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Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars: The Clone Wars. I only own the OC Jayden Shan/Darth Khan.
Garos IV was located in the eponymous system of the Mid Rim's Msst sector and proved to be a verdant, lush world full of grassy green valleys, forested mountains with white-capped peaks, and beautiful blue seas. At a glance, it seemed to be the most idyllic world in the galaxy.
Yet looks could be very deceiving.
War raged across and around the planet. Republic and Separatist warships traded salvos back and forth while battle droids and Clone troopers brawled on the surface below them. The struggle for dominion was a heated one, the battle entering its fifth day of combat as men and droids took up their positions to go at it again.
Aboard the leading Republic flagship, an officer was struggling in a very different battle. He was the sole representative of the Republic Intelligence Bureau in this battle fleet, charged with ensuring developments and statistics were properly sorted back to Coruscant. Garos IV was a new one for the unfolding Clone War, and his superiors sought all the facts he could glean.
Right now, however, facts and figures had been presented to him with none of them able to proffer any good news. He was facing a very grim reality. Dark-skinned with short black hair and clad in a crisply pressed officer's uniform, his insightful brown eyes observed distant Acclamator-class cruisers exchange fire with Separatist Providence-class battleships.
This will all be for nothing. It all hinges on this now…
Behind him, the rush of air from an opening door heralded a new arrival. "Officer Piett." A young woman's voice greeted. He turned, gaze turning downward as he recognised the Jedi Padawan of General Anakin Skywalker. Her attire left much to be desired as far as army and navy standards go, but for a Jedi it seemed fine.
"Commanda Tano." Piett greeted her, shaking her hand. "Thank you for joining me."
"What seems to be the problem?" Ahsoka asked curiously, sensing the seriousness of the situation.
"At approximately twenty-four hundred hours, tactical data was transmitted from here to our forces on the ground. A routine assessment of our numbers. Unfortunately, unusual readings were detected during the transmission upload and abnormal levels of interference were encountered." He described. Ahsoka furrowed her brow. She knew communication between the divisions was important and that a breakdown anywhere along the line could have disastrous consequences.
"Hmm, could the weather planetside have been the cause of it?" She inquired.
"Unlikely. Our barometer readings indicate a calm and quiet night." Piett explained. "When we dug deeper into the interface, we picked up a part of an encrypted signal buried within. Someone was clearly covering their tracks in an attempt to hack our transmission."
That took Ahsoka by surprise. Now she was beginning to understand his haste and subtle alarm through the Force. "Were they successful, whoever they are?"
"They were." He stated grimly. "Now all of our fleet data is in the hands of an unknown operative." Ahsoka frowned again. In her mind there was only one logical conclusion.
"The Separatists?" She guessed.
"I can neither confirm or deny that possibility, Commander. But someone needs to investigate this, for the sake of our efforts here." Piett responded.
"Well, I can see why you called me." Ahsoka mused, lightening up as the task at hand became clearer. "Any idea where I can start?" At that, Piett moved to a nearby holoprojector and powered up a display of pre-determined data.
"Tracing the encryption revealed a potential origin point, somewhere along the Tahika Cliffs of the Locura Ocean. Here." He stated, pointing to a broad red circle near the edge of Garos' largest inhabited continent. Ahsoka took a closer look.
"That's really out of the way from where our ground forces are fighting." She realized, knowing beforehand where Republic troops were situated against the droid army. After all, her Master was leading them.
"All the more reason to investigate the matter. And quickly." Piett concurred. Ahsoka broadened the map, realizing that the target area for her mission covered dozens of square kilometres and not just a singular point.
"Any chance you were able to get a more… accurate fix?" She wondered, hopeful.
"Unfortunately whoever was able to do this used some particularly advanced technology, enough to perform the interception quickly and efficiently. I suspected a hypertransceiver. With that kind of tech, you can broadcast from anywhere and bounce it off a subspace relay to reach even further. This is as close as we're getting." Piett explained with a shake of his head.
"So they're professionals, eh?" Ahsoka mused, tapping her chin.
"Yes. Professionals." Piett affirmed, using the term mildly. In his mind, true professionals included his colleagues in the Bureau. Whoever this was, he wouldn't dare compare them to the brilliant minds the Republic boasted. "They used what we call a 'crosshatch method'; by broadcasting multiple data streams using differing protocols, they extract pieces of data in transmission until they can gather a complete message." Most of that went over Ahsoka's head. She knew all about the inner workings of commlinks and holocoms (thanks largely to Anakin's mechanical insights) but the outer workings were beyond her. Taking his words in stride and presuming they meant a great deal of importance, Ahsoka nodded at him.
