"I will deal with this Jedi slime… myself!"
The Unkillable Solider
Sabaton
Kenobi adjusted his tunic a bit before stepping onto a LAAT gunship. Around the hangar were clones moving about organizing things, their multiple jobs with moving in forklifts, refilling fighters, etc.
Ten gunships with open bay doors lay in perfect formation in a straightway. Each one had about a dozen men armed to the teeth with the weapons of the Republic. As the doors hissed before closing, Obi-Wan would only nod to his commander, Cody, before it shut. Darkness enveloped from the inside, but it would quickly fade as the faint red light came from above. A small metal light shined down upon the men, giving a slight crimson hue. The gunship took liftoff and the men slightly braced themselves some using the cargo net handles that hung down from the top of the cabin.
"Alright men," said Kenobi, "the battleship Hyperdrive is disabled, and there is no telling how long it will be that way. Our objective is to rescue Senator Amidala. We will be landing in the port hangar, and Skywalker and his Padawan, to the starboard side. The ship is heavily damaged so there should not be much resistance. But there will be a lot more inside."
Not a single response from the men, only emotionless nods and gestures.
"Our mission will be to get to the bridge and shut down this battleship. Skywalker will be to rescue the senator… you have your orders men."
A half 'yes sir' was heard, but was cut off by the immediate Separatist's counterattack. Booms from cannons echoed even through the void as vibrations rattled the smaller gunships.
Fighters were there, specifically Vulture droids, but they were few and far between and most were destroyed in the previous battle. And considering these types of fighters usually attack in massive numbers, does not help the situation.
The gunships easily moved between the Malevolence turbo lasers as they could not keep up with even these larger land boats. Between wrecks and debris, it also made them harder targets.
It would not be long until Kenobi's group of two LAAT gunships landed in the main huge port hangar. The deflector shields were clearly either not up or damaged, making it all the easier. Inside they were met with heavy blasterfire from red-painted/patterned B1 battle droids scattered around the flaming desolate hangar. The ships despite taking clear black char markers were relatively unharmed. Bay doors opened and the men poured into the area like monkeys out of the barrel. Shouting various tactical commands to each other, the area was in a new barrage of mixed red and blue laser fire as these platoons of men went to war against the droids inside the ship. The gunships fired too at the droids downed hiding behind crates, huge green lasers that eviscerated everything that they touched as clearly seen by the mighty blasts.
Kenobi ignited his Lightsaber, and hopped out, doing a roll to limit the weight stressed on his knees. He immediately deflected two incoming blaster bolts heading his way. And now leading the charge, he struck down two droids with ease cauterizing the metal wounds as they both fell to pieces. Kenobi grinned slightly seeing the numbers be relatively in his favor from the looks of things, but that would quickly change.
Surprised though, as a single rocket streaked across the hangar amidst the fighting from the back, creating easily the loudest roar and disturbing the most attention. Landing into one of the gunships, it exploded with a furious boom and spun around like an unbalanced in-air helicopter. Smashing into another one of the gunships, they both slammed to the floor crushing half a dozen droids and clones in their wake as smoldering brimstone engulfed the vessels. It was loud, horrific from the sounds of screeching and the cutting of metal and wails of men caught in the wake.
A brief smoke line was seen from the back, and to Kenobi's unexpected gaze, a squad of six B2 Super Battle droids approached. Shiny new dark grey armor, that infamous and terrifying single red eye on the side, they in perfect motion mirroring one another marched in heavy footsteps. These demon cyclops were as stunning as they were terrifying.
As the fighting intensified the Super Battle droids joined their B1 younger siblings on the battlefront firing their rapid-fire blaster cannons at the clones. A few dropped from the barraged fire. Kenobi upon the front pushed the line of deflected blaster bolts back to the mindless robots. Clones pushed up, taking strategic cover behind crates and deactivated drop ships, vulture droids, and anything they could find. The silver Separatist hangar slowly turned black upon the walls from the scorched explosions, and general fighting.
Lifting a crate with the Force, Kenobi chucked it into a B2 Super Battle droid, destroying it instantly. Sparks from its limbs being crushed off enveloped the metallic corpse. The crate itself fell into a crowd of B1 battle droids, rolling over and steamrolling the lot of them, and a few fake synthetic squeals were heard. A Jedi Knight the battle was astounding, as these poor simple machines stood no chance.
A clone yelped in pain as his back was broken. Just snapped over the metallic knee of Grievous, he threw the body to the side, adding to all the other half dozen mangled bodies around. Pools of blood upon the floor, with the smell of rotting flesh from the blaster marks, it was all... violent. This hangar was just as gruesome as the other, except with Grievous... made it all the more grievous.
