Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Star Wars.
Hello again, sorry this chapter took so long to come but given the length it took longer to write.
Since this will likely be the last thing, I post this year I will take this opportunity to say Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all.
This chapter officially brings the Clone Wars era to an end. Sad to leave it but now the Dark Times and the Galactic Civil War beckon.
Review Responses from the Laster Chapter…
Tellemicus Sundance - I know! But this chapter does give an idea of what Anakin defending the temple rather than attacking it would look like.
raw666 - Without giving away too much it is the rise of an Empire but believe me, there will be a much wider number of factions in the struggle to come.
Antex-The Legendary Zoroark - Indeed! Thank you for reviewing!
Callum Runchman - Sorry to have to divide it into two chapters but when you see the size of this chapter, I think you will understand. I think it's the longest I have ever written! I know, I think if they had simply asked Bail Organa for help in the canon chances are it would never have happened. He would have helped her but Anakin I think was so obsessed he felt he had to do everyone on his own. Palpatine received much of the same disfigurements he got in the canon from Mace Windu but there is another effect to him being attacked by Talzin which will come into play in a later chapter. Each chapter will probably have a time skip between them as there is a lot of ground to cover since I have plans to take this story all the way to Return of the Jedi. In regards to Dooku and Grievous, yeah, they pretty much died as they did in canon, had no reason to really change them. There will be some big changes to the canon coming as you will soon see.
Starpottergeek - I take what you said as a great compliment and really appreciate you saying that! I do feel there should have been more training scenes but with new apprentices it gave the opportunity to contrast how differently Obi-Wan and Anakin would teach their students. Fenn has a role to play in the future as the Mandalorians regain their position as a strong military power in the galaxy, he might not always be seen but that is because he will be busy. Talzin was I think arrogant enough to think she could overtake Sidious and the Jedi as the dominant power in the galaxy and see how that turned out? Her coven and sons dead and her revenge foiled. Ood Bnar is a character we don't hear about much but was probably one of the greatest Jedi of his era. He will make an appearance. As for the ships you mentioned? The Mandalorian fleet is decided at this point but I think there is another two factions I can use them for, so thank you. Ahsoka's parents? Interesting idea but I would need to look into her home world to see if there is a reason for her to go back there.
Blaze1992 - Indeed it will be, the Jedi will have an impact on the expansion of the Empire too. Tarkin's Doctrine will still influence the creation of the Imperial Military which Haron knows how to take advantage of, but there will be some changes later in the war as its limitations become apparent. First Order tech? Not sure just yet.
red demon161 - True but that being said, Fenn is training a whole generation of Mandalorian pilots, Haron has limited options in this but he may become a part of his 'cabinet' as such later. As for their neighbours? Which planets are they? The maps constantly shift although the Mandalorians will be working with other worlds in the future.
please don't1 - I really am grateful you like the story and hope you can continue to do so! Thank you again!
Martin-di-Arcov - Happy to hear you enjoyed the chapter! Wait for another twist or two in this chapter!
JMRatCCHS - I am really happy to hear you say that. I write because I like too and hearing from people such as yourself that enjoy what I do means a great deal to me! Thank you for your kind words and hope that I can keep the quality of the story up.
Joe Lawyer - I know, that's why I had to divide it in two or there would have been too much for one chapter. Indeed, this chapter will reveal whether they have done enough or not. Probably not, there is too much bad blood between the Mandalorians and Jedi.
frankieu - Glad to hear you liked it! Things will change a great deal as the Galactic Civil War begins and there are more than three factions in this struggle, I assure you although the Mandalorians will be a key player. The Jedi and the Fleet Haron has will play a big part in that. As for the CIS? They will be a part of events in a way.
Mighty Ares - Sorry about ending it where I did but as you will see in this chapter, I had to cut it in two. Hopefully this part will make up for it. Thank you for your kind words! I appreciate them.
savitarsurffer - Thank you! I am glad you enjoy the story and hope you keep enjoying it. Anakin having a peer or at least someone who has at least some understanding of how he feels I think would have changed a great deal especially as Harry knows how it feels to be the 'Chosen One' and have all that weight on your shoulders. The clones with their chips removed? The immediate aftermath of that is seen in this chapter and more will come in the future.
RoyalTwinFangs - Thank you! I have been doing my best to keep things flowing as naturally as I can.
More Review Reponses at the end of the chapter…
On with the story…
Chapter 25 - Revenge of the Sith Part 2
All over the holonet, on every single Republic Channel and sent to every Clone Unit in the galaxy regardless of where they were, Order 66 was received and now the Jedi would see whether they were right to listen to Fives warning or not.
Felucia…
Commander Bly received the transmission while his general was talking with the Mandalorians. He didn't like them being here and wondered just what they were really up to but he answered the holo call all the same. A hologram of the Chancellor, shrouded in heavy robes appeared and he said only a short sentence.
"Execute Order 66."
Bly for a moment was surprised, he knew what the order was and what it meant but his instinct was immediately to reject it. He had fought at her side for years, risked life and death with her and he didn't even want to consider killing her. Many of the clones at his side, the ones in their personal squad that had like him removed their chips felt the same way. Most of them had been part of her unit for years and had a strong sense of loyalty to her.
However, other clones behind them heard the order and raised their rifles to obey it.
Seeing this Haron and his warriors not to mention Vysa raised their own weapons and pointed them towards the aggressive clones while Bly and his squad put themselves between the other clones and Aayla and Lali, both of whom were confused although Aayla was now starting to get just what was going on.
"Stand down!" Bly ordered the clones as he and his men shielded their general with their very bodies. "She's our general! She's fought for the Republic!"
"All Jedi are traitors! You are in violation of Order 66." The lead clone sergeant said as they all aimed their weapons at each other. Finally, when it was clear that Bly and his men weren't going to move, the other clones started shooting.
Bly and his men didn't want to fight their brothers but had no choice as blaster bolts started flying everywhere. Haron and his people deployed their small deflector shields while Vysa dived for some cover. Aayla and Lali had their lightsabers out and were doing their best to deflect the clones fire back at them.
"GET SOME COVER! WE'RE SITTING DUCKS OUT IN THE OPEN!" Haron yelled as he saw one of his men, one who had less pure beskar armour be hit by several shots from the clones and go down. Gritting his teeth, he and the rest of his warriors, Vysa, the two Jedi and Bly and his men tried to get some better cover.
However, the AT-TE that was travelling with the patrol was now in position and moved its cannon, firing at Bly and his squad. Bly seeing this yelled out a warning just before it fired, blasting the squad members that hadn't managed to get out of the way.
Haron saw another of his warriors go down and he felt his own fury rise up inside him, he stood up and while the calls from the others to get down were muted he summoned up the force inside him, they weren't going to get away from this without it he thought to himself and made his move.
He extended his hand and the tank fired again, now locked on him but to everyone's surprise the blast was stopped mid-air right in front of his hand.
The Jedi and Bly, now the only surviving clone on their side were open mouthed at what they were seeing, a Mandalorian…the Mandalore no less was using the force to a level that only the most powerful and skilled Jedi could manage…but he wasn't done yet.
He concentrated and sent the blast right back at the tank's cab. The shot ripped the tank at its weakest point and exploded inside, destroying the tank with its own weapon. But he wasn't finished or content with that, enraged by the loss of his men.
He summoned his magic again and started throwing out cutting and blast curses at a higher power level than he normally would at the clones who were still in shock over the Mandalorian singlehandedly destroying their tank and now throwing energy out of his hands. Blasts that either cut men in two or caved in their chests, either way killing them instantly. He was like machine, throwing out those force attacks that the Jedi had never seen before. Behind him, his warriors and Vysa got out and started shooting at the remaining clones to help while admiring the power Haron commanded.
The Jedi present meanwhile looked on in disbelief as the Mandalorian did things with the force they had never dreamed of. He reminded them almost of Skywalker as Haron commanded the force and decimated the clones with his warriors at his side.
As the last member of the patrol died, Haron and his people turned to face the Jedi, seeing to their anger that two members of their own group had fallen. Haron himself and even Vysa regretted having to kill the clones as they had no choice in what they were doing but knew there was nothing they could do for them now. All Haron could do was curse the Jedi for not acting on Fives' warning more.
Turning back to the Jedi and Bly who looked at them with guarded expressions, their weapons clearly in hand as if expecting a fight. Something that the Mandalorians were only too happy to return in kind. A tense standoff happened over the bodies of the clones.
Lali and Bly both looked to Aayla who stepped forward, Haron too to meet her in the middle both tense like they were going to fight for a moment.
"You can use the force?! How?" Aayla asked, now looking unsettled and alert for any more danger and still shaken by what had just happened with the clones.
"I was born with it, just like you and over the course of my life I have learned to wield it. But this is a discussion for another time. Right now, we need to get off this planet." Haron said with a stern business-like voice, his leader voice as some would have called it. Aayla frowned, not trusting him at all with this sudden revelation but the more practical side of her realised he was right. It was only a matter of time before the rest of the clones came looking for them or the droids who might be drawn by the chaos.
An explosion in the distance made all of them look and Haron realised was in the direction of the Canderous. He immediately went for his comm and demanded.
"Fenn! Fenn! What's going on?"
There was a tense silence for a moment before Fenn finally answered.
"Sorry Mandalore, that was a Hyena bomber on a patrol. We had the ship powered down to avoid detection and the shields were down. The ship is wrecked, we got out but the ship is in pieces." Fenn reported.
"Shit!" Haron said under his breath, feeling very much like some higher power was working against them. He told Fenn. "Lock in on our beacon and get here as fast as you can. Vysa, please tell me you have a ship otherwise we're screwed." He said turning to his sister with the dear hope that she had a way for them to get off planet.
Vysa nodded.
"Yeah, I hid my ship under camouflage netting. If they haven't found it, it should be able to get us all off planet…even the Jedi." Vysa said with some distain, not wanting to risk taking the Jedi but knowing since they weren't complete bastards, they would end up taking them anyway.
"Good, then let's get moving." Haron said, trying not to let what he and Aayla too was feeling in the force. What was happening across the galaxy at this very moment everywhere Jedi could be found.
- x -
On Mygeeto, Ki-Adi Mundi. So arrogant and full of himself, he had failed to heed the warning of Fives and he would as he charged across the battlefield pay for that decision with his life. His clone marines, so loyal under normal circumstances all stopped and kneeled.
He stopped to see what was happening and as they raised their blasters at him, realising only in the last moment just what a fool he had been for ignoring the warning he had been given and the unease he had felt in the force.
Jaro Tapal, such a brave and strong commander giving his life for his padawan so they could escape the cruiser he had been commanding before it was destroyed.
Nem Bees, shot in the back by his own clone commander.
Chiata, a Jedi Master and Marseph, her apprentice fighting a fierce battle which brought down their ship on Zeffo before dying from their wounds.
Ferroda, on Cato Neimoida gunned down by force sensitive clone X2.
But in other places, those where Jedi had listened to the warning, fate took an unexpected turn…
Plo Koon, flying with his personal squadron over the cities of Cato Neimoida heard his pilots receive the order and the lead pilot, one of the clones 'Jag' that had fought with Plo Koon since the beginning of the war and become his trusted wingman told his general that he had eluded them and escaped into the clouds. Plo Koon, a wise and cunning master took the hint and flew away from the squadron and into the clouds below to lost them. Jag and his pilots getting their stories straight watching him vanish and wished him the best.
On Kaller, where Depa Billaba and her legion were based when Commander Grey and Captain Styles both received Order 66. They were confused at first, not sure what was going on but Clone Force 99, also known as the Bad Batch were watching nearby. They likewise were surprised at the order but as Grey told Billaba and her apprentice Celeb to run, Crosshair raised his blaster rifle to shoot them in the back only for Hunter to push it down and argue with him about what they were doing. By the time Crosshair managed to look up again the Jedi had vanished.
Tsui Choi and several other Jedi were able to run from their execution as clones, having grown loyal to their Jedi Generals let them run rather than kill them. All of Anakin's small cadre of Jedi wherever they were in the galaxy slipped away as did the few others that had either had the chips removed or kept a certain distance from the clones so they could escape.
- x -
Utapau, the Outer Rim…
The Battle against the Separatist forces who were occupying the planet was still raging despite the death of General Grievous. Commander Cody who still had Kalifa at his side received the order just like many clones but only he heard it due to the chaos of battle.
His chip, having been removed meant he had no compunction to act on it, to kill not only the general that he had been fighting alongside for years and risked their lives in so many battles, but more to the point he thought looking at Kalifa at his side.
He didn't kill children!
"Kalifa. Listen to me." Cody told her and she was fully concentrated on the battle, the young girl was confused at his interruption but more so by what he said next. "Get out of here. Run!"
"Commander?" She asked, confused as to what he was going on about but he saw that there was a follow-up message to the wider comm net that would alert the rest of the men to Order 66 activation, he might only have seconds to spare he told her, pushing her shoulder to encourage her.
"Just run!" He told her and Kalifa while not understand did as he told her and ran away from the clones in the direction, he had pushed her, just in time for Cody to see General Kenobi who was still riding that beast mount to be blasted clean off the cliff he was scaling and fall down the deep sink whole tunnel. Cody just hoped that the General had survived, he had seen him come through worse but turned his attention back to the battle and hoped that what he had been able to do was enough to help.
- x -
University of Aldera, Alderaan…
Olge Plavi-Dol and Rig Nema looked at the holonews with horror at the decimation of the Order, accused of treason against the Republic and mercilessly hunted down and slaughtered. Through the force they could feel it, the destruction of the Order across the entire galaxy.
They knew the Order had been framed! There was no way the Council would do that! But at the same time there was nothing they could do. They were posing as students at university, even using false names to make sure the likelihood of them being discovered as Jedi was as small as possible.
"What do we do?" Rig Nema asked her colleague, fear clear on her face and Olge frowned before saying.