"Don't worry, Officer. I'll make sure that data gets back into our hands." She promised.
"Gets back or gets destroyed, Commander." Piett interjected, grabbing her attention. "Whoever they are, they managed to intercept a subspace transmission mid-upload and copy the data. Clearly the work of seasoned slicers. They've proven to be incredibly skillful and resourceful as of now. They could also be very dangerous." Ahsoka could tell he was being serious. The Force revealed that Piett was adamant about his job and greatly concerned about this 'loose data' situation.
I mean, I would be too if all our troop numbers were just out there for anyone to see.
"Whatever you do, we can't let them know we're on to them. Comm silence should be mandatory on this one, Commander. If they can intercept a high-grade military transmission, then you can guarantee they'll be able to listen in to our standard holocoms." Piett continued. "I'll inform Admiral Yularen of your mission, but we daren't let anyone else in on it over traditional comm channels." That brought a big risk with it. Should she run into trouble, no one would be able to help her. This demanded she be totally self-reliant.
"Understood, Officer." Ahsoka affirmed as she suddenly felt a heavy weight of expectation settle across her little shoulders.
Realizing that an aerial survey of the theorized location of the data thieves would just alert them to her presence, Ahsoka elected to move on foot. A single Jedi would be able to do more without soldiers or machinery to get in the way. The Order had been employing that method for hundreds of thousands of years before her. Surely it would work now.
Having parked her personal starfighter about ten kilometres from her intended destination, while leaving R7-A7 to keep an eye on it, Ahsoka began her journey on foot. Did I ever pick a good day for this!
The sun was shining, a warm breeze was in the air, the sky was blue and cloudless, the grass was lush and verdant much like the trees around her were. Ahsoka found herself smiling. It was tempting to take off her boots and feel the grass tickle her feet, just to feel the rush of living energy from being so close to nature. Every inhale brought with it the scent of life. The Living Force was alive and thriving here on Garos IV. She almost pitied having to spoil it by being here on military business, suddenly thankful she was not participating in the chaos and carnage anymore.
Anakin had led the ground forces, trusting her and Admiral Yularen with overseeing the naval engagements. Ahsoka had been really worried about that, the ghosts of her failure at Ryloth still haunting her every step. Fortunately, Yularen took charge and the Togruta Padawan was all too happy to do as he ordered. Whatever keeps the men alive. She'd thought to herself. The last thing they need is me leading them into… well… B-But Yularen's been doing this a lot longer than I have. They don't need me.
With some pep in her step, Ahsoka focused on walking. Her personal holocom had been updated with the information gathered by Officer Gideon, ensuring she now had a map of the area and a means to keep track of her scouting. It was a big area to cover, she had to admit. It might take a whole day to examine that much territory. Hopefully it's a BIG installation that can be seen from a distance… The Togruta quickened her pace, using a combination of the Force to prolong the longevity of her stamina as well as a breathing exercise taught by her physical training instructors to allow her to pace herself while maintaining a higher footspeed. Jedi could, in theory, never run out of stamina. But it took a long time to reach that level of perfection. A mere Padawan would not be able to accomplish such a feat just yet.
Having eclipsed one of the three kilometres she needed to cross before she could start her search, Ahsoka believed she was making good time… little did she realize that the path she'd chosen had put her on a direct intercept course with a fate she did not expect.
Emerging from a treeline the Togruta found herself at the foot of a slope, which tempted her with a clear view of the land ahead. Trudging up to the top of the hill, Ahsoka was treated to a rolling grassy field where thigh-high blades of wild grass whipped about in the gentle breeze waving hypnotic patterns as their shades flickered to and fro. Using a hand to shield her eyes from the sun, Ahsoka quickly scoped out the land and she suddenly drew a sharp intake of breath as she sensed something. A familiar presence. One that soon noticed her through the Force.
Her body tensed as she saw none other than Jayden walking through the grass, clad in his silver armor and red cloak with the hood up and his ancestor's mask covering his face as always.
Ahsoka ducked down into the grass from her position, cursing silently in her native language. She hadn't seen Jayden since the horror on the Bravado and their rivalry had seemed to take a different turn after they worked together to survive.
