Alright people. It's the moment you've all been waiting for...the Siege of Mandalore.
There's been a lot of intrigue and moving parts since the Battle of Coruscant and now the action returns in a big way. A lot of big stuff in this one. I won't say much more except that from now on I will be posting previews of each chapter on my writing Instagram 'thewaspwrites' so feel free to check it out! Previews will go up about a week in advance.
Anyway, enjoy!
"Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt."- Sun Tzu
Chapter 33. The Siege of Mandalore
The Siege of Mandalore promised to be one of the largest assaults, air and ground, the Republic had ever assembled. And Obi-Wan would not be able to partake. At least not in the usual manner. The command of the 7th Sky Corps and 212th Attack Battalion would fall to Anakin during the upcoming battle. He didn't like the idea of his beloved men going into battle without him but at the very least they knew Anakin and were familiar with his style of leadership. Much more unpredictable but efficient. And besides, he trusted his best friend to take care of things.
"Such a crowd will be there to witness your planet's liberation. You must be honored."
They stood on one of the many landing platforms, built neatly in between the rows of palm trees and jagged rock formations that dotted Spira's surface. The Chancellor had ordered a contingent of the Coruscant Guard to escort them to the Restitution, their vibrant red markings contrasting mightily with the natural greenery and blue sky up above. A warm breeze blew against his sun kissed skin and salty beard. He was almost sorry to leave this place.
"I am more concerned if we actually succeed, Master Jedi. That battle has not been won yet," Satine told him. "My people's lives are at stake."
"Of course, but you should know that I've never lost a battle."
"Is that right? I seem to recall during our youth you and your Master Qui-Gon lost quite frequently."
Obi-Wan blushed as he scratched the back of his head.
"Yes, but those circumstances were different, I was protecting you not fighting a war."
"I should also mention that you are protecting me again, not fighting the Separatists."
"The point is well made-"
"And then there was that incident on Felucia that Ahsoka Tano told me about-"
"Alright, enough teasing," he cut in, though he couldn't resist a small smile himself. "The point is, we'll get you back on your throne. Mandalore needs its Duchess more than ever."
"I miss my people and my planet," Satine said with a look of nostalgia. "But I have other needs too, Obi-Wan. We both do."
She rustled his copper scruff with her hand.
"I don't want this to end."
"Neither do I," Obi-Wan admitted with a sigh. "I still don't know if the Council has any interest in truly reforming after the war."
"Stay with me," Satine pleaded. "I have the power to make you an official consort, a Duke of Mandalore with all titles and rank."
"Satine…"
He placed his hand alongside hers and slowly lowered it without letting go.
"We still have duties to our respective institutions."
"And as I said before, it shouldn't prevent us from being happy.
"We're not breaking up," he reassured her. "Far from it. We may be separated for a bit, but that isn't going to last forever."
"And I wait anxiously on my throne whilst I scan Republic news reports to ensure you have not been injured or worse in some far off battle."
Satine's eyes were so intense, it was a wonder they didn't pull him into the turquoise sea just offshore.
"I'll be fine. For now, it's best to keep things quiet."
Again the Duchess objected.
"I don't want to live a lie, Obi. Perhaps Padme and Anakin can, but that's a life I refuse to accept," she said vehemently.
Obi-Wan took a brief peek over his shoulder to make sure none of the shock troopers were gazing in their direction. Not that it mattered all that much. Their transport and boarding gate were private. It was an instinct to check for onlookers.
"To be honest, I'm more worried about them than I am about us. Anakin still has a hard time controlling his emotions. And he's been under incredible stress lately."
"You two are like brothers. Petty and constantly squabbling, but you also love each other no matter how intense the argument. Obi," she said, cupping his jaw and pulling it down so they were looking at each other directly. "Promise me this. Promise me that when this is over, you'll tell Anakin about us. Support him as he would support us were the shoe on the other foot."
This beautiful woman really knew how to make him feel as though he could fly.
"Yes, I promise. It is long overdue."
Sergeant Hound interrupted them, and they broke apart in embarrassment. They couldn't see the clone's reaction underneath the helmet but Obi-Wan sensed a tinge of awkwardness.
"Apologies General, Duchess," he said with a polite bow. "But it's nearly time to take off. And we're on a tight schedule."
"Of course, Sergeant. We'll be right there."
Satine drew close and slipped a quiet hand in between his, which he acknowledged with a smile.
"You know you're growing bolder by the day, my dear."
"Oh, do please stop pretending otherwise," she teased. "If you can't handle me holding your hand in front of clones, I shudder to think how you'll handle Anakin's constant teasing."
Satine pulled him in one more tender kiss but soon realized her boyfriend felt tense.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
Obi-Wan couldn't help but think back to Maul's words the last time he was on Mandalore. He hadn't thought about them in a long time and now they grew louder as their return trip loomed.
'He is destined to destroy everything you care about and pledge his allegiance to my old master.'
Through all this time, he had still not told anyone about the rogue Sith's prediction that Anakin would betray them and Luke was the true Chosen One. Mace Windu had wondered if Bo-Katan intended to set them up in a trap. What if there was a deadlier one involved? Was he, by not revealing the vital information, playing right into it?
"Nothing," he answered quickly. "We'd best not tarry and keep to the schedule. Come on."
Boarding the Republic Nu-class transport shuttle Obi-Wan Kenobi knew he had more than one confession to make once this was over.
10:37, Coruscant, Senate Apartment Complex
9 hours before departure to Mandalore
Anakin: I wish I could come over tonight.
Padme: I wish you could too.
Anakin: Planning for this damn invasion is taking so much of my time. I feel like ever since I got promoted we've barely had time for each other.
Padme: You don't need to apologize or feel bad, Ani. Ending this war takes priority both on your end and mine.
Anakin: This karking war…and this Siege could last for weeks. That's such a long time!
Padme: That would be why they call it a siege, Anakin.
Anakin: *chuckles. I know. I just hate being apart from you.
Padme: We both do. But you'll have others with you. Ahsoka, Obi-Wan, Luke…
Anakin: …
Padme: Anakin?
Anakin: Have you uh…seen Luke recently?
Padme: Yes, as a matter of fact, he came over today.
Anakin: Was it planned?
Padme: I wouldn't call it planned, no. Anakin, why do you suddenly care so much? You sound concerned.
Anakin: Nothing…it's just…forget it.
Padme: Anakin, I know that tone. Are you implying-
Anakin: Never. I'm sorry, angel. The Force is getting more and more unbalanced every day. There's something going on. I can sense it.
Padme: ….
Anakin: Padme? You there?
Padme: Yes, I am.
Anakin: I know that tone as well.
Padme: Ani, there's something…well multiple things I need to discuss with you. But I don't think now is the best time. But I'm concerned that you might get hurt or worse-
Anakin: I'll be fine. If there's something you need to tell me and it's important, I will personally see this Siege through in order to get back to you.
Padme: Then I'll see you soon, won't I?
Anakin: Yes, you will.
Padme: Get some rest. Don't stay up too late.
Anakin: I won't….I love you. With every fiber of my being.
Padme: I love you too.
Present Day
A noxious mix of nausea, betrayal, and anxiety brewed within Anakin Skywalker and they all took turns kicking his stomach sideways. As it turned out, everyone had an agenda.
