A/N: Hi Everyone! Sorry for the delay! I was out of town for a bit and then I got sick but I'm back now! I have more comments to share but I wrote them at the end of the chapter. Happy Reading! :)
Chapter 11: Evesa's Story (Battle of Geonosis-Part I)
*Coruscant - 22 BBY*
"You are beaten."
Evesa rolled her eyes, "Are you going to say that every time you win?"
Anakin retracted his lightsaber and offered her his hand, "Yes. You used to say that every time you beat me. I think it's only fair I return the favor." He smugly replied.
"You're insufferable." She huffed, taking his hand as he helped her get on her feet.
"I think you hate losing just as much as I enjoy winning." He laughed, walking over to the nearby bench to get some water.
"Don't let Master Kenobi hear you say that. He'll make you wash all the speeders again." She smirked, clipping her lightsabers to her belt before joining Anakin on the sideline for some water, "Speaking of which, where is your master?"
"He's on Ansion dealing with a border dispute." He avoided her gaze, "He should be back any day now."
"You're still on suspension?" Yexi piped up from her spot on the bench.
Anakin shrugged, "Apparently the Council takes insubordination seriously."
"I could've told you that." Evesa joked, playfully nudging him.
"Speaking of the Council…" Yexi lowered her voice, "Master Ti told me some Council members have a meeting with the Supreme Chancellor later today about the continuous unrest in the Senate and the growing Separatist movement."
"I'm sure the upcoming vote on the Military Creation Act is another reason why they're speaking with Chancellor Palpatine. Our numbers are stretched thin trying to keep order and peace across this Republic." Evesa pondered aloud. Wanting to be rid of the serious mood, she smirked at Anakin, "Well at least my master was here to watch." Evesa teased, glancing over her shoulder to see her master conversing with Evem.
"Watch you lose." Anakin quipped with a smirk.
"You wanna go another round, Skywalker?" Evesa stepped back and ignited her two blades, one yellow and one blue, "I've still got some fight left in me."
"Sure, I've got two minutes to spare." He scoffed as he stepped back and ignited his single blue blade.
"That's enough." Master Vey's stern voice startled the two padawans who were not aware of her presence beside them. "I appreciate the camaraderie but you two are losing sight of why we train you to wield a lightsaber. A lightsaber in the hands of a Jedi…" She tapered off, allowing the padawans to finish her sentence.
"Is a primarily defensive weapon." Anakin and Evesa completed the saying in unison. They both retracted their lightsabers and clipped them back onto their belts, apologizing to the Jedi Master.
"Padawan Skywalker, I'd like to discuss with you the notes I took of your performance." She directed him away from the group so they could talk in private.
Once out of earshot, Evesa turned toward Yexi who was being joined by Evem, "I think I could've beaten him this time."
"No one has been able to beat Anakin in many, many, many rotations. He's simply too good." Yexi sympathetically laughed, "You were the only padawan who could beat him and he's won the last thirteen duels against you."
"Yeah, yeah…" Evesa wiped the sweat off her brow with a dejected sigh, completely unaware someone else was approaching the group, "I'm really starting to regret telling him my secrets though."
"Knowledge is not meant to be kept a secret, it is meant to be shared." Master Plo mused aloud, his deep voice startling the padawan.
"Master Plo! I didn't see you-when did you show up exactly?" She began rambling, trying to calm her racing heart.
Plo Koon chuckled at her antics, "You should consider Skywalker's success an attribute to your good advice."
"I understand, I just wish I could win once in a while." She grimaced while she stretched out her back.
"If it's any consolation, you're still the second best padawan swordsman in the Order." Evem unhelpfully chimed in from his place beside Yexi on the bench.
Evesa playfully punched her brother, "Thanks a lot, Master Anful."
Evem smiled at the sound of his new title. He had recently passed his Jedi Trials a few months ago and ceremoniously received the official rank of Jedi Knight. Evesa and Yexi were so proud of him when they heard the news, they decided to go out and spend the evening at 79s with Cemath and Sheva. Evesa remembered that wild night quite vividly for many reasons; it was the first time her brother had an alcoholic drink, it was the first time she saw her brother completely revert back to his silly carefree ways since the loss of their father, and it was the first time she caught her brother and Yexi stealing a kiss by the bathrooms at the cantina. Evem blamed the last two things on the influence of the alcohol but Evesa knew better. Maybe his easygoing attitude was because of the drinks but she could tell the kiss she saw between her best friend and her brother was not the first, nor was it the last.
Master Plo glanced around the dojo, "I just stopped by to let Skywalker know Master Kenobi has returned and will be waiting for him at the Temple entrance once he's finished here. I can tell he's currently busy with Master Vey so I would appreciate it if one of you could pass my message along?" The trio simultaneously nodded, "Thank you. I must be on my way. There is an important meeting I must get to."
"Will you be at the Initiate Trials later?" Evem blurted out before Master Plo left the room.
"I will. Shall I expect to see you there? It is a privilege to train the next generation of Jedi."
Evem hesitated, "I've been considering your insight about taking on an apprentice but I feel I'm still adjusting to my role as a Jedi Knight. Perhaps the next Initiate Trials will be better suited for my timing."
"Sometimes the Force does not work with the timing we want, Evem. It would be wise to attend regardless of what your plan is. Nonetheless, I shall respect whatever you decide, my old padawan." With a respectful bow of the head, Master Plo exited the dojo.
Evesa stared at Evem in confusion, the latter sensing her bewilderment, "You're surprised I'm not ready to take on an apprentice, aren't you."
"I'm more surprised you couldn't come up with a better excuse for not doing so." Evesa sat on the bench across from him and gently nudged his knee, "You've been a Jedi Knight for a few months now. You've clearly adjusted to the role. What's holding you back?"
"I just don't feel ready. Taking on a padawan is a big responsibility and I'm just not ready to take on that sort of commitment right now." Although his voice was calm, his sister could sense the hint of irritation in his tone.
Evesa glanced between her brother and Yexi, noticing a pained expression on her best friend's face. Something was definitely going on and she felt that her friend knew more than what Evem was letting on. Evesa decided not to push her brother for more information, she could interrogate her friend later.
The trio turned toward Master Vey and Anakin as they approached the group. Evem passed on Master Plo's message to Anakin and the padawan immediately rushed out of the dojo to go meet his master. Master Vey beckoned her padawan to follow her, bidding goodbye to Evem and Yexi.
Once out in the corridor, Sember thoughtfully looked up at her padawan, who was now a couple inches taller than herself, "I sense something is troubling you, my little shadow."
"I'm just tired, Master. Maybe a bit frustrated with my performance in the dojo." She carefully rubbed the back of her neck, trying to stretch it out.
"You're still learning the artistry of Jar'Kai, give it time. It's only been a couple years."
"Doesn't that seem a bit long to you though?"
"Not at all. It can take a Jedi almost ten years to finally master a fighting style. You're doing pretty well, all things considered."