Three squads of clones with blue markings of the infamous Phase I 501st Attack Battalion assaulted and took defensive positions, around the hallways and open hangars of the Malevolence. Opening their attacks and aggressive strikes of the oppressed Separatist defenders, this area was caught off-guard, unlike Dooku's front.
"You hear me!" shrieked the droid general holding up the previous body of the contorted clone, red ooze dripping down the side of his helmet onto the white chest plate, "I will kill you all!"
Rotating his ankles he spun around doing a 360 winding up momentum. The corpse was sent like a slingshot, flying into some crates and knocking them over. Creating a crash that added its effect to the chaotic atmosphere of the war around.
Bolting through in a berserker rage was a Jedi. Blue robes, a similar shade were the 501st clone battalion, but with its own Jedi design. A faint yellow twinkle in his eyes, demonic in origin... something the Jedi should not have. As he dashed through the crowd of clones and droids he went right into the fray… straight to Grievous himself. Slicing two B1 battle droids on his way with his lightsaber, and smashing one barbarically with his fist, this man had turned off mind and logic, the only thing was the primitive instinct that humans were supposed to have evolved passed... primal gorilla attacks.
Letting out a battle cry of anger, the man slammed his sword in a downward motion to the droid general, "You monster! I'll turn you into scrap!"
Grievous instinctually pulled out a blue blade to collide with the Jedi's, creating a white hue of clashed light. The eyes... up close now, the Grieving One recognized... the eyes of a Sith?! This could not be! But why would a Jedi act like this? Unless...
A figure stood amongst a blazed battlefield... surrounded him was the corpses of dozens of bug creatures and their green oozed blood. Husks of their exoskeletons scattered around, there was a war here. A Rocky Mountain majesty behind in the distance, and the sea in front. He stood at the edge of a cliff face looking down into a ravine that led to the sea.
Falling to his knees, his hands gripped the loose and scorching dirt in front of him. He let out a scream before beginning to sob. Jaded reptilian eyes filled with what seemed to be tears as they rolled down the front of his boned mask and the side of his cheek.
Reaching to his face, he gripped the mask tight and threw it to the side. It skipped a couple of times now slightly sticking up and buried in the sand.
His facial features were exposed, and it was slightly lighter in color compared to the rest of his brownish skin (telling that he does not get much sunlight there and wears this mask often). His head tilted back to the sky before he screeched in sheer agony again.
He fell back down again this time pointing out to the sea before bellowing out one phrase... one name...
"Ronderu!"
Chuckling behind the blade, the revelation came to the abomination from the past and his own experiences… He knew this young man's emotion...
Love...
Something he had not felt in such a long time. Another lifetime ago it seems. But this twisted creature rather than feeling empathy... was filled with disgust, and reveled in the chance to emotionally torture the Jedi. Like a grinch, the smile behind the mask grew wider and wider getting more unholy and stretched with the raise. The chance was there, and it took it.
"You have feelings for this senator Skywalker…?" he cackled like a green-scaled witch with his Scottish accent, "then it will be a joy when I turn her bowels to char by the blade of her lover!"
In response, Skywalker began to bash his blade multiple times at Grievous like a madman shrieking in anger hearing the atrocities that the creature uttered.
Taking advantage of this anger outburst, Grievous lit up a second blue sword and started swinging his blades in perfect formation in the art of the Jedi. And having mastered every single form of both attack and defense, the droid champion in a matter of seconds figured out which style Skywalker used. But even with that the young Knight was so aggressive (embroiled in anger of course), even this Jedi Killer struggled a bit.
As swords smacked and sparked against each other, it added a unique tone to the fighting around them. Both droid and clone fought creating a mix of smog and blaster bolts. It was impossible to tell who had the upper hand. Red and blue lights reflected off one another in a spectacular display of colors that one would almost call… beautiful. But under these violent circumstances, the sounds of dying men drowning out any thought of holiness, it was less than this image.
Grievous and Skywalker fought with colliding light from three brilliant blades with something rather horrifying in the air.
The Sith. The dark side of the Force enveloped the battlefield like a satanic presence. Even the droid champion, who was not a being saturated with space magic like the Jedi or the Sith, still contained such an aura, as he uses its ideologies and tactics just like any Sith would. But Anakin, a Jedi Knight, supposedly selfless and celibate, thinking only of others, began a descent, one that not many returns from.
A spiritual slippery slope of greed, hate, anger, and jealous rage… and the root of all these is pride… the greatest of all sins is pride. But the Jedi, are supposed to abstain from these things that bring only destruction. But even then… Skywalker, a Jedi Knight, has fallen to the sin.