"The only thing we can. We hide. No one knows we are Jedi; we use our false identities to stay hidden from the Republic and don't tell anyone." Olge said, her heart breaking at having to abandon the way of the Jedi that she had sworn her life too. Rig looked shattered too at the idea of it but they had no other choice.
Either hide…or die.
Jedi Temple, Coruscant...
The massing clone troopers, all with their chips intact marched towards the Jedi Temple. They didn't care to try and hide their approach; they didn't fear the Jedi and were intent on killing every Jedi they could find.
Inside the Temple, the transports were being loaded with as much and as many Jedi as possible while others did their best to ready their defences. Anakin being one of only a handful of Council Members present in the temple had been given charge of co-ordinating the defenders with Master Windu who was helping direct those evacuating.
Anakin was feeling tense, very tense as having fought alongside the clones all these years he knew how capable they were and now they were about to try and blast their way into the temple with the intention of killing them all.
He wasn't really worried for himself, he wasn't afraid of dying and he knew that Padme, Ahsoka, Rex and Allana were safe, far from here. No, the sight of all the small children around and images of them dead. That both scared and angered him but he forced it under control and directed his anger at the approaching enemy.
The sight of Master Tuwan approaching made his spirit feel a little lighter, the comforting aura of the wise and experienced master easing his tension but it was accompanied by a mounting sense of dread.
"Anakin, I know that I'm on the first evacuation ship. But I feel someone else should be taking my place." Tuwan said, not wishing anyone to die on his account but Anakin shook his head, knowing the danger that faced those that had chosen to stay behind.
"Master." Anakin said respectfully but with a sense of urgency as he knew time was short. "The Jedi Order will need you. This Temple is going to fall, all we can do is defend it as long as we can to let as many get away as possible. Those that do escape are going to need your guidance. You must go." Anakin said, he wasn't allowed to know where each transport for security reasons just in case he was captured. He would rather die than tell Sidious anything, Anakin thought with disgust that he had ever thought the man one of the best he had ever met. But it was not worth the risk of him knowing all the same.
Tuwan nodded in acceptance, smiling sadly before putting a hand on Anakin's shoulder and told him.
"This will not be our last meeting Anakin although it may be a long time before we meet again. May the Force be you and know that I believe in you." Tuwan said honestly and Anakin was actually moved almost to tears by that but there was no more time as Tuwan had to rush to join the large transport that was taking him Master Sinube and Master Sabla-Mandibu to wherever they were going.
Anakin watched him go and he just hoped Master Tuwan was right in this wouldn't be the last time they saw each other.
Reluctantly he went to join Bao-Dur and Master Paratus who were now standing in the security control room and looking at the massing clone troopers. Master Windu was there and greeted him with a nod which Anakin returned.
"Activate the first level." Master Windu ordered and Bao-Dur pressed a number of buttons.
- x -
Outside on the long path to the temple there were a large number of statues that lined the path and over the last few years Bao-Dur and Kazdan Paratus had added a hidden surprise for those that dared tried to invade the Temple.
Out of the statues emerged a number of fast firing laser turrets. Rotating for a moment they locked onto their targets and opened fire.
The clone armour was not strong enough to resist the fast-firing laser bolts that were now spraying out of the statues, covering the entire path up to the temple. The clones themselves never having expected this were caught completely off-guard. The turrets were programmed by the excellent mind of Bao-Dur to automatically account for the number of enemies and how to maximise the area of fire.
Dozens of clones were cut down in the opening volley and the others were forced back to avoid the same fate, some tried to fire back but the statues had been reinforced with a protective coating and when some of the rocket troopers that had accompanied the legion for this attack tried using their missiles to destroy the turrets a ray shield, another one of Bao-Dur's innovations activated the moment the missile was detected, blocking it from causing any damage.
- x -
Inside the Jedi Temple, an announcement was heard over the temple's PA system.
"The First Transport is away." A voice said and as the Jedi inside the temple cheered it repeated. "The First Transport is away."
Anakin who was looking at the situation with a frown meanwhile didn't join in because he knew that eventually the clones would find a way through their first level of defence.
Good Fortune, VCX-100 Light Freighter…Leaving Felucia Orbit…
Vysa's ship was a slightly modified Corellian light freighter that thankfully would not be out of place in any space port on any world given the popularity of Corellian designs. Vysa was sitting in the pilot's seat and gunning the engines for all they were worth to get as far away from Felucia as fast as possible.
"Setting course for the Mandalorian border!" Vysa said as she accessed the navi-computer and setting course for Reijar regardless of the fact they had two Jedi and a clone onboard.
"No." Aayla said from co-pilot's position which she had taken the moment the ship took off. "I've found some Jedi distress calls; we need to get them before the clones do."
"We just escaped one ambush and you want us to go into another one." Haron said sharply, aware they had been lucky to get away with their lives.
"They're in trouble. We can't just leave them to die." Lali said with an almost pathetic look of pleading on her face.
"So, could we if we go." Vysa said with a sharp voice, not wanting to risk their lives for Jedi.
"If the Republic is trying to kill the Jedi, then saving as many as we can is the best way to mess with the Chancellor's plans." Bly said, still shaken from having to fight his brothers on Felucia but following his general as he always had.
Haron sighed, knowing that the more Jedi that survived this massacre the better as even one of them could keep the fight against the Sith going in some small way. He could feel the pull of the force telling him that this was important. He frowned and then groaned with frustration before telling them.
"We will go to the nearest one and see if it is possible but that only. I will not endanger my warriors or my sister to save Jedi." Haron told them with anger. Vysa and his warriors were surprised at the decision but said nothing as they trusted his judgement. "Where is the nearest?"
"Dustrox, it should only take an hour to get there." Aayla said with a relieved smile he was willing to even try. Setting the course, Vysa gave him a final look to confirm he wanted to do this and reluctantly he nodded.
So, she pushed the lever and the ship jumped to hyperspace.
- x -
Dustrox, One Hour Later…
The planet of Dustrox was a backwater with little strategic value and the only reason it had any forces on it at all since the Separatists had completely avoided the planet was as a place for training exercises.
The Jedi used it too for training younglings since it was a relatively safe planet with no real chance of enemy encounters. That all changed thought when Order 66 had gone out. A knight, her padawan and a group of younglings had been ambushed by the clones and now were hiding in a cave as the clones closed in.
"Don't go. We need to stick together." Trilla Suduri said with fear in her voice. Her master Cere Junda looked to the mouth of the cave with anticipation. She wasn't sure what to do or say that would reassure her scared padawan.
"No. I'm-" Cere started to say only to stop as she sensed something approaching, her hopes rising as she realised salvation might be close. She quickly told Trilla. "Gather up the younglings, I think rescue is at hand. Now!" She said seeing the hesitation on her padawan's face. Trilla did as she said and gathered up the three younglings they had and rushed to the mouth of the cave to see a VCX-100 freighter coming down towards them fast.
For a moment they thought it was going to crash but it stopped short of the surface and swung around so the port side docking hatch was facing them. It opened and a familiar Rutian Jedi was revealed on the other side, gesturing for them to come aboard with some urgency. The ship's blaster turrets started firing at the approaching clones to keep them at bay.
"Come on." Cere said to everyone and they started running towards the waiting ship, blaster bolts flying all around them as the clones tried hitting them at a distance as the freighter did its best to hold them off. Cere reached the docking port first but stopped and turned to help the younglings and Trilla aboard first.
Trilla meanwhile cried out in pain as a stray blaster bolt hit her in the leg and she felt into the dirt. She moaned as her leg hurt so much, she couldn't get up and as Cere put the last of the younglings on the ship she froze, seeing her apprentice on the ground not able to move some distance away.
But then a figure wearing a jetpack and Mandalorian armour pushed past Secura and flew out of the ship, dodging the fire that was now concentrating on them the figure while still flying only a short distance from the ground scooped Trilla up in his arms and turned around in a circle returning to the ship. He flew in the hatch just as it shut and the ship roared away from the surface as fast as possible.
Onboard Haron set Trilla down on the table where the crew would usually eat and seeing blaster burn on her leg and the pain the poor girl was in, he knelt down and drew on the Force, concentrating on the burnt and damaged tissue in the girl's leg. A strange golden light appeared around his hand as he placed in on the girl's injured leg, and before the amazed eyes of not only his own guards but Aayla Secura, her apprentice Lali, Bly and Trilla's own master Cere the tissue began to regenerate.
Trilla whimpered for a moment before a sensation of relief came to her face and she sighed in relief. After a couple of moments Haron removed his hands and revealed not a mark on the girl's skin at all, the only evidence that she had been shot at all was the burn mark and hole on her robe's right leg.
Haron still had his helmet on but took it off to give the girl a reassuring smile which made her feel a lot safer. He had used an advanced healing spell from Earth that was usually used to treat curse wounds but worked just as well on blaster shots.
Cere looked at the scene with shock and hadn't even moved to see if Trilla was really okay, Aalya meanwhile blinked in surprise at how advanced the Mandalorians were in the force. No Jedi she had ever met could heal that effectively or quickly even their best healers would usually end up leaving a scar with a wound like that. It troubled her though that they could become so skilled without the Jedi even catching a whiff of it. How could they not have noticed, she thought with astonishment at how blind the Order must be to not have noticed that the former Field Marshal of the Republic and Mandalore of the Mandalorian people was a force user of not just high skill but great power as well.
"There, don't put too much weight on it straight away. Give it a couple of days easy going but then you should be fine." Haron told her, recognising the girl as Trilla Suduri, the lost girl that was sold to the Jedi by the bitch Satine Kryze. Trilla nodded with a look of awe on her face, in complete admiration of the man that had just saved her life and healed her.
Cere seemed finally to have registered that Trilla her apprentice needed her and rushed forward as Haron got up and put his helmet back on and turning to Aayla Secura again who was now more on guard even if she was grateful for his helping to restore her fellow Jedi.
"Now, where is the next distress call? We are not a Jedi taxi service and if we are going to do this it is on our terms." Haron said as Vysa and his guards appeared, Bly though made Cere and Trilla panic for a moment and reaching for their sabers but Aayla insisted he was on their side and they settled for keeping their distance from him. Something that unsettled Bly who wasn't comfortable at the Jedi being afraid of him.
"Bracca, at least it's on the way back to Mandalore." Vysa said with some relief at them going in at least the right direction.
"Then let's get a move on. Things are only going to get worse before they start getting better." Haron said before he and Vysa went back to the cockpit.
Cere watched them go with suspicious eyes but turned to Aayla and smiled, relieved at her presence.
"I owe you a great debt Master Secura. I think I would have lost a great deal without your intervention." Cere said and Aayla nodded with a slight smile.
"It was a pleasure Master Junda, I was just lucky that I stumbled across such allies otherwise myself, my apprentice and Bly wouldn't have made it off Felucia alive." Aayla told her and the mention of their strange allies which made things tense again.
"What have you seen from them so far?" Cere asked, wondering just how advanced the Mandalorians really were in the force. Aayla told her what she had seen.
"They can send out blasts of the force that can cut men in two or cave in their chests with a single blow, their telekinesis is roughly on the same level as our own. And now I know that they are skilled in the healing arts as well." Aayla said but felt compelled to add. "If not for that though I think we would all be dead right now."
"Then we should keep our eyes open for more." Cere said but Trilla interrupted.
"But they're helping us!" She said, a little outraged at her master judging the man who saved her.
Cere just ignored her, not sure being on this ship with Mandalorians especially one that could use the force was any safer than being back on Dustrox.
Reijar, Ordo System…
On Reijar, inside the Ordo Compound, everyone watched with horrified eyes as they saw the chaos that was unfolding in the wider galaxy.
Padme looked at the news reports of the Chancellor surviving an attempt on his life by the Jedi. She, Ahsoka, Rex and Allara all looked on in fear as he ordered the wiping out of the Jedi Order without exception and then images of an attack on the Jedi Temple that for now seemed to be holding the clones back but still, they knew that Anakin was in the middle of that and they had no information on Obi-Wan at all.
"I feel so helpless." C-3PO said to R2 while Padme looked on the verge of tears at what was happening, Ahsoka put a comforting arm around her shoulders and gave her a hug while she cried her own tears. Rex and Allara were more stoic but Allara was still almost shaking with emotion as she was confronted with the horror of the Jedi Order falling while Rex like the droids just felt completely helpless.
Fives had a stronger reaction as he felt depression greater than he had felt in his entire life, this was the very thing he had hoped so hard to prevent, happening right before his eyes.
Ara too was watching with her face cold, but beneath her mask she was terrified for her husband, he was alright she could feel that through the force and their bond within it. The children were having terrible nightmares, feeling through the force the horrible things happening out there. Luna and the others were doing their best to reassure them but it was hard to tell children things were going to be alright when their nightmares were real.
Grahuur at her side put a hand on her shoulder to reassure her and she gratefully nodded with a small smile, glad to have him there in that moment.
Heaven knows she thought with depression, there wasn't much good news right now.
Republic Prison, Coruscant…
Luminara Unduli had not been off world since her former apprentice's arrest and fall from grace. Instead, she had resigned her duties on the Council and as a general, devoting her time to trying to heal Barriss's broken spirit.
With mixed results Luminara thought with some worry. Barriss was no longer as angry as she had been when she first started visiting but she still had nothing but contempt for the Jedi Order. She did feel guilty for what she had done to Ahsoka Tano which was a definite improvement over her previous attitude though.
But as Luminara was listening to Barriss talk about her thoughts she felt something in the force, despite being in the cell Barriss sensed it too, they felt a great disturbance…Jedi were dying Luminara thought with horror…a lot of Jedi were dying.
A group of clones who were assigned to prison security started running up the corridor and Luminara felt a warning of danger and subconsciously reached for her lightsaber and had it in hand ready when the clones raised their blasters and started shooting.
The green blade came to life and deflected the blaster shots before Luminara closed the door with the force. Shut tight she turned around and looked at Barriss who was as confused as she was in this situation and was conflicted for a moment at what she was thinking of doing but decided she couldn't leave Barriss to die.