If he's here then I was right. The Separatists are behind this. Ahsoka thought, contemplating whether to attack Jayden or not. He was… different from her other enemies. He could've left her to die several times and yet he didn't, choosing to work with her albeit reluctantly. Once, her rivalry with him had been because of her heritage. Her unquestioned dominance of the hunt being contested by this rival: an alpha male looking to supersede her control.
Maybe I could go for a surprise attack. Just to say hello-
"Hello there."
Ahsoka yelped, startled, falling back onto her rear as she saw Jayden standing right there in front of her, his arms crossed over his chest and she could practically feel his amusement without the Force as he took in her reaction with an amused exhale.
Ahsoka glared at him, cheeks red. "That was mean! I didn't notice you coming."
Jayden shrugged. "You seemed to be too deep in thought, so it was no wonder you didn't." To her surprise, he offered her his hand. She glanced between the offered limb and his expressionless mask, trying to gauge him through the Force, but he wanted her to accept the hand up so she took it. "Why are you here?"
"Funny, I was going to say the same thing about you." Ahsoka retorted lightly. She put her hands on her hips, debating whether to tell him but if the Separatists were behind this… "Did you steal our tactical data?"
Jayden blinked, and she felt his emotions shift to surprise. "Yours too?" Okay, she was not expecting that.
Ahsoka frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Your tactical data was stolen, so was the Separatists'." Jayden explained, reaching up to push his hood back then removed his mask. And Ahsoka couldn't stop the small smile or light feeling at seeing his actual face again. "Someone intercepted our data during a debriefing. Whoever it was copied it all. My Master sent me to investigate why."
This felt like déjà vu for Ahsoka, recalling how identical the telling of events were to what Officer Piett told her.
"Why would they steal yours as well?" Ahsoka questioned as she relaxed more, no longer finding Jayden to be a threat to her.
It was so strange how relaxed they could be around each other compared to before.
"At first I thought the Republic was behind this, but you're here so that takes them off the suspect list." Jayden said. "Whoever did it is on this planet. And with both of us here… we're on the right track."
"I was scouting out a possible origin site for the signal that hijacked our data." Ahsoka explained.
"Same." Jayden nodded. He looked around the area, his mind at work in calculating their best possible moves from here on out. He… wasn't opposed to working with Ahsoka as reluctantly as he used to be. Ever since he realized his growing crush on her, every thought of Ahsoka filled him with a feeling that brought heat through his veins. He turned to her. "Okay, on a scale of one to ten, how well do you trust me?"
Ahsoka raised a brow marking, hand on her hip. "Six." She shrugged. "You?"
"Seven." Jayden admitted, surprising her but she smiled. "Are you opposed to sharing information with me and I'll share mine with you?"
Ahsoka blinked and glanced down. Sharing information with the enemy… it could help me accomplish my mission faster. And I know Jayden isn't trying to trick me. Going with faith on her trust in him, she gave him a nod before holding up her holocom. Jayden did the same, and they simultaneously toggled the imaging displays to reveal their holomaps, complete with their target areas.
"It appears we are moving on the same target." The Sith Apprentice stated after the briefest of glances. Both of their areas were along the Tahika Cliffs.
Ahsoka studied his map with scrutiny. She realized that his search area was one-third smaller than hers. Apparently the Separatists had been able to pinpoint the location of the thieves with greater accuracy. "Yeah… although you seem to have an even better idea of where this thing could be." She noted.
"Droids process information twice as fast." Jayden surmised, putting his projector away as Ahsoka did the same.
"So what now?" Ahsoka looked at him.
"Now… we investigate the area, get to the bottom of this and get our tactical data back." Jayden stated simply.
Ahsoka shifted a little on her feet. "We?" She asked, surprised.
Jayden rolled his eyes in amusement and light fondness. "I think I can trust you enough to let you tag along. Plus, I do owe you for saving my life on the Bravado."
"Don't remind me of that, please." Ahsoka shivered, having had nightmares of the flesh-eating undead Clones from that ship.
Jayden winced a little. "Sorry." He apologised, catching Ahsoka off guard but she nodded at him. "We should get moving."
Giving him another nod, Ahsoka fell into step with him as they walked off to begin their investigation.
Hours passed and with it, day turned to night. Jayden and Ahsoka had covered a lot of ground as trees and grass passed them by. However, the search was proving to be longer than expected. Jayden's data had calculated the area to be roughly 85 square kilometres which put them a long way away from even the middle of the grid.
Upon seeing how dark it was getting, both of them knew they'd have to give up the search until the morning.
"We'll camp here." Jayden said, his mask back on, as they arrived at a small clearing. He looked at a nearby tree and used the Force to break pieces from it in order to make a fire for them.