Blinded so much by emotion the Jedi did not even sense the loose thermal detonator thrown by either clone or droid. Which, after bouncing in a few unintended directions landed only twenty feet behind The Chosen One. A couple of seconds of beeping, followed by a rupture of fire adding its own unique but violent note to the Song of War. But, now caught in the blast Skywalker flew forward letting out a groan of agony, one that had not been uttered since he had lost his arm to Count Dooku only a few years ago. Rolling around the floor with a small smoke trail encasing his body, his face bashed into the side of the shipping crate badgering it to move a bit on impact.
A flash bang effect took place, he could not tell what was going on. Now so sound sensitive that every blaster bolt almost ruptured his ears, it was a shell shock. No thought in mind, adrenaline running, and fingers numb. He lay there for a moment, in complete exhaustion having no idea what to do.
Quickly though as if the Force itself was shoving it into his psyche, was the face of Padme. Her smile, her loving embrace, showed something for him worth fighting for.
After a few more moments, he got up from his injury-prone position slowly getting to his knees.
When the double vision started to fade, fumes engulfed a shipping crate in front. Hot burning metal sent black ash into the air, creating a brimstone-like blaze. And behind this new Hellfire was a single pair of glowing bright orange eyes, brighter than the sun from Skywalker's point of view. It pierced straight through the pitch-black smog. But even darker than the blackest of smoke was a fiendish black silhouette standing seven feet tall. This mechanical dragon reared its head through the flame, not even caring about the possible damage that it might cause to itself. Arms detached like a mutant, separating from two to four, limbs spun around with two more silver sword hilts in hand. This was scary and disgusting as the Jedi had never seen Grievous in action before, and now he knows why they call him the Jedi Killer. This was the King of Freaks, an abomination to the Jedi Order, and a vile monster.
It howled like a madman with the synthetic auto-tone before igniting all four blades, two blue, and two green. The spirit world deep from the Force screeched in sheer misery for Skywalker. And he could feel it… feel their pain…
All were different, and yet all were the same. As each blade lit up, it sent out its unique excruciation. Each belonged to the previous Jedi, the true owner of the elegant weapon. Stolen by The Jedi Killer, not seen as masterpieces of technology, but as items, trophies, and valor of conquest. It was sport to the creature.
And as Skywalker looked deep into the eyes of the once-noble Kaleesh Warlord, there was a sense of dread. Goosebumps shot up his spine. For the first time, in a long time. Fear racked his heart. His chest began to race as his emotions jumped out of control. Volatile like a hurricane, eyes dilated as the primitive motion of man took over, the primal state of all creatures… Fear…
Grievous almost shook the whole hangar with each step. Hundreds of pounds of pressure with each one rattled the floor. Getting closer the tension only rose, as the aura of Grievous overwhelmed the young Jedi Knight. It was like staring the devil himself in the face, every sin he had ever committed raced across his mind, so he froze.
But that feeling, that one moment of weakness was broken by a young girl call coming from the other side of the battle. It was almost drowned out by the blaster fire, but the Force itself carried it to him personally.
"Master!"
Fear shattered from his heart looking over to Ashoka, his padawan. A fresh platoon of clones behind her with Captain Rex, his trusted and close XO. The whole masse of troopers stormed the hangar and assisted in the stagnant battle going on. Other soldiers were morally boosted immediately with the reinforcement, plus their captain personally on the scene too. It did not take long for them to realize what was going on, and Rex quickly rushed to the general's aid with two pistols in hand.
"It's Grievous!" He exclaimed, "Open fire!"
Multiple clones barraged blaster bolts in Grievous's direction, which forced him to shift his attention from the Jedi to the incoming attacks.
Being able to deflect only a few bolts before they broke through landing many black scorch wounds upon his chest and shoulders, he grunted once before dashing away behind a few crates as cover. Jedi was his expertise, not blasters.
Quickly rushing to his side Ashoka grabbed the arm of Skywalker before pulling him back to his feet.
"Are you okay Sky-guy?!" she said before quickly before lighting up her green blade and deflecting a red blaster bolt incoming.
"Yeah, yeah… I'm alright, let's go get that monster," releasing his blue blade, Skywalker himself was about to charge ahead and follow the assault before a clone yelled out from their backline.
"Grenade!"
A massive fireball with an ear-bursting explosion rocked the clone ranks sending two in the air. Many were killed instantly, and a few were wounded. All their screams mixed in this one harmonious cord of death.
