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Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars: The Clone Wars. I only own the OC Jayden Shan/Darth Khan.


Standing with Master Yoda, Admiral Yularen, and battle-scarred Captain Rex, Ahsoka watched Anakin inspect the Resolute's retrofitted bridge. No more blaster burns. No more scorch marks from shorted wiring. Seemingly no war wounds at all... but of course, that would soon change. Soon they'd be crossing paths with General Grievous and his merciless army of battle droids and they'd all have scars as proof of the encounter.

She felt a tiny prickle of fright. No, no, no. Don't think about that. We haven't even left orbit yet. There's plenty of time to think about that.

She was excited, sort of, to be going into combat again. War was bad, of course. No sane sentient wanted it. But if there had to be fighting, at least she was fighting on the right side. Fighting against the forces of darkness. Fighting to protect everything the Jedi held dear… most especially the Republic.

If we're not prepared to fight for it, then we deserve to lose it.

So yes, their cause was just... but that didn't mean she couldn't die defending it. It didn't mean Anakin couldn't die. Lots of Jedi had died already. Again she felt that prickle of fright. Sent a desperate plea out to the Force.

Don't let him be one of them. Don't let me be the Padawan who gets the Chosen One killed.

Her Master's unguarded expression was tender as his gloved fingers trailed along every shiny, flat surface of his flagship's bridge: the long-range scanning station, comms, helm, tactical, atmospherics. A tall, athletic figure in unrelieved black, the faintest of smiles curving his lips. Oblivious to his audience, to the urgency of their mission, he communed in leisurely silence with the newly commissioned cruiser. As though they shared a telepathic conversation. As though the ship were whispering secrets in his ear.

Baffled, she marveled at him. I'll never understand Skyguy. He loves machines like they're living, breathing creatures. I just don't get it. A ship is a tool, that's all it is. How can anyone love a tool? It's like saying you feel affection for a—a hydrospanner.

Beside her, Master Yoda tapped his gimer stick to the deck. She didn't think he was annoyed with her Master, but it was hard to tell. Yoda was the biggest mystery she'd ever met. All she knew for certain was that though he was the most accomplished living Jedi, he wasn't so grand he couldn't feel tense, too.

"Anakin," he said.

Her Master turned, still smiling. "Master Yoda?"

"Satisfied are you that in order everything is?"

"Everything's perfect, Master," said Anakin, his smile widening to an unrestrained grin. "My compliments to the shipwrights. They've done a wonderful job."

"Then if satisfied you are, leave you I must," said Yoda. "And for the Foerost system you should depart."

Sobering quickly, Anakin clasped his hands behind his back and nodded. "Yes, Master."

"In constant communication with us you will remain, Anakin," said Yoda. "Your best judgment you must use, but take unnecessary risks you will not. Wily, Grievous is. Seek to distract you he will. Prepared you must be for his deceptions and feints. More than one battle you might have to fight."

Another respectful nod. "Yes, Master." Ahsoka felt some of Yoda's tension ease.

She hadn't been Skyguy's apprentice for long, but it had taken very little time to figure out he and the Council bumped heads a lot. In fact, Padawan rumor had it he had stood up to them the very first time they met. Nine years old, and he was challenging the Jedi Council. Unbelievable. Did it matter to him now, to hear their endorsement of him? Did he care what they thought? Or was it only Obi-Wan's opinion that counted?

I don't know. I can't work it out. Sometimes he's as big a mystery as Yoda.

Yoda looked up at Admiral Yularen. "The importance of this mission you know, Admiral. Nothing else there is that I or the Council can tell you. May the Force be with you."

Yularen bowed. A soft-spoken and self-contained veteran who wasn't afraid to bite when he had to, he was the perfect counterweight to Anakin's fierce eagerness. "And with you, Master Yoda."

"Thank you, Master," said Anakin. "May the Force be with you."

Yoda nodded. "And with you. Farewell... and good hunting."

The ancient Jedi Master departed then, and the Resolute's crew leapt to obey Admiral Yularen's clipped, succinct orders, preparing to break orbit. Anakin turned to Rex.

"Your troops are settled, Captain? And ready for the fray?"

Calm as always, his fuzz of blond hair bright under the bridge lights and his dented armor spotless, Rex nodded. "Yes, sir. They've adjusted well, and will do you proud."

Ahsoka felt a shiver of sorrow and rubbed her gloved forearms. These days she felt the deaths of the men more acutely than before, each one disappearing from the Force like a candle getting snuffed out. It weighed on her in all her private moments, and she couldn't help but wonder if there was something she could've done differently to keep them from dying. Replacement Clones were always quickly assigned to the unit, but cohesion took time.

Losing people is too hard.

Anakin's solemn expression had eased. "I'm sure, Captain. Rex..." The Captain quirked a blonde brow.

"Sir?"

"I'm glad you're here. I wouldn't want to take on Grievous without you." Rex didn't smile, because that wouldn't be proper. But his jet-black eyes warmed and he nodded.

"It's an honor to have your back, General. Now, with your permission, if there's nothing more I can do for you here I'll return to my men. They may be ready, but there's no such thing as too much preparation."

"Of course," said Anakin. "Captain, you're dismissed." Ahsoka smothered a grin as Rex, in passing, spared her a wink.

The bridge was alive now, its crew staffing every station, the comm channels lively with chatter between Anakin's flagship and her subordinate sisters, the Dauntless and the Pioneer.

"Master Skywalker," said Yularen, turning. Though he was admiral of the battle group, protocol dictated he defer to the Jedi Council's representative. Unless, of course, said representative did something foolish like forget to disengage an enemy transponder. Then he got barked at like any rank and file pilot. "All stations report ready. Commanders Vontifor and Isibray report ready."

"Very good, Admiral," said Anakin. He sounded serene. Looked almost disinterested. As though he'd stood on this bridge a hundred times already; as though he'd been a battle group commander for years. All his life. "In your own time, break orbit and proceed as plotted to the Bothan system."

"Understood," said Yularen. "Helm-"

"And Admiral?"

Surprised, Yularen raised a hand to the helmsman. "Master Skywalker?"

"As soon as we're clear of Coruscant, set the deep-space comsats to maximum gain and monitor all bandwidth chatter, no matter how obscure, until further notice. Advise the Dauntless and the Pioneer to do likewise."

Yularen hesitated, then cleared his throat. "That'll prove a significant drain on power." Anakin nodded.

"I know. Do it anyway. I have a funny feeling our friend Grievous is in a playful mood." Yularen had been around long enough to know that a smart man didn't argue with a Jedi's funny feeling. Especially not this Jedi.

"Of course," he said, and nodded to the officer at comms.

Under cover of bridge business, Ahsoka gave Anakin's sleeve a quick tug. "What does that mean, a funny feeling?" she asked, almost under her breath. "Do you know something I don't, Sky-… Master?"

His glance down at her was severe. "The things I know that you don't, Padawan, would fill a Corellian spice freighter. Twice."

Fine, all right, there was no need to get nasty. "Yes, Master," she muttered.

He relented. "You heard what Master Yoda said. Grievous is wily. This mission may be top secret, but it's not like we can hide three Republic Cruisers leaving Coruscant. On top of that, a lot of the crew at the shipyard are civilians. Civilians go to cantinas and sometimes drink too much. And when they drink too much, they talk."

"About us?" Ahsoka wondered, having not considered the broader life outside the army.

Anakin shrugged. "Maybe. Or maybe I'm just being overcautious. But I'd rather be overcautious than caught by surprise."