So, while she could feel the clones trying to open the door but she held it firmly shut, she used her lightsaber to destroy the conduit powering the security field.
The orange energy field flicked for a moment before disappearing, leaving Barriss who had spent months inside the cell able to move outside it. She looked confused at why Luminara had done this but told her.
"I do not understand what is happening Barriss but I know we have the best chance of survival if we work together. All I ask is that you trust me and work with me one last time. I know you don't trust me but I know that you are more than a killer. Come on." Luminara said calmly.
Barriss was surprised at the assertion but could feel the danger all around them and knew since she didn't have her own sabers she would need to rely on Luminara. So, she nodded and both of them started running for the nearest exit.
A group of clones appeared in their path and Barriss unleashed a force scream, something she had learned from her ancestor's holocron, the clones were immediately struck with intense pain and were easy prey for Luminara's lightsaber as they ran past them.
It was like the old days Barriss thought absently, when she and Luminara had been a team…when she had actually believed the Jedi were doing good in the galaxy. She had started to see that the Jedi hadn't been truly responsible for the war even if they had made the first move…no it was the corruption in the Republic that was truly to blame. Combined with the apathy of the Jedi Order to the lives of the rest of the galaxy that had created the war.
Barriss and Luminara had been a good team back then she thought, letting her thoughts return to a more pleasant time in her life.
But as they reached the checkpoint just before the exit to the prison, she saw a mass of clones start shooting all at once. Luminara did her best but one of the bolts managed to find its way through her saber and struck her chest. Another followed and as Barriss ducked into an alcove as she saw her former master cut down right before her eyes.
Barriss was shocked to see it, she had many times dreamed of seeing Luminara dead and would have gladly killed her at least when she had been making her plot but now, she felt a great deal of anger towards the clones. Anger hardened her resolve and she called Luminara's saber into her hand and ignited the green blade herself. Moving out of the alcove with her speed increased with the force she cut her way through the clone troopers with fury, cutting them all down in moments. She looked back at her master's body and sighed with a slight grief before with her master's saber still in hand. Leaping clear of the walls and landing on the other side before running as far away as she could, heading towards the spaceport where she would get on the first ship that was leaving Coruscant.
Her stealth, again learned from her ancestor's holocron allowed her to get on a departing starliner, hiding in one of the vacant rooms she relaxed on the comfortable bed and lay down as her adrenaline started to run out. She wondered just what was happening but knew whatever it was, it would be best to hide. Especially as she had just escaped from prison and the Republic wouldn't hesitate to kill her this time.
But she would be free Barriss thought with a smile, thanks to the master that she had hated for so long. Barriss felt some reluctant gratitude towards Luminara for that. So, she decided there and then to live her life, be free and go where the force took her. The prospect made Barriss smile, a sense of freedom and excitement coming to her at the idea of just doing what she wanted. Not what the Jedi or Republic wanted but something just for herself.
- x -
The Jedi Temple, Coruscant…
The clones despite being forced to stop their march temporarily by the blaster turrets unfortunately had started to regain ground as they learned that the turret ray shields could only be deployed on one side at a time. So, it one fired a missile or heavy blaster from one direction only for another to hit it from another side.
Slowly they moved forward demolishing the turrets until they reached the steps of the temple where a new danger presented itself. Some of the two hundred knights or masters who had volunteered stood there hurling rocks and scrap from the highest point on the temple steps down towards them.
Some clones were smashed by the sheer force and weight of heavy objects being thrown at them but while it did slow them down, it didn't stop them. Slowly they begun to advance again and the Jedi retreated behind ray shields on the doors, the Jedi knew they were slowly being forced back but all the defenders had to do was buy time for the evacuation to be completed.
Anakin stood with Jurokk and the Temple Guards as they monitored the situation. The seventh transport had just managed to get away but that still left another seven to go and time was running out, he could see the clones were bringing up heavier weapons to break through the shields. In the security room Mace Windu, Saesee Tinn, Cin Drallig and Minisa Anari stood organising the other ships. Over half the Jedi in the temple had now been evacuated and now they would have to try and launch more ships at once.
- x -
Bail Organa, a firm ally of the Jedi as many of his family had been across centuries of history watched and realised quite quickly that they were being set up, whatever the Chancellor's motives might be he knew that he had to do something.
He couldn't get anywhere near the Jedi Temple; clones were now blocking all entrance to the area so he took his personal starship the CR70 corvette Tantive III on the hunt to find any Jedi that might have run into this catastrophe. He only hoped there was someone left to rescue.
Utapau, the Outer Rim…
Kalifa was terrified, running through the halls of Utapau with no destination in mind. She heard the clones looking for her but they kept calling her 'target 2' and that she had to be eliminated along with Master Kenobi.
Kalifa didn't understand, she thought with fear remembering back to another time when she had been hunted only this time it was by those the clones. She didn't have any idea just what to do or where to go. There was no-one to help her this time, no Ahsoka or Wookiees to help, no other younglings to watch her back, nowhere to hide.
Fear was making her almost shake at her situation. She was all alone on a hostile planet and had no idea of what to do.
However, she was so distracted by this that she didn't notice someone creeping up behind her, she screamed as she was grabbed from behind but the sound was muffled by a hand being pressed over her mouth. A familiar voice then urgently told her.
"Hush, it's okay." Kalifa was instantly relieved as she recognised Master Kenobi's voice and relaxed.
"Master! What's going on?" Kalifa asked and Obi-Wan with a frown on his face just told her.
"I'm not sure my padawan. But one thing is clear, the clones have turned on us. We have to try and contact the Jedi Temple to find out what is happening." He told her and added. "We'll have to use Grievous's fighter to get off world. It may not be a comfortable fit." He said with a frown knowing it was designed only for one and since he was not going to leave her here, the only option was for her to sit on his lap or steal another ship but they had no time for that and all the spaceports were being watched, he had checked.
The fighter was their only chance he thought grimly.
The Jedi Temple, Coruscant…
The ray shields protecting the exterior of the Jedi Temple finally fell and clone troopers poured into the temple with a vengeance, emotionless due to the chip but determined more than ever to fulfil their programming and annihilate the Jedi.
Anakin grimaced and turned to Bao-Dur and Kazdan Paratus who nodded and activated the next level of defences, ones for inside the temple should it ever be breached.
From hidden compartments laser turrets appeared as the clones fanned out to look for Jedi, the training remotes activated their improved settings and training droids with blasters and lightsabers joined the two hundred Jedi including Anakin in fighting the intruders.
Mace Windu turned to Bao-Dur and Kazdan Paratus whose tireless work had bought them time to get as many of Jedi out as they had and was continuing to do so.
"Don't wait too long, get out when you can." Mace warned the two Jedi who nodded with grim looks on their faces. He looked to Minisa Anari who still to his concertation had her padawan Bene with her. "You too." He added looking at the pair.
They nodded their heads in agreement and then turned back to making sure the ships continued to leave the landing bay and now only a handful remained. They just needed to hold out a little bit longer Mace thought as he led the other Jedi down to join the defence.
Reinforced blast doors and ray shields blocked certain routes and forced the clones down certain routes that were rigged with traps. The turrets poked out of the walls and shot at them while training remotes darted in and out, shooting at the clones at random while training droids with blasters and lightsabers joined in the carnage.
The two hundred Jedi defenders ambushed clones where they could, the Temple Guards and Jurokk standing with Cin Drallig as they cut their way through clones using the defences of the temple to make the fight fair.
Anakin was defending a corridor with Mace Windu, their blue and purple blades swinging through the air, taking down any clone that they got close too.
Unfortunately, the clones were merely distracting the two Jedi so one of their number could fire a rocket at the pair while they were busy and unable to call on the force to protect themselves. At the last-moment Mace Windu however saw the rocket coming straight at them and force pushed Anakin further down the corridor just as it hit.
The explosion rocked the corridor killing many of the clones and bringing heavy marble down on them all. Anakin winced but was able to avoid injury, however his lightsaber was not so lucky. He saw it smashed in half when it had fallen from his hand and been crushed by a large piece of marble. He scowled at his personal weapon's destruction but then saw Master Windu was laying there, burned and badly cut.
Anakin rushed over to him and saw to his surprise that Mace was still alive if only barely. His eyes were filled with pain but he was stoic even now. His voice was gasping for breath as he moved his less injured arm which still had his lightsaber in his hand.
"Take it." Master Windu said with great effort, his body almost completely broken but his mind was still strong. Anakin could hardly imagine the pain that Mace must be feeling but reluctantly Anakin took the saber and went to try and free him but Mace shook his head, grimacing for a moment before telling him.
"Too far gone…and you…know it." Mace told him, pausing before managing with effort to keep going. "Whatever happens tonight…survive it. Do…not…let the…Sith…win."
"I swear, I will fight them and I will stop them." Anakin told Master Windu who nodded like he was satisfied and told him with a smile.
"Qui-Gon was right about you. You are a True Jedi, the future of our order." Mace said which surprised Anakin but not as much as what happened next.
Mace stilled, then his body seemed to fade away right before Anakin's eyes. He blinked for a second before the sound of boots made him look up and to his fury saw that clones were moving in on his position. He ignited his borrowed lightsaber and then grabbed them with the force, choking them before snapping their necks with harsh twist before moving out into the corridor to look for anyone else that needed help.
Bracca…
It didn't take long to find the only Jedi on Bracca thankfully, as they landed the Good Fortune, they found an abandoned escape pod from a Republic Cruiser. Haron closed his eyes and let the force guide him to his target. He hadn't used his force tracking in years, there had simply been no need but thankfully it was just as good as before. He and Aayla Secura, disguised by cloaks followed the trail, he could feel her eyes on him but he ignored them. Revealing himself to the Jedi had been a huge risk he thought with frustration but there was no other way to get out of the situation they had been in.
So, he would deal with the inevitable fallout as best he could Haron thought with determination and thankfully as he made that decision came across the one that he was searching for. In a small alcove of the settlement a boy had tucked himself in with a blanket around him. He was making himself as small as possible so not to be noticed and they felt the force within him but it was unstable, probably by mental trauma. Haron frowned as he wondered how many Jedi were going to be like that by the end of this business.
Aayla reached in and put a comforting hand on his shoulder, the boy moved and Haron saw he had red hair and was absolutely terrified but the moment he saw Aayla he relaxed.
"Master Secura!" He said with incredible relief, a little too loudly but fortunately Haron managed to cast a notice me not spell that kept people around them from hearing or noticing what they were doing. The feeling of a force bubble forming around them distracted Aayla for a moment but she quickly turned back to the boy and asked him.
"That I am, now what's your name?" Aayla asked putting a kind smile on her face for the boy who was still shaking slightly with fear.
"Cal. Cal Kestis, Master Secura." Cal said and Aayla nodded and told him.
"Well Cal Kestis, come with me. We need to get off this world." Aayla said and Cal took her hand before the three quickly made their way back to the ship. When they arrived, Cal looked at the freighter in surprise but the sight of Cere Junda, Trilla, Lali and a few younglings seemed to relax him. The Mandalorians on the ship did unsettle him a little given their reputation but reassured by Aayla he did settle in.
With Fenn and Vysa at the controls they blasted off Bracca as fast as possible. Reaching open space, they prepared to make the jump to hyperspace but Trilla who had been taking care of the younglings noticed the Mandalorians looking at her with almost pity. It had confused her at first but now it was starting to annoy her as they just kept giving her strange looks and she finally couldn't ignore it any longer.
"What is it about me that you find so fascinating that you keep staring?" Trilla finally said to one of the warriors. They didn't look embarrassed at being caught out, quite the contrary in fact they looked sad.
"You don't know where you come from do you?" One of the female warriors asked with a sad look on her face. Trilla was confused as she had no idea just what they meant by that but one of the other warriors filled her in.
"You were born Mandalorian girl." An older man with thin white hair said with a regretful look in his eye. "You were given to the Jedi as part of a secret deal by the traitor Satine Kryze. By right, you should be wearing armour like ours, not Jedi robes."
"What?!" Trilla said, confused as she had never been told that she came from Mandalore or that her own people had been against her going.
"You should have been one of us." Fenn Rau said as he came into the room. "Educated by the state so you could choose your own life path, to be whatever you wanted while developing the passion and drive to make you skilled in whatever you decided to do. A future you were cheated out of. A possible family and part of a culture that would let you have the freedom to do whatever you wished. All gone so Satine Kryze could enjoy the protection of the Jedi to keep her in power." Fenn said almost spitting the last part out.
Trilla was shocked as she could feel they were telling the truth, the force making her feel their sincerity. She was completely floored at the idea that if a particular deal had not been made when she was born then she would have been one of them. Raised as warrior or at least to their code and while many Jedi saw the Mandalorians as mere mercenaries for hire or violent cruel butchers who defiled the worlds they touched and deserved to be punished for defying the Republic and barbarism. She did not.
Instead, she found herself interested in the culture that apparently was denied to her and couldn't help but ask.
"What's it like? Being a Mandalorian?" Trilla asked, wondering about the culture she had apparently been deprived of.
Fenn in the background smiled as the others explained their culture and rules to her before returning the cockpit. But then the corridor was rocked which knocked all of them to the floor.
- x -
"How did that thing sneak up on us?" Haron demanded as he got to his feet, Vysa in the pilot seat clung to the pilot's controls and told him.
"It didn't, since we are an unaffiliated vessel, we thought it wouldn't bother us but obviously they decided to be assholes. They've got a tractor beam on us; I can't break free." Vysa said with gritted teeth but looking at the Republic Dreadnaught-class ship outside which was dragging them into their docking bay Haron could feel the reason it had taken an interest in them.
"There are Dark Jedi on that ship." Haron said with a deep frown, knowing they must have sensed the Jedi on the Good Fortune. Aayla however stared and sensed something else.
"And Jedi, real Jedi too. I sense they are in pain." Aayla said and added. "We should rescue them if we can."