After everything was said and done, a tall metal man moved through the smoke, blasting the dazed troopers. With green armor and a gold visor, he stood taller than even Grievous himself. Holding two standard Separatists blasters, he shot each clone with extreme accuracy, seldom missing a shot…. Something that Anakin has not seen even in Clone Commandos. Even then… this might not even be a man, as neither Ashoka nor Anakin cannot even sense the mind, or anything for that matter.
One. Two. Three. Four. Four clones dropped all in four seconds without this thing taking one shot of damage. Instinctually, the two Jedi's chased this unknown warrior with haste,
"What is that thing!" said Ashoka.
Skywalker's eyes peered, "A new Separatist commando droid?!" He briefly turned to the other clones in the front line, "Take 'em down troopers!"
Some turned in direction hearing his orders and did their best to shoot this supposed 'new commando droid'. It moved just as fast as a Jedi, with the accuracy of the Clone Commando's rumored in the days of the Old Republic, and a foot taller than a B2 Super Battle droid.
At one point there was so much killing by its hand that it was drained of ammunition. Throwing the small rifles like a tomahawk, it was aimed at Ashoka at a remarkable speed. Still, she of course blocked it with his lightsaber, cutting each weapon in two with her laser sword.
It pounced on the young padawan, letting down a hard and fast hammer fist. She dashed to the side, avoiding it. Only retaliated with a quick jump-up with her legs using its chest like a launchpad. Jumping off, she was mid-spin around for a counterattack, right when the thing grabbed her ankle, and slammed her to the floor doing some serious damage. She yelped in pain from the loss of wind and easily some broken ribs if not more.
Fueled with righteous justice Skywalker swung his blade in a downward clash to the warrior with a cry of vengeance.
He sliced the top rectangular indent of its back piece off, sending some green mail flying in hot splinters and chunks. Bouncing along the floor, the soldier sent quickly out a crescent kick, striking the wrist of the Jedi. A booming sound was heard as the side of the metal foot slammed their wrist of Skywalker. The sword flew out of his, and a quick hiss was heard as the blue blade shrunk back into the small silver hilt.
Man on man, the seven-foot thing let loose a nasty fist heading straight to the Jedi's face.
Both arms flew up to the air, as the Force caught the fist. It was so heavy, and sweat came out from Anakin's forehead trying to hold the thing back. Grasping it with only the Force, Skywalker slid back a bit from the counterweight a few feet.
Taking just a moment, the metal man threw his other fist out, which Skywalker caught too. Both hands on both fists collided slowly with the seemingly inevitable doom. Veins began to bulge from his head. A deep growl came from the throat of Skywalker trying to guard this massive warrior. They stood there for a moment in intense motion, and the Jedi's arms began to shake. Yet through this whole ordeal, this unknown soldier did not even make a word or even a sound for that matter to the Jedi which almost made him that much more intimidating to an extent.
Anakin Skywalker inhaled deeply closing his eyes. His arms slowly raised, then an ear-shattering scream was heard as he lifted this thing into the air. Sweat drenched his face, his eyes felt like they were about to pop, and everything was on fire throughout his body. Kicking around it flailed trying to get free, but to no avail. About a foot off the ground, one last cry was heard before the Jedi sent this thing flying back into the wall of the hangar, creating a massive indent as it bashed into the wall.
General Kenobi leaned up against the side of the door with a slight frown on his face.
"How long will this take?" he asked.
Three clones in front of him mounted explosives onto the blast door in front. They were in a long silver and green hallway, and this was an entrance to the bridge. Designs along the ceiling and walls showed the handiwork of the Trade Federation. It was mighty and elegant, and yet these clones defile its (expensive) entrance with violent explosives as they did the rest of this mighty warship.
"And… finished," one of them said putting the last detonator up to the wall.
A dozen clones and their general piled up against the closed door. The Jedi gave a clone a nod, in which he pressed the detonator. The short and fast beep was quickly overtaken by the booming explosion. The collected Republic backpacks and an untold amount of grenades rocked the entire hallway like thunder. The doorway itself caved in, as metal bent and contorted to the will of the detonators.
Met with immediate red blasters through the smoke, they all dashed to the side for cover as a stray laser pelted a single clone killing him instantly. Kenobi took charge acting as a shield blocking blaster bolts that came his way. He waved his light sword through the grey smog forcing it to fade revealing the room. A bridge curved like a semicircle, with many control, stands, and task keys scattered around. These control kiosks had blue pilot droids working on them (probably making sure the ship was still running properly). In front were A dozen tan B1 battle droids defending their pilot siblings, firing systematic bolts down the arcade at the clones and their Jedi general. In the back, Count Dooku stood like the gentleman he was unphased by the fighting going on the forepart of the bridge.
