The Front
THE ENDEAVOR
Hyperspace
The Endeavor a generation one Militant light corvette built in the secret shipyards of the Militia hidden from prying eyes, in keeping with separatist tradition of naming machines after animals the vessel's class aptly named the the Shark-Class for its long sleek design with fin wings on the sides and a middle fin near the back armed with three turrets along the upper bow and bow it's five engines allowed the ship to achieve level four hyperspace. Painted with Militia azure the hex and sword gun emblem on its side. While it was carrying Jedi to Selucami it was a warship through and through. Deep in its cargo hold Ahkilleon lay fast asleep in the cargo hold when he awoke to see staring back at him with those pale blue eyes and a smirk under the yellow stripe of his clan, the lock headed fair skinned kiffar boy Corto Vos. He wore his Jedi robe over his beige robe with his arms folded over one another lying chest down on top of the crate over Ahkilleon ``Morning sleepy head, sweet dreams?"
"Corto." Ahkilleon sat up and froze for a second real int what he'd done and who he was speaking with, "What are you-" "You think the Order isn't going to send its best healer to help, Master Saa insisted I go." He said.
"Yeah, it helps when your Master is a Council Member, I bet." Ahkilleon stretched his neck and Corto smirked.
Ahkilleon felt his gaze on him "Real question: why is the Temple delinquent here after he got sent to his room?" Corto asked him, sitting up, legs crossed.
"I have my reasons." He said curtly.
"Okay." Corto hopped off the top of the crate landing across from Ahkilleon.
The boys both with markings on their faces of yellow and white looked at one another, Ahkilleon had a quizzical look on his deep green eyes. While Corto just had a calm serene look on his icey blue one, "You're not going to ask me?"
Corto shrugged hands in the air "Why bother, you have your reasons I'd you wanted me to know you'd tell me. In the meantime I'd try not to mumble in your sleep someone like me may hear you mumbling, 'Ezra…. Sabine….' Old friends of yours?" Ahkilleon didn't answer and Corto didn't press him, leaving him alone Ahkilleon slunk down against the cargo hold wall gripping and waited till they would land.
SALEUCAMI
A contested world
The Endeavor dropped out of hyperspace and flew to the greenish brown planet. Aboard the bridge Corto walked in after speaking with the stowaway and entered the bridge, the bridge was a standard design with a reinforced window looking out at space, a dozen officers were at monitors with some B1 battle droids assisting them. What was different from previous Separatist B1 were that these droids were painted a dark navy blue like the hex shield and all of them had the signature antenna angled back like a militia regular.
Sitting in a central Command chair was the vessel's captain, a familiar face to some, the Rodian Jedi Knight, Ganodi was wearing a flight suit ready to jump into a Militia Hawk fighter at a moments notice. Her flight suit was different from the standard issue Militia pilots, it was a pale teal with white harnesses, the only sign of rank she had was a tassel on her shoulder. When they dropped out of hyperspace a Militia Dreadnought was waiting for them, the official name of the vessel was a Providence Mk II Class Dreadnought, the advanced model of the capital ships of the Separatist Navy during the clone wars. Besides being larger, more heavily armed and manned with more men than before. The Providence MK 2's were unpainted except for the Militia Hex on both sides. The bow of the ship had a large ax shaped wedge perfect for ramming other capital ships and the command tower was a shorter fin near the middle. "Sir the ship is hailing us."
"Put it through." Ganodi said seeing in the distance on the other side of the planet Militia and Imperial ships in combat, explosions going off in the distance.
"Endeavor, welcome to Saleucami I am Commander Balor of the Intrepid, are you carrying Jedi healers?" the commander of the other ship asked.
Ganodi turned to the ship, "We are, what's going on over there?"
"The Imperials are making a heavy push, they're the last forces in the system and they are fighting like hell to keep it." the Commander said.
Ganodi grimaced seeing the fighting, not that it was happening but that she was here and not out there, "Understood, proceeding to Lord Asimov's forward camp."
The corvette flew down to the surface past the dreadnought two HWK-class fighters flew them down into Saleucami, inside the jedi ship, Corto had rejoined Yumi, Fatima and Rude with the other young jedi all of them pressed their faces to the window and down in the cargo hold Ahkilleon locked put a small peep hole of a window. The once green and orange surface of Selucami was covered in pillars of smoke from hard fighting across the sector. Then they were flying over lines and lines of abandoned trenches. Turned over earth into fields of muddy no man's land till they reached a large encampment covered by a shield of green energy that fountained out from three large generators. Towers of earth had been constructed in ramparts and tents stretched across the ground with a field of starfighters and Militia tanks. Nothing as big as Imperial tanks but still many of them on stand by.