"Rescue might not be possible Master Secura, we haven't even got a plan to get out of this ourselves yet." Cere said with a grimace, not wanting to abandon those Jedi but knew the situation was bleak and it might be too big a risk.
"Well, whatever we do, we'd better do it fast." Vysa said with a look of anger at the situation and Haron knew they would need to be smart about this. Making a plan on the spot he turned to the others and gave his orders.
"Right, we need to not only take out their tractor beam but destroy the ship as well. Me and Vysa will fight our way to the computer core and tractor beam to deal with that. Secura and Junda will go with Bly to free those prisoners. Divide their attention. The others will guard the ship while we're gone, we can't afford to lose our ride." He told them, not keen on this but it was the best he could come up with on such short notice. He could try to hide them under spells but with the Dark Jedi so close he wasn't sure if that would work so he would make as big a mess as possible to divide their attention while making their escape.
"That's the plan!" Bly said with some disbelief at how risky it was but Vysa snapped at him.
"Do you have any better ideas!?"
The silence that followed was all the answer they needed, and as the ship entered the ship Haron gave his orders to the others and the moment the ship was inside the bay, he saw all the clone troopers there and without wasting another moment he leapt out of the ship with blasters in hand.
The clones obviously were not expecting anything like this and had no cover, Haron moved at a speed even droids would struggle to match as he drew deeply on the force. He cut them all down in moments and Vysa to her credit didn't waste time and jumped out to follow him. The Jedi Knights were astonished at this even with what they had seen so far but had a rescue mission of their own to complete.
- x -
Haron stormed through the corridors of the ship, using his blasters to cut down clones who dared appear in his path along with Vysa who was using all four of her blasters including the ones mounted to her shoulders to try and down as many soldiers as she could. Haron wasn't just using his blasters though, he using disarming charms pulled the blasters out of the clones' hands before they were mercilessly cut down.
When they reached the ship's power core, a long platform and walkway surrounded it, clone troopers were running along the walkway straight towards them and Haron, not wanting to waste time, simply vanished the walkway right beneath their feet. The clones suddenly found themselves falling through the air while Haron and Vysa flew the short distance and landed on the centre platform where Haron vanished the other walkways to make it harder for the clones to get to them. Haron attached his slicer gear to the power distribution panel while Vysa kept her eyes open for any trouble. Looking again at where the walkways used to be she blinked in surprise and told him.
"You have to teach me to do that."
Despite the situation Haron smirked and told her.
"We get out of this and you have a deal."
She smirked too and went back to keeping watch while he used one of the computer viruses his people had cooked up and fed it into the ship's main systems, it was a variant of the Armageddon Virus they had recovered on Odessan. This version was designed to disable systems randomly and lock out terminals across the ship. Haron with that done disconnected the slicer kit and planted charges at the base of the ship's power reactor, the original generators the designers had fitted to the ship were woefully inefficient and the Republic to improve them had replaced it some vessels with a hypermatter reactor like that of many Separatist ships.
It did create enough power for the ship to solve the energy issue but it did leave the ship with a dangerous weakness should the reactor ever rupture or explode. The charges would make sure it destroyed the ship and the vanished walkways would make it very hard for the clones to reach and disarm the charges in time. Haron then, being familiar with the design of the vessel from their own variants back home took Vysa's hand and with a pop apparated to the tractor beam control room.
Their sudden appearance shocked the men on duty but Haron grabbed all three of them with the force and snapped their necks with a single motion. Honestly, he thought it was a relief after having to conceal his powers for so long to let loose. Vysa looked at the scene before her and the sudden change of location.
"You really have to teach me to do that!" Vysa said with awe and Haron smiled before telling her.
"When we get out of this mess, I will teach you personally if that is what you want. Just don't mention it to the Jedi as I would like to keep a few things secret. Now help me trash this tractor beam. We won't be going anywhere otherwise."
She nodded and they got to work, hoping the Jedi were doing as well with their side of the plan.
- x -
In the ship's holding area, Aayla and Cere arrived to see several cells protected by orange security fields but inside a number of Jedi were bound to the wall and unable to move. At their side was Trilla and Bly, Aayla hadn't been happy that Cere had brought the young girl with her as this was more dangerous than she thought was acceptable for an apprentice. That was why she had left Lali and Cal on the ship with the younglings and the Mandalorians, Trilla was a slightly older padawan than them but still in her mind too young.
Aayla was starting to question some of Cere's decisions and wondered if she had the right mindset for teaching a padawan, a master should provide reassurance to a padawan and Cere didn't really do that. She wondered just what had made Cere choose Trilla as a student in the first place? But those thoughts had to stop as she saw ahead of them was the reason they had been detected and brought onto this vessel.
Three dark Jedi, she thought with disgust. Worse she recognised them as members of the Order! Former members now she guessed bitterly. They had all been knighted for their heroism earlier in the war but now it seemed they had turned their backs on the very thing they were supposed to be protecting.
"Oh, his majesty will reward us when we bring him your heads." Kai Rees said with a smug grin, a human male in his early twenties now with lighter skin and dark brown hair.
"A master, a knight and a fresh padawan for the new Inquisitors." The Togruta named Kalda Reb seemed almost excited by the idea. Trilla at their side was scared as she had never faced a Dark Jedi before let alone engaged in a real lightsaber duel and her fear, her weakness made her angry and she shouted at them.
"You betrayed the Order! WHY!?" She demanded and Cere just looked at her with annoyance and told her.
"Trilla! Remember you're a Jedi! Fear and Anger are not emotions we indulge in." Cere told her sternly and Trilla wilted at her master's harsh words. Aayla was shocked that now of all moments Cere would choose to insult and knock her apprentice down a peg, just because her emotions got the better of her in a tense situation. She would need to correct this and have a word with both them, assuming of course Aayla thought with some worry they got out of this situation.
"That one will be a good Inquisitor," A Bith named Cho Zeh'Bra said with a smirk. That seemed to unnerve Trilla who was now shaking slightly. Aayla told Bly, knowing they had to deal with this quickly before it got any worse.
"Bly, free the other Jedi. Trilla, help him. We will deal with them." She said, knowing Trilla was too unbalanced right now to fight. The fallen Jedi would mess with her head and they simply couldn't let them break her.
"Yes master." Trilla said gratefully and went with Bly to let the other Jedi out. Aayla could feel Cere's annoyance at her decision as it left them slightly outnumbered but Aayla wasn't going to push the girl any more than she had too.
Aayla didn't waste any more time and ignited her lightsaber, Cere with a frustrated look did the same. The three dark Jedi ignited their own and without wasting anymore time, raced forward with sabers clashing with flashes of light.
Cere faced off against one of the Dark Jedi while Aayla faced the other two on her own. Aayla was glad her Form 5 training gave her a strong defence as it was hard to keep up with two opponents at once. The Togruta might be the same species as Ahsoka but her fighting style was amateurish in comparison. She had none of the grace or precision the other young woman did, nor did the human male who was definitely more brute force than high skill.
The corridor was just wide enough for them to move and thankfully she could bring use her more acrobatic movements to bare and kept both of them at bay while Trilla and Bly opened the cells and set the six Jedi prisoners free.
Cere was struggling more against Cho Zeh'Bra, although a capable wielder of the lightsaber she had little experience against other lightsaber users. Her green lightsaber clashed with his blue one but at first, they were evenly matched.
Cere had a good lightsaber style for this fight though, using the Form 2 lightsaber fencing her master had taught her long ago and was able to parry and repulse his attacks. She was nowhere as skilled as Count Dooku for example but she was proficient, Cho tried to break through but his clumsy Ataru was easily kept at bay.
Aayla however was the first to down her opponent. Neither of her opponents were as skilled in the force as she was and so she was able to call on her new found power of pyrokinesis. Vibrating the molecules around both Kalda Reb and Kai Rees. The outer edge of their robes caught fire immediately and both shouted in surprise which distracted them enough for Aayla to land a stab through Kalda's gut.
The sheer shock on her face was haunting but that only paused the fight for a moment as Aayla pulled her lightsaber free and Kai threw off his outer robe, seeing that he was now alone against one of the Order's best lightsaber duellists who had already defeated and killed a master of the art.
The fear in his eyes was quite intense but to his credit he didn't abandon the fight, he swung wildly at her with a very rough Form 5 but Aayla was easily a master of this form. Not quite on the level of Anakin Skywalker but a master of the form all the same and now changed the dynamic by employing some of the Form 7 moves she had picked up recently. Using the erratic and unpredictable movements to strain Kai to breaking point as he found himself far out of his depth, facing a more skilled opponent than he had thought.
He found himself completely unable to keep up with her and soon was bisected at the waist with a single effortless strike of her blade.
Cere was slowly gaining the upper hand against Cho who now saw Aayla had dispatched his fellows, he looked panicked but had no chance to flee the fight as he was just about to as a yellow lightsaber blade appeared through his chest. He cried out in pain and looked down in shock, behind him Master Mavra Zane had her lightsaber in hand and now planted firmly in Cho's back.
"That was for Luu and Tyr." She said with bitterness, referring to the two former padawans who she had lost due to their actions. They had been rebuilding the Jedi Outpost on Kashyyyk and doing their best to help the locals resist Separatist Invasion when the three had betrayed them and Luu and Tyr had been killed trying to protect them while they had been poisoned.
Cere looked at her with surprise but nodded as she saw the other five Jedi prisoners out of their cells with Trilla handing them their lightsabers from the security locker. Dar Singe, Kasi Sha'Rhil, Zeetara Maan, Fenella Druce, Ara Barotta and Tren Alvar all looked at the bodies of their former fellow apprentices with distaste due to their betrayal of the group.
"Come, we need to get back to the ship immediately and get out of here." Aayla said quickly taking control of the situation so they didn't lose any more time.
"Agreed and thank you for the rescue, Master Secura. Master Junda." Mavra said with a slight smile on her face as they all started running down the corridors, the Jedi always keeping Bly within their sight which unnerved him as he realised that it was going to be a long time before any of the Jedi trusted clones again if they ever did.
Arriving in the small hanger bay they saw the VCX-100 freighter still sitting there and thankfully Haron and Vysa had completed their part of the mission already and were now helping the other warriors fight off the clones. The sight of Mandalorians fighting the clones surprised the new Jedi but Aayla commanded.
"Come on, we will explain later but right now we need to get out of here." Aayla told the Jedi who did obey her, putting aside any worries they had for now. Seeing the Jedi had at last arrived, Haron and his people retreated into the ship and the moment the hatch door was closed he told Fenn who was sitting at the controls.
"GET US OUT OF HERE!" Haron shouted, loud enough that the comm link wasn't needed as Fenn could hear him in the cockpit.
Fenn didn't waste a second and quickly flew the ship out of the hanger, the ship's systems were now completely erratic now that the virus they had planted was working its way through the computers but the charges made all that pointless as they detonated in the main reactor, tearing the ship in two as the freighter made the jump to hyperspace.
Jedi Temple, Coruscant…Three Hours into Operation Knightfall…
Anakin deflected a bunch of blaster bolts being sent his way with ease before dispatching the clones but was starting to get tired as he tried desperately to find anyone who might still be left in the temple.
The last transport had managed to leave before their airspace was finally closed down but the clones had cut several Jedi off from getting on it and then there was the hope that some of the defenders might still be alive.
Anakin was rushing around as much of the Temple as he could looking for anyone, his heart thundering in his chest as he ran as fast as he could to cover as much ground as possible fighting the clones most of the time. He had found so many of the defenders dead including Master Cin Drallig, Gate Master Jurokk and all the Temple Guards but no sign of Minisa or Bao-Dur and Paratus.
They might be still alive Anakin hoped, either having fled the Temple as they'd been told or having hidden inside but the last transmission before they had lost internal comms had said two classes of younglings had been cut off from the transports and then nothing more.
And Anakin wasn't going to leave them behind he thought with anger at the situation, so he kept on looking. He heard blaster shots in the distance and he rushed towards the sound and found the body of Master Minas Velti and a group of younglings lying death on the floor, one of the two missing groups he was looking for. Over them stood a squad of Clone Troopers and the sight of the younglings' dead made Anakin feel real rage at what had been done, igniting his borrowed lightsaber he charged at the clones, they heard the hiss of the purple blade and turned to face them but Anakin blew them off their feet with a force wave and caught two of them while they were flailing about in the air so they were dead before they hit the ground and the remaining four hit the ground hard but before they had a chance to get to their feet, Anakin was there and ended them.
Hearing a moan from a child he turned around and saw to his surprise that one of the younglings was still alive. He saw a dark-skinned human girl, young maybe only ten slowly getting to her feet and looking down at the dead bodies around her with horror. Anakin realising the girl was too horrified to move walked forward and took hold of her shoulder, she turned to look at him with dread, terrified of him in that moment but Anakin told her with a slight shake to get her motivated.
"Come on, more will be here soon."
The girl seemed to come back to her senses and nodded as they ran off, Anakin doing his best to use the force to find the last group. The girl did her best to keep up but she was falling behind so with frustration as he knew he couldn't leave her Anakin slowed down and decided to try and ease her fear by talking.
"What is your name young one?" He asked, using the first thing that came into his head. The girl seemed to upset to answer but did as they rounded the corner in the direct of the Jedi Council Chamber which was where the force was telling him to go.
"Reva, Master Skywalker. Reva Sevander." The girl said nervously given she was in the presence of the youngest Jedi Master in the history of the Jedi Order, a modern-day legend and the youngest member of the Jedi Council ever named. She was actually wishing she could have met him before now and maybe impressed him enough to be his apprentice even if he already had one or two possibly since it was known that Ahsoka Tano was still learning from him even after leaving the Order. She wondered if he might be willing to teach her but realised this was hardly the place or time to think about such things.
They burst into the Council Chamber were Anakin saw a wounded Knight Olana Chion who was favouring her left arm while holding her saber in her right. Hiding behind the council seats were the last group of younglings about seven children even younger than Reva…than he had been when he came to the Jedi Temple Anakin realised with a pang of sympathy, seeing him and Reva who ran in behind him they emerged and one of the children, a small boy with blond hair asked him.