He hadn't wanted to believe the Chancellor when he called into question Luke's behavior. After all, the explanation had been verified and heart wrenching. Tup's death hung over the 501st like a black cloud and if he'd missed a briefing because they needed to honor a fallen brother, it was more than excusable.
Until he found out that Luke had visited Padme the prior day. All of a sudden Palpatine's words started to make sense. Endless questions popped into his head. Why did his wife meet with Luke the previous day unexpectedly? How many times had this occurred? And why did she rush all the way to see them off and only wish Luke goodbye but not him?
It hit a very dark spot in the Chosen One's psyche. Something about it rubbed him the wrong way.
Luke has been nothing but a friend and ally to you.
Yes, but what if he had his own agenda? He clearly despised the Chancellor and took every opportunity to speak poorly about him, a longtime friend and mentor.
Padme doesn't trust Palpatine either.
But there was every possibility Palpatine's hypothesis was true. If Luke met with several Senators multiple times over the course of the last few months, it only lent to the idea he might be planning to overthrow the entire Republic!
He's stood by you over and over again. You even told him about your marriage.
That line of thought only sparked more internal fury. Had he been manipulated into revealing his darkest secret only for the man to seduce his wife? The image of her kiss planted on Luke's cheek replayed over and over again until the internal conflict became so great that the metal in his left hand began to crack from the pressure of being squeezed.
"Sir?"
Rex brought him back to reality. They were inspecting the main hangar, ensuring every LAAT transport was properly fitted for action and every bomber packed to the brim with explosives. Pilots had begun to fuel. Soldiers were trading for better rations and other forms of contraband most Jedi Generals tended to ignore. Some sat motionless on crates, contemplating if this might be their last go around having made it this far. But regardless, everyone needed to know the basics of each mission- coordinates, ammunition, military targets, enemy craft, atmospheric conditions,etc.
A lot went into a battle.
"Are you alright?"
"Yes, I'm fine," he said a little too quickly to be believable. But Rex knew better than to keep digging.
"I was just saying that General Luke says that we should keep the gunships in a tight formation to avoid being picked off by Mandalorian hit squads. He wanted to run it by you."
Anakin saw the blond standing with Captain Vaughn flanked by ARC Troopers Echo and Fives, listening while Vaughn talked animatedly about something or other, data pad in hand.
"Uh, sure. No objections."
"I'll let him know."
Rex's eyes lingered just a half second normal and Anakin tried to pull himself out of the unorganized black hole that represented his mind and focus on the task at hand. He privately wished Obi-Wan were here.
He'd know what to say.
It was ironic and hypocritical, he knew that. Bickering with his old master occurred as often as the sun rising on Coruscant every morning. A trademark of their relationship for all its difficulties. A constant pendulum of admiration and resentment, the latter of which faded after his knighting but not completely. Even so, he missed the calm reassurance of having Obi-Wan, who always steadied whatever messy situation he got them into. An older brother that grew frustrated with the younger, but never failed to show up when needed.
Would Obi-Wan Kenobi, a person who voted to suspend Luke, view this situation the same way? A full believer in the Jedi Order in everything that it stood for…including its stance on marriage and attachments.
He admitted to having an affair with the person who rules the planet you're about to liberate, the voice of reason told him. He wants you to place his trust in him. The not so reasonable voice hissed that Obi-Wan would see him expelled.
Anakin suddenly found himself in front of Luke. He'd been so immersed in thought, his body had been operating on autopilot for all intents and purposes.
"You seem a bit distracted."
Luke looked nonplussed. It was difficult to look him in the eye.
"I'm fine."
The blond did not have Rex's hesitation when it came to feelings. And he was of the Force.
"Something wrong?"
"No…I'm just…trying to find R2."
It was one of the lamer excuses he'd come up with, highlighted by the fact the droid whistled and bounced right next to Luke as though to say, I'm right here, Bantha brain.
"He's right you know," the blond said, giving R2 an affectionate pat on his dome, eliciting a soft coo. Yet another one of his old friends Luke had bonded with. "Though I wouldn't have put it quite so harshly."
"Sorry," Anakin mumbled, all his trademark bravado gone. He felt stretched like a piece of extra long taffy. "There's a lot going in my head."
"What specifically?"
Yes, by all means tell him you believe he's trying to seduce your wife. The wife only he knows about.
"It's probably best not to say."
He hated being standoffish. He hated that he felt suspicious of Luke. He hated that Palpatine might be right. He hated the idea of being betrayed in such a manner. Hatred burned as though it were a flare from a burning sun before receding into the cold vacuum of space.
"Anakin," Luke dulled his voice so no one else could hear. "You're upset about something. I can feel it. Do you want to meditate? We still have an hour before the final take off."
His answer belied the storm still brewing inside him, gaining strength with each passing minute.
"I'm sorry. I don't think that's a good idea."
He turned away with a heavy heart.
The jump from hyperspace caused no complications and true to Bo-Katan's word, the Separatist fleet did not put up much of a challenge. Within half an hour the Trade Federation dreadnought and Banking Clan cruiser were destroyed by Plo Koon, Ahsoka, and the tenacious pilots of the Wolfpack alongside the heavy guns of three Venator Class Star Destroyers. The rest turned tail and beat a hasty retreat, leaving Mandalore wide open for invasion.
Soon sirens began blaring in the main hangar, the signal that all gunships were to be boarded, checked, and ready to go. Pilots began running through their preflight systems.
"Move it troopers! On the double!"
Rex, Vaughn, and the other officers barked out orders, ensuring no man missed their station or their designated ride. The clones were ruthlessly efficient. No one shirked their duty and every man present was there voluntarily. Honor and loyalty meant everything to them.
Luke stayed silent the entire time. He'd done this many times across many lifetimes- Rebellion, Republic…it all tended to blend together. As a leader, sometimes setting an example without the use of words spoke loudest. But it also hid a troubled mind filled with a million thoughts.
Anakin would not be flying with them, instead leading Cody and the 212th with Obi-Wan flying in from Spira with Satine. But that in itself didn't trouble the Last Jedi. No, it was that his father had suddenly gone from a relatively relaxed state of mind ('relaxed' being somewhat subjective given the nature of war) to one of heightened confusion.
It didn't take long for Luke to realize Anakin was not in a good mood. Most of them were tics he'd picked up on by now. Little peccadilloes that were easier to decipher when your father was a mortal man instead of a spirit. The jawline had retracted into a grinding, set grimace. Shoulders tightened into a defensive posture. Eyebrows furrowed and fingers drummed on occasion.
But as usual, the Force spoke louder than a thousand physical gestures. A great volcano rumbled inside the twenty two year old, its magma growing hotter and hotter. His Force presence had been calm and full of light not even twenty four hours prior. Now it felt choked with confusion, and no small amount of fear.
What could have happened for that to change so drastically in such a short period of time?
Did he know about his unsolicited visits to Padme, somehow? As far as he knew, Anakin had been in the Temple the night before. And what would cause such a dramatic turn?
Sidious, he thought with acerbity. It had to be. Who else stood to gain from tearing the Skywalker family apart yet again?
Luke admitted to both his confidants that the ability to perceive the future in a linear fashion had gone beyond his sight, something he was still getting used to. It made him quite uncomfortable and even a little antsy. Changing the present also meant that Sidious had changed his plans. Not the end goal as the bulk remained the same- corrupting Anakin, killing the Jedi, and transforming the Republic into his personal empire. But the devil was in the details. Where and when would the Sith Lord strike next?