The shields lowered and when the ship came in the fountain spouted back out energy once again shielding the ship and the camp. Finding the landing field the ship set down on the surface. The young jedi all emerged in their jedi robes with metal packs on their backs of their personal belongings, emerging at the front of the party was a young jedi knight, she had black hair trimmed short wearing a jedi tunic under a pair of fitted traveling garments, she had braces on her forearms, shoulder guards with the jedi orders symbol on it and a lightsaber at her hip. She had dark brown skin and full lips with matching brown eyes, approaching her was a familiar face.
"Master Uzuma welcome to Selcuami." the zygerrian Captain Naqia Miraj said as the two women shook hands.
"Captain, take us to your wounded." Tai said dispensing with the pleasantries.
Naqia looked over the class "Do any of these greenhorns know how to heal?"
"Some of them do, Corto Vos is our best, but they are all skilled in calming the wounded with the force and will be of great assistance to your medical staff." Tai said.
Naqia nodded, as Tai walked past "Good to see you again Tai."
"You too Naqia." Tai replied to the young jedi following her.
In the back of the ship, Ahkilleon slipped out of the same port hole he'd crept into back on Arcadia, the entire camp was a city of tents and trenches dug into the earth, mud was overturned making the whole world brown and gray. He trudged through the mud and onto some planks set up for walkways to keep the path steady. All around him he could see Militia regulars moving around and for every Militia soldier there were at least five battle droids. Almost all of them B series, the signature B1 droids were hard at work moving crates and any other labor, B2's were marching on patrol and the Militia backbone of their military the B5 battle droid an advanced model of the B1 with thicker limbs a rounder head like a commando droid with a harness to hold pistol, grenades and other gear needed for troops were among the soldiers or the others.
He kept himself small against the crates and looked at the distance of the shield, through the tent city he was able to see explosions in the distance, where the fighting was. Getting ready to move he sensed someone was behind him "Hey you!"
He spun around hand on his lightsaber to see a Militia officer standing over him, the Militia officers all had Kama's and carried swords, a vibro cutlass at their hip with a militia revolver "Hmm oh your a Jedi huh?" the officer said.
"You monks are supposed to be helping with the wounded, where's your chaperone?" the officer interrogated him.
Ahkilleon noticed the cloud of brown and gray robes led by Tai disappearing in the distance, "Um, uh- right there sir." Ahkilleon pointed to her.
"Well what are you waiting for to get moving?" The soldier said, pointing at him to follow the other jedi, not knowing he wasn't supposed to be there.
Ahkilleon ran up to the rest of the group pulling his hood low so no one would recognize them, as the class walked, Tai hurried them along "Keep up the pace." She snapped.
"What crawled into her pants?" Rude asked in her wiry voice.
"Thought you knew, her padawan was killed by Inquisitors when she was on Lothal?" Fatima asked.
"Wait, the Koi boy?" Rude asked.
Ahkilleon felt himself go dark, the memory of Declan Koi being killed by the Inquisitors because of him, "Yeesh, I'd hate to run into an Inquisitor, heard there's one here- whoa look, War Jedi."
Fatima pointed out with an extended arm over at a large gray tent with a banner of the Jedi Order, winged with the saber pointed up painted on it, outside the tent talking meditating or sparring were four Jedi, their sigil was different colors then the traditional dark red of the Old Republic, it was a dark purple on a teal circle. The Jedi standing out in front of the tent were dressed like Tai, all wearing robes with armor. Their armor was a mix of leather bracers and shoulder guards, some wore heavier armor over their chests, arms and legs. Their faces were all hidden behind metal masks that Ahkilleon thought looked like Temple Guard masks with their hoods up hiding their faces.
"Keep moving." Tai snapped.
They followed her and Ahkilleon lingered looking at the War Jedi, two of them locking sabers when they stopped to look over at him, their faces hidden by the metal masks.
He continued on following the jedi into the medical tent, the smell of death was thick in the air. Two dozen beds were stretched out with red crossed B1's assisting medical droids as men and women lay wounded "Alright, get to work." Tai barked at them.