"Master Skywalker, there are too many of them. What are we going to do?" The little boy asked.
Anakin honestly was struck by the question, maybe it was the innocence of it all as these younglings just looked to him for guidance. He honestly felt powerless in that moment, all these children knew was the temple. They had never known anywhere else and the Temple was falling right before their eyes. Life as they had all known it was over, now a new era had begun…one where they would be hunted and alone.
Anakin honestly didn't know what to say but seeing the slight look of disapproval in Olana Chion's eyes who he knew had never liked him but he didn't care enough to know her reasons brought him back to reality and he told them all.
"We need to get out of the Temple. I think I know a place we can hide for now but we need to escape the Temple." Anakin said, thinking whatever they were going to do they needed somewhere to stop and rest first. "Follow me and stay together, don't wander off!" He warned them sternly and the younglings nodded quickly, feeling much better by his presence while Olana looked unwilling at first but soon nodded as she remembered the situation.
So, with him leading the group slowly left the Council Chamber and made their way down the ruined corridors of the temple. Clone bodies lay everywhere with broken droids and turrets, occasionally joined by the body of Jedi who had stayed behind to defend those evacuating or a few caught trying to escape. He looked but some of the defenders were still missing and he just hoped they had managed to escape the Temple.
Slowly making their way through the damaged corridors they managed to reach one of the side entrances to the Temple, he saw about eight clones were standing around one of the buses the Temple had. Anakin told Olana as he gritted his teeth.
"Keep them back till I clear a path." He said in almost a whisper, she reluctantly nodded and Anakin was really starting to get irritated with her attitude but right now she was the only real help he had.
Anakin took a few steadying breaths before igniting his saber and leaping into action, the clones heard the saber and turned to shoot but Anakin was moving so fast he almost seemed to be a blur, landing before moving through the clones like a farmer through a field of crops.
He seemed to move faster than they could believe, blocking each shot with ease before cutting all the clones down like they were nothing until the path to the skybus was clear. He turned and gestured and the others quickly followed him and got onto the bus. Once they were all aboard Anakin started the bus up and flew it as fast as he could away from the Temple and to the only place that he felt they could hide for now. Looking back at the temple briefly along with others on the bus Anakin saw columns of smoke rising from it and gritted his teeth.
Palpatine! He thought with scorn replacing any nice thoughts he might have had about the man and swearing a vow to make him pay for this!
Tantive III, Deep Space…
Soulless One, fighter of the late General Grievous had just docked with the larger than normal corvette and after an uncomfortable ride in the tight cockpit Obi-Wan was walking alongside Bail Organa and Master Yoda who had been the only other Jedi he had been able to find. Kalifa was astonished to find herself in such distinguished company and had to keep herself from staring.
"How many other Jedi have managed to survive?" Obi-Wan asked, concerned as the force was in such flux it was hard to tell anything right now especially with the dark side now holding much sway over it. Yoda looked positively ancient as he told him.
"Heard from no one have we. Scattered and in hiding some will be but how many…unsure we are." Yoda said knowing to his regret that many Jedi had died but not how many.
Bail then chimed in with fresh information.
"I saw thousands of troops attacking the Jedi Temple while the temple's defences tried to hold them off. Some ships did get away but how many I don't know. That's why I went looking for Yoda." Bail told them what he had seen on Coruscant.
"Have we had any contact with the Temple?" Obi-Wan asked, wondering just how long the Temple could hold out from the clones not least of which because all the younglings were there not to mention Anakin.
"Received a coded retreat message we have." Yoda said with a calm but serious voice.
"It requests that all Jedi return to the Temple. It says the war is over." Bail added. Obi-Wan realising quite well that if the Temple had been under attack when that message was sent, they would have mentioned it. No, the Temple he realised with trepidation must have fallen which didn't bode well.
"Then we must go back! If there are any stragglers, they will fall into the trap and be killed." Obi-Wan said knowing they had to do something. Yoda looked at him and hummed for a moment before saying.
"Suggest dismantling the coded signal, do you?" Yoda asked although he had much the same thought.
"Yes master, there is too much at stake." Obi-Wan said with urgency.
"I agree." Yoda said mindful of the padawan in their midst and hoping that she had a future. "And a little more knowledge might light our way."
- x -
The Tantive III zoomed towards Coruscant, in small ship's bridge Bail sat with the two Jedi Masters and Kalifa in the back. Kalifa honestly was scared as she approached the world that she had honestly considered home, the place where she had been brought up and trained but now the planet was a terrifying unknown. They had no idea just what had happened to the other Jedi and for all they knew they might be the last three Jedi in existence, a thing that scared Kalifa more than she could say. There was so much against them now she thought and her fear must have shown on her face because Master Kenobi took her hand and told her.
"Kalifa, look at me." He told her and she managed with some effort to do as he said. "I know things are bleak but what matters now is focusing on the task at hand. Take one thing at a time." He told her and she dearly wished she could be as wise and as strong as her master.
"We're receiving a transmission from the Chancellor's Office." The ship's pilot told Bail who nodded, only opening the link when he was sure the Jedi in the background were out of sight.
The face of Mas Amedda, Vice Chair of the Galactic Senate appeared on the screen.
"Senator Organa." Mas Amedda said. "The Supreme Chancellor requests your presence at a special session of congress."
"I will be there." Bail reassured him, looking as stoic as possible. Mas Amedda then told him with an edge of a threat.
"You'll be expected." Then the link closed and Bail turned to the Jedi in the room and said what he thought might be happening.
"Could be a trap." Bail said but Obi-Wan thought about it and told him.
"I don't think so. The Chancellor won't be able to control the thousands of star systems without keeping the Senate intact."
Regardless of the presence of the newly appointed governors to keep the population in line and the local governments of those worlds then they would need to at least appear to have some voice.
"If a special session of congress is called, easier it will be to enter the Jedi Temple." Yoda said with consideration. Hoping that he could uncover the fate of those that had been in the Temple at the time and perhaps if Master Windu had managed to put what he had imparted to him to use.
- x -
Separatist Control Centre, Mustafar…
San Hill of the Banking Clan was a realist, always had been and a pragmatic man. Emotion and sentiment did little to help you in business and often would cause you nothing but problems and limit you.
It was an attitude that had served him well in business and earned him more credits than he could reasonably spend in a lifetime. It still did he thought but one thing that any good business man learned early and suffered for if they didn't was when to get out. Profit wasn't constant and knowing how to watch the markets so you could get out without it really costing you was a vital skill to have in business.
San Hill had certainly learned this skill and could apply it in other places especially the wider political state of the galaxy.
The war was over, he was sure of that. Without Dooku or Grievous their chances of victory were next to none and despite Lord Sidious reassurances San knew they were no longer useful to his plans, now the Jedi were gone.
It was time to get out he thought, wondering if he should advise the other Separatist leaders to do the same but knew Nute Gunray in particular was far too arrogant to accept the idea they were no longer useful to the Dark Lord of the Sith.
That made San realise getting into bed with the Separatists had been a mistake from the very start and they were now all nerfs to the slaughter if Sidious had his way.
He had to get out of here, San thought desperately and go to ground for now. However, he knew as he and his own staff left Mustafar that he was now a marked man. That worried him but for now survival had to take precedence and he would find a way to survive. He swore to himself and regain power again.
A short while after he left, his instinct that the Separatist leaders were all marked for death was proven right as a small group of assassins arrived in an unmarked ship and cut a bloody path through the Separatists before sending a signal for all Separatist units to shut down.
- x -
The Jedi Temple, Coruscant…
Plumes of smoke still rose into the sky after the recent assault and to the three Jedi who dared approach the Temple it was a grim sight of what might be to come.
Approaching the temple, they were confronted by a group of about twenty clones surrounded three Jedi, Obi-Wan and Yoda were slicing through the clones with focused determination while Kalifa at her master's side was doing her best but was only able to down a few clones before the masters finished the fight.
With grim looks on their faces they walked into the temple and felt it was badly damaged with wrecked walls and droids and turrets all over the place as well as the bodies of many clones but few Jedi bodies could be seen. The body of Master Cin Drallig was found as they entered the communications room, it was horrible for the Jedi to see such a revered master laying there dead but there was no time to give him or the other Jedi they had seen a proper funeral and Kalifa who was the most affected by the scenes around her had to be gently moved by Obi-Wan into the large room, staying close at his side as he made the necessary adjustments to change the signal so all Jedi who might have survived this massacre would stay away from the temple.
"Can anyone have survived this?" Kalifa asked her master who frowned at the question, not sure what to tell her but settled on.
"We have to hope so, that is the most fragile but strongest thing in the universe Kalifa, but hope can move mountains and tear down empires. There are few Jedi bodies here Kalifa, take that as a good sign." He told her hoping it provided some comfort.
Master Yoda eventually reappeared having checked the security recordings and was told by Obi-Wan.
"I've reprogrammed the beacon to tell all surviving Jedi to stay away."
"For the clones, to discover the recalibration, a long time it will take." Yoda said before telling them what he had learned.
"The Temple, activated its new defences it did to cover the escape of many Jedi who fled in ships while some stayed to protect the retreat. Many of those who stayed, fell they did but some including your old padawan escaped." Yoda said with his ears falling slightly at the mention of the fate dealt to those that had stayed to try and protect the others.
"Anakin escaped." Obi-Wan said great relief, he had dreaded the thought of finding his body here in the Temple. "Then I think I know where he might be." Obi-Wan said knowing somewhere that he knew was safe for the moment.
"Take us you must." Yoda said, wondering just where Master Skywalker might have hidden. Obi-Wan led them as fast as possible out of the temple and to the speeder they had used, piloting the three of them through the skies of Coruscant until they reached Senate Apartment Complex. Parking just in front of the balcony of one of the apartments, specifically the one that belonged to Padme Amidala they carefully got out, their senses alert for any sign of trouble and all three had their lightsabers in hand, ready for a fight.
Then a sound made all of them ignite their sabers only to be greeted by a purple and green blade too. Looking up they saw Anakin and Olana Chion standing there looking battered and exhausted but ready to fight. The moment they all realised they were on the same side they shut their sabers down and breathed a sigh of relief.
"Anakin." Obi-Wan said with relief that he was indeed okay. They gave each other a manly hug while Olana looked on slightly jealous and a small group of about ten younglings came out of the bedroom behind them.
"Master Yoda!" They all cried out excited as they rushed forward. The sight of the younglings brought a small smile to Master Yoda's old face, the hope that things had not been as hopeless as he feared and the potential future of the Jedi Order right in front of him made his heart lighten considerably.
"Younglings, seeing you safe. Brings joy to my heart." Yoda told them and told Anakin and Olana. "Done well you have to protect them and escape the Temple."
"Thank you, Master." Olana said, still annoyed at having to spend time with Skywalker who she still resented for costing her the chance to study under Master Kenobi. He had been her hero when she was a youngling and she had really wanted to be his apprentice but Anakin Skywalker had come along and ruined that for her. Thankfully another master had completed her training but she just felt resentment at Skywalker for ruining her chances. Still, she knew it was foolish to be so resentful and to be grateful for being a Jedi and that Skywalker had truly saved her life last night.
"I only wish we could have saved all of them." Anakin said with depression at all the Jedi who died in the temple. It was at this moment Obi-Wan and Yoda noticed a different yet familiar lightsaber hung at Anakin's waist.
"Is that Master Windu's lightsaber?" Obi-Wan asked and Anakin's face fell as he felt the eyes of the others on him.
"I lost mine." He admitted slowly. "He was dying, so he gave me his."
The fact Master Windu who had been one of the Jedi Order's greatest champions was gone ruined any good mood their reunion had brought.
Kalifa then noticed something on the holonet which was playing in the background. It was a speech being given by the Sith Lord she thought with disgust. Slowly they all listened as Palpatine gave a public address in the Senate.
They were not the only ones watching, Bail Organa had a front row seat in the Senate to the announcement, on Reijar Haron's inner circle watched alongside Padme, Ahsoka, Rex, Fives, Allara and the droids while on the Good Fortune, Haron and Vysa watched with all the Jedi and Mandalorians they had with them.
"The remaining Jedi will be hunted down and defeated." The applause of the senators was almost painful to the Jedi as they knew it was all lies.
"The attempt on my life, has left me scarred…and deformed." Palpatine continued, covering his head with a cloak to hide his warped appearance. "But I assure you. My resolve has never been stronger." The applause continued with each sentence he said, like it was on cue which they all realised it was really. They would applaud no matter what he said now his power was absolute. Then he came to the important bit.
"In order to ensure the security and continuing stability, the Republic will be reorganised…into the first…Galactic Empire. For a safe and secure…society." Palpatine said as the applause started again and rose in volume.
- x -
Reijar, Ordo System…
"So, this is how liberty dies?" Padme asked with distress on her face, everyone looking almost as concerned as her. "With thunderous applause."
"It doesn't matter what he says. The Senate would go along with it." Hannah said with a frown, knowing full well the dark vision Luna had was coming to pass and just hoped they could weather the storm when it hit.
"This was always his end goal. Right from the start." Neville said putting a comforting arm around his wife and the pair going off to spend time with their sons.
"Isn't there anything we can do?" Rex asked with confusion at how things could change so quickly.
"Not anymore." Ahsoka said now seeing the situation much clearer. Allara meanwhile was looking fit to burst.
"We have to try, try to stop him." Allara said but Fives shook his head.
"The Senate is with him; the Clone Army is under his thumb. The Jedi are weakened and scattered to the winds." Fives said and Ahsoka finished the sentence with dismay.
"And those in the Senate that see this for what it really is are too few to stop it. He has too much power now." Ahsoka said with worry, knowing now it was all but impossible to remove Palpatine from power now.
Padme meanwhile felt contractions coming, she doubled over at the strength of them and then felt fluid coming down her leg.
"My water just broke." Padme said with sudden shock, not able to comprehend this was happening right here and now.