A dark chill entered the air, much more sinister than a common draft. The blond noted the boldness and aggression of the dark side as though it offered a clue. But what?
"Sir. We're ready to board."
Rex's announcement sent the chill evaporating into the air.
"I'm right behind you, Captain."
"How are the men?"
"They're a bit heavy, sir. I won't lie to you on that front. But morale is still high. And we'll fulfill our mission to the letter."
Rex's confidence was contagious, and Luke grounded himself in the power of positive thought. The present moment required his focus. Follow the Will of the Force. He sensed that the pain of losing Tup had indeed not dissipated, especially among Torrent Company. Just as he had a duty to save his family, their pain was a distinct reminder that he also had a duty to his men and the clones as a whole.
His train of thought led to Han Solo. It was somewhat ironic. Out of all the people he'd befriended in the Rebellion, the former smuggler had been the most skeptical of the Force but he'd also been the quickest to admire its power when demonstrating feats that should be impossible.
'Always allow yourself to be amazed, kid,' was something Han once told him. This situation applied. He was Luke Skywalker. He could do this.
As they stepped onto the LAAT gunship, Admiral Yularen's voice came over the gunship's intercom system.
"General Skywalker, General Luke. The Separatist fleet is officially out of range. We are entering Mandalorian airspace. You are cleared to take off in T-minus sixty seconds."
"Read you loud and clear. Alright men, look alive. Check your weapons and check your comms. I want no malfunctions or static."
"Sir, yes, sir!" came the unified reply, which Luke felt held more emotion in it than usual.
"Good. Rex, start the roll call."
"Yes, General! Jesse?"
"Sir!"
"Echo!"
"Sir!"
"Fives!"
"Sir!"
"Hardcase!"
"Sir!"
"Ridge!"
"Sir!"
The list went down as normal. Soon the Restitution opened its top hatchet and a swarm of Republic military hardware flew out into the black oblivion of space, hurtling towards the yellowish, white ball in front of them.
"Now, I'm required to give you all this reminder," he said to them over the roar of the engines. "Mandalorians are some of the fiercest warriors in the entire galaxy. But by order of Duchess Satine Kryze, we are to keep property damage to a minimum."
He heard Hardcase groan and Jesse elbowed him.
"I know it's not ideal. But this isn't a lost Republic world we're trying to take back. It's a neutral system with treaties thousands of years old. Keep the focus on the Mandalorian soldiers. Hit them with precision and speed."
"You heard him, boys!" Rex said sternly.
"Yes, sir!"
It didn't take long for them to clear the atmosphere and begin descent towards the planet. Nor for the enemy to make its presence known.
"Incoming fire!" the pilot yelled over the intercom. "Strap in!"
The side doors opened to reveal a blue sky interspersed with thick, puffy clouds. Numerous rockets screamed past, causing the transports to temporarily break formation. Down below, the enormous dome city of Sundari which shielded the Mandalorians from harmful UV rays, lay in wait. A shining pearl amidst the sand of the otherwise desolate world.
"Forward!" Luke called out. "And keep it together! We're only a few hundred klicks from Sundari."
A few more rockets surged past, one hitting a tank transport. Then the real problems began to show up. Red clad Mandalorian fighters intent on murdering every last one of them. They zoomed in and around the gunships, some firing blasters, others flamethrowers.
Bo-Katan's image came up on the comlink.
"Ahch-To, fighters headed your way."
"Your warning is a little late! They're already here!"
She ignored the comment as the gunship shook violently.
"Get rid of as many as you can. My squad and I are about to begin securing the docks. Be careful when you land!"
"I'm on it!"
To their left, another tank transport went down while a gunship was hijacked by a group of Mandalorian warriors."
"We'd best take care of that," Rex told Luke with a nudge.
The blond couldn't help but give a slight grin.
"Then I'll see you at the bottom."
Rex grinned back.
"Show off."
He launched himself into the atmosphere, a cold wind blowing against his face and hair. Far from being afraid, he found it exhilarating. It felt like flying in a controlled manner, like the first time he operated an X-Wing at the tender age of nineteen.
This…this was better. Adrenaline flowed and he dove downward.
He spotted a gunship where a brutal fight between five Mandalorians and three clones took place. Steadying his fall, he landed deftly on top and swung back around into the shuttle, kicking one adversary out with a boot to the face. Igniting his lightsaber, he swung the emerald blade with precision, slicing off the blaster of another and plunged it deep into the stomach of the one behind him.
It was true, the Mandalorians were tough but six months fighting in the Clone Wars combined with raw Force power gave him the distinct advantage. This was second nature by now.
The last one he used the Force to slam his head against the ceiling and tossed him out with ease, the three clones shooting another multiple times across the body.
"Thanks, General!"
"Any time, boys!"
He blocked back multiple blaster shots back at another Mandalorian, but the deflection did not pierce the armor.
Right. Beskar.
Mandalorians were practically a relic by the time of the New Republic. That didn't mean Luke was unaware of their weak points. Pulling in his saber and stance, he somersaulted and flicked his wrist forward. The next deflection hit the Mandalorian in the neck. Grabbing onto the jetpack, he zoomed through the air downward for another solid thirty seconds before landing on top of another ship, where the enemy was standing on the cockpit window, attempting to forcibly remove the pilot. He recognized the mural on the side as belonging to Appo's squadron.
No way am I losing him.
Three deflection shots and lightsaber slash to the chest later, the problem was solved much to the cheers of the men down below.
"Never gets old watching you, General!" Sergeant Appo told him as he jumped down inside the gunship.
"Never gets old fighting alongside you! Now come on, let's see if we can beat Rex."
By now Republic forces had broken through the worst of the flak and true to her word, Bo-Katan and her cobalt blue-clad warriors were already clearing a path on the landing docks. Touching down, Luke hopped out of the transport and wasted no time in beginning the push forward. He spotted a tuft of orange underneath one of the female Mandalorian helmets.
"Bo-Katan?" he asked the redhead. "Luke Ahch-To. A pleasure. I assume this is where the tour begins."
"Dispense with the niceties until after there's no one trying to kill us."
Luke deflected a blaster bolt back at one of the red clad warriors while she took out two more. The enemy began to retreat into the inner city.
"Don't you know a joke when you hear one?"
"You're as bad as Skywalker, you know that?"
The clones routed the rest of the holdouts and their foothold quickly established.
"I'm surprised. I figured Anakin would be here by now," he told Katan once the immediate danger passed.
"Oh he's here already," she informed him, pointing towards the opposite platform. "Got here about thirty seconds before you did."
He saw Anakin and Cody covering the flank while the yellow clad 212th unloaded at the docks adjacent to theirs.
"Well then…at least I beat Rex."
"Never mind that," the Mandalorian royalty told him bluntly. "The battle isn't won yet. Make your jokes afterwards."
She then ran ahead, shooting down one more red clad enemy with ease.
Giving a rueful smile, the blond couldn't help but agree with Obi-Wan. Bo-Katan was nothing like her sister.
Perhaps that's what made her so attractive. He'd always liked redheads.
It's a shame I never got to marry.
Supposing he needed to catch up to the main group, Luke took off after her.
A leader led up front after all.
Rex decided very quickly he didn't like Mandalore.