That made two of them. "Yes, Master."

The Resolute's bridge was graced with an encompassing transparisteel viewport. Apparently content to let Yularen run the show, at least for the time being, Anakin withdrew to stand before it. Ahsoka hesitated, then joined him in staring down at glorious, gleaming, glittering Coruscant.

She felt a pang. Is this the last time I'll see it? I don't want this to be the last time. I want to see it again, and again. I don't want to die.

Furtive, ashamed, she stole a sideways look at Anakin, expecting him to know what she was thinking, expecting a reprimand, a lecture. Instead she saw in his face something that shocked her, something she'd never expected: a dreadful, painful, frozen grief. So haunting, so piercing, it was like a spear of ice run through her. It seemed he had forgotten her completely, that in this moment only Coruscant existed.

Does he see something I can't? Does he know we won't be back? Is he saying good-bye? Should I say good-bye, too?

She couldn't ask him. His sudden, unexpected misery had infected her, had choked her throat with scorching tears. She watched, her vision blurred, as he stretched out his flesh hand and pressed its palm to the viewport. Coruscant fractured beneath his wide-spread fingers.

And then the planet fell away beneath them as his battle group broke orbit.


Tensions ran high throughout all levels of leadership within the Grand Army of the Republic. Everyone waited with bated breath, hoping for victory, as Anakin Skywalker's three cruisers set out for Foerost, ready to battle with General Grievous' naval forces…

A battle that would never come.

The day before, the senator of Falleen, a man named Zurros, announced the cessation of his homeworld from the Republic in order to join the Confederacy in what he called 'a move not made lightly in order to suit the economic interests of the people'. Falleen was a hotspot for factories and manufacturing facilities, liked by corporations who found it less costly to maintain facilities on remote planets. With handshakes made between the Commerce Guild and the Corporate Alliance, Zurros' big political play seemed to be a smooth and fluid transition… had it not been for a single outlying factor.

The king of Falleen, liking his Republic-backed position, refused to go along with Zurros' change of allegiances and implored the Republic battle group stationed on his homeworld to defend against the arriving Separatists. In return, Zurros reached out to Count Dooku and asked for him and his people to be spared

As part of a false-flag operation, the Separatists tricked the Republic into focusing their attention on Foerost. While reclaiming the Techno Union shipyards, and therefore improve the production time of much-needed cruisers and frigates, would undoubtedly be a good thing, having another haven for the construction of battle droids and weapons of war ranked a little higher on the Confederacy's list of priorities.

And so Foerost was delayed while the capture of Falleen rose to the top of the Confederacy's plans.

All anyone in the Republic knew was that Grievous was moving with four ships at his command, so the two Acclamators and single Venator cruiser were shocked to see six drop out of hyperspace and assume attack formation. The ensuing battle was swift, brutal, and short-lived.

On the bridge of his flagship, Grievous cackled to himself as he watched the three Republic ships scramble to try and defend themselves. The cyborg general outnumbered them 2-to-1 and was making good use of his advantage. "We have taken them by surprise. Thanks to our superior numbers, they are no match for us!" He rasped.

"Abate your confidence, General." Count Dooku chided from behind him. "Only in total victory may we boast. A living enemy remains a threat to us."

"What threats? I see no threats." Grievous retorted, his statement punctuated by a timely eruption from one of the Acclamator cruisers; Kalatan's Lance. A column of fire ripped through the hull, top to bottom, and the ship took on an immediate list to starboard as power began to fail ship-wide. As the spectacle continued, Asajj Ventress and a mask less Darth Khan arrived on the bridge, taking their positions on Dooku's left and right respectively.

"What is thy bidding, my Master?" Both Sith Apprentices asked. Both of them bore a sheen of sweat, remnants from another one of their fierce spars as they engaged in vigorously testing one another's strength and stamina. It had been quite a spar to add to the numerous they've done, but in the end… both were left satisfied yet spent.

"The battle for the planet has begun. In a stroke of luck, we have caught their naval forces unawares and will soon claim dominion over the skies." Dooku stated without turning around. Jayden looked on at the burning Kalatan's Lance as the second Acclamator, Horn of Dogal, was ripped apart by a barrage from the Munificents it stood in defiance against. "We will begin landing procedures shortly. I want you both ready when the transports depart, I will rendezvous with you on the ground."

"Understood, Master." Jayden affirmed with a bow.

"We will not fail." Ventress echoed. His two subordinates took their leave as Dooku began to plot other aspects of their assault.

"Once their naval units are dispatched, General, send fighters and bombers to the planet's surface to soften their defences. I have no doubt the King of Falleen has made preparations for our arrival." He commanded Grievous.

"As you wish, Count. Today, Falleen experiences the full might of the Confederacy!" Grievous coughed as the Republic Venator, Bespin Dancer, broke apart under a withering barrage and began to plummet from its position. Inadvertently, Grievous had killed a General aboard the ship; Jedi Master Agthar Rodan, who died when the cruiser's bridge was consumed in fire and nearly disintegrated by the combined barrages from two Munificents.

Making their way to the hangar of the cruiser, Jayden and Ventress stood side by side in a turbolift. This battle would be another that had them fighting side by side, entrusted to execute the will of the Confederacy in the liberation of another world.

Ventress side-glanced at Jayden with a small smirk, noticing him wiping a small bead of sweat from his forehead. "Nervous, Jayden? Or was I really too much for you this time?"

Jayden shot her a look, one filled with slight annoyance, exasperation yet amusement. "You and I are well aware I'm never nervous about anything. I've been in this war for about a year now. I've experienced enough to turn a cold shoulder to most. And trust me, I've still got enough energy to fight."

"Yes, I can believe that." Ventress said, her smirk turning coy as she tugged her cloak around her shoulders, and Jayden put on his mask, throwing his hood up afterwards. "If you're not too exhausted, I could use someone to do the heavy lifting." The Rattataki purred, draping her dark robe around her body. "You can recite our battle plan, yes?"

There had been a debriefing on the trip over, in which the order of battle had been laid out. While Jayden was aware of the possible need to make changes and adjustments as situations unfolded, the end goal remained the same.

"We make landfall on the outskirts of the capitol; Throne. Hopefully air support will have made short work of artillery and other on-site weaponry to ease our approach. From there we deal with any resistance we may encounter, reports suggest at least four Clone trooper detachments planetside as well as anywhere from seven to eight Jedi. There are five sectors to capture en route to the royal fortress, that one being the fifth. We take each one as swiftly as we can to cripple their defences and weaken their hold on strategically-desirable positions. Then we make our final push, dethrone the king, and capture the planet."

Ventress nodded, pleased with his recall. The whole ride down, Jayden kept his arms crossed over his chest, patiently waiting, even tapping his finger against his bicep and had to think of something to pass the time, though his mind was occupied by his recent spar with Ventress and he winced as he felt a scratch she left on his back flare up.

I hate it when she has to leave something on me. He thought with a grimace. Although, he did make sure to get her back, proving he was as much an equal. A good thing their spar had brought them close enough for him to leave such a mark behind. Ventress sure hadn't been expecting it.

"We'll have need of it should any of the locals join forces with the Republic. Falleen can be wily when they want to." She cautioned, snapping Jayden from his reminiscing.

He slightly turned his head towards her, looking at her through the visor of his ancestor's mask. "It is understandable that the King won't be lazy enough to have the Republic do all the work for him."

