Chapter Three:
Padawans and Lightning
This is where it will really pick up! Get ready for a real wild ride, folks! If you have any questions, please put them in the reviews, and I'll answer them in PMs.
As a squid-like ship is in hyperspace, Assajj Ventress is on her knee before the transmitted image of her master, Count Dooku.
"And that is all I have to report of this…stranger, my master," Ventress said, completing her report.
Dooku stroked his beard, his back turned to her, "Interesting. Were it not for the footage of this…'Flash', I would have believed that you had somehow become...deluded. As it is, this being may bear many answers to this…strange power my master and I myself have been feeling in the Force. General Loathsom reports that he is still with the Jedi, from those latest reports on Christophsis. Were it not for more pressing business, I would have had you remain to capture this Flash."
"If you so wish, master, I shall see it done," Assajj said, her pride still sore from being outclassed by the Flash's speed.
"Patience, child," Dooku replied, turning to face her, "I sense that there shall be opportunities for us to study this Flash. In the meantime, for now, you are to accomplish your mission."
A beeping sound coming from the navigation system, "And it shall be, my master. We have arrived at Tatooine."
"Then I shall leave it to you, apprentice," Dooku's sinister smile on his fading visage, as his image winked out, ending the transmission.
Ventress got up, approaching the droid currently piloting the ship, "Do you have the brat's location," it was not a question, but a demand. Those who served the dark side of the Force did not question. They demanded.
"Roger, roger. The Huttlet is currently aboard Jabba's sail barge."
The ship entered the planet's atmosphere, and Ventress watched, as they moved directly to the barge's location. It was only a few miles from Jabba's palace. She smiled. Good. I'd hate to leave without giving them a show.
She turned to the pilot, "Take out one of the escorts, before we snare the barge. Allow the other to escape. We want them to report to Jabba that we have his son."
The pilot nodded, "Roger, Roger,"
She stood on the bridge, as she watched the pilot perform its given order, as it blasted the escort on the left, before the ship's mechanical arms grab the barge, and pulled it up. She watched the remaining escort flee with its tail between its legs. Then Ventress turned to the awaiting commando droids, "As soon as we take the barge to a secure location, you will leave no one alive, but bring to me the Huttlet…unharmed." She expressed the last one with a threatening tone.
The commandos all nodded, "Roger, roger, mistress."
-Scene break-
J'onn J'onzz was currently in the palace under a new disguise. He snorted in disgust at the scene before him. Even the cheap bars on Earth were more clean than this, he thought, and the Whites had much better manners on Mars.
From the thoughts he'd picked up in the crowd, this was the main headquarters of the gangster currently running the planet. He'd also managed to get up to speed on the galaxy he'd found himself in. Apparently, it was in a state of intergalactic war, with its dominating government, the Galactic Republic, fighting against what was called, the Confederacy of Independent Systems, a separatist government. J'onn frowned, as he thought about the Republic's army, being literally grown from test tubes. Clones, he'd learned, coming from the DNA of a bounty hunter called Jango Fett. He was killed early in the first battle of the war.
He shook his head, recalling his discussions with the woman he'd come to think of as his daughter, Kara, as well as her cousin, Kal-El. On Krypton millennia before, there was a similar war regarding clones, but rather than using clones as soldiers, the Kryptonians instead used clones to replace limbs and organs, whenever they got injured. They could even prolong their lifetimes by replacing their brains into cloned bodies. It was a perverted form of immortality.
The war came about because of a scandal, when it was discovered by Kan-Z, the son of a ruling house, that his fiancée turned out to be a clone of his own mother. Upon that…revolting revelation, he killed the clone and his mother, and attempted suicide, but the timely interference of Kara and Kal's own ancestor, Van-L, prevented that.
There had been a debate of whether to grant rights to clones across the planet, and it was slowly building to a boiling point, waiting to erupt. Though he failed at committing suicide, Kan-Z had succeeded in another accomplishment, when his time-delayed suicide note had been transmitted across all Krypton, and it had exploded into open war across the planet.
It took the war at least a thousand years to end, with Van-L participating in it. By the time it ended, the lands of Krypton had been ravaged. Still, there was a final attempt to destroy Krypton by Kan-Z, who had also lived through the centuries, and who led Black Zero, a terrorist organization bent on nihilism.
Through the actions of Van-L and a childhood friend, Vara, who sacrificed herself to stop Kan-Z from destroying Krypton with a gigantic bomb directed at the planet's core. Though they prevented the immediate destruction, the damage to Krypton's core had been done.
Over millennia more, civilization slowly rebuilt itself, blissfully unaware of the slowly building pressures of the planet's core.
It was only during its final days, did the sons of the House of El, Jor-El and his brother, Zor-El, learn of its impending end.
They, of course, tried to warn the people, but the idea that their world was coming to an end…it was unthinkable. And they refused to accept it.
What they could do, however, was to put their children into small ships and sent them away before the end had come.
J'onn was reminded of the lessons he and his people had learned on Mars. That to meddle into what was essentially forbidden by nature…is to destroy oneself.
He was snapped out of his musings, as men ran into the main room, and they approached Jabba the Hutt, whose mind he had read…and pulled back, due to revulsion, from the thoughts this creature had expressed. This was a beast within the deceiving appearance of a giant slug. The crimes he had committed in his long lifetime… they staggered even J'onn, who had seen the worst of humanity, from Lex Luthor to Ben Lockwood to Manchester Black.