It was somewhat ironic considering the person they were cloned from, Jango Fett, hailed from one of the planet's many colony worlds. In essence, they were his legacy: perfectly bred super soldiers capable of strength, reflexes, coordination, and stamina greater than that of any other human save for the Jedi.
But he held no attachment to the man, whoever he'd been. A fight was a fight, and this proved to be one of the most challenging yet. Resistance was stout and they'd ceded ground back and forth multiple times. Clearly, the Mandalorians resented their presence far more than others.
"Agh!"
A blaster from a Mandalorian warrior ricocheted off his shoulder plate, but thankfully his shot proved more accurate.
Another one tried to grab him from behind in a headlock, but after a few seconds of struggling, threw him over top and put a bolt in his brain. An explosion rippled nearby, narrowly missing Jesse but he too blasted his target out of the sky.
"These guys don't quit!" Echo remarked as they pressed forward.
"Doesn't help they have these damn jetpacks!" Hardcase added as he took out one more with his Z-6 cannon. "I can hardly hit anything with them flying around."
Adding to that complication was Mandalorian armor, superior to their own standard issue manufactured by the Kamnioans. Though comfortable and specialized (Phase I armor proved that their creators knew very little about human anatomy beyond the basics), it had the unfortunate effect of being vulnerable to direct hits. Beskar required three or four blaster shots for a kill.
Another artillery shell narrowly missed them instead shattering the front of the building behind them. Glass rained down like a deadly rain, although their armor protected them from the shards, it certainly wasn't pleasant.
"How the hell are we supposed to minimize destruction of property?" Fives yelled over the noise. "When these bastards don't even care about their damn property!"
"Just keep moving!" Rex instructed.
The city of Sundari was a monstrous metropolis with thousands of incredibly tall skyscrapers interconnected with various walkways. The technologically advanced Mandalorians had created a marvelous city. Taking it was another matter. They were currently stuck on a rampway leading up to their first objective: the city square.
"We're almost to the first checkpoint," Rex told them. "Alpha company and Fox company have the other two. We've got to keep moving. If we fail, the entire front could be compromised."
"Yes, sir," Fives said. "Alright, squad, gear up. We're taking the city square. Formation 27, three to each wing. Let's get moving!"
"Sir!"
Just as he finished that statement about a dozen red-clad Mandalorian warriors landed in front, blocking their pathway. Blue shields ignited on their arms and blasters cocked.
"I guess no one said it would be easy…" Fives said knowing full well they may not survive the encounter.
"Look!"
A brown hooded figure moved in so quickly, the men of the 501st barely saw it coming at all. Luke Ahch-To had arrived.
"It's the General!"
Without delay, the Jedi engaged the enemy. Fives, so mesmerized by his prowess with a lightsaber, considered it an art form, the blade being swung so fast to be rendered an emerald blur among a sea of combatants. Using the Force, he pushed six Mandalorians back at a time, deflecting the other blaster bullets, while using his gloved hand to detonate a rocket before it reached him. One by one, like trees in a forest, they fell, until he threw the lightsaber with such precision and so quickly, two more were beheaded in seconds.
If they hadn't been wearing helmets, the 501st would have been visibly slack jawed. They'd seen their General do amazing things, but this went up another level.
"What're you waiting for you slackers? Let's help him out!"
Of course, General Luke didn't need much help and with the Jedi leading the way, they couldn't lose. With ruthless efficiency, the squadron pressed forward up the ramp, shooting down any Mandalorians who attempted to get in their way. At long last, victory was at hand.
"The first checkpoint has been reached, sir," Rex told him as they entered the city square, the last enemies surrendering or flying off. "We're securing the area as we speak."
"Excellent job, Captain. To you all."
"All due respect general, we've been duking it out for hours. You turned the tide," Jesse admitted.
"And I would have been there sooner were it not for one of our tanks being damaged in the second sector. That was my fault."
The clones never could quite get over how someone so powerful also carried such humility. He genuinely cared about their lives far more than anyone. Thinking hard, he resolved to say 'thank you' but before he could was forced to take cover from another errant rocket blast to the south forcing their squadron to resume firing.
"Counterattack! Hold this position!"
Captain Rex really did not like Mandalorians.
It took nearly an entire day of heavy fighting but at long last, the Republic was seemingly on their way to victory. Luke, relieved the worst of it had ceased, prepared to stand by and inform Anakin of their progress. But strangely enough, his comlink activated first.
"Luke," Anakin's voice came online. "What's your status?"
"We've secured the last checkpoint and are awaiting reinforcements from Ahsoka and her battalion."
"Excellent. We've taken the center and Bo-Katan has the munitions bay. We're heading into the undercity."
Luke knew there was something else. There always was.
"Copy that. Is the city secure?"
"Almost entirely. But that's where you come in. We've received intelligence that about three enemy units are holed up in the throne room. Take a squadron and capture it as soon as possible."
"Understood." He paused and then asked the question anyway. "And where are you headed?"
"I'm tracking down Dooku's location. Apparently he and Gar Saxon are hiding in the undercity along with some of the other clan leaders. I've been assigned to deal with them myself."
Luke did not have to ask who assigned that particular mission.
"Comet, Jag, and the Wolfpack are running air support and we've taken out most of their defensive emplacements. With any luck, we'll have the entire city under our control by nightfall. Report back when you can."
The comlink beeped off and Luke noted just how…neutrally curt Anakin sounded and it caused an uncomfortable throb in his chest. He was half tempted to pull rank and intervene. Sidious wanted Anakin pushed closer and closer to the dark side. This was another method of doing so.
But something stopped him as he suddenly engaged with the Force around him, probing its energies. Two things became apparent as he closed his eyes and reached out: Dooku's signature was not strong. In fact, only faint traces of it hung about the city. A different kind of darkness percolated throughout the planet. One of smoke and shadow, similar to the chill he felt earlier onboard the Restitution. And it was in the direction of the Royal Palace he'd been ordered to capture.
"Sir?"
Luke opened his pupils and immediately looked towards Rex and the rest of the men. They'd been fighting all day and deserved a break. He could ask other members of the 501st to substitute.
"What do you say, troopers? Do you want me to call in Vaughn's boys?
He was met with a chorus of 'no's'.
"Job's not finished, sir," Jesse said, straightening up a bit.
"Vaughn and his crew don't have our record timing," Hardcase added, grinning like a maniac.
"I think they meant to say that we're with you, General," Rex finished, traces of a smile playing on the corners of his mouth. Luke couldn't help but do the same.
"Good. Grab me a jetpack and let's fly."
Once he'd hooked the straps in they took off. Luke normally didn't need such a device to get around quickly but he figured with time being of the essence, flying together with his squadron would be best. However, as they zoomed in and around Sundari taking in the scene of the fading battle below, the Last Jedi suddenly felt a presence, a darkness, one composed of pure revenge...and anger...so much anger alongside...
Fear. Whoever this is, also is frightened out of their wits.
Ominously, the presence became stronger and stronger the closer they came to the throne room. By the time they landed on the upper deck leading towards the entrance, Luke was extremely apprehensive.
"Stay close, be on the lookout," he said quietly to his men.
The clones weren't Force sensitive. They couldn't feel what he could.
"Sir? What's the matter?" Echo asked him.
Luke gripped his saber but did not activate it just yet. He gazed up at the enormous building, which gazed down at them like an enormous shadow of evil ready to pounce the moment they entered.