"Between my studies and training with Master Damsin, I feel like my lightsaber skills are dulling a bit." She disappointedly sighed.
Shortly after her eighteenth birthday, Evesa decided to pursue the path of a Jedi Sentinel and take up her master's proposal to be trained as a Jedi Shadow. Although Master Vey was still her master, Sember enlisted the help from Master Taria Damsin who was an experienced Shadow Jedi Knight. Over the last two years, Master Damsin invited Evesa to tagalong on her assignments in order to give her invaluable experience in the field a couple times a month. Although Evesa thorough enjoyed her adventures with Master Damsin, trying to juggle her normal padawan studies and training alongside the Jedi Shadow studies and training was beginning to take a toll on her. Nonetheless, she was determined to push through the exhaustion and make her master proud.
"You're burning the blade at both ends." Master Vey mused aloud, "Maybe it was wrong of me to bring on Master Damsin to begin your Jedi Shadow training so soon."
"No, I can handle it. I know I can. I just need to do better." She scolded herself.
Sember kindly smiled, she could see how hard her padawan was trying, "Because of your Force-gifted photographic memory, learning has always been effortless for you. The downside is believing you can take on more than what is realistic. You must know your threshold."
"My threshold?" She curiously blinked.
"I've been noticing over the last year that you have taken on so much, you've reached a limit of sorts. You're a well balanced Jedi until you surpass that threshold, then your frustrations get the better of you. Hence, know your threshold."
Evesa fell silent for a moment, contemplating her master's words. "How do I increase my…threshold?"
"Let me answer your question with another question, how often do you meditate?"
"Eeeeenough. Often. Sorta. Sometimes." She wrinkled her nose, cringing at her poor attempt of stretching the truth.
Master Vey surpassed the urge to laugh at her antics, "Remember what I taught you about the importance of meditation."
"Meditation is about self-reflection just as much as it is about gaining a deeper connection with the Force. One cannot expect to feel peace until they have learned to control their thoughts and let go of their emotions. Before one can hope to master the Force, they must learn to master themselves."
"Precisely." She affirmed with a nod as they entered the Temple hangar, "Once you do that, your potential will be limitless."
Evesa froze, her lips slightly parted in surprise, "My papa said something like that to me once." Her voice was soft, almost childlike.
"Well he was right." Sember turned around when she noticed her padawan had stopped walking. Her kind dark eyes softened at Evesa's shocked expression, "You've been through so much, more than most younglings before coming to the Temple. But I believe it was a wise youngling who once said everyone has a past that makes them who they are today, it changes them for the better so they are better prepared to face the training and trials of the Jedi Order."
"Wait a sec, that's what I said when I was tested before joining the Order." Evesa tilted her head curiously, "How did you know?"
"The Archives. The Council records all initial testing and when it's time for the youngling's Initiate Trials, all interested Jedi Knights and Jedi Masters are given access to view the youngling's recording. It helps us get a better sense of who our potential apprentice truly is." Sember stood directly in front of her padawan, gently brushing a few stray strands of hair out of Evesa's face, "As soon as I saw your recording, I knew you were special. Not just because of your Force-gift, but by the way you held your head up despite all the adversity you've seen. Someone so young displaying such a mature composure, it was mind-blowing. You're a fighter, a survivor, a role model. I've been impressed by you long before you became my apprentice and I foresee you'll continue to impress me long after."
"Master…" Evesa blinked away the tears that threatened to fall, "I don't know if you understand how much this means to me. I've always seen you as a mother-figure and it means everything to hear I've made you proud."
Sember smiled as she wiped away a stray tear with her thumb, "You should never work to impress others. You must become the person you would be proud of."
"Thank you, Master. I don't know what I'd do without you." Evesa hiccuped as she tentatively stepped forward to give her a hug. She was surprised that not only did her master allow the hug, she pulled her padawan into the embrace and gave her a loving squeeze. Although Evesa never had the chance to hug her mother, she could only imagine this is how wonderful it would feel.
They broke the embrace when a small starship pulled into the hangar, no doubt Master Damsin returning to pick up Evesa for another assignment. Unlike Jedi Consulars and Jedi Guardians, the Jedi Sentinels did not normally live in the Jedi Temple. They preferred to live among the citizens of the galaxy and integrate themselves into the community they called home. Master Damsin chose to call the planet Ghaina her home, which coincidentally was also her home world.
Mastery Vey and Evesa approached the starship as the ramp finished lowering and a tall female human Jedi sauntered toward them. Her light brown skin was covered in dust and her green-blue hair billowed in the breeze. Taria's golden eyes lit up when she neared them, "Good morning, Master Vey. Hello, Evesa."
The duo greeted her in return, Sember eyeing Taria's battered starship, "Your ship seems to be a bit damaged. Problems in the Outer Rim?"
"Well of course, isn't that always the case?" She chuckled with a shake of her head, "I'm going to be grounded for a few hours while the mechanic droids fix it up. Then we'll be off on another assignment, Evesa. Ever been to Jaguada?" She asked the padawan.
"No but I do recall reading about it, though. It's a desert planet, if I remember correctly." She responded, a thoughtful finger on her chin.
"Sharp as ever." Taria nudged Evesa with a smile before glancing toward the hangar opening, "Interesting weather right now, isn't it? Cloudy and foggy? An odd choice from the WeatherNet. I thought the weather-control system was programmed to clear the fog by 8am?"
"It typically is." Master Vey walked onto the landing pad that stretched outside of the Temple hangar, Taria and Evesa following close behind. Coruscant was one of few planets in the galaxy known to have artificial weather controlled by a weather-control system known as the WeatherNet.
Once the trio reached the landing pad, Evesa outstretched her hand and wiggled her fingers in the dense fog. Not only was it way past the 8am fog cutoff, but the mist felt heavier than normal as if it was made intentionally thick. Evesa expressed this observation with her two mentors, suggesting there may be a malfunction at the WeatherNet station. But there was something else in the air…something sinister.
Although their vision was obstructed from the dense fog, they could hear the high-pitch sounds of a couple starfighters and the low rumbling of a large starship approaching the Galactic City. Evesa could only assume another Senator was arriving to the Senate District because of the highly debated Military Creation Act that was set to be voted on within the next couple rotations. The bill was designed to give the Galactic Senate permission to create an army with the intent of defending them against the hundreds of star systems who broke away from the Republic to join the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Although many Senators had hoped to receive support from the Order, the Jedi had mixed feelings about this bill. The limited number of Jedi being distributed across the galaxy to help maintain peace and order among the growing Separatist Movement were stretched thin and an army could be helpful in that respect. But on the other hand, the creation of an army could open the door to an even greater conflict. Violence only breeds violence.
Suddenly a deafening explosion sounded by the nearby Senate District, the three Jedi immediately going on high alert.
"Should we go investigate?" Evesa asked, looking to her master for an answer.
"No. We need to consult with the Council first." She responded, heading back inside the hangar.
