoka looked up at him with bright, tired eyes.
"I knew you'd come looking for me." She commented with a smile. Anakin returned it.
"I never doubted you for a second." He said warmly. Luminara joined them shortly.
"Padawan, you did well." She praised Barriss.
"Thank you, Master. But it it weren't for Ahsoka, we'd still be trapped." Barriss replied, glancing at her newfound friend appreciatively. Luminara nodded.
"Indeed." She looked approvingly towards the Togruta. "Your Master never lost faith in you."
He came to with a gasp, eyes snapping open as he started coughing. Slowly but surely he regained control of his senses. Warmth clung to the right side of his head and the metallic taste of blood was rich in his mouth. His body was pinned between two slabs of debris, his left arm feeling numb much like his left leg. His HUD was flickering a multitude of error warnings, half of the red gone dark. The helmet must've sustained damage to cut power to his right side.
But as his vision cleared, Wraith quickly discovered that he could still see and that everything was in a stronger shade of color out his right eye compared to his left. The right optic had been shattered.
He sucked in a breath, tasting dust and dirt and felt a chill across his chin. The mouthplate had gone too, ripped off by the force of the explosion. The super-soldier tried to move, wiggling his body. At once, sharp pains sprang up across both sides and he felt debris buried in each limb acutely. He tried to move again, encountering further failure due to his position and situation.
Great. I'm pinned down. Moving's gonna be a chore.
But that's when it hit him and his eyes went wide. He was pinned because the factory had fallen. This debris, these slabs, they had once been the factory and now they were his entrapment. His mind raced. He was buried under Force only knew how many tons of rubble and given the nature of his injuries, they would be the death of him if left unchecked.
But most importantly, the factory had been destroyed. He had failed.
The weight of that reality settled like a stone in the pit of his stomach. A chain tightened around his heart and gripped his soul with dread. I failed. The words in his mind resounded like a death knell. For all his efforts, for all his struggle, the factory had been destroyed. He failed Poggle. He failed Dooku.
I'm a failure.
Suddenly, a wave of emotion overtook the trapped super-soldier. For the first time since that awful night a decade ago, Wraith felt powerless. He felt impotent. Weak. He felt the same as he had been a helpless child, hiding in a crate, listening to the screams of his parents as they were murdered.
Only this time, Dooku was nowhere to save him.
Perhaps it was his penance, his punishment for failing. To die alone in the face of a second chance that he had clung to so tightly only to have it ripped from him. Wraith's thoughts turned to Dooku. The man who gave him back his life. The man who put his trust in him to save this factory… and this was how he repaid him? So much given, so much granted… and he wasted it like this.
A lump formed in his throat and tears spilled shortly afterwards. Tears of sorrow and of rage spilled down his face. He was going to die here without accomplishing the goal the Confederacy had set out for him. I wasted it. You gave me a chance and I wasted it. I'm sorry…
I'm sorry…
Slumping limply in his tomb Wraith sought to not go quietly into the night… to rage against the dying of the light. He would die here, but he would not be taken so easily. Suddenly, in the midst of his fervent emotions, wise old words were remembered. Imparted to him as a child, spoken gently while carrying the weight of promise and potential.
"Do not be sorry, dear boy. Simply strive to be better."
Be better.
In the midst of his physical pain, in the middle of the psychological agony of defeat, Wraith resolved to be better than this. If he was going to die, then he would die fighting. He was that weak little boy in the alley no more. He was a super-soldier, a Separatist super-soldier.
Tears still streamed down his face as he resolved to go out swinging. With renewed strength he began to move, slamming his right shoulder against the debris, using whatever leverage he could to push. It hurt. It hurt like hell. But he pressed on. Flesh blood bubbled up from wounds in his body, but he ignored it and pushed. He pushed, he punched, he fought the rubble, he beat the debris. Clenching his teeth as his sobs turned deep and guttural, he strove to find daylight…
The moment of reconciliation between Masters and Padawans was interrupted by a sound… a dull, distant thoom. The unmistakable resounding impact of metal being struck took them all by surprise, their curiosities piqued. The sound grew louder, more consistent with less pauses between impacts. "I sense something." Luminara murmured.
"I sense it too." Anakin agreed. Somewhere, within the rubble, the Living Force was alive and vibrant in something… someone.
All of a sudden, not too far from the wrecked super tank, debris shattered exploding outwards in a column of dust followed by a fist wrapped in blackened, dented armor. It retracted and more debris shifted, shoved and shunted by incredible strength as a dark figure formed in the dust. Wraith clawed his way into daylight, hoisting his body out of the ruins much to the shock of the Jedi.
He looked to be a mess. One of his optics was shattered while the other flickered. His mouthplate was gone, revealing dirt-smeared human lips and chin. The more he pulled himself out, the more he revealed how extensive the damage was. Shards of metal dug deep into his torso, bypassing armor plates like massive knives gouging through cloth, metal and flesh. Small pieces of rebar pierced his right arm and a thick piece of girder stuck out of his left thigh, having undoubtedly chipped clean through bone. His left arm hung limply as pieces of rock clung to his blood-stained armor and he staggered to a standing position.