He listened to the thugs' report, "Great Jabba," the first one of the thugs spoke in Huttese, "We must report, that your son, Rotta, has been kidnapped, by a mysterious ship. The cowards caught us off guard."
The crowd around them gasped and muttered in disbelief at this daring act. And though Jabba's gigantic face was unreadable, J'onn could sense his growing fury, a fury J'onn was only too familiar with.
The fury of a father.
After a few moments, he turned to his translation droid, "Send out a call to everyone. Now."
And then he turned to the men who delivered the news, who were standing in front of him.
Expressionlessly, Jabba pressed a nearby button, and the platform opened beneath them, and they fell into the area below.
J'onn could only control his emotions and reactions, as he heard them screaming, then the crunching of bones…then silence…broken only by a burping sound coming from the rancor beneath their feet.
J'onn knew how ruthless Jabba was… and he feared just how more so he would be if anything had happened to his son.
J'onn knew all too well the loss of a child, having lost both his daughters. And even a monster like Jabba the Hutt should not have to experience that loss.
J'onn knew what he had to do.
Scene break
On Coruscant, Sheev Palpatine, Chancellor of the Senate was receiving a call, one he had secretly been expecting, with Jedi Masters Mace Windu, Plo Koon and Luminara Undui in attendance in the chancellor's office.
He listened as the droid translated Jabba the Hutt's words, "Jabba requests that anyone who can help us find his kidnapped son send any information they have immediately."
Palpatine began, "We must help Jabba. This is the opportunity we've been looking for. The Jedi must rescue Jabba's son."
The image of Jabba and his droid fizzed out, as the chancellor turned to Windu, "I don't like it, dealing with that criminal scum. This is a dark day for the Republic."
Palpatine put on a concerned visage as they walked down towards the door, "I agree, my friend, but what choice do we have? The Hutts control the Outer Rim, and we'll need their space lanes in order to move our troops."
Windu wasn't convinced, "There is more to this kidnapping than it seems."
"Then you must send as many Jedi as you can."
Windu shot that down, "Impossible, Chancellor. The droid General Grievous has our forces spread thin. The only Jedi we can spare are Skywalker and Kenobi. They just captured the planet Christophsis."
With some...unusual…help, from what my apprentice has told me, Palpatine thought to himself. It had been some time since he had sensed the…disturbance in the Force, and how it had been increased steadily. He had felt this…power mixing in with the familiar power of the Force. He didn't know what it was, but he knew it had a connection with the individual his apprentice had spoken of on Christophsis. This being…who had moved at speeds well beyond that of Jedi and Sith alike.
Still, he did not reveal any of this in front of his Jedi guests… his enemies.
"Then contact them immediately," Palpatine said, certain that where Skywalker and Kenobi went, this…Flash would certainly follow them, and then he would learn more.
Scene break
At the outpost, where the Resolute was currently docked in order to gather supplies, Admiral Yuleran approached the holo-table where Master Yoda and General Windu's images were transmitted.
Before Yuleran could greet them, Windu got to the point, "We need to make contact with General Kenobi."
"We've been unable to reach him. It could be a solar storm, or they're rebooting their communication system. I'm sure the blackout is temporary.
Yoda tipped his cane, "A messenger, we are sending, with important orders for General Kenobi."
"See to it that she gets there as fast as possible," Windu added.
Yuleran nodded professionally, "Yes, sir. As soon as we load relief supplies."
"No time, there is. Immediately, the messenger must go."
"I understand, sir. I will personally take an unloaded ship to drop her off, then return to pick up my reinforcements."
The Jedi nodded as their images disappeared, and Yuleran turned to exit the bridge, muttering to himself, "I wish we had the same speed as our new ally."
Scene break
On Christophsis, Barry sped through the area, his now famous trail of lightning following him, towards the battle droids now approaching, as Anakin and Cody followed as they saw the droids, the former yelling out, "They're back!"
Obi-Wan caught up to them, "I told you this victory was too easy. Even with Mr. Allen's assistance. We never should have sent the ship back for supplies."
"It wasn't my idea to send the ship back." Anakin reminded his old mentor.
Kenobi sighed, turning to the clones, "All right, men. Second wave incoming."
"Rex, you and your men follow me, before Allen leaves nothing for us." Anakin ordered, and took off, as Obi-Wan turned to his second in command, "Cody, battle positions!"
Cody nodded, "Up to the front!"
The Flash easily dodged the friendly fire, as he tore through the super droids. It had been over a week since his arrival on Christophsis, and it had been basically non-stop action. And they hadn't even left the planet.
These guys just don't know when to quit, Barry thought, I guess they're programmed that way.
Fortunately, they moved like molasses. Even to a guy who could move fast enough that the world moves slow. By the time they move to aim their arm blasters, the Flash was in a different spot, vibrating violently though their plating, and pulling out wiring and stuff.
By the time Anakin and his men got in position, Barry was already halfway through the platoon, now approaching the rear.
"At least he left the big ones for us to deal with," Rex said wryly, referring to the tri-droids, before turning to his general, "What's our plan of attack, sir?"
Anakin turned to Rex, with a smile, "Follow me," before jumping off onto the lead tri-droid, as Rex and the men jumped off, activating their jetpacks and landed on the ground beneath the tri-droid, firing at it.