"Won't a fire attract attention from the data thieves?" Ahsoka asked as she watched him.
"If they're smart, they'll be laying low and do nothing to draw attention to themselves." Jayden stated as a matter of fact. "Because of this, they may be sloppy and care more about keeping themselves safe rather than guarding what they've taken."
Accepting his reasoning, Ahsoka made to gather the components for a proper campfire. A survival training course had been a mandatory class at the Jedi Temple but the Togruta believed it had better prepared her for eventualities like this. Binding up handfuls of dry grass and picking up a few stones here and there while Jayden opened up sufficient pieces of kindling from the fallen tree.
As darkness overcame the land and stars dotted the sky above, Jayden got a fire going using his Lightsaber to ignite their kindling. The two of them sat around it in silence, Jayden having pushed his hood down and removed his mask, staring off in thought while his thumb subconsciously caressed the mask.
Ahsoka, on the other hand, was enjoying the quiet and downtime as she fiddled with some sticks before she leaned back and began to take off her boots (revealing a slip around the sole of her foot to keep her leggings in place) she wiggled her toes into grass and hummed contentedly. This was the one aspect of her culture she had never been able to fully indulge in and could now understand why they maintained such a strong affinity for walking barefoot on soil. It were as if she joined the Living Force. The sensation of the natural elements culminating within her as her own presence connected with the heartbeat of the planet.
Ahsoka closed her eyes and wiggled her toes, savouring the feeling. She glanced towards Jayden, seeing him very deep in thought.
"So." She said, loud enough to snap him from his thoughts as he blinked and looked at her. "Working together again. We should make a record of this."
Jayden snorted and let out a small chuckle. "We've only worked together twice before this, Ahsoka. Who's to say we'll be doing so for a fourth time?"
"With the way we are, it's bound to happen." Ahsoka pointed out, to which Jayden had to concede to that point. "Besides, we aren't trying to kill each other."
"We're still enemies though." Jayden pointed out the reality of their situation. He then sighed, placing his ancestor's mask down, and leaned back on his hands. "But… I will admit, I am more tolerant of our little alliances. The first time, with the Geonosian worms, I was reluctant as you did drop a droid factory on top of me."
"You're still alive, aren't you?" Ahsoka retorted, to which he shrugged at.
"And then there was the Bravado." Jayden said, shivering slightly as he remembered that literal nightmare. Ahsoka crossed her arms and looked down, not wanting to remember that experience and Jayden was the same. He has seen many things and done terrible acts, but that experience gave him nightmares for days following the event. "Suppose that was where we managed to establish a level of trust."
Ahsoka snorted, playful. "When we first met, we tried to kill each other and I thought of you as a terrifying monster who slaughters anyone in his path."
"And I thought you were just another misguided, annoying Jedi that follows Skywalker around like a lost puppy. Still are on that part." Jayden said, smirking when she glared at him for that but he was being playful in his own way. "Now look at us."
Ahsoka chuckled, her glare fading away. "Hard to believe it's been over a year since we met."
"Guess time can pass quickly when you're fighting in a war." Jayden nodded.
Silence filled the air as the two sat there, staring at the fire. Ahsoka glanced at Jayden again, taking in his appearance, watching as he glanced down at his ancestor's mask and the sight of it brought a couple of questions to the young Togruta's mind.
"I thought Revan's mask was buried in his tomb on Yavin IV?" She inquired, gaining Jayden's attention.
He looked at his mask and picked it up. "It was. Along with his robes and Lightsabers." He patted the Lightsabers hanging from his belt, and Ahsoka realized those were Revan's actual Lightsabers. "The kyber crystal's still worked even after all these years. And Revan's robes… they were preserved even in that tomb and still looked in fine condition after over 3,000 years. I'm not sure how that is. Revan's robes were created by a mystical technology of the Star Forge in a way to fuel the Dark Side energies of Revan through the garments to strengthen him."
"And you don't wear them?" Ahsoka asked. She thought that, since he wore Revan's mask and wielded his Lightsabers, he'd go for the full thing by wearing his ancestor's robes. It was, technically, his inheritance.
Jayden snorted, looking amused at her. "Not exactly tall enough to fit into them yet. But soon, from the looks of it."
"Can't imagine you in the full get-up." Ahsoka said, shivering slightly as she actually could imagine him in Revan's get-up, Lightsabers drawn, casting a terrifying, dark image on the battlefields.