As clones stormed the bridge, destroying the puny simple automatons with ease. They would yelp and plead as these advanced soldiers destroyed them without hesitation. As the last droid fell, the smell of smoldering metal sizzled into the air with a thin new layer of smoke from it. The pilots did their best to ignore the soldiers, but it was difficult to even more mindless machines.
The blaster fire would cease, and the clones encircled Count Dooku, who just glared at all of them with a raised eyebrow. Their death circle continued, and Kenobi with ignited blade ambled over to the Count with a slight smile,
"It's over Dooku, and you have lost."
"Oh, have I?" his noble gaze turned devilish as his eyes glowed yellow just like that Skywalker from earlier, but so much brighter and deeper. It was hard not to notice, as it sent spiritual shivers all around the body. As he did this, a red blade lit up from his concealed black tunic. The remaining half dozen clones opened fire at the Count, which he blocked easily, doing light strafes with his wrist. His stance was fair to a Knight in both combat and as he carried himself.
Screams were heard as two clones suffered the fate of their blaster bolts being deflected back at them by the Sith Lord. Kenobi defensively shuffled forward taking an upward strike to the Count.
Blocking it of course, he turned in his second of advantage and crackled back his fingers in his other hand letting loose a terrifying display of power. Bright blue lighting shot out of his very fingertips shocking two clones to his left, killing them instantly as well. As shrivels of blue static dusted over the corpses, the remaining two clones followed behind their fallen brothers taking back shots at the Count.
Barely missing and going over his shoulder, Dooku, took a jab at Kenobi before doing an acrobatic back flip (but this is for someone his age should not normally be able to do). Doing a clean swipe motion mid-air, he elegantly went over the necks of both troopers. Cauterizing their heads of them as they came clean off like a knife to butter. Their helpless bodies dropped to the floor.
Kenobi took a moment of remembrance for all the soldiers closing his eyes and concentrating on the Force. The barbarity, the violence, the death, all things this Jedi Knight was very displeased of. And to have it here, in this war, was the exact thing they swore oath and allegiance to an Order that was opposed to this.
Count Dooku sensed his ponder, and grinned, "Their deaths were inevitable Master Kenobi. And yourself does not have to be."
"I will never join you Dooku," said Kenobi taking his famous defensive back stance with a squint in his eye.
"Very well then, I was generous on Genonosis, as I am now," he sighed, "I never want this for you Obi-Wan," backing forward, his blade strong and deep red with passion was raised parallel to his body, his eyes bright between the light of the blade giving them a unique hue.
Taking all attention which made both Jedi and Sith turn to the hallway to the left which was covered in smoking droid parts and dead clones. A creature crawled like a spider creating many hefty metallic clacks along the floor. It laughed demonically with a deep and raspy tone. It made Kenobi's eyes go wide for a moment (just a moment) as he heard stories of this evil ghoul. The infamous Jedi Killer himself, Dozens of the mighty Jedi have fallen to this… animal, and here it is charging like a bull seeing the color red….
Grievous.
As he entered the room he robotically kick-flipped up like something that was possessed. Covered in black blaster bolts, his armor was surreally damaged. He drew two blades, a green and blue, and dashed to Kenobi without hesitation. Letting loose a fury of attacks. Left, right, left, and right, it was hard to even catch up. The colors mixed and matched so much that they turned to almost a blinding white light.
Even then, Kenobi did an excellent job parrying. It seemed so smooth, like a dancer in his natural environment. Every attack he looked for an opening in Grievous guard which having two blades was very challenging. Took make matters even worse. Dooku glided like a swan with another front flip over Grievous, behind Kenobi with his red blade in hand.
The demonic aura in the room was so intense it was hellacious. The thick of the room like syrup coated everything. The evil was oppressive and overpowering. Cruelty was unfair, unbalanced, and at its peak within the bridge of Malevolence.
Dooku now involved, took strategic tranquil swings at Kenobi balancing out and flowing with whatever moves Grievous would throw. Red, green, blue, and blue are all mixed in clashes of light that the galaxy has not seen in a long time. As the three raged they went through destroying critical systems around, including droids at their command kiosks. Neither the three of them cared, the only thing that mattered was their battle. Black thick laser marks scared the walls of the bridge as they fought gallantly.
Kenobi easily was struggling as sweat broke from his brow, but to both of the Sith's surprise, he hardly broke focus. Every parry was stacked so well into the next that it was almost beautiful.
Grievous finally went for an uppercut with both blades which Kenobi dodged with a back flip into the air above and over the seven-foot metal demon. Dooku quickly reacted with the Force and pushed the Jedi into the ceiling before his feet could touch the ground. Which of course caused major pain and suffering as the body smashed into hard metal as fell back to the floor. A quick groan of pain was heard as he lost grip of his laser sword forcing it to collapse on itself turning back into the hilt it once was.