Ventress chuckled and placed a hand on his shoulder, rubbing it slowly. "Never underestimate a coward who lets others fight for him, my dear."


Falleen was a terrestrial world located in the Mid Rim's Falleen system of the Doldur sector. A lush, verdant world of jungles, mountains and plains, it was the homeworld of the reptilian Falleen people; an exotic, cold-blooded and long-lived race generally green-skinned and covered with small scales. However, the Falleen were best known for their ability to emit pheromones that made them all but irresistible to whoever caught a whiff. Coupled with the sleek symmetry of their features, Falleen were widely regarded to be one of the most aesthetically pleasing beings in the galaxy, as well as choice partners and desirable lovers.

While some of these details were lost on Clone Sergeant Jackal, he'd heard stories from many of his men who had visited local 'pleasure houses' and came back ranting and raving about how great Falleen were. Maybe there was some truth to those descriptions, enough truth to improve a trooper's personal database's files on the species, but it was a truth Jackal wasn't interested in learning at the moment.

Fire in the sky was sobering enough, but to see pieces of the cruisers stationed in orbit come raining down, burning up in the atmosphere, evoked entirely different emotions. How many men had been up there? How many of his own brothers had been outright slaughtered by the Separatists? How many had been sucked out into vacuum, strangled by the environment? How many shrieked and screamed as they were consumed in fire? How many never uttered a sound as an explosion simply snuffed them out? They were questions he'd never get answers to, not when their deaths meant an enemy was bearing down on them.

Standing in an elevated part of Throne, the trooper was able to overlook the sprawling city around him. Twinkling lights from all manner of buildings reminded him of his purpose and, penultimately, the purpose of all Clones in service of the Republic.

To fight and die for its citizens. Our lives for theirs… a hard trade, but a noble one, they say.

Footsteps drew Jackal's attention to the arrival of Jedi Knight Lobis Lobin, his resident commanding officer. One of eight Jedi stationed on Falleen, the brown-haired human showed no apparent signs of grief but any glimmer of life was lost in his eyes. Jackal could already tell he did not have good news to deliver.

"Bespin Dancer's gone, Jackal. Master Agthar is dead." Lobis said simply. His head faintly tilted upwards, where fire and silence hung in the upper reaches of the atmosphere. "The rest were destroyed as well."

"Then there goes any hope of air support." Jackal muttered. He turned and looked to his human General, a man no older than twenty-five. Regardless of differences Jackal was bound to obey him, ready to obey before he even heard an order. "How should we proceed, sir?"

"We have artillery and cannon that we can position to support us. Hopefully it'll be enough to decimate their landing craft, buy us time to call for help. The Republic needs to know the Separatists are here." Lobis decided. "Rally your men and have them ready within an hour."

"Yes sir." Jackal crisply affirmed.

True to his word, Jackal had his squad of ARC troopers ready for battle, even before the allotted hour was up. But as his men were finishing their preparations, there came a howl from the skies that sent shivers of fear shooting through all of them.

Vulture droid fighters and Hyena droid bombers came streaking across the city, the rumble of their engines like a dirge that put everyone who heard on edge. First came the strafing, crimson bolts erupting from the quad-linked laser cannons of the Vultures that plowed into busy bases and manned outposts, churning up permacrete and durasteel while kicking bodies into the air as fire flashed to life in their wake. Then came the bombs. Each Hyena was equipped with six proton torpedoes, six concussion missiles, and four proton bombs, an arsenal of deadly firepower that ripped furiously into the mechanized divisions of the Republic armies. Cannons were blown to pieces as concussion missiles struck their ammo-loaders. Artillery were reduced to burning husks as proton bombs melted their plating and blew to shrapnel whatever remained. Bases were turned into flaming wrecks as proton torpedoes found their marks, shredding buildings while tearing them wide open to spew columns of thick black smoke and angry red flame into the sky.

The Republic scrambled to react to the sudden aerial onslaught. Several anti-air cannons got lucky and started blowing the Separatist crafts out of the sky. But waves of fighters and bombers kept coming, overwhelming the Republic with a seemingly endless supply. For every one starfighter that was shot down, it felt like two more had taken their place. Soon the Republic's mechanized forces were destroyed and crews left in disarray as Vultures and Hyenas flew over and around the borders of Throne, their looming shapes threatening to terrorize anyone who might pose a challenge to them.

On the ground, Jedi Knight Lobis Lobin hurried to convene with his allies in the sector; fellow Knights Kydra and Tafasheel Arkan. Kydra was a female member of the feline Tulani species, known for their honey-skinned appearance, bright red hair, obsidian eyes and for being haemovorous. It was a struggle for someone of her species to be a Jedi, locked in a constant struggle against more feral qualities. But Kydra had persisted, going from Initiate to Padawan to a full-fledged Knight and a welcome ally of Lobis.

Tafasheel Arkan was an Aqualish Jedi with dark fur and bright eyes. Born into wealth, being raised a Jedi and away from his nobility parents taught the Knight many lessons about life, more so than a privileged one would ever allow him. Strong in the Jedi ways, Lobis had not worked with Tafasheel until now but never once doubted his abilities.

The three met up amid smoking ruins where fires still licked at debris, filling the air with the pungent armor of permacrete powder and decayed plasma. Tafasheel muttered something in his native tongue, which Kydra and Lobis translated through the Force. "Same. None of our cannons survived the bombardments." Lobis said. "With Master Agthar dead, we've got no air cover either."

"Right. Seven of us then." Kydra mused, thinking about the other four Jedi positioned throughout the city. She wiped some grime from her brow, a nervous habit whenever she was under duress. "We'll have to make do with our men. I doubt the Seps will be content with just destroying our cruisers."

"I agree." Lobis said with a nod. Tafasheel made an exclamation and pointed towards the open sky near the edge of the city. Hard, geometric shapes were making their presence known, differing from the Vultures and Hyenas already seen today. C-9979 landing craft were arriving at the edge of the city, threatening to unload innumerable multitudes of battle droids. "They'll sweep the city." Lobis muttered and Tafasheel made a comment of his own.

"I agree. Better rally the men, meet them head on." Kydra agreed.

"Contact Tufo and Master Scyk, they'll meet us there." Lobis urged as the three Jedi split up, breaking into runs in different directions.


Legions of battle droids poured out of the landing craft as MTT troop carriers followed behind, threatening to add dozens more droids to the growing ground force. In front, Asajj Ventress and Darth Khan took in the sprawling sight of Throne ahead of the troops. With a pair of macrobinoculars in hand, Jayden was able to get a good look at the royal fortress as a ray shield was projected from one of the upper spires, snow-white energy slowly engulfing the building from roof to foundation.

"It would be a straight line, if not for Republic forces." Jayden said, handing Ventress the binoculars so she could see for herself.

"That is why we draw them in," Ventress stated from beneath her hood, "force them into a battle they cannot win. We have many droids to offer, they are limited to whomever is on the planet. Kill any Jedi as soon as you encounter them. That should help demoralize their troops."

"Provided they aren't smart and choose to stay at the rear." Jayden pointed out, taking the binoculars back when she held them out to him. He glanced down nearby city streets where flashes of white caught his eye. Clone troopers, dozens of them, were making a mad dash to set up defensive positions in front of the sweeping Separatist formation. "They've made the first move."

"Indeed." Ventress mused, removing her robe. "Come, Khan. The battle will channel whatever energy you have left."

"Or drain it entirely." Jayden muttered, watching as she drew her Lightsabers from her hips, then leapt off from her position and down into the city streets. Exhaling, Jayden rolled his shoulders and neck before igniting his red blade and jumping off after Ventress.