Evesa and Taria shared a look, the former continuing to inquire, "But most of them are busy having a meeting with Chancellor Palpatine-"
"How do you know about that?" Master Vey stopped in her tracks and turned on her heels, coming face-to face with her padawan.
"Master, you should know me by now. I know everything about everyone." Evesa quipped with a smirk.
Sighing, Master Vey pointedly looked at Taria, "I blame you for this. You've turned my padawan into a super spy."
"She's a fast learner, what can I say?" Master Damsin shrugged lightheartedly, "Don't worry, I'll go look into it. I'm a Jedi Shadow, it's my job to discreetly investigate these things."
"I thought you're supposed to investigate Sith artifacts?" Master Vey countered as she sternly crossed her arms.
"Well, if Count Dooku is involved then-"
"Dooku is not a Sith." Sember valiantly defended her former colleague, "He may be an idealistic politician but he's also a former Jedi."
"The way his precious Confederacy is tearing this Republic apart, I wouldn't be so certain of that." She dismissively sighed, "Nonetheless, I'm going. I'll let you know what I find." With a nonchalant wave of the hand, she ran off in the direction of the garage to grab a speeder.
Once Taria was out of sight, Master Vey returned her focus to her padawan, "She may be good at what she does, but her lack of respect toward authority is quite troubling. Promise me you'll not inherit that trait from her."
"I promise, Master."
Tensions were high within the Jedi Temple thanks to the nonstop action over the last few days. The explosion Evesa and her mentors heard on that foggy morning turned out to be a failed assassination attempt on Senator Amidala. Master Damsin's initial investigation of the scene pointed to disgruntled spice miners on the moons of Naboo as the culprits for the attack. However the Jedi were not convinced of this, the coincidence of the attack occurring before the Military Creation Act vote was too great to ignore. In obedience to Chancellor Palpatine's suggestion, Master Kenobi and Padawan Skywalker were sent to protect Senator Amidala as her personal Jedi security until the matter was settled. Evesa remembered how nervous Anakin was when he found out about this new assignment. She found it amusing since the Chosen One always seemed to be confident, unwavering, and kind of arrogant.
An interesting turn of events took place when Obi-Wan and Anakin captured the assassin, only for the shape-shifting Clawdite to be killed by an unknown bounty hunter with a toxic dart. While Obi-Wan was sent to track down the bounty hunter, Anakin was assigned to protect the senator and escort her back to Naboo. Once Obi-Wan discovered the toxic dart was a Kaminoan saberdart, he began researching the mysterious planet of Kamino but to no avail. As it turned out, someone had erased the planet from the Jedi Archives which only added more to this mystery. Strangely enough, not only did Obi-Wan find the secretive planet, he also discovered the Kaminoans were expecting a Jedi to visit so they may present the Republic's new clone army as was ordered by the long-dead Master Sifo-Dyas. Only complicating the situation further, the host of the clone army, Jango Fett, was the bounty hunter Obi-Wan was searching for. After a brief complication, Master Kenobi tracked Jango Fett and his son, Boba, to the planet of Geonosis. Once there, Obi-Wan not only discovered a large concentration of Federation ships and droid foundries, but he also overheard a meeting led by Count Dooku where Vicery Gunray proved he was the one behind Senator Amidala's assassination attempts. Obi-Wan also overheard the Commerce Guilds and Corporate Alliance pledging their armies to Count Dooku. It seemed the Confederacy of Independent Systems was amassing a droid army in hopes to overwhelm the Jedi and force the Republic to agree to their demands.
Evesa and Master Damsin had just returned to Coruscant after a quick three day assignment on Jaguada but, thanks to the numerous transmissions from Evem and Yexi, Evesa was already caught up on the current situation. Normally communication is forbidden when working in the field as a Jedi Shadow but given the circumstances, Taria allowed it this time. After thanking Master Damsin for another learning expedition and bidding her goodbye, the Jedi Shadow returned to the field and Evesa met up with Master Vey.
"I'm glad you're back. We don't have much time." Master Vey greeted with a stressed smile, swiftly exiting the hangar with her padawan close behind.
"I've been kept up to date about the assassination investigation, the clone army on Kamino, and the Geonosis situation but I don't know much more than that."
"There is an emergency meeting going on in the Senate right now. Representative Binks of Naboo is going to propose granting Chancellor Palpatine emergency powers so he may approve the creation and use of the clone army."
"What?!" Evesa froze in bewilderment.
"Don't stop. Keep walking." Her master ordered, not slowing her pace at all, "Master Yoda and Master Windu are at the Senate Building now but once they return, Master Windu is going to gather as many Jedi as possible to go to Geonosis and help rescue Obi-Wan."
"Am I to go on this rescue mission, Master?"
"You are a strong fighter and an even stronger Jedi. Your presence there will be quite beneficial." She nodded in affirmation just as they approached the dormitory wing of the Temple. Sember stopped outside of Evesa's room, "Quickly clean up and I will meet you at the holocomm center in Jedi Command. There is to be a briefing in an hour."
"Yes, Master." She respectfully bowed before quickly ducking into her room to wash off all the sand and dust from Jaguada and change into a clean set of robes. Evesa was grateful she had been relatively kept up to date with what was happening because the information her master just debriefed her on was already on the verge of being overwhelming. Approval of the clone army? Did this mean what Evesa feared it meant? Was the Republic on the verge of war against the Separatists? A sinister chill ran down her spine as she finished cleaning up and prepared to make her way to the Jedi Command Center. She had a really bad feeling about this mission and an even worse feeling about the very real possibility of a war breaking out.
Evesa hurried out of her room and rushed down the corridor until she felt a strong presence in one of the rooms she passed. She recognized the familiarity of the sensation being her brother's presence but the reason she stopped was because the room she passed was not her brother's, it was Yexi's. Evesa casually leaned against the wall just as the door opened and the two culprits stepped out, "Are we behaving ourselves?" Yexi and Evem jumped at the sight and sound of her. "Ya know, you two are doing a terrible job if you're trying to keep whatever is going on between you a secret." Evesa teased with a smirk.
"I didn't know you were back." Evem huffed, "How did you even manage to sneak up on us like that? I didn't sense anyone outside the door."
"Tsk, tsk." Evesa clicked her tongue, "You forgot my special talents, brother. I can temporarily blind Force-sensitives to my presence, remember?"
"Ahh, yes. The shadow gift." Yexi quietly chimed in, still hiding behind Evem.
"Aren't you supposed to be at the Jedi Command Center? The briefing is going to start in fifteen minutes." Evesa crossed her arms as she scolded the guilty party.
"Where do you think I'm headed now?" Evem retorted.
"Alright then let's go." Evesa turned and began hurrying down the hall, "We don't want to be late to something so important-" She stopped when she realized no one was following her. Evesa turned back around to see Yexi and Evem looking at each other with pained expressions on their faces.
"What's going on?" Evesa asked as she jogged back to them.