Upon the tough landing, he rolled over to his knees before the blade of Grievous. Pointing the tip of a pulsing green light, at the face of the Jedi Knight. This reflected ever so gently giving an uncomfortably warm glow. It refracted deep into his eyes, onto his skin, and soul. A deep sickening gaze was upon the Separatist General. He too has heard of the legendary Obi-Wan Kenobi, the brilliant tactician who could talk his way out of his own execution. Skills unmatched by most of the Jedi, a true trophy to conquer for the Jedi Killer.
The tip of the blade was just a few inches from the Jedi's neck. Kenobi's gaze was not that of pain or agony. He grinned only at the thought of returning to the Force. As his eyes closed gently predicting the sweat release of death, he did his best to be at one with his spirit before returning to the void from which he came.
Although, shattering this moment was Count Dooku, who gestured to Grievous with a frown, "General, my Master would have much use for Kenobi alive."
The blade relished over the neck of the Jedi that to Grievous begged to be removed from the shoulders. Like taking a bone from a wolf he shook a bit holding back the temptation. But, he could not hold back, letting out a roar of frustration the droid commander swung the blade.
Above the head of Kenobi, he swiped at the blank air groaning in fury. Instead, he quickly grabbed the face of the Jedi and brought it to his metal knee violently. A loud smash of metal to flesh with the sounds of bone crunching cringed the room. Falling to the ground unconscious.
Grievous loomed over Kenobi like a dingo to a small child. A demented spirit below an unexpected and potential demoniac. At this moment, he won, in a way. He may not have Kenobi's head, but he did win the fight. But that does not even matter, there was no death, so not a true victory for the warlord.
Dooku ambled over with a cloak covering his front. Standing tall and straight, he gazed at the still but breathing body of the Jedi, "You must learn my friend that sometimes… conquest does not always result in the death of your enemies."
Gazing at his master a little bewildered, he did not utter a noise.
Dooku sensed the confusion, "the moral and mental destruction of your foes can sometimes be more… effective."
A single squad of clones (including Captain Rex) were the last survivors in the main hangar. They fought with such valor and vigor it should have been recorded in the archives of Heaven. Droids closed in on them from every angle like sharks in the shallows. Slowly constricting on their cover of scorched crates, and a single deactivated vulture droid that they used, it seemed helpless. Ashoka shrugged from the center of the chaos with an injured arm. Covered in cuts and bruises, she was easily worn from this conflict. Even still, the young girl ignited her green sword-deflected bolts as best she could from the droids attempting to defend the clones which she was protecting.
A clone could easily take down as many as ten B1 battle droids before he is overrun. But when the stats are against twenty to one, this situation turned dire. The droid's numbers were endless in site, and they are backed into a corner with nowhere to run or go. As they grew closer they mindlessly marched into the clone's makeshift barricades in an organized formation.
"On your left!" shouted Rex blasting a droid in the face at point-blank range whose weapon was pointed straight at a clone from behind.
"Thanks, capt-" immediately cut off the trooper was blasted from the side, letting out a single death call before falling onto the captain. Rolling the body to the side, he pulled the trigger of his pistol only to hear clicks. He instinctually grabbed the dead troopers rifle spraying shots down range. Hitting multiple droids they dropped like lawnmowers to grass. Ashoka groaned from her weariness, this was the most intense battle she's ever faced. Bolts on every angle, droids came in striking distance of her blade which she took. Slicing most in two she danced around blocking shots and turning in them into attacks deflecting them back.
She glanced behind and saw two troopers still standing, including the captain. When she turned back, she was not paying attention. A B2 Super Battle droid was standing a foot in front of her. Back smacking the young Padawan, she flew back off the crate she was standing on, and onto the captain and the other clone. This break-in fire on their part was horrendous. The droids entered their cover and sent a few deadly bolts to the three of them.
As the fire settled, the steaming blaster marks fizzed off their fresh victims, Jedi and clones alike. But, now the mindless battle bots had nothing to do since all they were created for was destruction. Standing there emotionlessly, their task had completely. Everything was dead. The hangar echoed with the last of the gunfire. A terrible wraith blanketed itself over the field. The presence was not evil… it was nothing. Nothing like the emotion of the bots, nothing as nothing was living. Nothing alive.
Anakin's eyes went wide as he glanced over his shoulder. Sensing the presence of his Padawan no longer, his body was racked with anger. Skin became red, deep, and passionate. Holding his sword high like a crusader he charged the unknown warrior once more in their unfinished duel. This action, this power, was like nothing he had ever felt before. Some strange power flooded itself into his system, something he could not recognize. This power, was almost intoxicating as it felt so… injecting, as it wanted all of him, all of his being, all of what made him alive as a human.