The Jedi all started to break off and Ahkilleon froze, it seems like Tai had given them a special set of instructions he wasn't a part of, and suddenly he felt someone grab his arm "Come on, don't stare." it was Corto he'd grabbed his arm and dragged him over to a bed with a wounded soldier. The man was mummified in bandages with a heavy bleeding wound on his stomach "What are you doing?" Ahkilleon asked.
"Doing you a favor, now hold your hands out, I'll do the rest." Corto said, pushing his robes back and pressing them over the man's stomach. Ahkilleon looked down to see the bandages open over and reveal the man's wound, a massive chunk of his stomach was ripped out and his blood began to flow again, the man groaned under the bandages and a medical droid rushed over "What are you-"
Ahkilleon stopped him and said "Don't, let him do this." Ahkilleon let Corto work and soon the red began to fade around the exposed stomach, cells began to regenerate and the skin regrow over the damaged tissue till it was covered in a large scar.
Corto retracted his hands from the wounded soldier, the wounds on the man's stomach were sealed and the blood that had seeped out had started to dry, color returning to his face. Exhaling, he sat back on his knees ``His wound is practically healed…" the nearby medical droid said, hovering over the other padawans. Ahkilleon kept his hood up as Yumi walked by and Corto took a breath.
"Force healing damaged tissue is pretty great, he should probably stay in bed for a day just to make sure." Corto said pointing to Ahkilleon who was acting as an assistant "He usually causes the damage." Corto teased as he wrapped up a bandage over a man's arm.
Ahkilleon said nothing when he heard a loud bustling going on outside, he got up and made his way to the tent flap. He pushed it aside to see the whole base was on the move to the ships. A regular carrying a crate was moving briskly past him "What's going on?" Ahkilleon asked loudly.
"Lord Asimov has ordered a retreat, the empires launched a massive counter attack heading right for us." The corporal reported.
Corto stood up hearing him "We're retreating?" He asked aloud.
The officer in charge of the medical tent checked his holo seeing the order come in "Alright people let's move, I need B1's and stretchers."
Master Uzuma cleared her throat "Younglings assist any and all wounded to their shuttles, now."
Corto sighed hearing it was true "Damn, thought we had this one in the bag Tano…. Tano?" Corto looked back to see Ahkilleon was gone.
Elsewhere in the camp at its nerve center, a large tent with extra fences around it and two heavily armored Militia soldiers stood outside it, the Militia flag flying high over it, under it the sigil of the War Jedi, Lord Asimov's sigil and inside the Lord Asimov stood in front of a holotable showing the imperial force amassing at their perimeter markets showing their projected advance. Surrounding the table were other high ranking. Militia officers all dressed in militia armor with some different emblems for their units. There was a neimoidian with a cybernetic claw like a crab, an Umbaran woman in light armor and cloak, a bulky armored man still wearing his helmet and a skull painted on it. Asimov stood in his teal and silver armor his horns pointed skyward he wore a half fur cloak hands behind his back as he addressed them "The droids have been sent to slow the enemy's advance, our proton cannons will bombard and provide air cover as we withdraw."
"My Lord?!" Ahkilleon burst into the command center.
"A youngling, why are you not at your post your kind were ordered to assist with the wounded?" The hologram of Admiral Zygote asked "All padawans and cadets are to assist with the evacuation."
Ahkilleon looked at Asimov "My Lord, your army has been here for a whole month and the enemy is heading our way, surely we have time to launch a counter attack instead of retreat?"
"Your bravery is noted young one, but the order stands to go and assist with the wounded-" Ahkilleon wanted to make another objection "Now."
Leaving the tent he ran, not back to the medical tent but to the front where he saw the militia regulars making an orderly withdrawal forming into regiments and double timing their retreat. B5 battle droids ran along trenches and fired artillery from triple baffled droid cannons. On the horizon Ahkilleon could witness six AT-AT's heading toward them bombarding the shield generator. Outside across no man's land he saw militia forces retreating to the safety of the shields B5's were running in and out of the carnage with wounded regulars and heading back into the fray to find survivors. "Ahkilleon!?" He heard a yelp with notes of surprise and anger turning around and he saw Yumi.
"Yumi what are you doing here?" He asked.