"I'm not going to the briefing because…" Yexi hesitated, "I'm not going to Geonosis."
"What?!" Evesa shook her head in disbelief, "But Master Vey told me Master Windu was gathering as many Jedi as possible for this rescue mission."
"Master Ti has given me orders to stay here. With so many skilled Jedi going to Geonosis, some of the less capable Jedi were ordered to stay back. I am to help teach the younglings while you're gone."
"Less capable Jedi? Yexi, you're more than able to handle yourself in a fight."
"Let's be honest, Eve, we both know I'm more of a diplomatic fighter than a lightsaber fighter. And I think this whole situation is way past being diplomatic." She regretfully smiled.
Evesa continued to shake her head, unintentionally fiddling with her mother's necklace, "I-I still don't understand-"
"Come on, Evie, we're going to be late." Her brother gently pulled on her arm.
"Wait, so this is goodbye?" Evesa stared at her best friend, a couple tears stinging her eyes.
"For now." Yexi wiped away a couple of her own tears as she glanced back and forth between the siblings, "I wanna hear all about Geonosis when you both get back."
Evesa nodded, "I promise. Goodbye, Yexi." She stepped forward and wrapped her arms tightly around her best friend.
"May the Force be with you, Eve." Yexi whispered into her ear, giving her best friend a comforting squeeze before letting go.
Evesa reciprocated a similar response before pulling away, wiping her eyes quickly so her cheeks would not be tear-stained before the briefing. She turned and hurried down the hall, knowing her brother was lagging behind to say goodbye to Yexi as well. Evesa was not worried about her brother falling behind, he was a tall man so he would catch up to her quickly. With five minutes to spare, she approached the Jedi Command Center and paused by the door when she heard her brother coming up behind her.
Evesa glanced up at him, seeing the troubled look on his face, "Don't worry, you're going to see her again. We both are."
"Is that why you're still fidgeting with Mama's necklace?" He quipped with a small smirk.
"The Republic is on the brink of war, Evem. If there's a time to be anxious, now is it." Nonetheless, she tucked the necklace back into her robes.
Evem nodded understandingly, "As long as you're not nervous once we get to Geonosis. We have a job to do and we have to remain focused."
"Yes, Master Anful." Evesa teased, "For someone who said they weren't ready to take on an apprentice, you're certainly sounding like you are."
Evem rolled his eyes with a chuckle, stepping inside the Jedi Command Center with his sister following close behind and two minutes to spare.
"Master Yoda is currently en route to Kamino. He will inspect the Republic's new clone army and bring them to Geonosis as backup in case things get out of hand during the rescue mission. If the Separatists are creating a droid army, then the Geonosian foundries will probably be stocked up with an array of battle droids for us to defend against." Master Windu clicked a sequence of buttons on the holotable and a diagram of the Petranaki Arena appeared, "We suspect Obi-Wan is currently being held in the containment halls of this arena. If Dooku is holding him for ransom he should be here. However, if the Separatists are planning to use Obi-Wan as bait, he may be found here in the execution arena. We will send a small two-man team ahead to infiltrate the Petranaki Arena before the rest of us mobilize so we may have a better idea of what we're up against. There is a slight problem." He clicked another couple buttons on the the holotable and a different diagram of the arena appeared, "This building is heavily equipped with four state of the art anti-aircraft proton cannons, one in each tower surrounding the arena. Because of this, we will have to land at least a klick away. Although it won't be a problem for us, Master Yoda and the clone reinforcements will need those cannons neutralized before they arrive. The most efficient way to go about this is to utilize the infiltration team to bring down the canons since they'll be the first team onsite. After careful consideration, I've decided Evem Anful and Padawan Anful will make up the infiltration team."
Evesa tensed up at Master Windu's words. She could feel many eyes fall onto the siblings sitting in the back row of the Jedi Command Center. Although Evem did not seem to flinch at all, Evesa could not resist glancing over at her master when she saw her uncomfortably shift in her seat on the other side of the room. Although Master Vey did not look at her, she could tell Sember was not pleased with this decision. The authoritative sound of Master Windu's voice caught Evesa's attention, forcing herself to regain focus.
"I will further discuss the rest of the briefing while we're en route to Geonosis. Ships will be departing in half an hour. You're dismissed." The numerous amounts of Jedi who squeezed into the Jedi Command Center began to shuffle out, the low rumbling of whispers filling the tight space. Once it was Evem and Evesa's turn to exit, Master Windu called them over to the holotable where Master Vey was standing beside him, an unreadable look on her face.
"I understand you're all a bit surprised by my decision for the infiltration team. But Evesa's photographic memory and Jedi Shadow training makes her an ideal candidate for this mission." He looked directly at her, "I'm going to give you a copy of the arena holomap to memorize. Knowing the blueprints of the arena by memory will make for a swifter extraction."
Evesa nodded in confirmation, still avoiding eye contact with her master.
"Master Windu, although I agree utilizing Evesa's skillset is a wise decision, I must question the choice to send my padawan without me." Master Vey interrupted, a stern expression on her face.
Mace turned toward her, "I've monitored Evesa and Evem over the years and I've noticed their undeniably strong Force bond. They have the ability to communicate with each other without uttering a single word. That advantage will be useful for them."
"But-"
"Another reason is that while Evesa is still your padawan, this assignment will require her to take on more of a leadership role. I am concerned she would be more hesitant in embracing this role with you by her side as opposed to her brother." He lightened his authoritative tone to one of understanding, "Besides, we need your lightsaber skills in the arena if a battle should ensue."
Although Sember was not completely in agreement with his reasoning, she relented nonetheless. She did not want to come across as overly attached to her padawan, "Yes, Master Windu, I understand." She turned toward her padawan, a surprisingly calm expression on her face, "Evesa, remember everything Master Damsin and I have taught you over the years. Meditate to center yourself. Be aware of your surroundings. Mind your threshold." She playfully winked as she said the last part, desperately trying to lighten the stressful mood, "You can do this, I believe in you. Trust in the Force." She gave her padawan a reassuring smile, "I'll meet you on the battlefield. May the Force be with you."
Evesa tried to match her reassuring smile, her nerves still in a frenzy, "Thank you, Master. May the Force be with you too." They bowed to each other and then Master Vey locked eyes with Evem briefly, the two firmly nodding to each other. Without another word, Sember exited the room.
Master Windu quickly returned to finishing up his briefing before dismissing the siblings. Once in the corridor, they briskly made their way to the hangar and climbed into a two-man starfighter. Although the rest of the Jedi were still boarding the other starships, Evem and Evesa were given orders to leave immediately. They needed the head start in order to have enough time to infiltrate the arena and report back their findings before the others arrived, not to mention they still needed to neutralize the proton cannons before the clone reinforcements showed up.