As soon as he landed harmlessly, Jayden's red blade was a red blur as he twirled it, deflecting the blaster shots from the Clones' weapons as some laid down cover fire to give their other brothers time to move into position.

As Jayden strode forth while deflecting the shots, he took in the view around him and narrowed his eyes behind his mask while he calculated the situation in his head. The droids would follow and engage with promptness, meaning all he and Ventress needed to do was soften up their enemy. Said enemy, however, was not to be underestimated. Given the markings on their armor, these were members of the 41st Elite Corps and the 91st Expeditionary Corps. Jayden took those variables under consideration; by and large, the 91st specialized in rapid movement using smaller mechanized divisions including speeder bikes and light scout walkers, while the 41st was more of a general purpose unit with an emphasis on rangers and scouts. What the combined units lacked in firepower, they made up for with agility and advanced tactics.

Jayden drew his second Lightsaber, the purple blade snapping on with a hiss, and raised it in time to deflect a sniper shot from the roof of a nearby building, having been alerted to the danger through his senses in tune with the Force. Looking at the sniper who shot at him, Jayden focused and used the Force to make the building crumble, sending the Clone screaming to his death under the rubble.

Jayden made a break for the rubble, running up it and adding the Force into his legs and speed to become almost a blur, going from one side of the battlefield and coming behind the Clones' line of defense. Jayden was on them before they could register his sudden presence, and the screams of the Clones filled the air next to the sound of blaster fire as Jayden's Lightsabers cut through their armor.

Debris, bodies and blood littered the streets and the walkways, left behind in the wake of Jayden and Asajj's path of destruction. The Clones did their best to counterattack, forming defensive lines and opening fire as soon as they had an opportunity. But none of their tactics worked against them, resulting in only more bodies piling up across the ground.

Several squads of Clones grouped together, deciding to try and take out their enemies en masse with a barrage of all kinds of firepower. Blasters, rockets, thermal detonators, whatever was on hand. They clustered together to focus their fire, trying to maintain a sense of regimental unity despite the odds. Their combined assault drew Jayden's attention, the Sith Apprentice twirling his Lightsabers as he blocked, but was quick to dive to cover behind a small piece of debris when nearly being blasted by a rocket.

Asajj was doing an admirable job defending herself, closing the gap on one side of the street in order to start slicing troopers to pieces. Jayden watched her for a moment, his gaze drawn to her scene… until it landed on something peculiar… and familiar…

A Falleen man and woman, taking shelter between two buildings, using their bodies to ensure their young child was safe.

The moment of parental guardianship, the clear and visible familial love holding them together… it took his mind back to around eleven years prior, but he quickly shook it from his head, not about to let the past get in the way again like it did when he worked with Cad Bane.

Force-leaping onto the roof of a nearby building, Jayden sprinted across, making for the group of Clones that were firing everything they had at them. Jayden lunged and came down on them hard, stabbing both his Lightsabers into the chest of one Clone, catching the others off guard, however he didn't give them a chance to think about attacking as he started swinging, cutting one's head off, stabbing another through the stomach, slashed another across the chest, then sliced another in half with both Lightsabers at the waist, watching the body fall into two pieces.

Catching several rockets in the air with the Force, Jayden sent them flying back at the Clones who fired them, resulting in several explosions. However, his gaze sharpened when he spotted the flashing blue blade of an approaching Jedi. An Aqualish from the look of things. He knew nothing about who they were or what they were capable of, but they were Jedi and that meant instant death… for the Jedi. Twirling his Lightsabers, Jayden moved to engage him.

Tafasheel Arkan saw him coming and readied his weapon as Jayden deactivated his purple blade and hooked it to his belt, entering a Form II stance. "You will go no further, Sith." The Jedi said in his native tongue, which Jayden understood thanks to a built-in universal translator in his mask. Jayden said nothing in response.

Tafasheel frowned, staring into his expressionless visor while sizing up his opponent. Without preamble, he struck first with a swipe of his blade. Jayden spun around, sidestepping the attack. Knowing his opponent by reputation, Tafasheel readied himself as Jayden rushed in. Swiping at the Jedi with his blade, the Sith Apprentice quickly began to learn Tafasheel's form as he attacked. Every parry and block proved to be clues for the young man to learn from, slowly building a profile on how this Jedi fought. The Aqualish leveled his blade as Jayden's crashed into it. The Sith quickly struck again, but Tafasheel parried and rebuffed him.

Jayden then grabbed his second Lightsaber, turned it on and swung it out to meet the green blade of Lobis Lobin.

"Attacking an enemy while his back is turned." Jayden said, tutting mockingly as he pushed Lobis off, stepping back so he'd have both Jedi in his peripheral vision. However, he caught them off guard as he turned off his purple Lightsaber and hooked it back onto his belt. "But a small taste of the Dark Side. I wonder, do you know how to use it?"

The reason for him going back to one weapon became clear when, with a fierce roar, Ventress leaped over her fellow Sith Apprentice. Her twin crimson blades struck Lobis' green saber as she took their battle away from Jayden and Tafasheel. With his enemy singled out, Jayden renewed his assault.

Red and blue Lightsabers clashed fiercely as Jayden went on the offensive, causing the Jedi to go on the defensive. Jayden narrowed his eyes briefly as he continued his assault, then landed a kick into Tafasheel's ribs, knocking him to the ground. Jayden swung his Lightsaber down, but it was parried to the right, and Tafasheel landed a kick into the side of Jayden's head which earned a grunt from the Sith as he moved a few steps, giving the Jedi time to get to his feet.

The battling duos circled around their little corner of the battlefield, a constant blur of motion and movement as Asajj and Lobis duelled counter to Jayden and Tafasheel. The Jedi took on a Form III stance, then lunged with a twirling spin attack that was aimed for Jayden's head, but was blocked, followed by the Jedi's next two attacks before they entered and overhead saberlock, which gave Tafasheel a chance to land a kick to Jayden's chest, then swung his Lightsaber but Jayden jumped back to avoid it.

Tafasheel was now on the offensive as he attacked, Jayden being quick to block before they entered another saberlock. However, Tafasheel landed a kick to the side of Jayden's right leg by where it bent, forcing the Sith to one knee with a grunt. The Jedi swung for the killing blow, only for Jayden to catch the arm by the wrist, halting the attack and applying a tight grip that forced the Jedi's Lightsaber to turn off, which gave Jayden the chance for the killing blow as he stabbed his weapon through the Jedi's chest, right through the heart.

Tafasheel gasped as he stared into the expressionless black visor of his killer, before the light left his eyes and he gasped his last breath, his Lightsaber falling from his hand and to the ground before his body joined it.

Getting to his feet, Jayden removed his Lightsaber from the Jedi's corpse and turned his attention to where Ventress was duelling with Lobis, clearly overwhelming the younger Knight with hard-hitting swings of her blades, resulting in a continuous relentless assault that kept Lobis on the defence. "General!" He heard a cry to his left. Whipping around, Jayden found a Clone gunner sporting the markings of a unit commander surging forward, twin DC-17's aimed right at him. As blue bolts erupted from the barrels, Jayden acted on instinct.

He shot his hand out, and with the Force sent the blue bolts right back at the shooter, striking him in the chest and he dropped dead right after, letting Jayden move on.