"I wanted to see the battlefield before we- wait what are you doing here you were told to stay on Arcadia." She snapped with an opposing finger at him. He looked back at the advancing tanks behind them he could see a sea of white Storm Troopers amassing using the tanks large legs and bodies as cover.
While Yumi continue to try and get an answer from him he noticed an abandoned harness with three thermal detonators attached to it, he remembers how Sabine and he would remove the set the charges from the Phoenix Home after Cham, Hera's father tried to blow up the ship. Then he looked up at the walkers he new their forward armor was to thick for canon fire but a well placed shot to the neck, or a detonator could work. "I swear the council will have your lightsaber for this-" Ahkilleon tossed off his robe and flung the fabric right into Yumi's face, grabbed the harness and flung it on around his robes shoulders. It was thick leather with extra padding around the shoulders the straps running down to his waist with a leather band he clipped it around his waist and the detonators jangle over his chest. Doing the math he had six detonators and there were a dozen walkers so he could only get one to go off each.
No pressure.
He walked through the trench ignoring Yumi's shouts for him to turn back and how insane he was! Her shouts started to draw attention and the withdrawing soldiers he was passing turned their heads to see the teenager climb out of the trench and look at the artsy shield wall. Fire and smoke blew up from the ground like the mouth of a dragon, the twelve behemoth shapes of the tanks in the distance. Summoning his courage, Ahkilleon stepped through and ran.
His feet moved without thinking and he was running to the far right tank a speck of blue and white moving across the turned over earth and carnage, one of the walkers noticed him and opened fire. The laser blasts shook the earth and send mud flying, Ahkilleon dodged the incoming fire fire and saw a downed Militia Grizzly tank, an advanced design of the separatist tank with a longer barrel bigger body and more angular shape to it. Using it for cover he slid behind it caking his boots in mud. He ran out from cover hopping through the craters of mud and more cannon fire on him. Ahkilleon saw the far right at-at and it wasn't far. He grabbed his first detonator and the tank kept firing at the shield. The stormtroopers who were using the tank for cover saw him shouting "Blast Em!"
Laser fire ripped through the air and Ahkilleon saw an overturned tree roots turned upward, Ahkilleon ran up it staying one step ahead of the stormtroopers blaster fire he untwisted the detonators and leaped of the fallen tree with the force to the top of the tank. Landing on its backside the young Jedi set the timer and tossed the first charge onto the back of the neck then backed up with a running leap he bounds to the second AT while the first had its neck blown up the rest of the tank following.
Unbeknownst to Ahkilleon the trenches had halted their retreat and watched Ahkilleon through scopes and binoculars to see a young man standing on the back of an At-AT with white hair throwing a detonator charge onto the tanks neck. Backing up and leaping to the third, the second going down like the first.
But the empire was catching on as soon as he landed on the third the hatch to the tank opened up and an Imperial tanker pilot in white armor with a gray uniform opened fire on him. Ahkilleon drew his blue lightsaber and deflected the red lasers but the driver inside the tank made the whole Walker wobble left to right to throw him off. Ahkilleon grabbed his detonator arming it before he lost his footing. The ball shaped grenade flew like a cannonball into the tankers helmet and he fell back into the cockpit followed by an explosion taking out the head to fall taking Ahkilleon with it. Tumbling forward till he felt his boots against the armored haul Ahkilleon launched himself lightsaber to the fourth tank stormtrooper blasters sending a swarm of red lasers around before he slammed into the imperial tanks neck. He drove his lightsaber into the armored body and felt the metal slowly melt as his weight dragged him down. With only one thermal detonator left he wouldn't have tow charges left for the last two. Thinking fast he armed the last detonator and cut a hole with his lightsaber into the wall and chunked it in. Climbing up he ran and jumped the close proximity to the blast carrying him to the fifth tank. He landed on it thinking on his back up plan remembering how Kanan had charged the AT-AT on Lothal with nothing but his lightsaber and his courage. He looked down at the tank he was on top of and crouched to avoid getting picked off by stormtroopers from below. Putting a hand toward the haul he ripped open the nearest hatch and saw a series of wires and cables. Grabbing the thickest one he tore out long stretches of it till he had a makeshift rope. Just turn the hatch of the tank opener with the drivers coming of shooting at him. Ahkilleon ran to the edge lightsabers in one hand the cable in the other. One last time he jumped and toward the last walker's leg he swung like he was on a vine and slashed through the Imperial walker's leg like butter. His body weight made him swing back around the fifth tank and he came toward the drivers rear leg cutting it too. The two tanks missing their legs staggered before falling inward to one another crumbling to the ground of no man's land.