Something is in there.
The darkness within began to feel familiar, in fact, he last recognized it on…
"Florum," he whispered to himself.
"General, what's wrong?" Rex asked this time.
The eleven men he'd taken with him were all concerned. He could tell by their anxiety and body language.
If it is who I think it is inside that room, they'll be killed.
He held up a hand signaling for them to stop. Their DC-15 blaster rifles clicked in anticipation of a fight but Luke shook his head.
"Rex, wait out here with the rest of the squad. I'm going in alone."
As per usual, the clones, almost loyal to a fault, balked at the idea.
"Sir, we won't abandon you-"
"You're not abandoning me," he reassured them, shedding the jetpack. "There is a darkness within that building. I can sense it's not Mandalorian soldiers, and I cannot risk the health and safety of my men. Wait here and if I don't come back out in fifteen minutes, contact High General Skywalker. Understood?"
Rex, Jesse, Fives, Echo, Hardcase, Kix, Ridge, Zeer, Mick, Yak, and Dogma- all of the men- not one of them appeared to like this idea one bit. But true to form, they obeyed their General whom they loved.
"Yes, sir. We'll wait out here per your instruction."
Nodding and trying to give a reassuring glance, Luke walked forward to the entrance, pushed the button that opened the door and stepped inside. He noted there was no security lock or alarm which spoke volumes. Someone or something clearly wanted him here. He then bypassed another door that marked the end of the foyer, entering into the heart of his destination.
Upon entry, he noted the darkness of the throne room and the lack of visibility made scouting the dimensions quite difficult. The only light came in from the left hand windows, made up entirely of lexicon glass. With the Mandalorian sun retreating into the evening, such light slowly crept back and gave way to the encompassing darkness, eerily symbolic of the latter days in the Clone Wars.
But what Luke could not see he made up for in his power to sense things through the Force. And there was someone here.
"At last, you have arrived," called out a soft, deadly voice. "I have so wanted a proper introduction to the great, famous Luke Ahch-To."
The sound of semi-metallic prosthetic boots echoed across the room one by one in a steady pattern.
*clunk
*clunk
*clunk
Until finally, the figure of Darth Maul emerged from the shadows like a phantom, darkness still partially obscuring his red and black tattooed face.
"Your memory is a bit off," Luke told him evenly enough despite the obvious tension. "We've met before."
"Correction. You met my brother who unfortunately is...no longer with us." There was no mistaking the pain and regret in Maul's voice when he said that. Nevertheless he quickly moved on. "Our meeting comes under much different circumstances."
"Dooku was never negotiating with Almec's government was he? This was all a ploy."
"Oh no, not quite," the rogue dark sider said, taking a few steps forward while also stopping to look outside the vast window. "Dooku did indeed contact Almec, and I ordered him to reply. I knew that by doing so his messages would be intercepted and by extension bring you here."
Luke didn't like the sound of where this was going. Why would a high level target such as this deliberately lure the cream of the Republic military? Maul seemed to sense the questions too as he gave an amused chuckle.
"I would be surprised too were I in your position. Allow me to clear things up. I indeed partially orchestrated this siege."
"For what purpose? You can't think you're going to win this fight."
"No, that is not my intention. Think deeper Luke Ahch-To. Sense what is around you. The galaxy is at a crossroads. Surely you can feel it."
Luke could. The growing darkness which had mushroomed and enveloped everything around it seemed to be reaching its pinnacle beyond what he sensed before. Such evil he had not felt since...
"Sidious," he said aloud.
"Yes, I am glad to see you are not feigning ignorance," Maul spoke with some measure of relief. "Kenobi failed to heed my warning. It is my hope you will not do the same."
That was news to him. Originally, he believed Obi-Wan to have survived an attempted assassination from Maul while simultaneously rescuing the Duchess Satine.
"What are you talking about? What do you know of Sidious?"
"You forget, he was once my master before I was cast aside and left to rot. I knew partially of his designs to take over the Republic and remold it in his own image. Though there were details I was not privy to, the point remains the same. His grand plan is about to reach its apex. You know this."
Luke felt Maul was going somewhere with this and did not like the insinuations. But he wouldn't allow himself to be psyched out by this psychopath. Or reveal all his cards.
"And what does that have to do with me? You're a rogue Sith with no home and no purpose other than causing chaos. A loose end."
Maul turned to face him now, yellow eyes gleaming at him in the darkness.
"I am no Sith. And as to your question…because I know the truth. The truth that has been kept hidden from so many yet has been revealed to me for unknown reasons."
Luke flexed his false hand, ready to whip out his lightsaber at a moment's notice.
"Which is?"
"That you are not of this world, Luke," Maul emphasized ominously. "You are the cause of the ripple within the Force felt by all many months ago. The aberration in space time. The Chosen One."
You've got to be kidding me.
"What did you say?" he breathed out.
"Are you not aware of your own destiny?" the Zabrakian spoke more urgently. "Then let me waste no time in explaining what the Force has granted me the privilege of seeing. You are the Hero of the prophecy, the one destined to slay Sidious and his apprentice, The Betrayer!"
Luke was aware of the new prophecy, at least in part. But it did not speak of him. Whatever it held in store, he did not know it nor who the 'betrayer' or 'hero' were.
"You're thinking of Anakin Skywalker," he told him bluntly.
"Again, like Kenobi, you are mistaken. Skywalker is The Betrayer, destined to fall to the dark side and consume all who stand against his infinite wrath and power. You two share a strong bond in the Force, you can sense what he is capable of. What he will become."
Vader.
No, he refused to believe that. He'd thwarted Sidious thus far. Anakin Skywalker remained on the light side. Padme Amidala was alive and well.
"It is not my destiny to destroy the Sith, but Anakin's," Luke reiterated. "Whatever visions you've seen are lies."
"It amazes me even now that someone such as yourself would willingly blind themselves to the truth all for the sake of love," Maul said with a soft laugh, whilst shaking his head. "The Force does not lie. I know your secret, Luke. That is why I brought you here and why I created this entire conflict."
The Zabrakian's face turned into a determined snarl and his jaw clenched.
"We must work together to destroy the madman masquerading as a Chancellor! And in the process we will save the galaxy from a fate worse than death. There is still time, but every second wasted is another Sidious moves ahead with his own plan. Let us join forces to prevent this from happening. It is your ultimate goal! Your purpose!"
He held out his hand, almost as though he were a friend in need.
"It is one we share."
Luke realized the spot he found himself presented two options. Maul's fear was evident, no lie or serpentine falsehood lingered when speaking of Darth Sidious or his status as a time traveler. The same Sith who'd once murdered Obi-Wan's master no longer cared for good or evil, only his own freedom. By the same token, he couldn't let him reveal anything about his secret (if indeed Maul had discerned that much) or kill his father.
"I accept on two conditions," he finally answered.
"And they are?"
"You tell no one of my true origin or purpose. It could jeopardize everything."
"Done. And what is the other?" Maul inquired.
"That you leave Anakin Skywalker to me."
Unfortunately, that proved to be a deal breaker for the rogue dark sider.
"I was afraid you'd say that. It is a term I cannot abide by."
"Why not?"
Maul clicked a button on his arm, causing the doors to be sealed shut, blocking any exit or escape.