"Right, to the medical bay." Luna said with a smile, feeling the importance of what was about to happen in the force. She gently guided Padme in the direction of the medical bay while Ashoka, the two droids and the rest of their small party followed.
Ara and Deera meanwhile stayed back to speak privately about something, especially without those not within their circle.
"All Separatist Units just shut down." Deera told her with a guarded look in her eye.
"You're sure?" Ara asked her with a surprised look in her eyes. Deera gave her a frustrated nod and Ara told her quickly.
"Send out salvage teams as fast as possible. We need as many of those ships and droids to bolster our forces as possible. The more we can take before others do, the better." Ara told her and Deera nodded before going off to see to it.
- x -
Amidala's Apartment, Coruscant…Same Moment…
"Destroy the Sith. We must." Yoda said with a grim look on his face.
"With pleasure Master." Anakin said with almost eagerness to end this vicious creature that he had once admired. Yoda however shook his head, feeling a disturbance in the force that told him Anakin must not go.
"Ready to face this Sith Lord. You are not." Yoda said quickly. Anakin was predictably not happy about this.
"Master. It would take everything we have to stop him." Anakin protested and Obi-Wan looked concerned that Master Yoda was seemingly going to face Palpatine alone. Yoda however shook his head.
"To get close enough to him, easier it will for someone of my size." Yoda said trying to bring some humour to the situation but then got serious again. "Besides, elsewhere you must be. Today is the day." Yoda said while walking away.
"Today is the day!?" Anakin said with confusion. Olana was little better.
"What could be more important than stopping the Sith?" She demanded and went to follow Master Yoda but Obi-Wan put his hand up and stopped her.
"He is charging us with making sure the younglings get off Coruscant. Far from here." Obi-Wan deduced looking at the ten or so young Jedi that needed to be kept safe. His eye caught Reva briefly although he didn't know her name, he had a quick vision of Reva as a Jedi Hunter of some kind in the Empire's service. A sense of horror went through him as he considered that happening to all these younglings, their innocence and goodness wiped out forever by the greed and power-hungry nature of Palpatine.
"Besides, I think someone might need you. Wherever you have hidden her." Obi-Wan said, hinting to his secret wife. Anakin turned to look at Obi-Wan in surprise that he knew but realised quickly that it was true. Padme was due any day now and the younglings needed protecting.
He sighed, knowing they would need a ship to get to Mandalorian Space which ironically was the safest place to go right now and just hoped Master Yoda could succeed alone.
- x -
Reijar, Ordo System…
Padme was lying in a hospital bed with droids and human doctors and nurses buzzing around her while Ahsoka was holding her hand and gently mopping her brow.
Despite all her courage Padme was afraid, scared of doing this without Anakin at her side and afraid of dying and leaving her child all alone!
"It's going be okay." Ahsoka said trying to reassure her but as the time came to push Padme was struggling and cried out in pain, then one of the Mandalorians entered the room…the one they called Luna and stood on the other side of Padme. Whatever anyone might have said was silenced when she raised her hand over Padme which then started glowing a golden light and Ahsoka felt the force surge, shocking her so much that she momentarily forgot what they doing as she realised Luna commanded the force in a way that she had never imagined.
Padme's pain eased considerably and she felt her body strengthen, it got a lot easier all of a sudden and she pushed, a cry appearing moments later as one of the doctors took the baby and after severing the cord showed her.
"It's a boy." Ahsoka said in awe, she had never attended a birth before and now had seen Anakin's son be born but then a mere second or two later Padme had to push again as it became clear Padme was carrying twins.
Padme cried out briefly as she gave birth to her second child, coming out as easily as the first had with Luna using Earth magics to help her give birth. The doctors took the second baby and repeated the process before placing both children in her arms.
"It's a girl." Ahsoka said with a joyful smile, awe struck by the scene in front of her.
"Luke…and Leia." Padme said with a tearful smile as she held her children. Luna now sure that the mother and children were in no more danger ended her spell and stared at the scene with a smile, feeling the force surging almost joyfully along with them.
Those two, she thought with awe were as powerful individually as their father. Together they could be almost unstoppable she thought and hoped that this was a good thing rather than a bad but that decision was up to them she thought. She saw Ahsoka look at her with confusion, not understand how she could use the force and put her finger to her lips and gave her a wink. Smirking at the younger woman but then left the room while Ahsoka turned her attention back to Padme and the babies, wondering just what it was she had discovered here.
- x -
Good Fortune, Hyperspace…
"So, we are on course of Kessel." Bly said with confusion, turning to his general while they sat in the hold with the rest of the Jedi and the Mandalorians who had claimed opposite side of the small mess on the ship. Aayla nodded and explained.
"A number of Jedi have managed to gather there for a conclave to decide just what to do now. That's where the Mandalorians will be dropping us off."
They both looked at the Mandalorians across the room and saw the suspicious looks that they were getting in return. Knowing they were wearing out their welcome here.
Cere stared at Trilla with disappointment, the young girl not able to meet her master's eyes.
"Trilla. I am deeply worried that you lost your control so easily. I need you to remain collected." Cere scolded her but Master Mavra Zane who had been listening in stopped her saying anything else.
"The fault does not always lie with the student. It can also lie with the master. You took her into a situation she was not prepared to handle and she reacted as best she could. Do not let your own impatience get the better of you." She said sternly, reminding Cere that Trilla was young and despite her wanting her to be ready for this, she simply hadn't been.
Trilla walked away, still not comfortable around her master and sat down next to Cal Kestis who like her was deeply troubled albeit for different reasons.
"It wasn't your fault." Cal said, trying his best to comfort Trilla when she needed it. Trilla smiled slightly at his clumsy attempt and told him.
"Thank you. What happened to Master Tapal wasn't yours either." She said, knowing he blamed himself for the death of his master. Cal looked depressed immediately at the mention of the master that had died because he had failed. Trilla took his hand and squeezed it.
"I wasn't strong enough, I failed to help him when he needed me." Cal said close to tears but Trilla told him.
"It wasn't your fault. None of this is. We all do the best we can." Trilla told him and then had an idea. "I met my master's master, Eno Cordova once. He taught me how to share a vision. Maybe we can do that, make us both feel better." Trilla said, Master Cordova had been nice she thought wishing she could have met him again before his death. He had told her faith in the force and in herself was the key to accomplishing anything. Maybe if they were able to connect properly the force, something neither of them had been able to do alone since Order 66 had begun then they would be able to regain some kind of internal balance.
Cal wasn't sure, his own connection to the force had been…damaged since what had happened and it sounded really nice to slip into the force. So, he nodded and Trilla smiled before telling him.
"We'll find somewhere quiet, be easier that way." Trilla suggested and he nodded, both of them getting to their feet and went off to find somewhere quiet which was harder on the cramped ship but finally they managed to sneak into the small shuttle/fighter that was docked to the ship. They closed the door for some extra privacy before sitting down on the floor and held each other's hand as they tried to slip into the force. It took some effort but finally they both sunk deep into the force and lost themselves in its flow.
Senate Building, Coruscant…
Palpatine was furious, his anger honestly was boiling like the lava flows of Mustafar as he considered just how many things had gone wrong with his plans.
While the Jedi Order had been gravely wounded by Order 66 it had been far from the complete annihilation he had been hoping for. Many clones had removed their chips and had simply let the Jedi run or even defected with them. Roughly a third of the Order had apparently survived and that number seemed to rise every time it was reviewed when new information came in.
To make matters worse when he had eagerly gone to see the vast collection of holocrons especially the Sith ones contained within the Jedi Temple he had discovered they were all gone! So were any books or scrolls and the entire Jedi Archive had been purged! Nothing was left for him to study. That honestly angered him more than the number of Jedi that had survived since he was denied all the power those sources of knowledge could have imparted to him.
But worse of all was Anakin. Honestly, he had thought his hold over him was all but unassailable but the stupid boy was still clinging the dogmatic narrow view of the Jedi. When the moment had come, he had chosen to side with them and that ruined his plans to use him as an apprentice and enforcer for the Empire. He had all but abandoned hope of ever making Anakin useful again but maybe he considered if his and his stupid wife's child survived…they might do just as well.
Until he could find them though he would need not only a group of Jedi Hunters but those who could do his bidding on more sophisticated missions. Fortunately, the number of weak fallen Jedi or would-be dark acolytes Dooku had collected and now where in the Republic prison complex here on Coruscant was extensive and would be an excellent source of recruits for not only his Jedi hunting Inquisitors but for the Disciples of the Dark Side who would be those to carry out his will.
But he would still need an enforcer, Palpatine thought but fortunately he always had a plan and just in case he had a substitute for Anakin in mind. He activated the hologram of the lab hidden away in the Works not far from where he was now and smirked as he saw a preserved arm floating in a containment unit but behind it a number of clones, all with various cybernetic modifications and preserved till they were needed.
Anakin had been a failure, but his DNA Palpatine thought with a smirk would be useful. An expendable juggernaut with great power in the force and extensive cybernetics so they could not only be controlled and kept in constant agony to increase their rage. Encased in Sith styled armour for a fearsome look to send terror into the hearts of this enemies. Used at his pleasure…this might he thought with interest work better than Anakin in some ways. He had learned some of the Jedi survivors had gathered on Kessel and already had dispatched one of the cyborgs to that silly little world to deal with it. It would be an interesting test he considered with a sinister grin.
Then at the side of the room he felt an annoyingly familiar presence in the force, turning he saw two of his supposed 'elite' Imperial Guard be knocked out with ease by the little green pest that was Master Yoda.
"Getting comfortable in your new role are you emperor…or should I call you Darth Sidious?" Yoda asked boldly. Mas Amedda made a quick exit as Palpatine turned to face Yoda.
"Master Yoda…you survived." Palpatine said, with frustration.
"Surprised?" Yoda taunted.
"Your arrogance blinds you Master Yoda. Now you will experience the full power of the dark side." Sidious said before raising his hands to do what he had long dreamt of doing and blasting Master Yoda with force lightning, Yoda having his new force infused robes on sensed the attack coming and leapt to the side before blasting Palpatine back.
Palpatine was shocked by this but soon recovered and told him as they prepared to fight.
"Oh, I have waited a long time for this, my little green friend." Palpatine said with an added insult on the last few words, making them sound demeaning. Yoda was untouched however and drew his green lightsaber, Palpatine brought his to hand as well and its red blade came to life as the Jedi Master and Sith Lord clashed.
Kessel, Outer Rim…
The ship dropped out of hyperspace at the misshapen planetoid of Kessel, famous for its harsh but rich spice mines. The planet was notorious for smugglers and so an unmarked freighter coming in hardly drew any attention. Finding a landing spot was somewhat more difficult but near one of the abandoned mines they found a small collection of ships that came from all over the place. Feeling the force strongly here due to a large enough number of force sensitives present.
The ship landed and Haron for one was glad as it finally meant they were able to send a message to Reijar to let the others know they were safe and also to refuel the ship as they were running low with all the flying around that they'd been doing.
The moment the landing ramp descended Aayla, Cere and Mavra walked down onto the surface followed by the other knights and younglings they had.
"Thank you for the ride. We need to address the conclave so if it is alright with you, we'll leave the younglings here to safe." Aayla said and the Mandalorians were not happy about this and neither was Haron or Vysa who answered her.
"Until we refuel but then we are leaving. Alone…you can catch a ride with one of the other ships." Vysa said keen to get their Jedi hitchhikers off her ship. Mavra nodded in acceptance and told them.
"We understand and thank you again. I think without you we would all have met different and much worse fates today." She told them and with just Aayla, Cere and the knights left to join the Conclave in the mine below.
The Mandalorians watched them go and Haron sighed a little in relief before telling them.
"Right, get the ship ready we are leaving the moment we are refuelled." Haron said tensely, he didn't feel comfortable here at all. Not just the world but being here now although he had no idea just why. He decided to send a message to Ara and the others on Reijar while the others worked on getting the ship refuelled, hoping to be back with them soon.
- x -
In the mine a gathering of almost forty Jedi had assembled, gathered quickly from across the galaxy to discuss just what to do with now they were outlaws and being hunted by the new Empire. There was no quiet debate this time as many of those present just argued with each other. A calm and firm voice though called out over the chaos and established order.
"SILENCE!" Plo Koon said, being the senior most council member present many of the Jedi fell in line immediately, some of the more prideful and disobedient ones looked on for a moment before reluctantly falling into line. Coleman Kcaj and Tsui Choi, the other council members present stood at his side as he stood to address them all.
"The last few days have been a nightmare unlike anything we could have imagined." Plo Koon said with a grim voice, knowing many had died since Order 66 went out. He looked around and saw some like Diala Passil and other padawans that had lost their masters but been fortunate enough to find their way here while only a handful masters had managed to attend this conclave. It broke his heart especially as there was no news on what had happened to the rest of the Order including the those in the Jedi Temple. "But the Order has survived the initial attack and now we must choose a course of action to go forward. A way for the Order to survive in the new era."
"Why a new course?" Master Shadday Potkin said with arrogant look on her face. "We should take the fight to the Empire, kill Palpatine. He cannot win against all of us." She said stubbornly. A number of Jedi in the room nodded and started speaking in favour of her stance but others like Aayla had other opinions.
"He has the clone army; he has the Senate and the Republic in the palm of his hand; we have no one but ourselves!" She said loudly to ensure she was heard. A few of the wiser Jedi nodded in agreement.
"He can only truly succeed if the Jedi Order ceases to be." Jyl Somtay who was now seemingly representing Anakin's Jedi with Bultar Swan, Olee Starstone, Darra Thel-Tanis, Ferus Olin and Tru Veld at her side. "He is too strong right now, and the public is against us. The best option for us to slip into the shadows, hide while preparing for the time to make our move." She said seeing it would be all but impossible to take down Palpatine as they were right now.
"That is cowardly." Koffi Arana said with a furious look on his face. Something that made more than a few Jedi present uncomfortable but too many were agreeing with him.