Ahkilleon released the cable before it took him with it and he hit the mud, his right sleeve ripping and the left getting torn to shreds. He got up spitting out some mud and he smiled for a split second at his work hearing "Freeze!" He looked back to see a whole army of stormtroopers with hundreds of blasters, too many to dodge or deflect one shouting "Freeze? shoot the damn- ""Hold, this one's mind."
A voice rose over the others and walking out in front of all the white was a black armored Inquisitor, they wore the metal shoulder guards with the Imperial shield on it, a breastplate with hip guards, leather boots and gloves. This Inquisitors Helmet was pointed at the top with a beak and narrow visor made of many vertical slits, Ahkilleon felt his fear of the blaster's getting replaced with memories of Malachor, of the Inquisitors he faced there, or Maul, and when he thought of Vader his mechano arm clenched balled into a fist. Holding up his lightsaber Ahkilleon turned it on, to the Inquisitor's delight "That's the spirit."
Reaching behind his back the Inquisitor took out a red lightsaber with a bladed hilt edge turning it on they attacked. Ahkilleon didn't wait for the Darksiders to set the pace; he met him and locked lightsabers with him. Unlocking and attacking one another again in rapid succession before they interlocked again "Now I remember where I know your face from, you've grown regardless I will be rewarded when I bring your head to my Master."
"Now there's an idea." Ahkilleon grunted shooting the inquisitor with a force push and then advancing, the Inquisitor skidded back in the mud but didn't falter. Even sun Ahkilleon resumed duel moving the two of them in a circle Ahkilleon watched the Inquisitor's feet and the direction of his saber. He blocked above then varied from the right the Inquisitor activated his second emitter and the hilt spread itself into the other end becoming a rotating blade. Ahkilleon backed up a few seconds then lunged stabbing at the lightsaber with one hand the Inquisitor dodged throwing the lightsaber in the air side stepping and spinning around to catch the rotating blade for what he thought was a killing blow- only to get a left hook from Ahkilleon's mechanical fist and arm that scrunched up the helmets beak so bad the inquisitor was coughing inside.
"Insolent cur!" The inquisitor went on the offensive faster than before, more vicious and Ahkilleon barely had time to raise his lightsaber to defend himself before he was- no!
Ahkilleon didn't retreat, he pressed an attack, he knew what to do, relying on his muscles in both memory and strength he avoided one strike and parried another, he watched the inquisitor, his enemy. This wasn't a sparring match in the temple, or him holding the enemy off until the Ghost was good to leave with whatever they'd stolen, Hera wasn't here to give them an extraction. There was no Zeb the mighty lasat to throw a giant crate or boulder to give them a chance to slip away or Chopper to try something insane.
He was alone.
It was him.
Or the Inquisitor.
Ahkilleon rushed the inquisitor, ducking the siths incoming slash and with his right hand swung his lightsaber up taking the inquisitors saber hand in one swipe, catching the lightsaber and with both blades before he spun slashing the imperial across the neck taking his head clean off.
And he chose himself.
All of the stormtroopers froze and stepped back seeing Ahkilleon who pointed his lightsabers at them, no one moved. One officer in the grayish green armor and open faced helmet shouted blaster raised "Don't just stand there you idiots shoot-" the man didn't finish his sentence as a green blaster bolt tore through his face sending his helmet flying.
"MILITIA INVICTUS!" A wave of roars followed and the stormtroopers who had been using the AT-AT for cover saw a tidal wave of Militia forces pouring over it, regulars, B5 battle droids and some of Asimov's War Jedi one battle droids was even carrying the Militia flag on a pole when the forces clashed white on gray armor and dark brown uniforms. "Militia Invictus!" Ahkilleon shouted, running into the stormtroopers with both red and blue lightsabers.
ARCADIA
Outside Bastion Temple
Turok sat there by the waterfall, smoking his pipe fishing when he heard the wind rustle the grass. The Hatch Jedi Battlemaster Stormblade was with him the two fishing together, and they realized he wasn't alone, Master K'Kruhk stood behind him, "I hope you're happy."
"Word from Selucami, Grand Master?" Turok asked unsure what the whipped Master was alluding to.