"Because Jedi are predictable, including their weakness for those they care about. But I am not bound to such weaknesses. Anakin Skywalker is the final piece of this puzzle. It is also the second reason why I lured you here."
He pulled out a double sided lightsaber and ignited both crimson ends.
"If he thinks you are in trouble he'll feel compelled to come to your rescue. And when that happens, I can finally kill him and deprive Sidious of yet another prized pupil."
Luke threw off his robe and ignited his own emerald blade, pointing it at Maul, calmly but intently. He issued the same warning he gave Jabba all those years ago.
"Surrender or be destroyed. It's your choice but I warn you…do not underestimate my power."
The ex-Sith gave an almighty roar and slashed out. The Duel of Fates between time traveler and time seer had begun.
"I've got a bad feeling about this."
Rex willed himself not to snap at Fives, normally an unflappable soldier.
"That's the fourth time you've said that," Echo said with a tired groan.
"Well it's true. He's been in there for ten minutes. No word whatsoever."
"And the General said to call High General Skywalker after fifteen," Jesse pointed out. "Come on, Fives. We know he can handle himself."
"Even Jedi need help sometimes," Ridge duly noted. "Just as they help us."
Rex cut in sharply.
"He's given us strict instructions to stand by. If it weren't serious, he wouldn't have said so. You know Jedi have a sixth sense about this stuff. As long as we stick to the plan, there'll be no problems." He hoped that would be the final word.
"But we haven't-"
Fives never managed to finish his sentence as suddenly the blast doors came crashing down.
"General!"
Rex now knew there was a problem as he and Jesse rushed forward trying to override the command pod.
"It's no good, they're locked!"
Rex pressed his comlink and used the standard code to contact Anakin.
"Hardcase! Mick! Start working on those doors. Pronto!"
"Yes, sir!"
Soon, Anakin came online.
"What is it, Rex?"
"General Skywalker, it's General Luke. He's trapped inside the throne room. Someone sealed the doors shut!"
"I'm on my way! Unlock those doors but don't enter until I get there, understood?"
"Sir."
The comlink went offline and Rex took off his helmet for a brief moment, wiping the sweat off his brow. He just hoped that whatever was going on in there, Luke emerged unscathed.
Ten minutes earlier
Anakin snarled as sparks from errant blaster shots nicked his neck.
The Chancellor hadn't been wrong. These Mandalorians did not give quarter nor did they give up. Surrender didn't exist in their vocabulary or their blood. And it was causing the 212th far too many casualties.
"Keep firing! Keep pushing them back!"
The undercity was a hellish labyrinth of tunnels mainly consisting of sewage ports and conduit access pipes. He didn't know where it led but at this point he didn't care. Just getting out in one piece would be nice.
"Come on, men! No faltering!" Cody called out.
Of course, Anakin led from the front with Cody at his side. They had very different styles of leadership but that was one thing they shared in common. Setting an example by being the first to charge into the fray.
A thermal detonator exploded in front of them. Two more troopers fell to Mandalorian blaster fire. Yeah, this was one of the few times he wished for the battle to be over. There were no cheap thrills or kill counts in this one. Just dirt, blood, and sweat.
A jetpack rocket flew past them but he was ready.
"Look out!"
He used the Force to swing the rocket back around as it instantly incinerated the man who launched it. Dust and minor debris crumbled. It was a good thing these pipes were load bearing.
Anakin blocked a series of blaster shots as they inched forward and a small light came into view towards the end. He sensed there was little else for the Mandalorian Separatists to hide.
"We're almost there!" he yelled, beckoning forward.
Just as he said those words, three more red armored opponents flew forward on jetpacks. Anakin recognized the type of weaponry on their wrists.
"Flamethrowers! Get down!"
There was not enough time so Anakin switched off his saber and threw up a Force wall to divert the flames, which were so bright they temporarily blinded his frontal vision. He could feel the heat threatening to consume his face. But the 212th were quick on their feet. A series of shots later and three more enemy combatants fell to the ground.
"Boil, Trapper. Excellent work," Cody praised.
Anakin had little time to issue a congratulations of his own. Four additional Mandalorians appeared and one got lucky, aiming a precise shot at the Marshal Commander.
"Cody!"
He fell backwards as the bolt caught him directly in the chest.
A great ball of fury exploded inside Anakin. He stopped holding back the frustration and anger which burned as bright as any flamethrower.
Enough.
The Chosen One became a one man wrecking crew, slaughtering any who stood in his way. All the while the power inside him grew with each slash of the saber. A mighty swing of blue and one dropped dead with a visceral laceration to the chest. Another was raised in the air with a mighty fist and cut open as he passed, dropping dead to the floor. He Force pulled the blaster pistols from two more, slicing the head off of the first and pulled the second back, stabbing him directly in the heart.
I am NOT going to lose anyone else.
The immense high he felt did not subside even when they finally reached the end. By now only a handful of Mandalorian soldiers stood against them. Outnumbered and outgunned, most surrendered to the clones except for two who continued to shoot without mercy, one with a horned helmet and the other donning a more gray-gold colored armor. Anakin blocked the shots easily, leapt into the air and plunged his blade, two handed into the taller one's chest. He kicked the other to the ground, dislodging the helmet.
"So…Almec. We meet at last."
The Prime Minister attempted to raise his blaster pistol once more but Anakin used the Force to violently pin him against the wall.
"You're…a fool…Jedi," Almec struggled as his mouth moved against the overwhelming pressure against it. Then his air supply cut off entirely.
"I wouldn't be running my tongue if I were you," he spat viciously, squeezing his grip tighter. "Now, tell me! Where's Dooku?!"
He dropped Almec to the floor who gasped for breath.
"Dooku isn't here, Skywalker," the man sneered. This only served to enrage Anakin further. Driven by the loss of Cody, Obi-Wan's friend and trusted second in command, he picked up the blond by the neck and slammed him backwards.
"Don't lie to me. I'd kill you otherwise."
"Ack! Are you so blind Jedi that you can't use your omnipotent powers to perceive the truth?" Almec choked out.
This caused the brunette to slow down. Anger that had once blocked out at all else gave way to the pure Force. And he sensed that Almec did not speak any falsehood. There was no indication of Dooku's presence here.
No…NO!
He flung Almec down to the ground and began checking on the casualty numbers, trying to gather his thoughts.
"How's…how's Cody?" he asked the 212th, dreading the answer.
"Alive," came the medic, Nix. "But unconscious. I've placed a bacta patch on the wound but there's a chance he'll need a surgeon."
Anakin unclenched his jaw in slight relief before turning back around to Almec, growling with menace.
"Why would Dooku just turn tail? He had multiple ships surrounding the planet. You two were entering negotiations to join the Separatists."
Almec rolled his eyes dramatically.
"You truly are dead from the neck up, aren't you Master Jedi? This invasion is a ruse."
"But we intercepted messages!"
"Is it not apparent by now? You were lured here. Someone is quite eager to meet you, Skywalker. And your…companion."
Anakin didn't like that nasty sneer placing around Almec's lips but before he could respond in kind his comlink went off. The sequence indicated his former second in command.
"What is it, Rex?"
"General Skywalker, it's General Luke. He's trapped inside the throne room. Someone sealed the doors shut!"
It's a trap.
Anakin's heart sunk into horror, all prior negativity towards Luke wiped clean in an instant.