The tri-droid began firing at Anakin, who skillfully deflected it with his lightsaber at some super droids Barry had missed.
Obi-Wan, who had been watching, gave the order, "Come on, then!"
And like a shot, the clone reinforcements started firing at the clankers, as Barry had heard them calling the droids.
Obi-Wan joined them in running towards the enemies, the losses they suffered only making them fight more fiercely.
They met the B-1 droids, and Barry was almost an army himself, watching their backs. He plowed through the droids, shoving clones from the lines of fire, and relieving the droids of their weapons, leaving them unarmed for the clones to deal with.
Meanwhile, Anakin wasn't resting on his laurels, as he deflected fire from the tri-droids, and jumped onto the cannon, and maneuvered it so that the tri-droid would fire on it, and as it blew up, Anakin got off the legs, jumping to the next tri-droid.
The Flash began throwing rocks and debris at the enemy, the speeds tearing through them. He then ran through them, building up speed before throwing lightning at the droids, ripping through them.
The clones were still in disbelief at what Barry was doing, but this wasn't the time to be shocked, not if they wanted to stay alive.
"I wonder what a guy does to get that kind of speed," a random clone wondered.
"Get hit by lightning, apparently. I heard from Star that's what happened to him."
"No kriffing?" His buddy said, "Bet I'd love to get to do that. These clankers would be scrap in no time."
Suddenly, they heard shooting from them, as the clones turned to see droids going down, before turning to their commander, Cody, who said, "You grunts done gossiping? We still got clankers to scrap. Move!"
Their brief break over, the clones began shooting again, "Sir, yes, sir!"
In Flashtime, Barry saw shells coming from the heavy cannons. Slick's sabotage had left them nearly weaponless. And not enough ammunition.
Anakin kept deflecting the second tri-droid's fire, as Rex and the others finally brought it down. He then jumped off and down, slicing through its legs, before landing, and was about to slice a B-1, when he saw that droid being sliced through with vibrating hands.
Anakin was greeted by a smiling Flash, "I left you the big ones, General."
"And I appreciate the thought, Allen. But the fight's not done."
Obi-Wan came up the duo, as they watched the fighting, their stances up.
"We need reinforcements," Anakin commented.
"We haven't been able to get through to the Admiral."
They watched as the cannons fired on the approaching tanks. They stopped, apparently being blocked from going forward by the cannons.
Then they turned around and retreated.
Anakin said it first, "They're pulling back."
Just then the sound of a shuttle reached them, and they saw the ship flying over their heads.
"Looks like help has arrived," Obi-Wan observed, with Artoo beeping.
The trio walked through the clones, who were picking themselves up, getting themselves over to the medics.
"Our cruiser must be back."
"Which means we'll be able to get our reinforcements."
"Then it looks like our problems are solved, fresh troops, new supplies, and perhaps they brought my new Padawan with them."
"Padawan?" Barry inquired confusedly.
"Padawan learner, Allen," Anakin explained, "We train younglings to be Jedi, and then when they're old enough, they become Padawans, and Jedi Masters and Knights get to finish their training."
Flash frowned at this piece of information, uncomfortable with them basically training kids to be soldiers.
Then he looked around at the clones and thought that was what the clones were being grown to be.
This galaxy was very complicated, to say the least.
Anakin turned to Obi-Wan, "You really think it's a good idea to bring a Padawan learner into all of this?"
"I spoke to Master Yoda about it. You should put in a request for one. You'd make a good teacher."
Anakin chortled, "No, thanks."
"Anakin, teaching is a privilege."
The shuttle landed, as Obi-Wan continued, "And it's part of a Jedi's responsibility to help train the next generation."
Anakin seemed to disagree with that, "A Padawan would just slow me down."
The shuttle doors opened, and a young girl, which looked to be at least fourteen years old, but her unusual appearance surprised, Barry, not used yet to non-humanoid aliens. She had unusual head—hair? Barry didn't know how to describe it. It had blue and white stripes, and her "hair" pointed upward. Her skin was of tan, and she had unusual markings on her face. Barry had the feeling that those were part of her. But what really was uncomfortable was her clothes. She was dressed in skimpy clothes, Barry was certain her parents wouldn't approve. She approached the trio, and Anakin and Obi-Wan were as surprised as Barry at her appearance.
"A youngling?" Obi-Wan commented.
"And who are you supposed to be?" Anakin asked.
"I'm Ahsoka. Master Yoda sent me. I was told to tell both of you that you must get back to the Jedi Temple immediately. There's an emergency."
"Well, I don't know if you've noticed, but we're in a bit of an emergency right here."
Obi-Wan had to agree, "Yes, our communications have been a bit unreliable, but we've been calling for help."
"Master Yoda hadn't heard from you so he sent me to deliver the message."
Anakin sighed, "Oh, great. They don't even know we're in trouble."
"Maybe you can relay a signal through the cruiser that just dropped me off." The young girl suggested.
The trio looked at each other.
A few minutes later, they managed to contact the Resolute, which was in combat above, as a clone technician answered the call, and having received the request they made, "We're under attack by Separatists warships, but I'll try to make contact with the Jedi Temple for you. Stand by."
A few minutes of tense silence later, the diminutive image of Master Yoda appeared, Master Kenobi, glad Ahsoka found you, I am."