Before he could even get close to the soldier, his throat collapsed on itself and he found himself unable to breathe. Being lifted into the air, he spun around to face his aggressor…. Dooku.
Having arm raised he choked Anakin with the Force. He had a long face, but strangely with a smile. Elbow turned to the side, and Anakin took only half a breath before the Count closed his pipe completely. Unable to breathe, his eyes rolled to the back of his head as his face turned blue.
His body fell to the floor, and Dooku walked over to him. Lightly rolling him over from his stomach to back, he too loomed over Skywalker making sure he was still breathing by putting two fingers to his throat. Feeling a heartbeat, there was a sigh of relief.
As the Master Chief strolled over to Dooku, the Count noticed the lacerated metal upon his back from the recent battle, "are you injured, my friend?"
Surprisingly, the voice that responded was that of Cortana, "We're fine."
"Good, we have much to discuss."
A dim and empty fighter hangar. It was quiet and dead, all that remained were corpses of clones scattered around along with their droid nemesis. The smell of roasted flesh and burning metal was overpowering. There was stiffness in the air spiritually that overtook the battlefront. But in the far corner, something broke this silence.
Captain Rex groaned as his senses came back to him. As they did, the quick overwhelming pain took him. Two thick burn marks on his chest and stomach rocked his nervous system with agony. Moving slightly, he turned to his side slightly trying to regain his strength. Hissing in his misery. Reaching over to the Padawan, he placed his hand on her wrist checking her pulse.
Completely surprised, he mumbled, "She's still alive."
At that moment, a loud rustle was heard from behind a metal crate. It was strange and sounded like footsteps. It was a clone, shaking and scared. Completely unmarked by damage, his armor glistened in the light above. Taking a patched breath, he could see his struggling captain and approached slowly with a blaster pistol in hand.
"Trooper…" Rex moaned, "Get the commander to an escape pod…" he gripped his chest from the pain it was causing just to speak, "Get her out of here."
"Uh, sir… there are dozens of droids between here to the escape pods," the clone said quietly.
"Get her to the Republic… that's an order soldier."
Taking the unconscious Ashoka by the arm he threw her over his shoulder in a fireman carry. She was a lot heavier than he expected for a girl of her size. Glancing down at the injured Captain, he moved forward and veered to the surroundings to check for battle droids, of which he saw none. He hobbled with the Jedi on his back and gazed back at the captain laying there helplessly. Turning back to the front, he took a couple more steps out into the open, completely exposed. His gut ached with a pit feeling and spun around again. Back and forth twice he contemplated. Until finally, he jogged over to the Captain and grabbing his hand, pulled him to his feet.
"Come… come on Captain, we need to get out of here," he said.
Rex unbalanced leaned against the trooper for support with his arm to his injuries. He nodded to the trooper and asked, "What is your name soldier?"
"Spec sir…"
Slightly keening from the wounds, "Let's get a move on then Spec."
The two slowly moved across the open arcade of the desolated and war-torn hangar. Burning debris and smoldering wreckage, it was so much to be a part of let alone be looked at. Many things crossed their minds, but safety was the universal theme. They mourned the dead in their way, gazing at their fallen brothers. So many good men have already died in this war, they are just paper clips falling into the ocean at this point. These men gave up their lives to save a senator, and they failed. All of them were wiped out except these two. It was horrible even to let their minds even linger on this subject…
Stopping for a moment to catch his breath, the three had moved all of a hundred yards and were almost to the far door. Hobbling together the troopers moved onward. At one point Rex bumped into a piece of metal that shined in his eye. It glistened in the light like sparkles almost, and one could easily recognize it as the blade of Anakin Skywalker.
He pointed to it, struggling to even get the words out of his mouth from his inflictions, "That's the generals…"
Spec squatted down not to drop the injured Padawan and picked up the lightsaber hilt. He observed its designs and features for a second before attaching it to his tactical belt. A quick click followed with the trooper back standing up taking a fill of oxygen for support. As they moved down the empty hallway, sirens from around wailed the arcades, and the ship began to rock. One could hear explosions in the far distance. The whole vessel was a massive echo chamber. They did not realize how much of the ship was in discord. Flaming debris scattered on each hallway, droid limbs and parts scattered. With incinerated walls, the whole area was a mess.
These seemingly empty metallic corridors covered the entire battleship. They moved slowly easily half a mile and the weariness set in. Spec felt his shoulders and back grow weak from the Jedi, as he leaned up against the wall. Heavy breaths were drawn, this was the hardest workout he's ever had, even for a clone trooper of the Republic.