Jayden sensed her thoughts and huffed. "Nice to know your opinion on fashion." He remarked, though his tone wasn't biting or negative. "Yet look at what you wear."
"Hey!" Ahsoka shot him a look. "There's nothing wrong with what I wear!"
"Clearly. What is it with female Jedi wearing such clothing?" Jayden shook his head. "First it's Aayla Secura, and then there's you."
"Were you looking at Master Secura?" Ahsoka asked in a dangerous tone.
Jayden sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "For the love of Hutts." He muttered under his breath. "It was after I rescued Senator Chuchi along with Amidala that I met Secura. I may be the enemy of Jedi, but I am still a teenager, Ahsoka."
"Pervert." Ahsoka muttered under her breath.
"I heard that." Jayden shot her an annoyed look. He was no pervert.
Ahsoka shook her head and got back to her original line of questioning. "So, how did you acquire Revan's robes, mask and Lightsabers? Did Dooku find them?"
"No. I did." Jayden said, surprising her. "It was one of my tests that he gave me. I was to go to Yavin IV, seek Revan's tomb and acquire his Lightsabers and mask. The robes were not expected, but I took them regardless. It wasn't easy, especially with the local wildlife getting in my way, but I succeeded."
"Clearly." Ahsoka remarked, glancing at his Lightsabers and mask, the evidence of his success.
Jayden glanced at her, then looked up at the sky. "Get some sleep. We'll be up early in the morning to resume our search."
"Fine." With that, Ahsoka stretched out on the ground and tucked her arm under her headtails. With her rolled over the other way, Jayden shot her a glance before turning his gaze skyward, getting lost in his thoughts once again.
The next morning, Ahsoka and Jayden were back on the move as soon as the sunrise started. Jayden had not been so callous as to have them start without something to eat, and so they had some ration bars for their breakfast before resuming their hunt for the data thieves.
More grassy hillcountry dotted with barka forests met them, only today a healthy grey cloud cover was obscuring the brilliant blue sky, chilling Ahsoka with a stiffer, cooler breeze. The Togruta breathed deeply, filling her senses with the aroma of the land. The scent of water was strong in the air. They were nearing the Locura Ocean.
She opened her mouth, clicking her tongue as she sucked down a few gulps of the cool air. Then she made a face. "Blech, I swear those rations are made with permacrete powder." She griped, sticking out her tongue. Jayden loosed a humoured chuckle. He watched as Ahsoka conjured enough saliva to spit, trying to clear out the overly-dry taste clinging to her tongue.
Pulling out his holocom, Jayden projected their targeted search area to see just how far they were from it. "We're twelve miles from where we need to go. We'll go to the cliffs, just to confirm if the hijacking came from the middle or not."
Ahsoka nodded.
"That sounds logical." She replied in a quiet voice, stretching and sighing and crossing her arms together. They continued to walk, her boots kicking at the ground as they strolled leisurely onwards. She sighed again.
"You appear impatient." Jayden noted as he studied her body language.
"Well, it just feels like a waste of time, doesn't it?! So much sensitive military data is at stake and we don't even know where exactly to look!" She complained.
Jayden said nothing, unsure of what to say to either assure her or get her to stop with the complaining. He just remained silent and walked, stretching his senses out with the Force in order to feel for anything out of the ordinary.
Ahsoka sighed, crossing her arms as she took a glance around her surroundings. She broke off from Jayden, walking up a hill to get a better ankle and vantage point to search for something. The Togruta hugged herself as the wind bit into her exposed flesh again. She glanced away from the incoming breeze… and suddenly paused.
"Wait, what's that over there?" She asked, pointing to a boxy metallic mound off in the distance. Jayden jogged up to stand beside her and see her discovery for himself.
"An old hibridium mine or a very well-placed bunker." Jayden stated, surging Ahsoka's hopes as a thought came to mind.
"A well-placed bunker… where any thief would be willing to hide with what they've got." Ahsoka smirked.
"It's our only possible lead." Jayden nodded.
Together they broke into a jog and made a beeline for the structure, bounding across the grass. The closer they drew, the larger the building became. It was built into the ground with slanted walls reaching somewhere between 8 and 9 feet high, made of unpainted flat durasteel. Rounding the portion that was not submerged into the ground, a set of double-doors were revealed,
"No guards." The Sith Apprentice realized, taking one of his Lightsabers off his belt.
Seems like these thieves are not part of some highly-advanced organization. They're using an old bunker with no one around to guard it… either they assume they're safe, or don't have what it takes to secure themselves. He thought.