K'Kruhk growled out from behind his tusks, "The Militia turned back an Imperial assault, when a lone Jedi padawan took on the force single handedly, a boy, white and blue of hair, markings on his face… who should have been in his room."
"He escaped click-click-click, oh my?" Stormblade said.
Turok took out his pipe looking back at "K'Kruhk, did you really think he'd stay here, he left the rebels, what did you think he'd do, stay here, become a good little padawan?" Turok asked, "Too much of his parents in him."
"I do not care about how much of his parents are in him, I care about you playing games with a boy's life."
"He hasn't been a boy since he watched his mother and oldest friend die?" Turok said, breathing out his pipe, "Stop trying to honor the old ways, let something new happen."
"Be it in your heads, now he'll be his and you'll have no one to blame but yourself." K'Kruhk snapped.
SALEUCAMI
Militia Forward Command
The severed head of the former Inquisitor hung from Ahkilleon's mechanical hand, the siths lightsaber clipped to his belt as an additional trophy as he walked back through the camp, Militia soldiers had split in a crowd for him as one soldier behind Ahkilleon shouted "Militia!"
"INVICTUS!" The army responded, the soldiers who had come to fight at Ahkilleon's side pulled their weapons into the air at the salute.
"Militia!" The soldier called again as they passed Master Uzuma, Corto, his sister Bumi and the other young Jedi seeing Ahkilleon, who was t supposed to be there in the first place marching with an inquisitor's head in his hand right up to Lord Asimov tent. The Warlord walked out of the tent with his officers and the militia behind Ahkilleon all presented their trophies of imperial helmets, armor pieces, weapons and so on. But Ahkilleon, who had the real prize, walked up and paid the dead inquisitor's head at Asimov's feet. The Warlord Jedi raised his hand and the army started to quiet down but some were still chattering and hollering till Commander Sigma came up shouting "SHUT IT!"
Silence.
"Our fleet above has reported the Imperial forces above the planet have moved to the far side of the planet. They are holding positions as ships are landing to recover the remains of the imperial army… in other words soldiers-" Asimov raised a fist "SALEUCAMI IS OURS!"
A chorus or cheers exploded from the army and those behind Ahkilleon rushed the boy patting him on the back ruffling his hair, enthusiastically drumming their gauntlets on his chest. Asimov let them have their celebration before he held up his hand and Sigma a second later shouted "QUIET!"
The crowd fell silent again, "Have the droids be sent to clear the battlefield of our dead, and dispatch B5's to skirmish the remaining enemy units nearby the rest of you, open the ale while I speak to our champion!" Asimov pointed to Ahkilleon and the army all let out another chorus of cheers before Asimov and Silva returned to the tent. Ahkilleon followed but he didn't get the same warm reception from Lord Asimov's inner circle of officers; each one was giving him side eyes and none welcomed him with even an approving nod.
The tent was empty when he entered except for the two who came in behind him, Lord Asimov walked around the holotable showing the two fleets positions the Imperial fleet on the other side opposite of the Militant. "It'll be roughly an hour before the Empire withdraws." Commander Sigma said his voice was identical to Captain Rex's as was his face, minus the dark black mullet he wore on his head.
Ahkilleon kept his smile on and waited as Asimov pressed a few buttons on the holotable, not saying a word to Ahkilleon, "You wanted to see my lord?"
"You'll speak when spoken to." Sigma told Ahkilleon curtly.
Ahkilleon leered back at him, as the holotable expanded to show the selucami system, then Ahkilleon saw what Asimov was doing the map was divided into red and blue most of the northwestern outer rim was in blue, Militia, the rest majority red for the Empire. The Foundry which held Selucami and other former Separatist worlds. "What do you see here?" Lord Asimov asked, showing fleet movements.
There were two markers for Militia and Imperial, "Fleet movements?" Ahkilleon asked.
"Yes, notice anything about the imperial movements?"
Ahkilleon looked and saw the imperial fleet on this system was spread out not far off from the saleucami system, and he noticed that also close by was Admiral Trenches fleet along with three more Militia markers, his smile faded. "You… weren't retreating…" Ahkilleon said as he looked at the floor. "Continue." Lord Asimov said hands balled into fists arms crossed "You… your plan was to draw the Empire into our territory and surround them with Trenches fleet…"
"And?" Commander Sigma asked.