Obi-Wan began, "Master Yoda, we are trapped here, and vastly outnumbered. We are in no position to go anywhere or anything. Our support ships have been destroyed."
"Send reinforcements to you, we will."
Then the signal fizzled out.
The clone technician appeared a moment later, "We've lost the transmission, sir."
They were approached by another technician, "We have to leave orbit immediately. More enemy ships have just arrived. We'll get back to you as soon as we can."
Anakin sighed, "Well, I guess we'll have to hold out a little longer."
Then they turned to Ahsoka, with Obi-Wan speaking, "My apologies, young one. It's time for a proper introduction."
She smiled, "I'm the new Padawan learner. I'm Ahsoka Tano."
"I am Obi-Wan Kenobi, your new master."
"I'm at your service, Master Kenobi, but I'm afraid I've actually been assigned to Master Skywalker."
That shocked Barry and Anakin, who immediately said, "What? No, no, no. There must be some mistake. He's the one who wanted the Padawan." He pointed at Obi-Wan.
Ahsoka shook her head, "No, Master Yoda was very specific. I'm assigned to Anakin Skywalker, and he is to supervise my Jedi training."
Anakin shook his head, "But that doesn't make any sense."
Obi-Wan cut in, "We'll have to sort this out later. It won't be long before those droids figure out a way around our cannons."
Anakin sighed, "I'll check on Rex in the lookout post."
Obi-Wan put his hand on Ahsoka's shoulder, "You'd better take her with you."
Barry felt kind of left out, so he caught up, turning to Ahsoka, "Hey, my name is Barry Allen."
Ahsoka shook the offered hand, "Ahsoka Tano, but I think we already covered it. You're the one who's put quite a stir in the Force and at the Jedi Temple, aren't you?"
"Really?" Barry was surprised, "I didn't know if they felt it that far on wherever this 'Coruscant' is."
"Oh, it's very far from here, and we all felt it. I can sense…whatever it is about you."
Barry was feeling uncomfortable, about causing something of a disturbance.
"That's an unusual uniform you have on, Master Allen."
Barry looked at his suit, before turning to Ahsoka, "Oh, master? I'm not a Jedi. Just Barry will do. And this kinda is my work suit."
"Hey!" Anakin called out, "If you guys are coming, I'm waiting."
"Coming!" Barry called out, "I've noticed that he gets grumpy at times."
Ahsoka smiled, "I got the feeling."
They then walked up to Anakin.
Scene break
On his personal ship, en route to Tatooine, Count Dooku, with his hood over, was speaking with his apprentice, Ventress, via holo-transmission.
As she finished her report, Assajj said, "I have brought Jabba's son to the abandoned monastery. He will be safe here."
"Good, good," Dooku smiled approvingly, "Everything is going as planned."
"Yes, my lord," Ventress smiled sinisterly, which turned into one of surprise, as his master, Darth Sidious, joined them via his secret sanctum on Coruscant. She immediately kneeled before their master.
"Soon, the Jedi will not only be at war with you, Count," Sidious' evil smile could be seen under his hood, "But the Hutt clan as well."
Dooku bowed respectfully to Sidious, before turning to the assassin, "Make the final preparations, my apprentice. The Jedi will be there soon."
"By your command, my lords," Ventress' hooded head bowed, before her transmission ended, leaving her master alone with his own master.
"What news from Christophsis, Lord Tyranus?" Sidious went to the point.
"We have suffered more losses, far more than we expected, my master," Dooku reported, "This 'Flash' has given the Jedi an unexpected advantage, due to his powers."
Sidious' frown deepened, "This interloper may be a threat to the Grand Plan…or may be useful, given that he seems to be the source of this increasingly powerful change within the Force. Have you noticed how it has changed us, my apprentice?"
Dooku nodded, "Yes, my master, my senses…seem…more attuned to the Force. I have also tested my reflexes in a sparring match with droids. Before, I could destroy them in a matter of seconds…my speed had increased so that in that match, I have decimated them in two seconds."
And he held out his hand, which sparked lightning, but more bright than before.
Sidious did the same with the same results.
Sidious smiled, "Though this 'Flash' seems to be against us, Tyranus, this power may be a blessing in disguise."
Dooku nodded, "Perhaps, my lord, but if we feel this change within the Force, then the Jedi would certainly feel it as well. The odds seem evened, my master."
Sidious frowned, turning his back to Dooku, "Perhaps, Lord Tyranus, which makes it all the more imperative that we capture this 'Flash' sooner rather than later, if we are to learn about this power."
Dooku nodded, "Yes, my master. I have sent a possible ace to Teth, should the Flash accompany the Jedi. He should arrive within two days."
Sidious smiled, not needing the details, "Then I shall leave this to you, my apprentice. Do not fail me."
His image vanished, ending the transmission, as Dooku turned to sit in the cockpit, pulling down the hood.
Dooku frowned, pondering the events in the past week. There seems to be many changes ahead, and he had an inkling that this Flash may not the end of them.
Scene break
Rex heard footsteps approaching, before turning to see General Skywalker, Allen, and a young Togruta girl approaching.
"What's the status, Rex?" Anakin got straight to it.
"Quiet for now, sir. They're gearing up for another assault," he turned to look at the girl, "Who's the youngling?"