"Doesn't look like much… it actually looks kinda deserted." Ahsoka mused as they took up positions on either side of the door. "I can't see any comms equipment."
"I suspect they might be using a hypertransceiver, it doesn't require all the antenna the average transmitter needs." Jayden replied, running a hand along the door.
"That's what-" Ahsoka caught herself before she mentioned Officer Piett's name, "w-we thought too." She cleared her throat. "How do we get in?" She wondered.
"Watch my back." Jayden said, activating his lightsaber. The red blade hummed before he plunged it into the durasteel door. Ahsoka stayed close, drawing her own Lightsaber but not igniting it as she watched his back. Jayden made a large circle in the door and kicked it down. Jayden spung in, entering a defensive stance, as Ahsoka rolled in, igniting her own lightsaber and entering her own defensive stance.
However, the space beyond was empty. A simple railed catwalk led to yet another door beyond, hinting at more within. "Great. Another door." Ahsoka grumbled as she relaxed her posture. Jayden glanced at her, then stepped towards the door.
"Doors can be opened." Jayden stated, then reached his hand out, using the Force to take a grip of the door. He focused hard and then, with a yank of his hand,pulled the door right off it's position, dropping it to the side. Jayden and Ahsoka sprung into the room, their Lightsabers drawn.
"Hold it right there!" The Togruta barked, anticipating armed mercenaries or something similarly militant.
Instead, a group of seven adults, a mix of men and women ranging from their early twenties to their early thirties, gave her their surprised attention.
Ahsoka blinked. They're… They're just civilians? They don't look anything like data thieves.
Jayden took in their appearance, then the rest of the room, noting the multiple tech terminals and command consoles situated around the room. What stood out amongst the grey steel was a massive banner draped across the back wall. Against a blue background was a perfect replication of Garos IV, as it would appear from space. Only there was a big red fist in the centre of the planet.
"Look out!" A masculine voice cried out, jerking Jayden's attention to a young man in white-green clothes making a mad dash towards them. His attempt to tackle the intruding pair was met with failure when Ahsoka used the Force to knock his legs out from underneath him.
Jayden placed his boot on the young man's chest, holding his Lightsaber near his head. "Who are you?" He demanded.
"I could ask you the same question." One of the younger men (with short brown hair) retorted calmly as he stepped cautiously forward.
"I am here to reclaim the tactical data you stole from the Separatist Alliance." Jayden answered, keeping his weapon ready.
"And I'm here to get the Republic's tactical data back!" Ahsoka exclaimed, not trusting them just yet.
"I told you they'd find us!" One of the women bemoaned. "It was too much to hope that we'd go unnoticed."
"Who. Are. You?" Jayden demanded again.
"We are members of the Garosian Independence Movement." The young man out front told them. "I'm Jince Delator. I'm in charge here." Ahsoka did a double-take.
"Wait… the Independence Movement? I thought they were all protesting in the planet's capitol?" She asked.
"They're the ones who don't have the same vision we do. They're not willing to act as readily as we are." Another man interjected, slipping off his goggles.
"This is Chyp Chays." Jince introduced. "This bunker is his. It belongs to his family."
"Your family owns a tech bunker?" Ahsoka queried, now relaxing. None of them seemed all that hostile.
"No. I moved the technology here. Part of the plan to turn this place into a bigger headquarters for the Movement." Chyp explained.
"You're the one who hijacked the data streams." Jayden realized.
"I did. Five years at university finally paying off." Chyp stated proudly.
"But… why did you do it?" Ahsoka asked. "What will our data get you?"
"Simple, really." Jince began. "We're going to sell it."
"To who?"
"The Separatists. I'm sure they'd pay good credits to know exactly how their enemy is doing." Chyp stated, as if it were a common fact.
"And the Separatist data?" Ahsoka pressed, sensing where this was going.
"To the Republic. For the same reason." Chyp answered. Having listened intently, Jayden began putting the pieces together.
"To initiate mutually-assured destruction." He realized. Chyp looked to him, surprised. But then the corners of his mouth turned up ever. So slightly.
"You're good." He complimented, apparently impressed by his intellect. Ahsoka had yet to clue in but she didn't like the words getting tossed about.
"What do you mean?" She asked, hoping either of them would answer her. Her gaze landed on Jayden. "What do you mean by 'mutually-assured destruction'?"