Evem hopped into the pilot seat, as always, since he was the better pilot and Evesa climbed into the gunner's seat behind him since she was the better shot. As the engines warmed up and the starfighter began to lift, they spotted Yexi along the perimeter of the hangar talking to Master Vey. The two of them spun their heads around when they heard the ship taking off, both subtly waving goodbye to their friends, loved ones, and apprentice. Simultaneously, the siblings returned the wave just before pulling out of the Temple hangar and flying into the Coruscant atmosphere. Once in open space, Evem finished typing in the coordinates to Geonosis and hit the hyperdrive, launching them toward their destination.
"Coming out of hyperspace. Prepare for landing." Evem's voice sounded over the comms in their headphones, startling Evesa out of her nap.
With the trip to Geonosis taking several hours in hyperspace, Evesa was able to memorize all of the schematics Master Windu gave her while Evem napped and meditated. Once she was done memorizing all the information, she managed to catch a few hours of sleep herself. Since Evesa had returned from Jaguada and went straight into the Geonosis briefing, she was in desperate need of sleep so the long nap did wonders for her "threshold" as Master Vey would call it. While Evem expertly navigated through the asteroid field surrounding the planet, Evesa closed her eyes once more but instead of napping, she used this time to meditate just as her master instructed her to do. Centering herself and focusing on the Force, she released the negative feelings of fear and anxiety. They would only cloud her mindset and she needed to be at her best. Everyone was counting on them.
She opened her eyes after their starfighter broke through the atmosphere, taking in the barren deserts and red-rock mesas that made up the terrain. They spotted the large concentration of Federation ships along the horizon, making sure to stay clear of their scanners. Evem found a hidden makeshift landing zone that was only a klick away from Obi-Wan's ship, thankful R4 was still sending out a signal for them to track. They quickly disembarked the ship and began their short trek toward R4's signal, putting on the hood of their Jedi cloaks to keep their faces hidden.
Doing their best to make good time while trying to conserve their energy for the task ahead, the siblings hardly spoke a word to each other. Both were deep in their own thoughts, contemplating what was about to happen. Although at one point Evesa did crack a snarky comment about how she came back from a three day mission on a dessert planet just to be sent to another one. After a few minutes, Evem softly spoke up, "You seem calm. Much more than when we first left Coruscant."
"Everything was such a hurried blur at the Temple, it was so easy to get caught up in the stress of it all." She sighed, the dryness of the climate irritating her skin, "But after taking a much needed nap and meditating on releasing those feelings, I feel more centered."
"Excellent." Evem looked around at their surroundings, taking in the unique terrain.
He let out a low chuckle which caught his sister's attention, "Something funny?"
"Sometimes I still can't believe we get the opportunity to travel these vast lands. It's been fifteen years since we were first brought to the Temple and now look at us."
"Given the situation, frankly, I'd rather not be here." She smirked.
"Well, sure, but look at the landscape. The red-rock formations are magnificent." He slowly turned around with his arms open as if presenting the planet to her.
Evesa softly laughed, "You would find this enjoyable."
"This is our first mission together. This moment has been fifteen years in the making." He smiled at her, thinking about much they have grown over the years.
"Let's make sure it isn't our last mission together." She sighed, averting her gaze from her brother.
Evem continued to stare at her, sensing a small wave of anxiousness washing over her. He reached over and grasped her hand, gently giving it a reassuring squeeze like he always did when he felt a loved one was nervous. "I promise I won't let anything happen to you."
"You've always been so protective of me." She playfully bumped shoulders with him.
"You're my little sister, Evie. I love you so much." He threw a friendly arm around her shoulders as they continued walking, "I would die before letting something happen to you."
Evesa's body stiffened, "Please don't say that."
"What? I love you?" He asked with feigned confusion.
"No." She rolled her eyes, "The dying part. Seems a bit poorly timed, don't you think?"
"Not at all." He paused, contemplating his word choice, "We don't know what will happen once we step inside that arena. I just want you to know how special you are to me."
Evesa fell silent for a bit, letting his solemn words wash over her as she subconsciously began fiddling with her necklace again. In a quiet voice, she spoke up, "You mean the galaxy to me, Evem. You're my big brother and my role model. I love you too."
As they approached a clearing, laying their eyes upon the Petranaki Arena in the near distance, Evem swiftly pulled his sister into a loving embrace. He could sense her anxieties dissipate as she tightly wrapped her arms around him in return. They stood there for a few moments, relishing the feeling of their sibling in their arms. The special bond between them, strengthened by their training in the Force, was stronger than ever.
Eventually Evem pulled away and stared at her, "Wait a sec. Master Vey isn't your role model?"
"She is. I can have more than one, ya know." She rolled her eyes with a smile.
He furrowed his brow together, "But I'm your favorite, right?"
"I've known you longer so I guess so." She responded with a shrug, a tinge of playful sarcasm lining her words.
He excitedly pumped his fist in approval, a broad smile on his face. They simultaneously turned back to the view of the Petranaki Arena and the playful mood turned serious once more. They both released a deep breath, almost as if they were mentally saying "Here we go…" while they stepped into the clearing.
As they drew closer to the arena, they spotted Obi-Wan's ship hidden around the corner. They hurried over and Evesa began inspecting the R4 unit, preparing to send a signal to the Jedi reinforcements to let them know they have reached the arena. As she continued to work on sending the transmission, Evem hummed in deep thought when he felt a sense of powerful longing and affectionate emotions within the arena. The sensation was familiar to him not only because the person exhibiting these emotions was Force-sensitive, but he also felt the same emotions whenever he thought about or was around Yexi. It was love. More specifically, forbidden love. He asked Evesa to use R4 to run a scan of nearby starships, both of them surprised when they discovered that the Royal Naboo Starship was on Geonosis.
"I thought Anakin was supposed to remain on Naboo with Senator Amidala?" Evem mused aloud.
"Well, that's Anakin for you." Evesa mindlessly answered, continuing to fiddle with R4, "Knowing him, he wanted to help save his master and since Naboo is much closer to Geonosis than Coruscant, he figured he'd get a head start on the rescue mission."
"Hopefully our task won't turn into a rescue mission for more than just the one."
"Anakin is a strong Jedi. But also a bit reckless." She hopped off Obi-Wan's ship and dusted off her hands, "So we shall see." Evesa nodded for her brother to follow her, knowing there was a hidden entrance nearby. When she studied the blueprints Master Windu gave her, she noticed there was a drainage basin deep underneath the arena that would have minimal guards. As they silently waded through swampy water, they could hear massive amounts of Geonosians gathering in the arena several stories above them. The siblings shared a knowing glance. If they Geonosians are congregating in the arena, then it was most likely because an execution was planned within the next hour or so.
Although this path took a bit longer to trudged through than other discreet entrances like the catacombs, she knew this would be the most covert way to sneak into the arena. She was aware the catacombs were deceptively empty but they secretly held large concentrations of Geonosian guards within its walls. The perfect trap for those unaware of the Geonosian tactics. Another reason she picked this route was because at the end of this drainage basin was the Geonosian Archduke's podium that stood several stories above them. Although they were not planning on interfering with the Archduke Poggle the Lesser, she knew an area of high importance would come with plenty of secret pathways that would be used as escape routes for the Archduke should an attack occur. Those secret pathways were their ticket to moving around the arena unseen.