Before Anakin could respond, the girl did, "I'm Master Skywalker's Padawan. The name's Ahsoka Tano."
Rex looked at her in surprise, before addressing his general, "Sir, I thought you said you'd never have a Padawan."
"There's been a mix-up," Anakin said defensively, "The youngling isn't with me."
"Stop calling me that! You're stuck with me, Skyguy."
Rex had to stifle down his laughter at Skywalker's face, before he risked being busted down to latrine duty. He could see that Allen was no better at hiding his amusement, too, as he grinned at Anakin.
Anakin was the only one who was unamused, "What did you just call me? Don't get snippy with me, little one."
He approached her, "You know, I don't even think you're old enough to be a Padawan."
"Well, maybe I'm not, but Master Yoda thinks I am." She infuriatingly smirked at her new master.
"Well, you're not with Master Yoda now. So, if you're ready, you better start proving it."
Ahsoka frowned, as Anakin continued, "Captain Rex will show you how a little respect can go a long way."
Rex was caught in the middle, "R-right. Come on, youngling."
Ahsoka sullenly corrected, "Padawan."
Barry and Anakin watched the young girl follow the clone captain.
"You're a little hard on her, Anakin." Barry started, and quickly continued, "I know, I know, your first time."
Anakin sighed, crossing his arms, "I don't get what Master Yoda is doing here. I'm not ready for this. Just two months ago, I got Knighted. It's too early for me to get a Padawan."
Barry shrugged, "When I got my speed, I had to learn a lot of things I wasn't ready for. But we're in the middle of a war, Anakin. There are a lot of things we're not ready for."
"Sirs!" a clone trooper called out pointing to the horizon, "We got a problem."
Anakin approached the balcony, accepting the binoculars offered, and he peeked through them. Then he frowned, seeing the problem; an energy field, and enlarging from the looks of it.
"What's up, Anaki?" Barry asked.
He raised an eyebrow at the new nickname, but put it out his mind for now, "An energy field, and one that seems to be gradually enlarging. Could be a problem for our cannons. C'mon, let's see Obi-Wan."
Barry nodded, and approached Anakin, who held his hands up, knowing what he likely had in mind, "I'd rather walk, if you don't mind." He still hadn't gotten over his experience being carried at super speed.
They met Obi-Wan at the holo-table, Rex and Ahsoka already there. The map of the energy field already up.
Obi-Wan began the briefing, "The shield generator is somewhere in this area. They're slowly increasing the diameter and keeping it just ahead of their troops."
"Heavy cannons are gonna be useless against that," Rex observed.
Obi-Wan stroked his beard, "As they get closer, I suppose we could try to draw them into the buildings. That might level the playing field a bit."
"If that shield's gonna be such a problem, why don't we just take it out?" Ahsoka asked.
"Easier said than done, even with Allen here."
Ahsoka was confused, but as she was about to ask what Rex meant, Anakin beat her to it, "Well, I, for one, agree with her. Someone has to get to that shield generator and destroy it."
Barry shrugged, "I could go there, destroy it and be back here."
Obi-Wan shook his head at that, "I'd imagine by now that they are suitably prepared for you, Mr. Allen. Even with your formidable speed, you'd have a hard time getting to it. And it's likely that they might get in a lucky shot, if they threw everything at you. Remember, it only takes one."
Ahsoka was even more confused at Master Kenobi's words, "Uh, I'm sorry, Masters, but what can Barry do against that shield?"
Skywalker and Kenobi shared a knowing look with Barry, before Anakin spoke, "You'd be really surprised, young one," and he turned to Barry, "Obi-Wan's right, Allen. It's probably best if you stayed with Obi-Wan, while Ahsoka and I go deal with the shield generator."
"Right then," Obi-Wan replied, "Maybe you two can tiptoe through the enemy lines and solve this particular problem together."
Ahsoka smiled confidently, "Can do, Master Kenobi."
Anakin scowled, "I'll decide what we do."
Obi-Wan turned to the map, "If Rex, Mr. Allen, and I can engage them here, you two might have a chance to get through their lines undetected, here." He pointed to a spot on the map.
"They won't have much time," Rex added, "The droids far outnumber us, so our ability to street fight is limited without the use of heavy cannons."
Barry coughed, "Well, maybe not that limited since I'm here."
"Mr. Allen is right, Rex." Obi-Wan agreed, "His speed can provide the leverage, and if we distract General Loathsom, their commander, we may hold him here while Anakin and our young Padawan complete their mission."
Rex sighed, "They will march forward under the protection of their shield until they are right on top of our cannons, then they'll blow them away."
"So that's our timetable," Barry surmised.
Ahsoka was still optimistic, "We'll figure out a way. Come on, Master, let's go."
She turned to walk away, and Anakin had to catch up to her, "If we survive this, Snips, you and I are gonna have a talk."
Rex shook his head in amusement, "They make quite a pair, don't they, sir? You think they have a chance?"
"They better," Obi-Wan answered, "If they can't turn off that shield generator before it reaches the heavy cannons, there'll be no escape for any of us."
"You should share in Ahsoka's optimism, General Kenobi," Barry advised, "We always find a way to win."
scene break
At the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, the impassive Jedi Master Mace Windu received a call from one of his commanders.
He pressed the activation button, as the image of the clone commander named Ponds appeared, "Yes, Commander?"