"By purchasing the opposing tactical data, both factions would learn the exact situation their opponent is in and would make plans to exploit their current weaknesses. Doing so would result in the rapid depletion of resources, until neither side could continue fighting anymore and both would be forced to withdraw. It would mean the mutually-assured destruction of both battlegroups. The war for Garos would be ended in a heartbeat." The reality sank in and Ahsoka was appalled.
"But why? Why are you trying to destroy us both?" She questioned. Jince opened his mouth,
"Because Garos does not need the Republic or the Separatists." Chyp beat him to it, stepping forward to take the limelight.
"Your parliament would think otherwise." Jayden interjected.
"They are old fools who need to get out while they can. We're going to clear the slate and start over again, this time putting the people of Garos first." Chyp boldly declared. "Garos has been around for ages and the fate of the Republic has never held any sway over us. The Separatists wouldn't bother us either, in fact. A changing of hands means nothing to Garosians. We're tough, self-reliant, everything we do is in the name of our people. We don't need the Separatists or the Republic. We've been at war with the miners of Sundar for nearly a hundred years. We have survived. Thrived, in fact. Do you really think we need any one galactic government to watch over us? Our people live in good health. The state of the Republic does not effect Garos. Why? Because we work hard, we stock up for ourselves. We guarantee our own future. We don't need anyone else dictating it for us."
Silence fell over the room, Sith and Jedi left to mull over what Chyp had declared. Ahsoka didn't know what to say or do. She knew she had a job, but it had just been immensely complicated by the presence of the Independence Movement.
They're just doing what they think it's right. It's not inherently wrong, but they did something wrong to us. I have to take back the tactical data… but how am I supposed to do it?
Jayden stepped forward. "Regardless of your reasoning, I have come for the Separatists tactical data. I have no quarrel with you, as long as you hand it back."
"Same here." Ahsoka piped up. "I get that you want to do some good for your planet, but it has to be without our data." Chyp vehemently shook his head.
"No. You can't have it. Don't you see? This is our chance!"
"Your chance to live and you're squandering it the more you delay." Jayden threatened. Chyp immediately strode over to a data terminal, primed with a pair of data cards inserted into access ports. He began keying in data. Jayden pointed his Lightsaber at him. "Move away from the terminal."
"You're too late." Chyp retorted, stepping aside to reveal their offers to the Republic and the Separatists were prepared to be transmitted.
"Chyp, please, don't do something you'll regret." Ahsoka insisted, slowly raising a hand.
"I have no regrets. This is the key to ensuring all Garosians remain free. This war came to us, we didn't need it!"
"Chyp! Isn't your life more important?" The woman urged. "They found us. The game is over."
"The game is not over Lorella!" Chyp retorted. "My family will know freedom! One way or another!"
"Will they know freedom when you're dead?" Jayden asked, his grip tightening around his blade. "Move. Now."
"You see? This is what the Separatists and the Republic will do!" Chyp declared to his six fellows. "They'll just push us around to get what they want! It's what they always do!"
"We're just trying to fix a problem you solved!" Ahsoka retorted. "If you hadn't stole from us, we wouldn't be here!"
"Desperate times call for desperate measures." Chyp said. "This is going to happen. Garos will be free ag-Ack!" He suddenly began to choke, clutching at an invisible grip around his windpipe, courtesy of Jayden who pulled him away from the terminal with the Force while Ahsoka used the Force to bring one of the data cards from Chyp's hand to her own.
Jayden strode forward and sent Chyp flying into the wall with a Force push, knocking him out cold, while Jayden stood at the terminal and began the process of deleting the Separatist data along with any copies that may have been made.
However, there was a problem as an alert popped up.
"What is it?" Jince asked as he and the others crowded around Chyp's body.
"Your friend programmed an electronic dead-man switch into the databanks." Jayden stated gruffly. "If anyone interferes with it it'll create a feedback loop to destroy all data... bunker included."
"He was making sure not even we could interrupt the process!" Jince realized in dismay. Ahsoka trotted over, checking past his burly arm to investigate the reading. The flashing aurebesh did not spell out good news.
"Can you disable it?" She inquired.
Jayden shook his head as a countdown popped up. "No."
"Well… can't we cut the power?" Ahsoka wondered.
"That's just it. It's targeting this bunker's generator system. It'll initiate an overload procedure that will result in the destruction of all the tech here… and us with it." Jayden revealed. Already several monitors were showing signs of electrical impbalance, fizzling with static as sparks erupted from unused consoles.
"Why would he do such a thing?!" Lorella cried.