"And it could take years." Coleman Kcaj said which surprised Plo and Tsui who had thought a Jedi Council member would be wiser in this situation. "We must act now."
Then the disagreements began again, loud noisy talking filled the room while the calmer Jedi looked on in despair. This was the Order they thought with distress, the last hope for the galaxy against the Sith? Plo thought and realised they were in for a real rough journey ahead if the Jedi Order in possibly its darkest hour for thousands of years, couldn't stay together and find a way to survive.
- x -
At the same time Vysa was monitoring Imperial formerly Republic channels and detected a message saying a taskforce was coming to Kessel to eliminate a Jedi gathering there. She froze as she realised how little time they had and thanked their lucky stars they had managed to refuel the ship.
"Haron, we have an Imperial taskforce coming in." She told him over the comm and he froze as he disconnected the fuel line as did his warriors for a moment before he passed the lead to Fenn and asked her.
"How long before they get here?" Haron asked as he gestured for his people to hurry readying the ship.
"An hour maybe less." Vysa told him nervously. Haron was just glad they had finished preparing the ship and sent a message to Aayla to warn her of the coming danger before he and his people reboarded the Good Fortune, let the younglings leave with Bly who gave them a respectful nod which Haron returned and then took off as fast as possible. Setting the sublight engines to maximum until they cleared the planet's gravity well and made the jump to hyperspace, finally heading home.
- x -
Aayla was watching the debate with Cere and Mavra with dismay when she received the message from Duke Ordo, her face blanched and quickly she shouted to get everyone's attention.
"THERE IS AN IMPERIAL TASKFORCE ON THE WAY!" Her voice echoing in the large empty mine and that thankfully brought silence back to the room. "The time for debate is over we need to leave!"
"If the Sith is coming. This is our chance to destroy him." Shadday Potkin said with an arrogant look on her face and Aayla wondered if she had actually known about this somehow but Plo Koon thankfully knowing time was short made a call.
"Master Secura is right, the time to leave is now. Regretfully you must now choose whether to run and go into hiding as I intend to do. Or will you join Master Potkin in her decision to fight? Decide now." Plo said with a heavy heart knowing they were going to lose more Jedi her way but he could not control them. They must make that choice for themselves.
Aayla was the first to move, she walked over to stand with Master Plo as did Cere, Mavra and her former students. Jyl Somtay, Bultar Swan, Olee Starstone, Darra Thel-Tanis, Ferus Olin and Tru Veld followed, as did Rivi-Anu.
But as it looked like all of them would go to Plo Koon, Koffi Arana walked over to stand with Shadday Potkin.
Niebur Boton, the attractive Zeltron Jedi Knight walked over to Plo Koon while Qid Proko, a Quarran Jedi Knight went to Shadday.
Rune, a Mon Calamari Jedi Knight and his Quarran colleague Sarn Vals went to stand with Plo Koon.
Fy-Tor-Ana followed them but Ana Zett went over to Shadday.
Wamtra, a Rodian Jedi Knight chose Shadday as did Upulu, a male Azumel Jedi Master along with his Mon Calamari apprentice Shalimin. Borik Yelgo, another knight did so too.
Jhor-Kai, Dorin Se'ol, Kira Vantala, Rorr'hn all sided with Plo Koon while Nos'lyn, Tiberus Anderlock and Nej'a Berto'Lo all joined Shadday Potkin.
Diala Passil, Drakka Judarrl, Kai Justiss, Hanna Ding, Mariineh, Siadem Forte and Deran Nalual his apprentice all went over to side with Plo Koon.
Fellow council member Tsui Choi didn't need to move as he stayed firmly at Plo Koon's side. His presence brought Roblio Darté, Jastus Farr, Sia-Lan Wezz and Empatojayos Brand over to Plo Koon's side.
But in a big surprise his fellow council member Coleman Kcaj, Master Ma'kis'shaalas and Teo Gronn all went over to stand with Shadday.
Although the overwhelming number of Jedi had chosen to stand with Plo Koon, too many in his mind had gone over in search of revenge. Plo Koon knew where that path would lead and told them all with grave misgivings about the road they had chosen.
"May the force be with you." Plo Koon said before turning to leave, his gut twisting at what he felt was about to happen but the feeling of danger was getting closer and there was no time to lose. He and his followers exited the mine and went to their ships. Cere looked around and saw the younglings from her group getting onto one of the other ships and followed them while Aayla and the rest of their party got on another. Cere was sure that Trilla would be with them.
As all the ships lifted off and jumped in different random vectors to throw off chances of pursuit, Cere looked around and saw to her mounting dread that Trilla wasn't on the ship. She doubled checked but found no trace of her and the younglings had no idea of just which ship she and Cal too had boarded.
She wanted to turn around and go back but knew it was a death sentence so she with a heavy heart slumped in her seat and thought to herself.
'May the force be with you Trilla Suduri, wherever you end up.'
- x -
Good Fortune, Hyperspace…
Haron and Vysa sighed in relief as they were at last heading in the right direction. The warriors and Fenn too were relieved especially at the Jedi finally being gone.
"Fenn." Haron said as he turned to face him with a slight smile. "I hope you will have a plan for your flight school by the time we get back to Reijar. I think we are going to need it." He told him with a grim look on his face.
The moment was broken though by an unexpected pair of young Jedi appearing at the door. Trilla Suduri and Cal Kestis walked in looking at ease and relaxed which shocked the Mandalorians.
"What are you two doing here?" Vysa shouted at them in disbelief, surprising the pair. "You're supposed to have gotten off with the other Jedi on Kessel!"
"We were meditating in the shuttle." Cal said with anxiety as he saw the strange blue swirling tunnel of hyperspace ahead of them outside the cockpit window.
"We must have lost track of time." Trilla said nervously as she couldn't feel the presence of the other Jedi anymore and now it seemed that her master had abandoned her. She didn't want to believe it but she knew Cere was nowhere close.
Haron felt a headache coming on as he realised that they were stuck with the pair of them now! He couldn't risk turning the ship around and even if he did the Jedi if they had any sense would be long gone.
He got to his feet and pulled his small knife from his belt, both Jedi Padawans looked on nervously as he approached but he only took a firm hold of Trilla's padawan braid and cut it off before doing the same to Cal's and told the pair firmly.
"Listen, from this point on…you are Mandalorian and you always have been." He told the two sternly which surprised everyone especially the warriors who would have argued despite their loyalty to him if he had not added. "You will live by our code and live as a Mandalorian lives. We will do our best to hide you from the Empire but you must leave the life of a Jedi behind you if you are going to survive. We will complete your training but you must become one of us. Is that clear?" He asked them.
Trilla and Cal were both terrified but they nodded slowly, not satisfied Haron asked again.
"Is that clear?"
"Yes, master." Cal said and Haron sighed as he realised, they had much to learn. Fenn rebuked them.
"It's yes, Mandalore. He is the Mandalore and your new leader. Remember that." He warned the pair wondering just what higher power they had offended to be stuck with two young Jedi that they now had to hide.
"Yes, Mandalore." Trilla and Cal said quickly and Haron massaged his temples as he felt his headache brewing. He took a pair of overalls from out of the closet and threw them to the pair and told them.
"Get rid of those robes. You can keep your lightsabers because you will need them but the robes have to go." Haron ordered and the pair reluctantly did as they were told while he told the others. "Get some sleep, I think we are all going to need it."
Reijar, Ordo System…
A stolen freighter came in to land on the surface of Reijar, Anakin, Kalifa and Obi-Wan left the younglings they were protecting in the ship with Olana as they walked out on to the surface of the moon that House Ordo had made their home. Both felt the force here but unlike in other places they had been before.
"The force is more in balance here, neutral rather than dark or light." Anakin said, puzzled as he had not expected to find a force aura here. Obi-Wan nodded in agreement having sensed much the same.
"I have heard of such places before but they are rare. I wonder if it is natural or something that has been created?" Obi-Wan thought, wondering if someone had come here long ago and used the force in such a way that it influenced the creation of a nexus here but it felt too new for that. He wasn't sure exactly what to make of it till they were greeted by a surprisingly familiar face.
"Master Marek! I didn't expect to see you here." Obi-Wan said in surprise to the man that greeted him with a slight smile. Seeing Anakin's confusion Obi-Wan explained. "Master Marek was a Jedi Knight of my generation till he decided to leave the Order..."
"To follow my heart and the woman I love Kenobi." Kento said with a frown on his face. "I am not ashamed of it and would do the same every time. Me and Mallie were just lucky the Mandalorians allowed us to settle here, now Skywalker. A pleasure to meet you but I think your wife has a pleasant surprise waiting for you." Kento said, turning to Anakin with a smile on his face, knowing first-hand the wonder the young man was going to experience.
Anakin when he heard those words broke into a run, heading straight towards the compound while Obi-Wan gave a brief nod to Kento before doing his best to follow as did Kalifa. Kento smiled before going to join his wife and children and the other Mandalorian force users, best to keep a low profile he thought with some trepidation as while the Jedi were about to learn they had force, it was better that they didn't know everything he thought wisely.
- x -
Anakin ran straight past the warriors who were not best pleased but Anakin moved so fast they had no chance to challenge him. He followed Padme's unique warm aura in the force until finally he arrived at the medical suite where Padme looked up from her bed. C-3PO, R2, Ahsoka, Rex and Allara were with her and much to his surprise Fives was there too but his attention was immediately taken by the two small bundles in Padme's arms. He almost forgot to breath until Obi-Wan who was strained a little by the pace he set gave him a push forward with a smile, knowing how much this moment meant to Anakin.
Padme smiled as Anakin came over and stood next to her as she carefully handed him one of the bundles. He handled it like it was the most fragile yet precious thing in the universe, looking down at the small face of his son and felt a tear coming down his cheek. He saw Padme who was carrying their daughter, knowing they were a boy and girl through the aura they made in the force. They were like him Anakin realised, filled with awe as he felt their strength in the force.
He turned to Padme who like him had happy tears in her eyes, he bent down and kissed her gently before handing their son back to her.
"Luke and Leia." Padme said, almost in a whisper, letting him know their names and he just smiled, adoring them all the more. C-3PO was babbling in the background but then started arguing as R2 told him to shut up.
Obi-Wan came over to Ahsoka and gave the young woman a smile along with Allara, Rex and Fives who all nodded and smiled back, glad that he was alright and that they were alright in turn.
"Congratulations to you both." A familiar voice said making Obi-Wan, Anakin and Padme look up startled as they knew that voice. Ahsoka, Allara, Kalifa and the clones too were shocked at the voice although they unlike the older three didn't recognise it. The droids present didn't seem to register it, nor the simmering apparitions that appeared in the middle of the room. Rex and Fives reached for their blasters out but Allara and Ahsoka stopped them from shooting.
"It has been too long." The force ghost of Master Qui-Gon Jinn said with a pleasant smile on his face.
"Master Qui-Gon?" Obi-Wan said with shock at the sudden appearance, he had started to wonder if he had imagined his brief contact with him on Mandalore and now here was the simmering spirit of the man who had trained him.
"You're dead?" Anakin said with confusion which was mirrored on Padme's face. They had all been at his funeral but he didn't seem to mind at all.
"We all die eventually, becoming one with the force is merely another part of the great journey we all take." Qui-Gon said with a gentle smile before turning to the children and telling them. "Those two, there is a great destiny about them. They are true Skywalkers." Qui-Gon said with confidence.
"And will hopefully give you some of the headaches you have given me and the other Jedi over the years." Another familiar voice said. This made Anakin in particular look on with confusion as Master Windu, the Jedi Master that had died before his eyes on Coruscant appeared.
"Master. I-" Anakin started to say before Windu interrupted him.
"Anakin." He said, abandoning formality which was so out of character. "I gave my life willingly and for a good cause. That is all I could ever have hoped for and I have faith that this situation however dark it seems will be turned around. I trust you to see it through and to bring peace and freedom back to the galaxy." Mace told Anakin which given their previous relationship surprised them all. Anakin however was strangely bolstered by those words.
"It is always dark at the beginning." A third simmering figure said in a voice none of them knew, but soon as his form came together, they saw a figure in dark robes with a strange but infamous mask.
"Revan!" Ahsoka said in a single breath, unable to believe it but he told her.
"That was my name in life young one. I wish you the best in finding your own path, it is not easy to find the road between light and dark but ensure you stay true to your own principles and you will find your way." Revan told her which almost made her fall over in surprise that the great Revan had actually spoken to her.
Revan however turned back to Anakin who was nervous at the incredibly famous and powerful figure before them. Allara and Kalifa too were in awe of him but Obi-Wan was concerned given Revan's mixed reputation.
"But we cannot stay too long on this plain of existence, not with the Dark side so strong now." Qui-Gon said trying to get to the point. "But what matters is not what has happened, but what you do now." Qui-Gon said wisely.
"Indeed." Mace said in agreement with his old colleague. "Palpatine might have won the day. But what is important is keeping hope alive across the galaxy and not giving up."
"Exactly, even in the darkest times…hope endures. What matters now is you make the most of it. Do not give in to fear and despair, it is always darkest just before the dawn." Revan told them, his mask making it impossible to see his expression but his words struck a chord with all of them.
"Then we will do what we can to make sure the fire is kept alive." Padme said, not sure what was going on but the two Jedi Masters seeming to come back from the dead was something she thought best to ask about another time.
The three spirits simmered briefly and disappeared which was a disappointment for those that had seen them but it was also it had made them feel more hopeful towards the future. Palpatine had won, this battle they all thought but eventually, when the time was right…they would win the war.
Their new struggle had only just begun, but for a while at least Anakin realised they would all need to find somewhere safe. He had two young children not to mention all the younglings in the ship. For a while at least they would need to be kept hidden, where they could go eluded him but he knew they couldn't ask the Mandalorians to shelter them. It would mean putting them in danger from the Empire and with Haron still missing they wouldn't be as likely to help them.
Anakin made his decision and told them.