"I'm on my way! Unlock those doors but don't enter until I get there, understood?"
"Sir."
With powerful strides he began barking orders.
"Get Cody an evac! Find a transport ASAP! Come on!"
"Yes, sir!"
He took a disdainful glance back at the now ex-Prime Minister.
"And throw that piece of shit in a cell. Make sure he gets comfortable."
For all his experience Darth Maul was only the second Sith Luke Skywalker had ever fought in a lightsaber duel. And the battle could not have been more different from Darth Vader. His father as a cyborg favored long strides in combination with timed, powerful strikes that felt like a hammer crashing against an anvil.
Maul on the other hand used speed, agility, and deadly precision and it kept him on his toes. A double bladed lightsaber was deadly to those unversed in defending against it. He twirled the blade so fast it seemed to be in perpetual motion; an eternal crimson whirlwind to the untrained eye. But Luke, being a Jedi Grandmaster, took the opportunity to play defense and observe the dark sider's strategy.
His Form VII is aggressive and he moves well with both ends of the saber. But he's also erratic.
Employing Soresu, he kept his blade in a tight pattern working to keep both ends of the red saber from piercing his defenses. One had to work twice as hard in doing this, especially with someone as skilled as Maul, who drove him back across the room.
Luke moved slowly and deliberately, not allowing any potential cheap shots. Maul then leapt in the air bringing down the left side of the saber crashing into his three successive times before swinging the right one which Luke ducked under. But consequently caught off balance, he did not avoid a direct boot to the face.
"Hmmm is that the best you can do Chosen One? I was expecting more of a challenge."
Maul did not intend to kill him, merely create enough of a distraction until Anakin arrived.
Then I have to beat him at his own game.
Flipping to offense, he employed Djem So, using quick, alternating attacks to press the Sith backwards the other way. There was a subtle elegance to everything working in conjunction together- speed, sound footwork, paired with unbeatable timing. A jade colored knight so precise and so deft, Revan himself might have been jealous. It was a prowess Maul could not match and so Luke drove him backwards.
High stepping to avoid another strike, this time he did not allow Maul to regain the upper hand, instead catching the left saber in an awkward position. He used the momentum to push the Zabrakian back, his metallic boot catching on one of the steps leading up to the throne.
That's it.
Maul fell backwards and onto his back and Luke aimed a strike intent on splitting the double saber in half. But the dark sider was too quick, rolling to the side and popping up with a snarl etched upon his tattooed face.
"Impressive, most impressive."
"I'm a Jedi Master for a reason, Maul. You can't beat me."
Luke attacked again with more of the same, but the ex-Sith was ready as their lightsabers hissed, using the momentum of the Jedi against him forcing him sideways and back onto level ground.
Maul then tried a series of spins and aggressive strikes most of which Luke blocked. Backed towards the wall, Maul's hurricane-like speed caused him to avoid one aimed at his head. The red blade cut across and shattered the window behind them. He used the Force to push Maul back thirty feet before leaping into the air, Ataru acrobatics learned from Yoda being summoned from the arsenal of tricks up his sleeve.
He sliced at the knees which Maul just narrowly avoided. Following the move he went on the offensive before a mistimed swing enabled the ex-Sith pushed him back with a bump to the jaw, temporarily suspending the action.
"Destroy the Sith!" Maul screamed at him. "That is the only thing that matters!"
"Anakin is not a Sith," Luke argued back.
"He soon will be. You just can't see it!"
"I see that you will stop at nothing to increase your own power."
Maul roared like a lion and attacked again. He swung his blade furiously in an attempt to tire out the older forty eight year old. The blond could feel the rage in the swings, each carrying the vicious heartbeat of a formidable warrior. Indeed most Jedi would not have been able to block them. But Luke Skywalker with the power of his bloodline was not most Jedi. He jumped back over a swing aimed at his knees and brought up his blade from behind, before turning round, ducking and crashing his weapon against one side of the double saber. Green hissed against red as he forced the right end of the saber down to the side. Luke saw his opening and took it right away, bringing his foot against Maul's knee.
But the knee didn't budge being made of metal. The Zabrakian smirked, punching Luke directly in the stomach and followed that with a side elbow to the jaw. He then tossed his foe around like a rag doll, displacing his lightsaber and landing with a hard crash against cold, steel ground.
Dazed and seeing stars, the Last Jedi looked up to see Maul leaping in the air, red blade prepared not to kill but cut off a limb or worse.
He summoned his lightsaber back just in time to block the strike, using all combined strength to prevent the crimson blade from inching closer. But Maul kept pushing with the weight of the blade using all of his hatred and rage in an effort to win the duel.
If his lower body is invulnerable his upper body certainly isn't.
On the verge of being overwhelmed, Luke allowed Maul to press him just a bit further before aiming a precise, accurate kick to his side causing him to stumble sideways. It was just the advantage he needed.
He stood up and attacked ferociously but with purpose, his own speed and flurry of strikes finally turning the tables in his favor. Maul spat and frothed in an effort to hold the Jedi at bay but the weakness of Form VII came into play: erraticness. Blade work began to suffer as a result and he could easily parry the blows until one overextended, missing the mark entirely.
The blond elbowed Maul in the face, causing him to snarl with pain. Luke blocked two more furious strikes before the third one missed. The forty eight year-old summoned the full depth of his powers in the Force, harnessing them in the effort to finally subdue the Zabrakian. This time he brought the heel of his boot into his enemy's chest, stunning him.
The final push from the Force was all the blond needed to officially win the fight, sending Maul backwards flying into the throne he once sat in before collapsing into a heap.
Luke wasted no time in rushing forward pointing his still humming emerald blade just over the top of the dark sider's horned head.
"Surrender. Now."
Maul groaned and coughed, looking up at the person he once attempted to sway, growling in anger. However his attention was soon drawn to another source, namely the door.
"Luke!" a muffled male's voice yelled from the other side. "Luke, hang on! We're coming through!"
Maul's snarl turned into a triumphant smirk as a blue lightsaber could be seen carving open a hole from the outside, ready to open up any second.
"And there is the opportunity I have been waiting for. Thank you, Luke Ahch-To."
At the same moment the door fell away, Maul sprang back into action, kicking Luke in the chest while simultaneously using it as a springboard to launch himself towards his intended target.
"SKYWALKER!" he screeched, summoning the double blade from the ground.
"NO!"
Luke could only watch helplessly as the confused face of his father glanced up to see the terrifying image of an enraged ex-Sith Lord speeding towards him and a crimson lightsaber aimed to kill. But he need not have worried. A succession of stunner shots burst through at the same time. Maul blocked two but not a third as it hit him squarely in the shoulder.
Toppling to the ground, he now appeared to be as frightened as a cornered puppy; tired and with nowhere else to go.
"No..no, no, no," he began rambling. "No, this is a mistake. Let me die! Let me DIE!"
Anakin bore down on Maul with utter contempt, blue blade sorely tempted to grant him that wish. But the Chosen One showed restraint.
"Much as I'd like that, you're going back to Coruscant in a box."
Maul's heavy breathing only served to underscore how desperate he sounded.
"You don't know what you're doing! We're all going to die! You're going to burn Skywalker! BURN!"
One last stunner to the face from Rex's blaster pistol silenced him. Binders and ropes were fitted and the formerly Darth Maul was now in Republic custody.