Rex who realized his exhaustion stood up straight pointing ahead, "It should be here."
Strange contraptions along the side of the hallway with windows showing the outside lay for about thirty yards. Each one had a strange small ship hanging out, the escape pods. To the first hatch, Spec pressed a few of the red and yellow buttons on the control panel. After a few beeps from each selection, hisses of air were heard before the hatch automatically lifted, revealing the inside.
Three seats, a main pilot and two passengers, with a small metal couch-type seating along the left back side of the pod. On the right side, was another chair attached to a command desk with a monitor built into the ship with buttons and controls, most likely the life support and communication systems. Rex immediately sat down with a dropped hunch letting out a grunt. Reclining back in the chair, he turned to see Spec placing his Jedi Commander down gently on the couch before moving over to the main pilot seat. Out the main observation window the straight horror. A Venator, a Republic warship of excellent firepower destroyed. Shards reflected off the nearby sun as they drifted into space. Thousands of metallic splinters once now disregarded as chaff. The Malevolence coasted through the wreck like Titan from one of the Myths of Old.
The two clones could feel the death, and the suffering, the men they served with, the men they ate with…. gone. A single tear rolled down Rex's cheek through his helmet. But he could notice from the other trooper, who was completely unreturned by the sight. He surprised him at first, but then he remembered.
Waking from the emotion he shook his head and turned back to Spec who was at the controls, "This your first mission?"
A moment of silence as the trooper himself had to pull his mind back. He spun the chair around to face the captain, "Yes sir. First deployment."
"We are not in the simulations anymore," he gestured outside, "that's real."
"I-I understand sir."
"And there is worse for those who desert."
Completely dumbstruck, Spec was speechless. Shaking his head and waving his hand, his voice grew faint, "I am sorry sir I didn't mean-"
Captain Rex interrupted pointing to Ashoka who still lay collapsed of mind and thoughts, "You get her to safety I'll forget all about it… you understand?"
"Y-y-yes sir."
"Hey," he leaned over groaning once and putting a hand on the trooper's shoulder, "you did good shiny."
As they sat there a moment, taking in the situation in front of them. It did not take long before Spec started pressing buttons on the controls, a little confused about which ones to use. Being as young as he was he had never operated on a lifeboat like this before. He understood the Republic ones of course, but not the Separatists, this is a whole new field for him.
After another few seconds, he only pressed a couple more buttons before Rex interrupted, "Let's not move right now."
"Sir?" he said confused.
"We have no support and we are out in the middle of nowhere."
"What about the senator?"
"That's not a question we can ask," he hissed a bit breathing too sharply, which caused discomfort, "let's wait until after we jump out of Hyperspace."
"Aren't they gonna figure out we are here?"
Leaning back Red pulled down a handle above them, closing the hatch to the escape pod behind them. As it steams with a case and is sealed tightly shut. The wheel spun around as they were vacuum sealed inside, "No they won't… better sit back and relax trooper we are gonna be here awhile."
17th of June 2557
34 days before The Release
Chapter four here we are! Took about a month to crank this one out as it was a bit longer. Hope y'all liked it. Put a bit of blood, sweat, and tears into it. Well as you can tell I am continuing with an unorthodox story and honestly I like where it's going. Tell me what you think as I am eager to know your thoughts!
ALSO THIS SONG WAS A PERFECT PICK FOR THIS CHAPTER OH MY GOD MY NERD MIND IS GOING NUTSZZZZ (both symphonic and original are amazing ngl).
Anyway, I changed the cover for the story, I made it myself by the way, thought it was pretty cool (believe it or not I did it completely on my phone lol). Hope you all liked that too (ALSO PSSSTT PSSST THERES AN EASTER EGG IF YOU CAN SPOT IT!) I just tried to combine the Star Wars portrait movie poster style with halo and watch my magic happen ig lol. Not really too many announcements either but here we are almost July, wow time flies. I should have the next one out soon, and I am brain storming super hard and I am very excited on this one! Thank you guys for reading!
Comments!
naotw - thanks :)
SupremeSongLeader - I love the idea, I might do a little more research as I have so many things going on with this story, but ill keep that in mind. I've never heard of that before, was that issued in a legends book or comic? Was it written by Luceno? and for all your questions About the upcoming story… You'll have to see you in the next chapter ;). I got a lot going just you see!
As always your comments are amazing as I cherish all them. Let's continue to the next chapter shall we? I love what y'all say and do and you guys are the best audience ever. I'll see you later gents!
Thanks!
~1DL1NG KN1GHT