He joined Ventress in her fight, landing a strike across Lobis' back which caused a pained scream to erupt from the young Jedi. The pain was just enough to distract the Jedi as Asajj plunged her weapons through his chest. A dying gasp fell from Lobis' lips as he dropped his lightsaber hilt. Then the Rattataki pulled free and the dead Jedi collapsed to the ground. "I did not need assistance." She remarked, looking to Jayden.

"You're welcome." Jayden remarked. "We should cover more ground as we can. The droids can mop the stragglers." He walked past her, casting a glance at Lobis' body and couldn't help the small chuckle that left him. "Strange, I killed my opponent quicker than you did yours. Are you sure you're not the more exhausted one?"

Ventress scoffed as she followed him, saying nothing in response to his words. Moving along, the Rattataki took in the scene around them. The first line of Republic defence had been broken and the city lay in wait beyond them. "We're holding the outskirts, but we need to dig in deeper." A slender finger pointed to a distant high-rise, cracked open on one side like a koja nut and spurting puffs of grey smoke, evidently a victim of the earlier bombardment. "The Kor'Ta Plaza tower should give us the angle we need."

"We can position snipers up there." Jayden noted tactically. "Better to support our ground forces as they move further in."

"Divide and conquer, then. You take the tower, I'll have a tank regiment follow to secure the sector." Asajj said. Jayden nodded and moved off towards his target. Ventress watched him go for a moment, glancing back at the body of Tafasheel Arkan, then to the body of Lobis Lobin before she shook her head with a small chuckle.

Maybe he's partially right.

Withdrawing her holoprojector, Ventress made to coordinate their forces and plan their next incursion into the capitol.


Clone Sergeant ARC-89 'Jackal' studied the distant plumes of smoke from erupting battles through a pair of binocs. At the foot of Kor'Ta Plaza tower, he led his elite team of ARC Troopers on a mission to hold the tower as a fallback position in case their attempted defences were overrun. As ARC troopers they held the prestigious reputation of being among the elite soldier in the Grand Army of the Republic. They were no Muunilinst Ten or Torrent Company, but Jackal knew they could get the job done just as well as Captains Fordo and Rex could. Alpha-17 would no doubt be proud.

"Any signs of encroaching Seps, sir?" One of his troopers inquired as others set up a mortar.

"Negative, Zed. If they'd made this far they would've done something by now, I'm sure of it." Jackal answered.

"Well, we'll stay on our toes, keep an eye out for any clankers who might want a piece of us." Zed affirmed.

Lowering his binoculars, Jayden stared at the team of Clones before he moved.

From building to building, he moved, making a wide circle as he came from a back door approach without being noticed. Enhancing his legs and speed with the Force, Jayden bounded across streets and as he quickly moved to take cover behind the debris fallen from the side of the tower, hoping to get as close as possible without getting discovered. He snuck behind undetected, keeping the squad in his sights as often as possible, his mask's built-in thermal vision telling him exactly where they were. He crouched behind the shattered remains of a wall as he picked up anything his opponents might be saying. He had to time his attack just right, at a moment when the Clones would be least prepared for an ambush. An opponent lulled into a sense of security was much easier to defeat than one on high alert.

Moving until he was over the team of Clones, Jayden stood and activated his red Lightsaber just as he dropped down right in the middle. The Clones were caught off guard and that cost them as Jayden swung his Lightsaber in a wide arc, throwing it through the air and the blade went spinning through several Clones in a circular pattern before it was caught in Jayden's hand.

"Take him down, men! Weapons free!" The Sergeant ordered as he drew both of his sidearms and took aim at the Sith Apprentice, but Jayden struck out with the Force and blasted the Sergeant with Force lighting, sending him off his feet while he screamed.

Clones started firing at him from all angles as they tried to keep him boxed in, but Jayden spun while blocking their blaster shots, grabbing his second Lightsaber and activating it. The red and purple blades were blurs as they spun and twirled, before Jayden spun widely and threw the Lightsabers, resulting in them spinning around him and slashing through the Clones who had surrounded him. Their bodies dropped to the ground, their weapons scattering, as Jayden caught his and looked over the scene.

Blue laser blasts zipped past his head, causing Jayden to whirl around and spot a last trooper hiding behind debris while firing at him. Jayden used the Force to rip the debris away, and the trooper yelled as he fired relentlessly at the Sith Apprentice who stalked forward, deflecting the shots, then slashed the trooper's weapon before stabbing him through the chest with his red Lightsaber. Jayden stared into the visor of the helmet before he ripped his weapon from the corpse, watching the body fall to it's knees. He sighed, turned and stalked away.

"Mediocre." He muttered as the body fell down behind him. Lifting his left arm, Jayden contacted the command post through his comm-link on his wrist. "Khan to command post, the Kor'Ta Plaza Tower has been taken. Have troops deployed here to secure the area."

"Tank Commander J-Oh-Three to Lord Khan, our unit is approaching your position." The nasally voice of a battle droid promptly responded. "Rendezvous with Commander Ventress at control point Dorn."

"Understood." Jayden closed the link and left. Command point Dorn was an understood term within the CIS ranks as a strategic location to be taken as the battle unfolded, usually determined during the pre-battle planning. As such, he knew exactly where to go and how long it would take him to get there…


With an army of droids at her back firing on the Clone trooper defenders, Asajj Ventress took it upon herself to engage the Tulani Jedi Kydra one-on-one. Kydra stepped slowly at first, then came on in a sudden rush, her blue blade coming in hard, right to left. But with only a slight movement, a red blade stabbed under the blue, then lifted up, and Kydra's blade went flying harmlessly high of the mark. With a slight reversal of her wrist, Ventress stabbed straight ahead, and Kydra had to throw herself backward. She brought her lightsaber across as she did, trying to parry, but Ventress had already retracted his blade by then and had settled back into perfect defensive posture.

Against that posture, Kydra's sudden flurry of attacks seemed exaggerated and inefficient, for Asajj defeated each, one after another, with a slight parry or dodge, seeming barely to move. She was baiting the Jedi, toying with the Tulani, flexing her skill in slow supple movements to make the Jedi seem like a madcap mess. Kydra leapt and spun, slashing side to side, chopping and thrusting, but all of Asajj's movements seemed far more efficient. She followed a single line, front and back, her feet shifting to keep him constantly in perfect balance as she retreated and came on suddenly with devastating thrusts that had Kydra stumbling backward.

"Are all Jedi as pitiful fighters as you? Or are you just the exception?" Asajj sneered with a gleam in her eyes.

Her words spurred Kydra forward with another series of slashes and chops, but Asajj's red blades angled left and then right, then up just enough to send Kydra's descending blade slipping off to the side. The Tulani had to retreat soon after, gasping for breath. Ventress' lips curled into a wicked smile, saying nothing while goading the Jedi with her silence.

Kydra steadied herself and shifted her lightsaber from hand to hand, getting a better grip on it. Then she exploded into motion, coming on again fiercely, her blue lightsaber flashing all about. She kept a better measure of her cuts this time, though, reversing her angle often, turning a wide slash into a sudden thrust, and she soon had Asajj backing, red blades working furiously to keep Kydra at bay.

The Tulani pressed forward more forcefully, but Asajj continued to fend off the strikes, and then her momentum played out. She was too far forward, while Asajj remained in perfect balance, ready for a counterstrike.

And then it was the Rattataki suddenly pressing the attack, her red blades stabbing and retracting so quickly that most of Kydra's cutting parries hit nothing but air. The Tulani had to jump back, and then back again, and again, as those thrusts moved ever closer to hitting home.