"Good shot, Jesse," Rex complimented. "You really tagged him."
"All in a day's work, sir."
The battle now being over, Luke finally let out a few breaths of his own. More than a few places ached but he'd recover soon enough. No, the primary concern lay in the captured rogue Sith and just how much he knew about his presence in the past.
And what it meant for the future.
"Luke, are you alright?"
Anakin's eyes were full of concern and he offered an arm to the man he still did not know was his son.
"I'm fine," the blond said, accepting the assistance. "He dueled me but I managed to get the upper hand."
"Impressive. Not many can take on someone like Maul and avoid losing their life, never mind win."
"Just the latest in a long line of surprises," he said with good humor which Anakin appreciated with a chuckle giving no thought to the ominous threat sent to him not even a minute prior. Or their prior awkwardness.
"I hope there are more. Just get yourself to Kix to be patched up." His face suddenly darkened as he took another glance at the limp form of Maul being led away. "This whole operation has revealed a different plot entirely. I know he led you in there on purpose."
Luke nodded but didn't say anything else. How could he with the possibility that he altered the timeline so drastically that he might have replaced his father as the Chosen One?
"The Council will no doubt have questions for him."
Anakin agreed.
"Yup. As well as the Chancellor. But the Temple is the first place he's going to. Come on, let's comm Master Plo and Ahsoka to confirm we have Maul in custody."
With the battle and its perpetrator in hand, the day was seemingly won. But the fate of the galaxy and the Force still hung in the balance. Maul's actions and words confirmed that his secrets were in jeopardy. It was then Luke decided there would be no more of them. Obi-Wan was due to arrive later in the rotation, perhaps before the next morning.
Screw it. The minute he got them both alone he would tell them everything.
Not until evening turned into night did Obi-Wan Kenobi and Satine Kryze finally arrive. The latter had prayed that the battle would not cause much damage and civilian casualties kept to a minimum. She was only granted part of her wish.
Houses and buildings burned. Broken glass formed jagged holes in what remained of thousands of windows. The smell of acrid smoke and particles of fire dominated the air and the nostrils. Gunships passed through the air as their distinctive hum rumbled above while AT-TE tanks thundered through the streets alongside thousands of clones in their impressive array of armor and weapons in tow. Luckily, few outside of military engagement had perished. But countless examples of destruction were to be found everywhere he looked. And with enormous numbers of blue, orange, and gray marked troops scurrying about, it felt more like an occupying force than a liberating one.
Obi-Wan considered the Republic's struggle as uniquely just for so long, sometimes the common man became lost in that struggle. As he walked through the avenues of Sundari he suddenly despised the war he'd played such a prominent role in.
Maybe we have lost our way. Mandalore is technically liberated but this is a crippling blow.
Satine certainly wasn't celebrating. Her expression remained equally as somber observing the scene.
"Such carnage...it will take years for my people to rebuild from this," she said sadly.
"Yes, but at the very least they have their true ruler back to guide them," he tried to assuage her. "You. Buildings, shops, and commerce will all come back."
"True, however, the worst scars of war often are mental not physical."
He couldn't argue with that.
A yellow clad officer came to greet them, but it was not Cody. He removed his helmet to reveal a different face…no irony intended.
"Ah Boil, good to see you. Where's Cody?"
"He was hit during the battle for the underground sir," the Lieutenant said gruffly. "By some miracle it missed his heart and lungs. It was a bit touch and go there for a while but he's being patched up as we speak."
Obi-Wan let go of a long sigh, fearing the worst.
"Well thank goodness. I hope he's on the mend. And I do hope Anakin didn't treat my legion too roughly."
"No, sir. He was excellent as always. But there is news you'll want to hear."
"Good news I hope. Is the Duchess safe to return to her chambers?"
"The city is all clear with no reported hold outs. The Separatist Mandalorians have been subdued. Almec is being held in detention and most of the other clan leaders, including Gar Saxon, were killed," he informed dutifully. "Duchess Satine can move about freely."
Obi-Wan picked up a slight hesitation.
"And?" Obi-Wan knew something was off when any of his men hesitated in giving him a report of any kind.
"We've just received word from Captain Rex that Maul is also here."
That proved to be a stronger jolt to the system than any cup of caff.
"Maul? Here?"
"Yes, sir. He's been captured. He engaged General Luke in a duel and tried to kill General Skywalker but thankfully they both came out on top."
"And Count Dooku?"
"No sign of him, sir. He either fled or was never on Mandalore to begin with."
Obi-Wan's heart sank. Maul was behind this scheme? But if that was true that could only mean…
He wanted us to lay Siege to Mandalore. To recruit Luke to his side and to kill Anakin.
The Jedi Master could have punched himself in the stomach multiple times over for not recognizing the danger or believing Maul might be capable of staging a comeback. Two of his best friends could have been murdered and it would have been his fault.
Obi-Wan came back to himself and dismissed the long time veteran.
"Much obliged, Boil. Thank you for the report."
As soon as the lieutenant left Satine immediately began asking questions, seeing her boyfriend's visible guilt.
"Obi what's the matter? Your face has changed three shades in the span of ten seconds."
"Something I've done or rather failed to do. I have to talk to Luke and Anakin right away."
But she grabbed his hand and took it in hers.
"It's well into the night, and we've had a long journey. I'm sure they're both asleep by now."
"Satine, this is important."
"I'm sure it is. But so is the safety of my people as well as your mental well being as I mentioned earlier. Be sensible. There's plenty of time in the morning."
He couldn't resist the offer, desiring nothing more than to fall asleep on a soft bed with Satine nestled in between the sheets.
"Alright, you win."
"It's not about winning Obi-Wan Kenobi," Satine said slyly, leading him away from potential onlookers. "But following the orders of your Duchess."
"In that case I surrender."
Flirting with the love of his life never became old. But he resolved that by tomorrow next, Luke, Anakin, and the entirety of the Jedi Council would know everything he'd kept silent about.
And just how much of a precarious position they were all in.
Luke trudged into the makeshift bedroom assigned to him for the night: a busted out hotel that had once been Sundari's finest. Evidence of its former glory could still be found around the suite- a king sized bed, elegant furniture, a plush carpet, abstract artwork, even a busted holonet station that once played soothing music.
After a long battle, a duel with an ex-Sith Lord, and almost completely bereft of sleep, a tired mind would not hold up a tired body for a second longer. Still in his robes, not even unclipping his lightsaber, he flopped onto the soft bed. Upon doing so a comlink tumbled out of his tunic pocket and bounced onto the floor, flashing red. It needed to recharge.
But Luke did not hear or see this. He'd begun snoozing even before hitting the mattress.
A/N #1: Anakin and Padme are talking via a holoprojector just so that's clear.
A/N #2: I've seen some fics where the clones, Rex especially, are heavily versed in Mandalorian culture, including language. I haven't seen any evidence in the shows to support he has any general affinity for Mandalore nor does he know any customs, language, etc. Some people go with that angle in their fics, but not here.
A/N #3: For clarification, Maul was not the one who brought Luke into the past, he was talking about bringing Luke to Mandalore as part of his own scheme.
A/N #4: I would never kill off Cody in a million years XD
Anyway, I can't give anything more away other than that this is the start of the acceleration towards the end.
Next update: hopefully late February. No promises. It's about 40% written.
Rock on!
~TheWasp1995