"No time to think. All of you, go!" Jayden barked. The six wasted no time hoisting up Chyp and hauling him out as Ahsoka led them out with Jayden bringing up the rear. Massive arcs of direct current voltage began to spring from one side of the room to the other, creating a deadly web of synthetic lightning that would fry anyone caught in its presence.
Luckily for the nine of them, they managed to escape the bunker in the nick of time before electricity enveloped the whole room.
Out in the open, the Independence members laid Chyp on the ground a good distance away from the bunker as blue flashes through the cut door signalled the consummation of the dead-man switch.
"That was close." Ahsoka breathed. "Maybe a little too close. There wasn't a lot of numbers on that timer." She looked up at Jayden, the Sith Apprentice staring back at the facility where the copied data had been consumed. "This seems like a lot for just one objective." She remarked, referring to the destruction.
"He planned for this in case anyone broke in and tried to copy files. The only person who could ever access the server harmlessly was him." He said aloud.
"I knew he was good with tech… but this is insane!" Jince exclaimed, casting a glance at his ally. Then he looked to Wraith. "What do we do now?"
"Return to your cities, your homes. stand in solidarity with the rest of the Independence Movement." The Sith Apprentice responded, starting to walk away. Jince shook his head in disbelief.
"You're not gonna… kill us?" He wondered, sounding surprised. Jayden paused and looked over his shoulder.
"Be thankful I'm feeling merciful today. But if I hear this has happened again because of your group, I will return… and I will not hesitate to kill all of you." Jayden warned. The sudden snap-hiss of a lightsaber drew his attention to Ahsoka, wh had used her weapon to cleave the data card cleanly in two, destroying the Republic tactical data and ensuring no one else could access it.
"I got what I came for too. You're free to go." She told them. "Do you have a way to return to the cities?"
"Yes. We hid speeders nearby." Lorella answered. "Will… he be okay?" She asked, worriedly looking to Chyp. Ahsoka reached out with the Force. His presence was still there, like someone who was asleep instead of dead.
"He's knocked out pretty good. But he'll come around soon." She replied and the six breathed a sigh of relief. "I have to go now. I need to report back."
"We'll leave too." Jince promised. "There's nothing here for us anymore." The groups parted ways, Ahsoka making to catch up with Jayden, both of which had a few pressing questions for the other.
"You made sure I couldn't get my hands on your side's tactical data." He noted inquisitively.
"What can I say? It's for 'Republic eyes' only." She retorted with a smirk. "Besides, you're one to talk."
"You can thank Chyp Chays for helping me with that." Jayden remarked. Ahsoka sobered.
"Why do you think he hid something like that from the rest of them?" She wondered aloud. "Better yet, why would he go to such extremes all over data?"
"It took me a moment, but I think I have a theory on that." The Sith replied after a pause. "When the Republic shut down multiple Baktoid Armor Workshop plants across the galaxy, the resulting layoffs put over twelve million people out of work." Ahsoka arched a puzzled brow, trying to find a connection between the two.
"So…?"
"The Telti plant's foreman was man named Alasag Chays." Jayden revealed, prompting Ahsoka's eyes to shoot wide open.
"A relative!" She realized. Then she put the pieces together, casting a glance over her shoulder. "He grew paranoid that what happened to him would happen to his family here on Garos."
"So he joined the Independence Movement and hatched a plan to combine his skills with his family's resources to strike back against the war that had endangered the livelihood of his relative." Jayden concluded. Ahsoka suddenly pitied Chyp. His actions were merely the result of his fear fueled by prior circumstances.
"And he was prepared to risk everything so no one could stop him… even the rest of the Movement." She trailed off. "But… won't he try again?"
"If he does, he'll be dooming himself." Jayden said coldly as he turned to walk. "I will not tolerate this situation happening a second time."
"Well, here's hoping your little push knocked some sense into him." Ahsoka joked, earning a small chuckle from the Sith Apprentice as he turned to her and gave her a nod.
"Farewell for now." He said.
Ahsoka smiled. "It was nice teaming up with you again."
Jayden shook his head. "Stop trying to make me sound soft, it's not happening."
"We can all dream, you big softie!" Ahsoka called as he walked away, When he was out of her sight, she sighed before she called her astromech to bring her starfighter to pick her up.
She glanced in the direction Jayden had left, unable to stop the smile that spread across her face…
And that's it for this chapter. Next up will be the Invasion of Kamino from the "ARC Troopers" episode, although something special and unexpected is going to happen in that one.