Asajj stepped forward suddenly, stabbing low for Kydra's thigh. Down went the blue blade to intercept, but to Kydra's horror, Asajj retracted one blade and thrust another right back out, up high and across the other way. Kydra couldn't get her weapon back to block, nor could she slide back fast enough.

Asajj's saber stabbed hard into her left shoulder, and as she lurched back, Asajj slashed her other blade along its original course, digging into Kydra's right thigh. The Jedi stumbled backward with a howl, tripping and crashing hard into the street, but even as she fell, Ventress was there, her red blade rolling over and inside Kydra's blade, and with a sudden jerk, she sent the Tulani's lightsaber bouncing across permacrete.

The end swiftly followed as a flick from Asajj's wrist decapitated Kydra's head. Her body fell limp, the display over, Asajj at rest as Jayden arrived on the scene, giving the Jedi's body a brief glance as he passed. Ventress greeted him with a look. "There you are. Now that you're here, we need to establish control over this sector. One of the scouts sighted a Falleen working with the Republic. He was wearing a crest that marked him as being a servant of the royal house."

"Evidence of King Xom actively aiding the Republic." Jayden mused.

"Perhaps. An interrogation will reveal much." Asajj decided. She gestured down the street. "There. That hut. That's where he was last sighted. I assume it's a temporary command centre for this district."

The two moved on their final objective together, approaching cautiously and carefully, doing their best not to make any noise. A single door lay between them and answers and Jayden took to the panel on the outside. Ventress took one of her hilts in hand, fingers adjusting to the feel of the textured grip as Jayden popped off an access panel and drew one of his Lightsabers, activating it and slashing the wires, causing the door to short out and snap wide open.

Ventress was in the room first, Lightsaber flashing to life as Jayden followed in, illuminated by his red saber. Sure enough, a Mirialan Jedi and the reported Falleen from earlier stood within, pouring over a holomap of Throne. "Unless you wish to lose your head, I'd stay right where you are." Asajj stated venomously. Their enemies froze, the Jedi reflexively reaching for her lightsaber, as the two Separatists kept them in their sights.

"Whatever you are planning, it will not succeed." The Mirialan promised, long curly black hair bobbing as she straightened up slowly.

"In case you haven't noticed, your men are dead and your fellow Jedi have been cut down like the dogs they are." Ventress scoffed. "Our droids encroach upon the royal fortress as we speak. What we plan, Jedi, is to conquer this planet. And we are doing so rather efficiently." The Falleen seemed much less perturbed by her presence, smiling faintly and raising his hands in a sign of cooperation.

"Come now, there's no need for any violence." He pressed in a warm, friendly voice, making Jayden frown as he sensed something was off here.

His eyes widened underneath his mask when he felt a warm feeling flooding through his body and threatening to make his mind hazy. He connected the dots; the Falleen was emitting pheromones to lull them into a vulnerable state. Neither Jayden nor Ventress were safe. Jayden's mask wouldn't keep the pheromones out; it only covered his face and lacked any proper rebreathing equipment or filtration units to protect against airborne particulate.

Asajj felt the pheromones just as Jayden did. One breath was all she needed for certain neurons to fire, signals to be sent, and a tingle to spread up and down her spine. It appealed to her in the most basic of senses and any lesser being would be overcome by now.

Fortunately, Asajj was far superior to that.

I know what he's trying to do… Kriff, it's almost working. Forget an interrogation, if this is his plan he can't be left alive.

"Oh I'd say there is a growing need for it." She countered. A simple dash with the Force crossed the distance between them and her blade plunged clean through the Falleen's throat. His Jedi companion reacted swiftly, drawing her weapon and igniting a cyan blade. The Mirialan raised her lightsaber over her head, reared back in a full downward strike position. But Jayden struck out as he caught her in a Force Choke, stumbling and leaning against the wall as he felt the effects taking hold of him.

Asajj quickly cut the Jedi down and turned her attention to her fellow Sith Apprentice, knowing that he was trying to fight back against the effects but hadn't trained to fight against such things like her. She had to admit, he was resisting quite well from the way she could hear him grunt.

"Jayden…" She started, watching as Jayden took off his mask and dropped it to the floor.

"Kriff… this is not good." Jayden grunted, closing his eyes as he felt the heat bloom through his entire body. This was unlike anything he had ever experienced in his life. He couldn't shake it off, no matter what, and it didn't help that he knew exactly what had happened. He had read up on this planet's natives and what they can do, and he knew what pheromones they released.

"That was his plan." Ventress said, tucking her lightsabers into her belt. Despite her calm, Jayden could sense her growing fluster. "The pheromones will persist until they're dealt with. Otherwise they'll remain in our systems and leave us unable to focus, crippling the chain of command."

"Among other things." Jayden muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose. Trying to push through the haze clouding his mind, Jayden's gaze lingered on Asajj for a moment longer. All of a sudden she seemed to be presented to him in a new light. A much more… appealing light.

Asajj took notice of his gaze, sensing his overt and unshielded intentions, and smirked. "Is that the pheromones taking over or are you just happy to see me?" She wondered teasingly.

"I find it hard to believe you can make jokes right now." Jayden grunted on retort.

Ventress chuckled as she stalked towards him, a noticeable sway in her hips that drew Jayden's gaze as it darkened with hunger before he shook his head and looked away, but Asajj cupped his chin and turned his head so he was looking at her.

"Jayden, we both can't focus when these pheromones are in our system." Asajj stated pointedly, her fingers caressessing his cheek. "We need to expel it."

"And how do you suppose we do that?" Jayden snapped, only for her to send him a look he knew all too well. "Oh kriff…"

"Exactly." Asajj grinned, her hand now moving to his shoulder and down to his chest. "We have privacy here, nobody's going to interrupt until we've dealt with the… problem."

"Here?" Jayden looked around, eyeing the corpses.

Asajj looked at him dryly. "Unless you'd rather do it back at the command centre with the possibility of droids hearing us and interrupting."

Jayden merely grunted, conceding to her point. He looked away, still unsure of this. But the heat was becoming too unbearable, and with Asajj standing so close to him… Force, he wanted her right now. He looked at her, eyes roaming her body, his hands clenching and unclenching. Asajj saw his gaze and smirked before she took a step back, chuckling when he let out a barely audible groan at her actions. However, she soon had his full attention when she grabbed her top and lifted it over her head and off her body, tossing it to the side and letting him see her breasts.

"Best we get started." The Sith Assassin purred before she stalked forward, wrapped an arm around Jayden's neck and pulled him into a kiss. This broke the dam as Jayden kissed her back eagerly and heatedly, his hands gripping and pulling her body close to him.

Asajj wasn't the type to be gentle, most of the time, which was evidenced by how tightly she gripped Jayden's hair which made him growl into their kiss while her tongue forced its way into his mouth to engage his own. Not wanting to be the submissive one, as Ventress often wanted to be the dominant one in their… Trysts by being on top, Jayden's hands roamed down her body until he felt her rear-end and gripped it tightly before picking her up.

Asajj didn't so much as break their heated kissing as Jayden carried her over to the table that the Jedi and Falleen had been looking at a holomap, and not-too-gently slammed the Sith Assassin's back onto it but she merely threw her head back with a laugh escaping before before moaning as Jayden attacked her neck with ferocity.

"We… we don't have time for our… usual rough-play." Asajj said between moans, her hands working to start taking off Jayden's robes. The need was consuming her. The heat bloomed throughout her entire body. They needed to get this over and done with quickly, they still had a battle to win after all and couldn't allow anything to delay them.