"We've discovered that Jabba the Hutt has also hired bounty hunters to track down his son, and we followed them to a monastery on planet Teth."
Master Yoda slowly approached the holo-table, as Ponds continued his report, "We feel it's where Jabba's son is being held, but it's too heavily fortified for us to do anything alone, sir."
"Commander, stay out of sight and await further orders," Windu ordered.
Ponds snapped to attention, "Will do, General." The transmission ended, as Windu turned to the Grandmaster of the Jedi Council.
"Unusual, it is, a problem Obi-Wan has, subduing the droid army."
Windu turned to the holo-table, "I'll take care of it,"
He contacted a clone technician, and ordered, "Get me Admiral Wurtz. I need three of his star cruisers."
The technician nodded, "Yes, General."
Master Yoda then spoke, "Greater than we think, this mystery may be. Go with the fleet to aid Master Kenobi, I will."
Windu nodded, "We've been eager to look into this 'Flash,' despite fronts keeping us busy, and the change in the Force he brought with him. This 'Speed Force', Kenobi said in his last report, he called it."
Yoda nodded, "Managed to keep it a secret, we have, until we meet the Flash. Eager, I am, to see him in person."
Windu nodded, "May the Force be with you, Master Yoda," he turned to the holo-table, as Master Yoda hobbled his way out.
Scene break
Barry kept himself busy, by loading each of the shells into the cannons at super speed, as the cannons kept firing at the shield, with no effect on it.
Obi-Wan kept watching as the cannons fired, for all the good they did. "That shield is certainly putting a crimp in my day."
"It's no use, sir! Even at full power, and Allen loading them almost at the same time we fire them, the cannons don't affect it."
Obi-Wan grunted, "All right, Rex. It was worth a try. Tell the men to fall back!"
Rex nodded, and turned, cupping his helmeted mouth, "All right, Allen, you can stop now! We're falling back!"
They decided on a new strategy, which was to hide in cover, until the shield came over, which was what Barry, Rex, and Obi-Wan did a few moments later.
They waited till the shield came over them.
"We're inside the shield. Just stay away from those tanks," Kenobi ordered Rex and Barry, "And, Barry, do try to leave some for the men. We'd hate to have them feel useless."
He ignited his lightsaber, and leaped out into the open, slicing through a super droid, which was the signal for the Flash and the men to jump over and attack them.
Barry ran through the lines, destroying them, moving from droid to droid, before vibrating through the tanks, and tearing through the systems, blowing them up, while the clones kept pace with the Jedi general and the speedster.
Barry decided to make himself a target, tempting the tri-droids to fire on him, which they did, and he easily maneuvered around the blasts, until he ran up the leg of the other tri-droid, and jumped off, as the tri-droid fired on the other one. The Flash landed easily on his feet, but he wasn't done. He ran up and pulled out a detonator from the backpack he'd been carrying, and, priming it, he slapped it on the tri-droid's hulling, and then add a few more detonators all over its' domed head, and ran down the legs, before the detonators exploded, destroying the droid, and causing it to fall on a few tanks, plus some B-1 and B-2 droids.
He stopped beside Obi-Wan, who was suitably impressed, "Impressive, Barry. Anakin would be jealous."
The Flash grinned, but shoved Obi-Wan to a different spot, before a shell hit where they were before.
"We're not out of this yet."
"Indeed, shall we, Flash?" He held his lightsaber in a defensive stance.
Just then, Rex and his team came in shooting at droids, "They're right behind us, sir! They wiped out most of my unit. We had to pull out of there."
A nearby explosion made the trio take cover, "The shield has almost reached the heavy cannons."
"We're not gonna be able to stop them, sir."
Obi-Wan thought for a moment, before ordering, "Move your troops back to the heavy cannons. Do everything you can to protect them. Mr. Allen and I will delay the droids."
Rex tried to protest, but Kenobi would have none of it, "That is an order, Captain!"
Rex ran off to obey his orders, as Obi-Wan and the Flash used their individual skills to combat the droids.
They turned to see more and more droids approaching.
"That is a lot of droids," Barry observed, feeling uneasily.
"The important thing is to delay them until Anakin and Ahsoka complete their mission."
The Flash looked at them again, "Easy for you to say."
As the droids approached the duo, Obi-Wan, to Barry's surprise, turned off his lightsaber.
"Follow my lead, Barry," He whispered, as he watched the lead tank's hatch open to reveal its commander, General Loathsome.
"You must be the infamous General Kenobi," he greeted, and then to Barry, "And you must be the one who have had given my troops more trouble than the clones gave them."
Barry waved, "Yeah, that's right. The Flash at your service."
"The Flash, hm? Well, that certainly describes your unusual talents aptly."
Obi-Wan began, "We surrender," He raised his arms, as did Barry.
A droid approached Kenobi, and relieved him of his lightsaber, just as another droid came up behind Barry and with a strong punch to the head, knocked him out. He went down, out like a light.
Obi-Wan observed the droids picking him up and carrying him from the area, then turned to the general, "That was unnecessary."
"If you were in my position, General Kenobi, would you take a chance with someone with his unique talents?"
Obi-Wan nodded, begrudgingly conceding the point.
"Now, Master Kenobi, order your troops to stand down."