"And now they're leaving and will regroup for another attack…." Ahkilleon finished looking up at Lord Asimov.
The Warlord beamed down at him under his helmet's visor "AND COST US THE ENTIRE SYSTEM FOR ONE PLANET!" Ahkilleon didn't wince at the shout; he didn't even flinch at Lord Asimov's overwhelmingly anger he felt in the force, "Hmph, at least you're not shriveling up like some padawans." Asimov said walking away.
"Fortunately for you, we will spin this as a victory for propaganda, one Jedi trainer took out six tanks and an Inquisitor." Lord Asimov retired to his arm chair in the back of the tent near his desk and looked back at Ahkilleon, he leaned legs sprawled out in the chair one arm at rest the other up rubbing his gloved hand together "Yes, it sends a strong message that our Jedi are just as powerful or not more powerful than the Old Republics, don't you agree Sigma."
Sigma held his helmet under his arm and gave a curious smile "Yes, yes it does, the General will love it, it's got a story behind it with how the men are acting out there." He said looking out the tent window to see the camp celebrating the victory.
"Look at it kid." Sigma said walking back putting his arm around Ahkilleon's shoulder and the pulled him towards the exit where they opened the flap to see the soldiers
celebrating "You're a hero, of course most of these men will be fighting and dying here in a few rotations when our fleet could have obliterated the imps once they followed us into our trap, good job." Sigma said smiling waving to the soldiers, Ahkilleon wasn't waving or smiling. It hurt even more hearing Sigma say it with how much he sounded like Rex.
Lord Asimov grunted and Sigma closed the tent and let Ahkilleon go, "Real hero."
Ahkilleon stood there looking at the tent doorway like staring at a wall, "I'm sorry."
"Oh he's sorry Lord, you hear that, this shiny ruins a strategy that could have turned this stalemate around and he's-" "Enough, the boy didn't know." Lord Asimov stopped Sigma from continuing. Ahkilleon turned around and walked to the center of the tent next to the holotable "And knowledge is power, is it not?"
The teenager froze, he went pale and looked at Asimov's visor, it was the same words the Presence of Malachor said to Ezra and him, right before everything went to hell. "What did you say?"
"You heard me, yes I know what you faced on Malachor, I know what happened even though the official report is your mother killed Vader, starting this war, and maybe she did. There's been no sighting of the Sith Lord in six months. Just more of these Inquisitors who are popping up like flies in the Empire's ranks, we suspect they are recruiting from their own ranks… as are we." Lord Asimov said getting up.
"What?" Ahkilleon asked.
Asimov approached him, "As I said knowledge is power, the New Jedi Council claims they aren't like the old one. But they hide, they lie, they hold you back why else would I call for young Jedi healers knowing it be your class they'd test, how was I supposed to know this would be the time you show off, giving those cowards an excuse to keep you there." Lord Asimov said, pacing hands behind his back.
Ahkilleon gasped "You're saying, you wanted me here?"
"Yes, I wanted to see what you would do, outside of the temple Turok has kept me up to speed on your training, and your powers have grown, even with that new arm you're form is there… but there is so much more for you to learn, and for that you need a teacher, a single instructor to prepare you for what's to come." Asimov said, ending his pacing and standing over Ahkilleon even with the few inches he'd grown, Lord Asimov still towered over him "A true Master." Ahkilleon looked at Sigma who was munching on some food from the nearby table to slice open some fruit with his knife, "You saw the weakness in the what the enemy saw as a strength, you inspired my men so much they disobeyed my own orders, that is no small thing but the galaxy is bigger than a single battlefield if you are to be the Jedi King, you must be ready."
Ahkilleon didn't respond "That is unless you want me to send you back to Arcadia?"
Ahkilleon looked down and clenched his fists tight, his knees weren't too weak but he knelt all the same, it was never going to be easy looking up "Show me the way, Master."
SMACK
Lord Asimov smacked him across the face with the back of his gauntlet "Lesson number one." Asimov said, offering his hand "We kneel before no one, padawan." Ahkilleon took the hand "Lesson number two, let that be the last strike that goes unanswered." He hoisted Ahkilleon up "You are mine now, those who are your enemies are now my enemies and my enemies are your enemies, I will train you as no other Jedi has been trained, pushing your limit beyond anything the Masters thought possible and all will know the name Ahkilleon."