"We will leave as soon as Padme can safely move. We can't stay here for too long and sooner or later Sidious will come after us." Anakin said and everyone nodded in agreement. It was safer this way for everyone.
- x -
Ara watched the Jedi leave a couple of hours later and the clones had left with them, glad to see the back of them and her worries about them finding out that the children had the force were thankfully relieved. She was also much less anxious as Haron had finally managed to let her know he was okay and was on the way home with Vysa.
She just hoped there were no more nasty surprises in store for them.
Kessel, the Outer Rim…
Shadday Potkin was still in the mine on Kessel with the Jedi that had chosen to side with her. The cowardice of the others honestly sickened her.
The Jedi Order was no place for the fearful she thought with distaste for those that would rather hide than fight. The Sith must be destroyed she thought with absolute conviction, and she would see to it. When they had succeeded, she thought with complete self-righteousness, she would rebuild the order to what it should be and make sure the Jedi had a much firmer hand on the running of the Republic, no Chancellor would ever be able to challenge them again. Maybe there would be no chancellor at all, maybe the Grand Master would command.
Maybe that position she realised with intrigue would be hers. Seeing herself commanding the Jedi Order and Republic both was a powerful image and one that filled her with excitement.
However, a sudden chill came upon them, she honestly had felt warmer on Ilum the day she had harvested the crystal for her lightsaber. She and the others turned and looked around to find the source of the sudden cold unlike anything they had collectively sensed before.
Then a sound started, coming from the dark tunnel nearby, a strange and chilling breathing sound that seemed to echo all around them. A shiver ran through them all and finally they realised just where the sound was coming from and they all turned to look at it.
A ghastly red light suddenly appeared with a snap hiss, a red bladed lightsaber revealing a tall figure in black durasteel armour with a mask that completely covered their face. It was strangely designed but had a sort of mask on the front that seemed to be making the breathing sound they had heard. It reminded them of the pictures of Ancient Sith Warriors they had seen in their history lessons back at the temple.
Now realising what they were faced with all the Jedi present ignited their lightsabers and stood ready to face the creature that honestly terrified them all instinctively to the bone. The warrior then started advancing and swung its lightsaber hard, one of them tried to block it only to find their throat within his hold which he snapped with a quick brutal motion and then blasted the others with a force wave that sent all of them flying and before they could blink, the warrior cut down to more Jedi before they even got up.
All of them were now completely terrified of the warrior, the likes of which they had never seen before as he continued to advance on them. Some swung their lightsabers at him but he simply batted them away with inhuman strength. He never spoke a word, not as he cut them down one by one, just made that horrible breathing sound and occasional angry noises as he attacked them.
One of them tried to flee but the warrior grabbed him with the force and pulled him back, impaling him with his lightsaber and threw the body onto another of the Jedi in the chamber.
It was a slaughter, none of them had ever faced a force user of his strength before and soon only Shadday was left standing, trembling as she faced him while the bodies of her colleagues lay all around her. She tripped over the body of Master Kcaj and yelled out at him in fear.
"WHO ARE YOU!?"
The warrior stilled for a moment before finally it spoke.
"I am Darth Vader." The warrior said in an electronic voice, ripping her lightsaber out of her hands with the force and levitating her in the air. She struggled but it gained her nothing as Vader advanced on her and without wasting a second he choked her with the force, watching as the life drained out of her body until finally, she was gone.
- x -
Senate Building, Coruscant…
Palpatine received the report from Kessel and smirked as Vader proved his usefulness, he was disappointed as compared to Anakin they were nowhere near intelligent but they were more rageful than he probably could ever have been.
And expendable, if one was worn out or killed, he could just replace it with another.
Lord Vader could never die, a living legend at his command to instil terror in the people.
Excellent he thought with some anger at being denied the apprentice he wanted but instead had found a perfect weapon as his enforcer.
All around the galaxy, people reeled from the events of the last few days.
Average citizens were divided, some very worried about this new empire while some saw it as a good thing and others were just hoping their lives didn't change too much.
For a few though, especially the Jedi that had survived Order 66…it was a new beginning. A new era of secrecy and fear. Hiding what they were for fear of being killed.
Naat Reath, having avoided death at the hands of her own soldiers retreated to a planet that already had someone hiding there. Krant, where her former master Echuu Shen-Jon met her with surprise. He would she hoped benefit by learning the things she had from Masters Skywalker and Tuwan and they could at least keep each other company in the dark days ahead.
Kelleran Beq, a Jedi who had been for years constructing his own training facilities on a forest world far from anywhere disappeared into those forests with the younglings he had brought with him, eager to complete their training far from anyone's eyes.
Kerra Holt, formerly so bold in her desire to help had watched a Jedi killed by the clones that served the Republic realised she would need to be more careful, especially as she was found by two survivors of the Jedi Temple who had fled when the temple was lost. Bao-Dur and Kazdan Paratus were hard struck by the thing they had escaped but would join her in her quest to be a knight errant only now it was done while hiding the fact they were Jedi.
Minisa Anari and her apprentice Bene, they too having escaped the Temple managed to flee the planet by abandoning their robes for more daring civilian dress and acting the part of girls merely gambling their way around the galaxy in starliners.
Not all Jedi though were content to hide, Saesee Tinn and Oppo Rancisis who too had escaped the Temple were far from beaten. They were secretly even to themselves angry at what had occurred and vowed to not only fight the Empire but in time rebuild the Jedi Order 'right' namely as the great Odan-Urr's code demanded which had brought a thousand years of peace. No deviation from it would be tolerated.
Speaking of training Obi-Wan began to learn not only lessons imparted to him by Master Yoda to preserve his consciousness after death but also, he reluctantly began to go into Dooku's Holocron in the hopes that something useful to them would be found.
Master Yoda, though humbled by his failure to stop Darth Sidious retreated to the world that he himself had been hoping to visit since its rediscovery. The small ship he had acquired landing on Ossus and being greeted Master Tuwan, Tera Sinube and Celeste Morne who did their best to welcome him to the still being restored Great Library. The sight of so many Jedi especially the younglings bolstered his flagging spirits. Master Sabla-Mandibu was eager to show him all the holocrons the group here had uncovered so far.
On the planet of Auratera, where the second largest group had gone was likewise doing their best to settle in. Work on the temple there would now have many more workers and Master Jocasta Nu was so glad that a backup copy of the Archive was being kept here and she would along with the other Jedi do their best to make a new home here, Professor Huyang assisting her in maintaining the archive. Master Tholme though, he worried Quinlan and Aayla but knew the best way to help them would be to help find Jedi around the galaxy that were stranded or unable to find the safe places they had. He would need he realised need to create some kind of underground to find their lost fellows and bring them to a safe place, if not here then somewhere else but not just Jedi that had survived Order 66 but potential recruits so they would be protected from the Empire.
Many of the secret temples Master Yoda had ordered restored now contained Jedi who would be able to hide from the Empire there.
Kit Fisto and aquatic Jedi would be fine on the Ocean moon of Delriss.
Shaak Ti a highly skilled survivalist would find it easy to manage the jungles of Yavin 4. As would other Jedi on several other hidden temples, safe and protected where they were.
- x -
Haron Ordo as he at last returned to Reijar, greeted by his family which he hugged them all and his close friends was relieved that it seemed they had actually made a difference, whether it would be enough they would soon find out.
The Clone Wars were over he thought with a grim expression on his face as he knew the real war for the heart and soul of the galaxy without meaning to be melodramatic was about to begin.
There we are, hope you all enjoyed the chapter and please leave a review to let me know what you thought.
More Review Responses from the Last Chapter…
BadReader - I know a lot stories do get abandoned on this site but I intend to keep going till it is finished.
alexthom1 - Thank you! Really appreciate you saying that and I intend too.
ReadingFenatic- Glad you liked it! I kind of feel with Anakin that he was set up for failure right from the start by just about everyone and his own actions didn't exactly help.
Kahlan - ¡Feliz de saber que disfrutas de la historia!
Percy Jackson7 - Glad to hear that you liked it! I have to be honest I went through a few versions of that fight before getting the idea to bring Talzin in. Sending Padme to Reijar in my mind was the best way to make sure Anakin didn't effectively have a blaster to his head. Not having to worry so he could think more clearly.
Guest - I hoped people would like the story and really appreciate the compliment!
Alexander gadd - Hope so too!
Mugetsu700 - Hope you liked it.
Arctic Wolf Fury - Hopefully you enjoy this new chapter then. A number of things I put in come together here and the result of those changes can be seen.
Mando-Vet - Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Since the last chapter was a little short on action this new chapter has far more.
nato12 - Not quite but since he wasn't able to frame the Jedi as effectively this time and some of the clones had their freewill during Order 66 there will be implications further down the line.
Kilimeres - Probably not I'm not sure who if anyone to pair Luna with but Fives does have a happier ending this time.
williamkillian98 - Hope you enjoyed it.
Kri55555t00ffer - Indeed, the Dark Times and the Galactic Civil War. In do however intend for it to be a much bigger struggle than was in the movies especially in the new canon. There will be many factions in the war, some good some not but as to who will be on whose side? We shall see.
Batcard - Really am glad to hear you liked it. Hope you enjoy this chapter too.
Sanders7201 - You indeed will see just what some Jedi think of the Mandalorians having the force but it will take some time to spread.
kelwin - Thank you! Sidious will try to invade the Mandalorians in future but first the Empire and the Mandalorians will clash over a very important planet.
Rio47 - Thank you!
NightFury101 - Glad you are enjoying it. They will get their chance to fight in a couple of chapters time.
alexandertheII - Happy to hear you are enjoying the story! I intend to complete the story however long it takes and while it might take a while, I have no intention of abandoning it. I agree that the Mandalorians are criminally underused sometimes and their society and culture need to be properly fleshed out. I mean the way they have kept things so contained in recent years, during the 2nd Mandalorian Civil War to free it from the Empire, the thousand worlds of Mandalorian space seemed to be represented by only a hundred people! That's ridiculous! Glad to hear you like the fleet, it will be standardised in a couple of chapters time.
Guest - Thankfully no, I was able to get Part 2 done before the New Year.
dswiller80 - Sorry! Given the length I couldn't get it all in one chapter.
Redpanda1224 - I thank you! I am just happy you are loving the story. Haron and Ara would never give up one of their children. I honestly just don't know who to pair Luna with. I have looked at different options and never really found one that fits.
animulal - Thanks!
EP - Merci.
GrayAngel13, Sozin's Flame, CrowsFlow, Abyss Trinity, Levky - Thank you!
Dragon VS Phoenix - Silencer Fleet? Never heard of it but it would be interesting. I do have plans for Aayla but they take a while to get there.
Tau4298 - Indeed, hope you enjoyed it.
Bruhmancer - Thank you!
Envy220 - I see which one you mean. Not quite although Jedi training would be involved. As for the pairing? Not sure yet but I have two options including the one you mentioned.
Chris the Metis - Indeed, I think the Rise of the Empire was too far along to ever really be halted.
Rebell 01 - Indeed, a bit of logic would probably have ensured a lot of these events wouldn't have happened.
e10620ac - Will do.
K. M. Donovan - I will but it will take a bit of time to get there since Rebels starts fourteen years after Revenge of the Sith and thankfully there is already a way to bring them in. Clone Wars had its moments I agree but the problem with shows like it and Rebels to some degree is that you are constrained by continuity but that being said you can work around it if you try. I intend to cover much of the era between the prequals and original movies but there will be changes.
fresh prince1 - Thanks!
M1stymix - Cheers! I appreciate it! Maybe they will but maybe not.
HowlnMadHowie - I liked the omake ideas you had! Awesome! As for why Palpatine would see why Ordo shouldn't be underestimated. True but it will really kick in after the first real battle the Mandalorians fight as part of the Galactic Civil War when he really sees what they can do. As for whether Ahsoka and Allara would see the power of House Ordo? They will see some of it, but not all of it.
Extra-Element19 - Indeed.
Canuto-90 - Thank you! Some of it will be shown when they fight their first battle of the Galactic Civil War and cultivate their first ally from a very important world.
Azai Jin - Glad you like it.
Carlos24cr - True, good point you make. But I think that it's a bit like Wales and Scotland in the UK. They both have traditional languages of their own but largely they speak English. It's just easier to speak English than Welsh or Gaelic. So, while the Mandalorians have Mando'a its easier to speak basic.
Jctherebel - Hope you enjoy it!
Joe02 - Thanks! There is only one way as you will see to get out of that situation. Ahsoka might sense something but bear in mind the Mandalorians if they show anything at all it will be only what they really must. Ahsoka and Luna? That is one of the pairings I have been considering but I am just not sure. I might put up a poll in the future since I am stuck on Luna's pairing. Luna is no fool you are right, and she will do what she must. She has an important role in the chapter to intervene at a crucial moment.
DeathCrawler, Bia1230 - Thanks!
WhiteElfElder- Funny thing, as Harry/Haron will stop hiding his abilities in this chapter and Aayla's clones? Some have been dechipped and some haven't.
Morkail - Oh indeed, the Galactic Civil War is going to be far more intense this time around. As for the clones? The ones that have their chips removed? They have a presence later in the story. Indeed, the Mandalorians have a lot of ships and weapons at their disposal. Enough to fight and resist the Empire? We shall see although how they join the fighting might surprise some of you.
NoFocus - Thanks! Canon will still have some presence but there are great changes especially after the next chapter as the Mandalorians, a large free state gets involved in the Galactic Civil War.
Tassadar112 - I know! Every time I think about it, I hear it in Jolee's voice too.
mwinter1, Maxinmus, tf330129 - Here we are!
chao-hellsing - True!
Jebest4781 - I intend to bring in more legends content with time. There's too much good stuff there to be ignored.
GodEnel - The Scepter may or may not appear again but either way it survived and if the force has its way, it will go where it's supposed to.
Next Chapter - A new era dawns as the galaxy settles into the post war Empire. The Mandalorians must decide whether they intend to help or just take care of their own. Anakin finds himself on an important mission of his own.