Obi-Wan instead, used the Force to lift some debris in front of him, creating a platform and a pair of seats, then gesturing at them, "General, have a seat."
Loathsom was confused, "Have you gone mad?"
"I've conceded the battle. Now we simply have to negotiate the terms of surrender."
Loathsom narrowed his eyes, "Don't try any of your tricks, Jedi."
"Surely there's no reason we can't be civilized about this."
Loathsom had to concede the point, so he stepped out of the tank, led by his droid. They approached the table.
"'Tis a rare honor to meet one's opponent face-to-face. You're a legend throughout the Inner Core."
Loathsom took the flattery as he sat down, "Thank you. The honor is all mine. I'm so glad you decided to surrender."
Obi-Wan sat down as well, "Well, at some point, one must accept the reality of the situation."
He cleared his throat, "Might we have some refreshments?"
Loathsom nodded, before turning to his droid, "You! Bring us something liquid."
The droid saluted before moving off to gather the refreshments.
Obi-Wan smiled, "Thank you. This shouldn't take long."
Scene break
The Resolute arrived, with her reinforcements following her.
Aboard the bridge, Admiral Yuleran watched the renewed blockade.
A clone technician came up, "We are approaching Christophsis, sir."
Yuleran turned to face him, as he continued his report, "The Separatist blockade is holding position."
The admiral ordered, "Deploy the fleet. Have the cruisers protect the transports."
The clone nodded, "Yes, sir."
Yoda hobbled to the pair, "Admiral, hurry, we must, if we are to aid General Kenobi."
"It will not be easy to breach the blockade, Master Yoda. It's what stopped our relief ships before."
"Last time, not as many ships did you have," Yoda responded confidently, "Get past it, we must. Get past it, we will."
Scene break
Barry awakened to find himself nursing a hell of a headache. If he hadn't seen that droid's fist coming, he might've been unconscious a little longer. As it was, even rolling with the punch, and using his vibrating power, he still came out with a headache.
He looked around, and saw that he was shackled to the wall, and that three super droids were pointing their aim blasters at him. They really weren't taking any chances with the Flash.
Fortunately for him, they didn't know enough about his powers to know how to keep him chained.
He saw that he was inside some transport of a sort. Hopefully, the ground kind of transport, because if this was the aerial kind, Barry was in trouble.
He decided it was time to break out, "Sorry, boys, but I can't stick around."
The Flash then vibrated backwards through the wall, and came out the other side, which, thankfully, was on the ground.
And Barry went around the other side of the transport, and took out the droids guarding them, then the other ones piloting it. He didn't want word to get back to Loathsom before the shield was down.
He saw the beam that was holding the shield in place, so that was where Anakin and Ahsoka had to be. He was sure Obi-Wan was keeping Loathsom and the droids busy and distracted, so he was safe for the moment.
Besides, Anakin and Ahsoka might need his help.
So the Flash took off, running toward the beam.
As he arrived, Barry saw Anakin being surrounded by droids, with Ahsoka inadvertently setting off more.
"Sorry!" Ahsoka called out sheepishly.
"Whose side are you on, anyway?" Anakin grumbled as he got in defensive stance.
It was about the time the Flash made his presence known, by ramming through the droids, tearing them apart, and vibrating them violently enough that they break apart.
Ahsoka was standing still, watching in shock at the Flash's speed, that she missed a droid coming up behind her.
Barry and Anakin saw it, and before the latter could yell out a warning, the Flash sped forward, and he threw lightning at the droid, shocking it. Before it could recover, Barry pushed it off the platform and away from Ahsoka, then he vibrated it apart.
Ahsoka was still shellshocked at what was happening, before Anakin called out, "Ahsoka! Snap out of it and set the damn charges!"
That brought her out, "R-right. Setting the charges now." She moved to put the detonators on the generator.
After she finished, she turned to see the Flash standing next to her, "You're full of surprises, Barry."
Barry shrugged, before they turned to see the droids ganging up on Anakin against a wall.
Before he could move, Ahsoka called out to her new master, "Skyguy, don't move!"
Then she concentrated, using the Force on the standing platform behind Anakin, and then brought it down.
Anakin saw it coming, "What, no, no, no!"
He ducked, covering his head, but he remained intact, through the hole in the platform. The droids, though, weren't so lucky, being crushed to pieces.
Anakin processed what had happened, before standing, "You could've gotten me killed!"
Ahsoka came up to him, "I know what I'm doing!"
"I had everything under control."
Ahsoka glared sullenly at him, "I just saved your life."
Anakin surveyed the field, before turning to Ahsoka, "Did you get the charges set?"
"Yes," Ahsoka replied.
"Then what are you waiting for?"
Without a reply, she lifted her arm, and pressed a button on her comlink, and the generator blew up, causing the shield to go down.
A few minutes later, Barry and Anakin saw more ships come into the atmosphere, their reinforcements having come at last.
They turned to a sitting Ahsoka, looking depressed.
Barry turned to Anakin, "Maybe a bit too hard on her. Go talk to her, and I'll check on Obi-Wan."
Anakin nodded, and Barry vanished, leaving only lightning in his wake.
The Flash returned to the battlefield, seeing the cannons firing on the tanks, a lot of them already destroyed.
He came upon Obi-Wan holding Loathsom in his arms, keeping the droids from firing on him.