After several minutes of sloshing through the murky water, a curious question popped inside Evesa's mind, "Did you end up going to the Initiate Trials with Master Plo?"
Evem chuckled, "You know what, I almost forgot about that. So much has happened over the last few days."
"You're avoiding my question. Is that a no?"
"I went to the Initiate Trials. Studied the process on picking a padawan." He glanced over at her with a knowing look, "And no, I didn't chose an apprentice."
"Oh…What about Master Plo? He seemed interested in choosing a new padawan."
Evem nodded, "He has his eye on a young female togruta."
"Is this the same girl he brought to the Temple? Ahsoka Tano?"
"I believe so. I have to admit that she shows great potential though. If I was ready to choose an apprentice, Ahsoka would be a good candidate." After a brief silence, he let out a sigh, "Although, who knows what's going to happen now that we're on the brink of war."
"The Order will continue to train the next generations of Jedi as always, no war will stop that." Evesa stated matter of factly, "But this next clan of padawans won't have the luxury of growing up in a time of peace like we did. They'll have to learn how to fight, how to lead, and how to survive."
"You sound so grown up." He admired.
"I may still be a padawan, but I'm also twenty. I am a grown up." Evesa softly laughed with an eye roll.
Evem playfully bumped shoulders with her, "Just don't grow up too fast, Evie."
"We've been forced to grow up fast our whole life. Why stop now?" She shrugged with a smirk as they approached the end of the basin.
Once out of the swamp water, they stealthily climbed the winding staircase up several stories before ducking into an unused tunnel when they heard the clicking of Geonosian guards coming their way. Evesa knew they were getting closer to the surface when the guard presence exponentially increased, but that did not matter since she memorized every nook and cranny in this arena. She led her brother down the empty tunnel for a bit, only stopping once to acknowledge Master Windu's report that the Jedi reinforcements had landed in a hidden location a couple klicks from the arena and they were preparing to mobilize.
As Evesa and Evem continued to sneak through the long tunnel, they came across a thundering cacophony of machinery below their feet. Spotting a small crack in the floor, the siblings peeked through and saw hundreds of battle droids assembling into regiments nearby the arena entrance. Even worse, they noticed an endless transport of droid carriers bringing in more droids from what they assumed was the nearby Geonosian droid factory. Evesa stepped away and briefed Master Windu about the battle droids before continuing their ascent to the surface and the first watchtower. She had chosen to overtake the south tower first because there was nothing of importance on that side of the arena, the southern watchtower was just overlooking an empty clearing. Because of this, she surmised this tower would be the least guarded and she suspected correctly. With minimal guards, the siblings were able to disarm and knock out the group of Geonosians without even igniting their lightsabers. As Evesa got to work on disarming the anti-aircraft proton cannon, Evem took this opportunity to glance down at the arena in order to get an idea of what was going on.
He clenched his jaw when he saw not one, not two, but three execution pillars being prepared in the near center of the arena. Chained to one of the pillars was their extraction target, Master Kenobi. The other two pillars were empty though, but thinking back to the sensation of forbidden love he felt earlier, Evem had a feeling he knew who the other two pillars were for. While his sister continued rigging the proton cannons to simultaneously detonate with an electro magnetic pulse alongside the other three cannons when the time was right, Evem sent another transmission to Master Windu.
"We've located Master Kenobi. He's on the arena floor being prepared for execution."
"Understood. And the proton cannons?"
"Southern tower is disarmed, Master Windu." Evesa interrupted from behind her brother.
"Good work. Keep me informed. We are about a klick away from the arena."
"Master Windu, there's something else." Evem furrowed his brow, "It seems the Geonosians are preparing two more executions alongside Kenobi's. There may be other prisoners here."
"Do you know who?"
"I have an idea but it's only an assumption."
"Let me know when you get a visual on the possible other prisoners."
"Understood."
After Mace cut the communication, the siblings returned to their task of disarming the next tower. As planned, Evesa continued working in a clockwise pattern around the arena. She wanted to hit the eastern tower last because it not only faced the direction of the droid factory, but it was also above the viewing area where important off-world guests gathered to watch the execution unfold. If Dooku and other Separatist leaders were here to watch Obi-Wan's execution, that is where they would be standing. That will be the wing of the arena most heavily guarded. That is where Evesa will detonate the self-destructive chain reaction of proton cannons. She wanted to save the best for last. Evesa would have preferred to detonate the EMP individually for each cannon along the way but she knew if one cannon went offline, it would only be a matter of seconds before the Geonosians noticed and they would grow suspicious of a possible attack. She needed to take out all of the cannons at once and she had to wait until the opportune moment to do it in order to avoid giving away the Jedi reinforcements positions.
Like clockwork, the siblings skillfully took out the western and northern tower guards and rigged the cannons to detonate when the time came. Each tower becoming more and more guarded, Evesa and Evem eventually had to use their lightsabers to disarm the Geonosian guards in the northern tower. As Evesa tirelessly worked on the cannon's mechanics, Evem felt another swell of the requited love he felt earlier. Hearing the crowd cheer louder than ever, he peeked out of the window and stared down at the arena. Much to his chagrin, he saw Anakin and Padme being brought out to the arena floor toward Obi-Wan. His assumptions from earlier were correct and he quickly informed Master Windu of the updated situation. Needless to say, Mace was not happy to hear Anakin and Padme were now also in danger alongside Obi-Wan. He assured the siblings the Jedi reinforcements had arrived at the arena and were getting into position, all they needed to focus on was taking out the last watchtower.
Evesa joined her brother by the window once she finished rigging the cannon. She glanced down at the arena to see what he was looking at, "Oh boy. Rescue mission gone wrong, huh?" She frowned as they watched Anakin and Padme get chained up alongside Obi-Wan.
"We better get moving, we don't have much time left." Evem sighed, "And we still have one more tower."
"With the execution starting soon, hopefully the guards will be more distracted." Evesa surmised as she lifted the hood of her Jedi cloak over her head.
They climbed out of the north tower and disappeared into the upper shadowy canopy that surrounded the arena, their dusty brown cloaks were covered in the red-rock powder so they blended in with their surroundings flawlessly. As they neared the eastern watchtower, the crowd quieted down and listened to the Geonosian Archduke announce the start of the execution. The crowd cheered deafeningly when the drums began to beat and the horns blew triumphantly, signaling the release of the creatures into the arena. The siblings fought the urge to freeze when they felt the vibrations from the reek's roar rattle their bones, followed by the screech of the acklay that pierced their ears, and then another thunderous roar, this time from a nexu.