The Republic stared in shock, Clones and Jedi alike watching in disbelief as their enemy stood free of the ruins. Deep, guttural sounds left his heaving mouth, sounding like grunts of pain coupled with labored breaths. What the Clones could not understand, but the Jedi could, was his aura and how mighty it had become. Wraith was a raging pulsar in the Force, as blinding as a supernova, exuding furious desire and a blatant intent to kill. "That's not natural." Barriss whispered. "I-It can't be." Ahsoka stayed quiet, a part of her awed to see someone overcome such an adversity. She and Barriss had barely survived thanks to Anakin's timely intervention. Wraith on the other hand? Even as an enemy, on a primal level, she had to respect that combination of strength and willpower.
Wraith didn't care for what they had to say, but his gaze remained fixed on the Jedi not a few feet away. He felt the pain directly now, his entire body ached like it had been set on fire. His left arm and leg were the worst, clearly broken… but at least he could still move his wrist. He triggered both arm blades, a shrill metallic ringing echoing across the scene as Clones promptly snapped up their blasters.
Wraith moved shakily, taking a few stumbling steps forward towards the Jedi. Ahsoka watched enraptured and listened. At first, like the others, she thought she heard grunts and growls. But the more she focused, the more she strained her montrals, the more the vocal pattern did not sound like grunts and growls…
She knew sobbing when she heard it.
Her lekku stripes paled. He was in the factory with us when I fired on the power generator. Before she could finish her thought, her horror swelled as blood burbled from Wraith's mouth turning into a spewing splutter as he coughed and red soaked the front of his ruined armor. He stumbled forward and tried to catch himself with a cry. But the pain of broken limbs threw him to the ground and he lay there for a moment. His sobs continued as he tried to pull himself forward, so hellbent on trying again that he defied his body's limitations.
His spirit was willing, but his body was too weak to continue.
Another cough, another spew of blood, and Wraith fell still on the floor, save for the odd shudder as he continued to sob.
Ahsoka was the first to stride closer, followed by Anakin. Her empathic perception enhanced by her Togrutan nature, she could sense Wraith's unspoken emotions quite plainly. Through the pain and agony, underneath the rage and hate, lay a single feeling that resonated with her: he felt like a failure.
She knelt beside him, noting the cracked optic exposed to them all. His eye was squeezed shut, by the traces of tears cut a clean path through the dirt. Tears. His tears. Wrought from a sensation of defeat. Ahsoka suddenly felt moved. She had succeeded. But her success had brought this upon him. I did this. He's in this state because of me… Wraith had failed and he felt it directly, its crushing weight coming down hard on his very soul, haunting his every waking moment…
The same way she felt in the aftermath of Ryloth.
The sudden snap-hiss of a lightsaber igniting drew her attention to Anakin, looming over Wraith, blade outstretched as if to plunge it through him. His emotions entwining with hers, Ahsoka bolted to her feet. "Master, wait!" She cried, rushing towards him with arms out.
"For what?" He demanded.
"What are you doing?"
"Putting this Sep out of his misery." Anakin said coldly, as if it were a commonplace thing to do.
I can't let him die! Not after what I did to him! If he's this way because of me, then… th-then I owe it to him to at least help him live.
"No! Don't!" Ahsoka cried out again. Anakin looked to her sharply, his gaze insinuating an unspoken amount of stern questioning. Almost as if he were saying 'move, Snips. I will do this and don't try to stop me'. Ahsoka scrambled for an answer. "We… W-We should take him prisoner, right? Send him back to Coruscant where… where he can watch us win the war." She chose her words carefully, using terms Anakin would recognize and appreciate. She knew him well enough by now to know where his thoughts would take him.
"After what he's done?" Anakin retorted.
"Isn't that what we've always done?" Ahsoka protested. "To Cad Bane after kidnapping younglings? To Ziro the Hutt for framing us? To Nute Gunray for leading the Separatists?" Her questions hung in the air and Anakin, at least, remained stationary. Swallowing, finding the confidence to continue, Ahsoka pressed him further. "Aren't we supposed to… you know, defend and protect? Not attack?"
"Your Padawan is correct, Skywalker." Luminara cut in, supporting Ahsoka. "A Jedi respects life in any form. And a Jedi never acts from hatred, anger, fear or aggression." She recited the Code perfectly, and it bolstered Ahsoka's position perfectly.
"After what he did to us? To you? He's the enemy." Anakin said, lowering his lightsaber.
"Then let him be treated like one. Let him face the Republic's justice. Not ours." Luminara continued. "It is up to us to show that we are still guardians of peace. Our first step is always to keep the peace, even with those we call 'enemy'." Anakin let his arm fall to his side. He saw he was outnumbered. Even though he did not like it, he could not defy a high-ranking Master like Luminara. Being only a Knight, she outranked him as far as the chain of command went.
We better not regret this.
Anakin looked to the edge of the crater. "Rex… contact Kix. Tell him… Tell him we have a wounded prisoner who needs transporting."