He then tore through the super droids easily, before picking up the lightsaber from the one that seized it, and stopped before Obi-Wan and Loathsom, holding out the saber.
"Here, I believe this is yours," Barry said with a grin.
Obi-Wan smirked, "Thank you, Mr. Allen. I see you had no problems,"
Barry shrugged, "After I came to, I got out and helped General Skywalker take out the generator. So, we got what we needed."
Loathsom only grumbled, after Obi-Wan released him, and igniting his lightsaber, kept him in place.
They turned to see a shuttle land in front of them, and the diminutive Grandmaster of the Jedi Temple stepped out, followed by a group of troopers.
"Your timing is perfect, Master Yoda," Obi-Wan said with a smile.
Yoda nodded before turning to the newcomer in red, "So, the Flash, you must be. Interesting, I hear, you have made events."
Barry deformed his mask, and scratched his head bashfully, "Yes, sir. That's one way of putting it."
He knelt in front of Yoda, and held out his hand, "My name is Barry Allen."
Yoda accepted the hand, "Master Yoda, am I. Grandmaster of the Jedi. Pleased, I am, to meet you at last."
Barry smiled, nodding, as he watched the troopers pick Loathsom up and escorted him to the shuttle.
"Much, we shall have to talk about, Barry Allen," Yoda began, "Yes, much indeed." He hobbled away, the tapping of his cane followed.
Barry stood up, as Obi-Wan came up to him, "In case I didn't mention it before, Barry, your presence has ignited a lot of interest in the Jedi Council. And they would most definitely like to talk to you."
Barry didn't feel all that comfortable, being the center of attention.
A few minutes later, they were conversing with Yoda, just as a shuttle carrying Anakin and Ahsoka arrived.
Anakin turned to his second in command, "Thanks for the ride, Rex."
Rex nodded, "Anytime, sir."
They got off the shuttle. Anakin greeted them one by one.
Yoda got to it, "Trouble, you have, with your new Padawan, I hear."
"I was explaining the situation to Master Yoda."
"Really?" Anakin raised an eyebrow.
Barry stood by, silent. It wasn't his place to speak up, so he just listened.
"If not ready for a Padawan, you are, then perhaps, Obi-Wan, we can…"
"No, wait a minute. I admit Ahsoka is a little rough around the edges." He looked at Ahsoka, continuing, "But with a great deal of training, and patience, she might amount to something."
Yoda smiled, "Then go with you, she will, to the Teth system."
Anakin was confused, "Teth? That's Wild Space. The droid army isn't even in that sector."
"Kidnapped, Jabba the Hutt's son has been." Yoda revealed to their great shock.
"You want me to rescue Jabba's son?" Anakin didn't like the idea, remembering his experiences as a young boy.
"Anakin, we'll need the Hutts' allegiance to give us an advantage over Dooku."
"Negotiate the treaty with Jabba, Obi-Wan will," Yoda turned to Anakin, "Find the renegades that hold Jabba's son, your mission will be, Skywalker."
Ahsoka smiled, "Come on, Master, it doesn't sound that hard. I'll find Rex and get the troops organized."
She ran off to do just that, as the adults watched her go.
"Don't worry, Anakin," Obi-Wan looked at his old Padawan, "Just teach her everything I taught you and she'll turn out fine."
Anakin glared at Obi-Wan suspiciously, "You know, something makes me think this was your idea from the start."
He walked off, before Obi-Wan could reply.
He turned to Yoda, "Let's just hope Anakin is ready for this responsibility."
"Ready, he is, to teach an apprentice," Yoda said, "To let go of his pupil, a greater challenge it will be."
He looked at them talking, "Master this, Skywalker must."
They then turned to the Flash, "To Coruscant, you must come with me, Allen. Much there is, discuss, we must."
Barry looked at them, having heard about the mission. And he remembered the loss of his daughter, Nora. She'd been wiped out of existence, thanks to that bastard Thawne, another reason Barry had to despise him. He decided that no parent would ever suffer that kind of loss.
"Actually, sir, I'd like to go with Anakin and Ahsoka to help them on this mission."
Before either of Obi-Wan and Yoda could object, Barry sped to the shuttle and got in, before it took off.
Yoda felt the power coming from the Flash, and he looked at his small, three-fingered hand, sparking with speed energy. In all his centuries, he had never felt anything like it. He then looked at the departing shuttle.
"Hm. Reckless, this Flash is," Yoda said disapprovingly, "Too much like Skywalker, he is. Need that, young Allen does not."
"Perhaps, Master Yoda," Obi-Wan replied, "But the Flash has helped a lot of people, when he didn't need to, and I'm told there are others more out there in the galaxy, most likely."
Yoda looked at the horizon, now darkening as the sun set, "Change, there is, Master Kenobi, much change, yes. Unfamiliar change to the Force, to the galaxy."
"Well, I best be off to complete my mission," He bowed to the diminutive grandmaster, "Master Yoda," and then he left for a shuttle.
Yoda was left alone with his thoughts, about the Flash, about the changes coming to the galaxy, then sighed, and hobbled off to his waiting shuttle, muttering, "May the Force be with us all."
Author's note
Holy shit. THAT was a beast to write, and I haven't even gotten halfway through the movie!
There are a lot of amazing things to see, and to experience, and so many ideas to get around to!
Hope you're all doing well today. You know the drill, read, review, comment!
Peace out!