As they approached the upper eastern tower window, Evesa glanced down at the terrace below where the Geonosian Archduke was standing alongside the Viceroy of the Trade Federation, Count Dooku, and a Mandalorian with a young boy beside him who she could only assume was his son. Seeing Dooku's presence made Evesa's blood boil in righteous anger. How could he just stand there and watch them do this to his fellow Jedi? Sensing his sister's anger, Evem prodded her to continue on with a gentle nudge which seemed to snap her out of her thoughts. She glanced down at the arena as the creatures were being prodded to charge the prisoners. Doing her best to remain focused on the task at hand, Evesa unclipped the lightsabers from her belt while she peered into the tower. She silently signaled to her brother the large amount of Geonosian guards waiting for them inside and on her mark, they jumped inside and began taking out the guards.
Just as expected, this was by far the most heavily guarded tower in the arena. The vibrant shades of yellow and blue from their lightsabers streaked across the dark room, the screeching wails of pain from the Geonosians alongside the deafening crowds cheering outside bombarded their hearing. Despite the large amounts of Geonosian guards, the siblings made quick work of them much to their surprise. Just as before, Evem hurried to the window to oversee the events of the arena while his sister began rigging the final cannon. In the short time it took them to defeat the guards, chaos was breaking out in the arena. Obi-Wan had broken away from his chains and was dodging incoming attacks from the acklay. Anakin had also broken away from his chains and was riding atop the reek. Padme had somehow managed to climb on top of the pillar she was chained to and was battling the relentless attacks from the agile nexu.
"How's it coming, Evie?" Evem asked without looking away from the arena.
"Don't rush me, I've almost got it." She huffed as a stray strand of hair fell into her face, "How's it going out there? Are they winning?"
"Senator Amidala just dropkicked the nexu. It looks pretty shaken up."
"Dang. I'm impressed. A senator who knows how to negotiate and fight is a senator I can get behind." She chuckled to herself while her fingers continued to fly across the keypad. She had mixed feelings when it came to Padme Amidala, but hearing how valiantly she was fighting for the Republic in the Senate and now exhibiting the skillset to fight for herself in combat made Evesa reconsider. Perhaps she judged her too quickly.
"Anakin has regained control of the reek and-oh!" Evem cringed, "He just used the reek to kill the nexu."
"Excellent. One down, two to go." Evesa smirked, knowing she will hear all about this from Anakin and he will enjoy bragging about saving the senator to her later on.
Evem leaned against the window in intrigue, "Obi-Wan stabbed the acklay with the spear."
"Great." She perked up excitedly.
"Oh. It didn't seem to phase the creature. It actually looks more angry now."
"Great." She sarcastically groaned.
"Obi-Wan just hopped onto the reek alongside Anakin and Padme. It seems they're looking for a way to escape-"
"Done." Evesa sighed in relief as she left the cannon's control panel and joined her brother's side. She contacted Master Windu to let him know all cannons were disarmed and he told them to wait for his signal before detonating the EMPs. Mace quickly cut the transmission, probably preparing for his next move, and the siblings continued watching the scene unfold beneath them.
They both felt their chests tighten as a squad of destroyer droids rolled out into the arena and surrounded the trio. They suddenly spotted a purple lightsaber ignite behind Dooku, right at the neck of the Mandalorian beside him. After a brief exchange of words, one by one the Jedi reinforcements who were vastly spread throughout the arena ignited their lightsabers. Recognizing the signal, Evesa clicked a series of buttons on her wristlink and all of the EMPs detonated, effectively frying the anti-aircraft systems. Seeing all of the Jedi in the arena caused the Geonosians in the stands to flee in fear and even more chaos ensued when a squad of super battle droids and the Mandalorian attacked Mace Windu on the terrace. The siblings watched Mace leap off the terrace and landed on the arena floor, quickly discarding his robe that was on fire.
Suddenly hundreds of battle droids stormed out of the tunnels that led into the arena floor and began firing upon the small army of Jedi.
"We have to get down there." Evesa decided, turning away from the window and hurrying out of the watchtower with her brother following close behind.
Unfortunately they did not make it very far down the corridor for when they turned a corner, they came face to face with a battalion of droids. The siblings simultaneously Force pushed the first couple rows of droids back, causing a mild domino effect that knocked a few more rows of droids to the floor. This gave them enough time to ignite their lightsabers before slicing their way through the endless rows of battle droids.
"I guess they figured out who took out their proton cannons, huh?" Evesa yelled over the thundering pings of blaster fire.
"Perhaps we should've gone out the window instead of running into the hall. We walked right into their trap." Evem responded, continuing to deflect the constant barrage of blaster fire.
Evesa mentally reprimanded herself, it was her rash decision to rush out of the watchtower in hopes of joining the rest of the Jedi down in the arena. It never occurred to her the Separatists would have a battalion of droids waiting nearby in case the anti-aircraft cannons were tampered with. Just as Evem was about to suggest retreating back to the eastern tower for safety, he realized it was too late. They were cut off and trapped.
"Evie! Behind you!" Evem leapt toward her and deflected a series of rapid fire from incoming super battle droids that were trying to sneak up behind them. Now a bad situation had grown worse, they were surrounded in the narrow corridor. Evesa kept pushing forward as she skillfully began dismantling masses upon masses of battle droids. Meanwhile her brother stood behind her and protected them from the onslaught of supers continuing to advance from behind. As the siblings tirelessly fought off the endless rows of battle droids, their stamina was beginning to wane. Evesa's focus drifted for a brief second while she desperately searched for a new means of escape from this bombardment.
Suddenly a blaster shot clipped her left bicep, sending a searing sharp jolt through her body. She screamed in pain as her arm went temporarily limp. Evem sensed her agony and immediately turned around to check on her.
"Evie! What happened?!"
"I'm fine!" She tightened her grip on her lightsaber and continued to fight, "It's just a scratch! Watch your back!" She spun around so now she was facing the supers while Evem was sparring with the battle droids.
"We have to find a way out of here, these droids are relentless!" Evem huffed.
Just as Evesa was about to answer, the super battle droids swapped from their primary wrist blasters to their more destructive secondary weapon. She saw the adjustment and frantically reached for her brother, yanking him to the side of the hallway as the first wave of wrist rockets were deployed. The corridor shook violently, debris from the ceiling beginning to fall around them and the dust creating a smoke-screen of red rock powder. The siblings dropped to the floor as the barrage of blaster fire continued. They glanced at each other, their frightened gaze locking for a moment. Evem noticed a trail of blood trickling down her arm from her wound.
He reached for his sister's hand and gave it a comforting squeeze, "Don't worry, you're going to be alright."
He stood up to defend them, swiftly spinning his lightsaber around himself to deflect the blaster fire coming from both ends of the hallway. Evesa leapt up to join him but he he Force-pushed her to stay down, not wanting her to injure herself further.
"Evem?! What are you doing?!" She yelled in exasperation.
"Protecting you!"
"I'm fine!" She attempted to get up again, rushing forward when a droid narrowly missed her brother, "We can get out of this if we work together!"