Jayden grunted in reply, stopping his attack on her, reluctantly, to stand up straight though Ventress kept her legs tightly locked around his waist to ensure he wouldn't be away from her anytime soon; she was quite enjoying the feeling of his bulge pressing against her clothed crotch area. Jayden got to work on removing his robes, starting with the top half and chucked it aside, revealing his bare, upper body that had a few fresh scratches on the arms, neck, chest and back.

Ventress grinned as her eyes raked over the scars she herself left from their last tryst. Jayden sent her an annoyed look before he started trying to get his pants and boots off while Ventress' legs were wrapped around him. The woman soon unwrapped them and slowly, sensually, began taking her last piece of clothing off. She slid it down her legs until it hung on her ankle. With a flick, it went flying to join the pile of their respective clothing, leaving her completely naked.

Jayden's boots and pants soon joined the pile and they were both now as naked as the day they were born.

"Come on then…" Asajj purred, spreading her legs.

Jayden gripped her hips, lined his hardened member with her glistening pussy… and thrusted into her with just one easy motion. Asajj gasped, throwing her head back and arching her back as Jayden pushed deep into her until he could go no further. Asajj's legs wrapped around him tightly and she peppered his face with kisses, licks and even soft bits that made him grunt.

"Still… as big… as ever." Asajj grunted before laying back and gripping the table underneath her. "Let's see if you'll have energy to continue the battle after-Ah!"

Her eyes rolled to the back of her head as her body shook from Jayden's thrusts, the young Sith Apprentice starting up his rhythm. Asajj merely grinned and closed her eyes as another one of her and Jayden's 'spars' was added to the list of times they have done this before.


Aboard his flagship, General Grievous was able to keep tabs on the progress of the droid army on the planet below. So far, according to available data, everything was going well. The image of a yellow-marked B1 droid commanded flickered before him. "Status report." He growled.

"The Republic forces have been totally annihilated. Command points Aurek through Esk have been secured." The commander reported. That was good to hear. Grievous liked good news.

"Good. And what of the city itself?"

"The city is ours, General. Except for one fortress. We can't get past it's shields." The commandered stated in response. Grievous knew the one in question. Orbital scans confirmed it was the palace; the royal fortress, sanctuary for Falleen royalty. Problematic? Possibly. But it was not yet his problem.

"Continue landing your troops. That shield is being taken care of." He ordered briskly.

Down below, under the city, a room sat still and quiet, uninterrupted save for the occasional rush of water from a nearby drainage system. Then, scarlet points of light pierced through a shimmering wall, spinning around to carve an entrance into the permacrete. A sizeable chunk fell free and smashed against the floor, allowing Asajj Ventress to stride into the room, cloaked as she was. Behind her, Jayden strode through through her opening. When he was in, he stood with Ventress, waiting… listening. "Quiet." Asajj noted aloud.

"Expected. But not entirely believed." Jayden remarked, gripping his Lightsaber but not activating it. His mind felt clearer now that the pheromones had been dealt with in such a satisfying manner. He mentally noted to train himself to withstand such things again, lest he end up on Zeltros one day and experience something worse. Zeltrons were similar to the Falleen, but when doused with pheromones from them… Jayden heard it was impossible to resist.

Well, he did enjoy the idea of doing the impossible, not that he'd ever take a trip to Zeltros willingly. He was a Sith, and one day would become a Sith Lord. He could not afford to be painted out as some womanizer, despite his teenage hormones. The Galaxy saw Darth Khan as a monster for the lives he's taken, namely Jedi and Clones, and Jayden knew he'd have to show no mercy should he have to cut down an innocent on his Master's orders.

Then again, Jayden had no mercy when he kidnapped Jabba the Hutt's son and slayed the guards stationed around the huttlet. Just as he accepted his Master's order to kill the Huttlet on Tatooine, even though that didn't happen thanks to Ahsoka Tano.

He internally sighed. This was the way of the Sith and the Dark Side. He had long accepted this.

"Yes. We should move. Carefully." Asajj agreed, leading the way deeper into the fortress. Jayden followed, keeping a close eye on their surroundings as the Ratttaki strode with undaunted confidence, walking like she owned the place and heedless of any hidden dangers…


From his inner-sanctum, King Trummo Xom watched on wide monitors as the two dark-clad Separatists infiltrated his fortress. He showed little fear at the notion that two Sith assassins had made their way past his defences, leaving very little room between him and them, only exuding a sense of satisfaction. "We are bold ones, aren't we?" He murmured, folding his hands together. "Our house has dealt with infiltrators for centuries…" Although these were a far different breed of infiltrators. Remaining stoic in his seat, Xom's expression hardened as he chose his next move. With the press of a switch, another monitor shifted to view a row of bacta tanks, each containing a dark, broad figure within them, "and to think I was afraid I would not see my guardians in action once more." He muttered. They were his last line of defence, all that stood between him and the enemy proper. An activation code was soon sent out, triggering their awakening…


Arriving in an open chamber, Jayden stopped at the same time as Ventress did. The two of them shared a look, sensing the same thing. Something was off in the Force, and they felt it. Like a blocked drain preventing the free flow of water, the Force was warping around someone… something… incapable of communing with it.

"Someone is coming," Ventress noted quietly.

Jayden glanced around, searching with his senses. His eyes narrowed when he looked up and spotted something. "We're being watched. I see several cameras around the edge of the ceiling." Ventress looked up and quickly noted several small TT-8L/Y7 gatekeeper droids positioned above them. Better known as the 'tattletale droid', it was a model of security droid capable of scanning for weapons and doubling as holocams.

Whoever was using them no doubt knew everything there was to know about the two Separatists already.

A nearby door swung open, allowing guttural war cries to filter in. Thundering into the room, four armored Dashade guards with electrostaffs in their grips stormed in, making a beeline for Asajj. The Rattaki hurried to analyze her enemies, as did Jayden. Dashade were natives of the world of Urkupp, massive grey-skinned reptiles with big claws and lamprey-like mouths. In addition to their fearsome presence, Dashade boasted a partial immunity to the Force, explaining what Asajj had felt. King Xom had chosen his bodyguards well. "Destroy the camera droids!" Ventress barked to Jayden, brandishing her twin lightsabers.

Jayden brandished his red Lightsaber and swung it out in a wide circle, sending it at the cameras and slashing through them quite quickly and easily. He caught it just as one of the Dashade came at him, electrostaff swinging forward only to be blocked by Jayden's Lightsaber.

Spinning her blades in combination with deft footwork, Ventress parried one Dashade before swinging her blade around and slicing just under the tip of the staff. Not only did she cripple his weapon, but her saber continued on until it cleaved through the Dashade's neck and killed instantly. A small smirk graced the corner of her mouth.

Child's play. The king should have chosen better playthings.

Reversing her grip on her blades as she sensed a void in the Force, Ventress plunged them behind her and through the Dashade behind her, killing him as his speared organs were simultaneously cooked. He collapsed, glowing holes left in his body and Asajj breathed deeply to inhale the stench of burning flesh.

Jayden duelled with the Dashade he was up against, ducking and dodging its attacks before he spun around and caught it in a Force choke, lifting it off his feet. He reared back, preparing to separate it from the waist down only for another to take his attention and he quickly blocked its electrostaff with his Lightsaber, but did not break concentration on the one being choked by the Force as he duelled the other one, having no trouble at all with his current position.