Another couple of tense minutes passed, the siblings skillfully channelling everything they were taught throughout the last fifteen years. Every block, every parry, every strike derived from what their masters taught them over the years. Getting a glimpse of their surroundings, Evesa remembered there was an opening in the corridor coming up. If they could push the droids back far enough they could escape through that small opening. She relayed her plan to Evem who heartedly agreed they needed to get out of this situation as soon as possible.
As they slowly rounded the bend, a small clearing could be seen in the distance. The siblings pushed through their exhaustion to force the droid battalion back even more. Just as the opening was almost within reach, the supers activated their secondary weapons once more. Evesa was so transfixed upon reaching their escape route, she was unaware of the supers battle droids' weapon transition. Wrist rockets flew at the Jedi with the upmost destructive intent, colliding with practically every surface within the narrow hallway. As the corridor rattled from the explosions, Evesa collapsed to the ground when a heavy weight fell on top of her. She was terrified a piece of ceiling debris had pinned her to the floor, but once the dust settled, she looked up and gasped when she saw her brother knelt over her.
"Evem?!" Evesa cried out when she realized her brother was using his Force-abilities to suspend the debris above them to prevent them from being crushed. She faintly heard him groan in pain, his body had taken some blaster hits from when he threw himself over her. He was using the last of his strength to keep the celling debris off his sister.
"Go!" He ordered her, his breath ragged from his injuries.
"Not without you! We can both make it out of here!" She sat up and together they used the Force to push the suspended debris toward one end of the hallway, clobbering the super battle droids and blocking off that side of the hall. She stood up and grabbed her brother's arms just as he collapsed, "I've got you, Evem. Hang on-"
"Evie…you need to run. More will be coming." He gasped, his lungs beginning to feel tight.
As if on cue, they could hear the all too familiar sounds of destroyer droids rolling toward them in the distance. Evesa yanked on her brother's limp body and desperately pulled him to their escape route, except the small opening had now been blocked by the fallen debris. All that was left was a tight crevice between the rocks, small enough for Evesa to squeeze through but not her brother, especially in his current condition. She desperately slammed into the wall of rocks, trying her best to widen the crevice but it was no use. Everything was locked tightly together. She tried to channel enough Force energy to push the rocks out of the way, but their long winded fight against the battle droids had exhausted them both.
"Go, Evie." Evem smiled up at her despite him gasping for air and blood seeping out of the many blaster wounds across his body, "It's okay."
Tears began to roll down her cheeks, "No! I'm not going to leave you!"
"Evie?" He reached up and grasped her hand as she knelt down to him, "My time has come. I'm going to be just fine. I am not afraid." He gave her hand a weak squeeze, "I'll always be with you. I love you…so much."
"I love you too." Her voice was strained against the emotions she was trying to suppress.
"Now go." He handed her his lightsaber, "You must live to fight another day."
Evesa hesitantly let go of his hand and stepped back, hearing the infamous sounds of droidekas rounding the bend. She saw his body go limp and as she began squeezing her way through the crevice, she could not take her eyes off of him while knowing he was taking his last breaths. The second half of her body was shimmying through the tight opening when the destroyer droids arrived and began to open fire on the scene. She watched in horror as the blaster bolts struck her brother until a strong wave of energy nearly knocked her over. She sensed her brother become one with the Force but she also felt his familiar presence come upon her. And just like that…he was gone.
Evesa fell to her knees in the empty hallway, clutching her brother's lightsaber to her chest as she openly weeped, not realizing she had Evem's blood all over the ends of her sleeves. In this moment, she did not care about controlling her emotions. She just lost the last member of her family. Her mother was dead. Her father was dead. And now, her brother was dead. Evesa was the last of the Anful family line. She hopelessly tried to regain her composure, knowing more droids would be on their way, but she could not find the strength to care. Her chest heaved with ragged breaths. Her heart ached with a grief that would never cease. Her body shook from the anguish and despair of what she had just witnessed. She was so distraught, she did not hear the sound of more destroyer droids approaching her until they were turning the corner at the end of the hall.
Evesa's head snapped up, her eyes ablaze with something unfamiliar to her. She clipped Evem's lightsaber to her belt and tightly clutched her own in both hands. A familiar sense of agony pulsed through her body just as it did when she watched her father get brutally murdered. And just like all those years ago, as the torrent of emotions built up inside of her, a low rumbling began to thunder in the hall and the ground began to shake. The destroyer droids seemed unfazed by this and approached her anyway. All of a sudden Evesa felt this supernaturally heightened awareness of her emotions, almost as if someone had amplified her grief and her hands began to tingle. Just as the droidekas got into position, Evesa screamed in agony as the grief of losing her brother bubbled over her threshold and violent yellow-orange electric bolts were released from her hands. The golden Haysian smelt metal on her lightsaber hilts conducted the electricity from her fingertips out toward her lightsaber blades which were pointed at the oncoming destroyer droids. And just like that, the entire hall of droidekas were destroyed as if someone released hundreds of EMP grenades inside the narrow corridor.
Evesa stumbled back in utter shock and fatigue. She had never witnessed anything like that before but she knew exactly what had happened. Back in her youngling days, she remembered reading a data disc about ancient Force techniques and somewhere within those archives was a section about "electric judgement". Given its uncanny similarities to the dark side's "Force lightning", it was deemed a forbidden power within the Order.
Feeling even more confused and disheartened, Evesa attempted to slow her panicked breathing, letting her master's words wash over her.
"You must know your threshold. You're a well balanced Jedi until you surpass that threshold, then your frustrations get the better of you."
Evesa scrambled to her feet, shaking her head to help her get a grip on herself. As she did this, she swore she heard her brother's last words echo in her mind.
"Now go. You must live to fight another day."
Evesa suddenly remembered the ongoing battle happening in the arena and although her heart was still mourning her loss, her mind commanded her body to run. She sprinted down the hall, wiping away the stray tears that threatened to cloud her vision. She did her best to let go of her sorrow, knowing there would be time later for her to properly grieve, and refocused her attention to the next battle that lay ahead.
A/N: Yeeeaaah, I decided to stick with the backstory a bit longer (it'll make more sense when we return to the current Bad Batch timeline). Once again, I didn't plan for this chapter to be this long but then it just kept getting longer and longer and so I decided to break it up into two parts (this chapter is actually my longest yet of this story so can you imagine if I didn't split it?!) Good news is that Part II is almost done so it should be uploaded this week as well! After Part II is released, I promise we'll return to the Bad Batch. As some may have noticed, I did change the Category of this story to a Bad Batch x Clone Wars crossover since I've realized that half of the chapters in this story so far take place before/around the Clone Wars time period. I promise this will become a Bad Batch story, but Evesa's backstory is really important to the plot. Perhaps I'll write an even more detailed Evesa fanfic later on? Nonetheless, thank you for reading and, as always, feel free to leave a review or message me for any questions/comments. Have a wonderful week! :)