He sidestepped and made the Dashade strike the one being choked, causing it to scream in pain when the volts of the electrostaff went through it's system. Jayden was quick to take advantage as he swung his Lightsaber, cutting the staff in half, then twirled his saber to plunge it through the chest of the Dashade. It stared into his expressionless visor, as Jayden clenched his free hand into a fist which snapped the other Dashade's neck and the body dropped just as the life left the second one and he took his Lightsaber back, watching the body drop to the floor.

"Accursed vandals. I will not be denied my entertainment!" The two whirled at the newfound voice, only to catch the sound of metal rolling across metal… that's when Jayden spotted the thermal detonator.

"Move!" Jayden snapped. The two did just that, vaulting across the room as fire and flame erupted from the explosive. Jayden flipped back, avoiding the flames. But the flames caught on the edge of Asajj's skirt, threatening to consume the fabric. The Rattataki promptly tore it off, revealing the rest of her svelte figure clad in skintight cloth bindings. Bounding to her feet along with Jayden, the two looked across the room where a Falleen stood in a curtain-robed entryway, clad in expensive indigo garments trimmed with golden armor sculpted in the shape of alien crests and sigils. A single blade mark stretched across the right side of his verdant face, making the yellow of his eye seem all that more piercing. He was bald, save for a single black ponytail jutting out from the back of his scaly skull. Despite his regal. Appearance, the blaster in his hand revealed he was all business.

"Your intensity is commendable. A pity there's only two of you to replace my other collectibles."King Trummo remarked, levelling his weapon at the pair. "And now, you die."

Before he could act, a scarlet Lightsaber blade flashed to life before the King's neck, Xom holding perfectly still with a look of surprise on his face as Dooku himself exited the shadows behind the Falleen. The King slowly lowered his weapon as Dooku ensured he could be seen and the threat he posed made far more real.

"Well done, my students. Your display has drawn out our quarry from a bolthole said to be impenetrable, and masked my own intrusion." The Count praised. Ventress crossed her blades, one jutting up along either side of her head, and bowed from the neck. Jayden deactivated his saber and merely bowed his head. With a pleased nod, their superior looked back to their prisoner. "And now, your highness, you shall lower this temple's shields and cede your world to our noble cause." Dooku stated. With his Lightsaber still humming dangerously close to the king's neck, not to mention two well-trained assassins, Xom was left with little choice but to obey.

Falleen now belonged to the Confederacy.


The disastrous news had come through to the Temple at six minutes past two in the morning, local Coruscant time. By two twenty Yoda and Master Windu were on their way to the Supreme Chancellor's office for an emergency conference. At two thirty-one Anakin Skywalker made contact via hololink.

"Obi-Wan!" he said, startled. "I asked to speak to Master Yoda, or Master Windu." Eyes gritty from lack of sleep, nerves jangling, fighting fresh grief, Obi-Wan shook his head. Alone in one of the Temple comm center's booths, he was able to answer bluntly, without circumspection. "They're with Palpatine. What do you need?"

"An explanation," said Anakin, sounding baffled and irritated. He stood at the Resolute's tactical holotable, flanked by his Padawan and silent, self-assured Clone Captain Rex. "We've reached Foerost, but there's no sign of Grievous. It's like he's just… changed his mind. Or given up."

Obi-Wan's throat closed, and he had to wait a moment before replying. Given up? If only they could be so fortunate. "No, Anakin. He hasn't." Hologram Anakin stiffened. By his side, his Padawan looked up at him, reacting instantly to his shift in mood. One hand touched her lightsaber.

"Something's wrong," said Anakin harshly. "What's happened?"

There was no easy way to say it. No kind way to break the news. "Grievous has either fed us a lie or has only delayed his attack on Foerost. A few hours ago he picked up two more cruisers and coordinated attacks on three separate fronts. It's bad, Anakin. We've lost the battle group at Falleen." Eight more Jedi dead. Eight more friends to mourn.

Anakin's face tightened with anger. "Seems like that coward always knows where and when to attack us." He growled.

Yes. He did. Which was something else they'd have to address, and fast. Because if their losses continued at this pace, there'd soon be no Jedi left. No planet in the galaxy safe from Grievous's predations.

But for the moment, his concerns were far more immediate. "You're heavily outnumbered, Anakin. I advise retreat."

"If we run, the Separatists will take control of this sector." Anakin's anger hardened into stubborn resolve. "I can't let them do that."

Of course he couldn't. Retreat wasn't in his nature. But it's something he's going to have to learn, if he wants to survive this war. "You might have to." Obi-Wan countered.

Anakin's outspoken Padawan lifted her chin. "Master Kenobi is right. We should regroup; we don't stand a chance against-"

"Ahsoka," said Anakin. Curt. Repressive.

But she didn't back down. Yoda had been right, as usual. The young Togruta was more than a match for headstrong Anakin. In fact, she was exactly the Padawan he required.

"Suicide is not the Jedi way, Master." She insisted.

Obi-Wan considered her approvingly, then shifted his gaze. "You should listen to your Padawan, Anakin."

A sly smile curved Anakin's lips. "As you listened to yours?"

"Anakin, with Falleen gone, the scope of the war is shifting. With Grievous gathering an armada we can't afford to leave you out there against a force we no longer have a good understanding of." Obi-Wan pressed. "I know you'll do what you think is best, but if I could offer you just one piece of advice that I beg you to heed, above all others… when the Council summons you back to Coruscant and the Chancellor orders the return of your battle group, listen to them." There. I've said it. It's not a lesson, not an order, just a plea. From one friend to another.

Anakin loosed a sigh, running a hand through long hair growing longer by the day. "Alright. Until those summons, let me at least make sure the Foerost blockade will hold Grievous comes this way."

"Of course." Obi-Wan agreed. He was too tired to argue. "May the Force be with you."

"And with you, Master."

The hololink dropped out. Obi-Wan stared at the deactivated holocam, feeling his heart thud against his ribs. A throb of pain echoed the beat, thrumming his bones in unpleasant counterpoint.


"May I speak freely, Master?"

"You may." An amused smile curved on Dooku's lips.

"But are you serious with me, right now?" Jayden was never one to ask his Master such immature questions, as he always maintained a seriousness when speaking with him. Though Dooku taught him since he was four years old, the level of respect he had for his Master kept him from speaking to Dooku and interacting like Skywalker and Tano.

But in this instance? Jayden was too stunned to care about maintaining his seriousness.

The reason why is because Jayden and Dooku had arrived, via the Rogue Shadow, from Falleen to a Providence-class Dreadnought, otherwise referred to as a Separatist Dreadnought ship that had arrived not too long after the battle was over on Dooku's command.

And it was now under Jayden's.

Dooku chuckled and placed a hand on his young Apprentice's shoulder as the Rogue Shadow landed in the hanger bay and docked, with the ramp lowering. "Am I ever one for jesting, my young Apprentice? Come." rising to their feet, the Master and Apprentice left the smaller ship and exited into the hanger of the larger one.

"But… Why, Master?" Jayden looked at his Master curiously. "What could I have done to have earned this?"

"You have progressed much in this war, Jayden, just as you have under my tutelage." Dooku said, and through their Master/Apprentice bond, Jayden could sense pride emitting from the older man. "You have won many battles in the first year alone, and have many more to partake in before this war is over with. Like your ancestor, Revan, it's only fitting you should have your own ship and forces to command. I know you will handle the responsibility."

Jayden honestly did not know what to say. He had his own ship to command. His own forces. To say there was a part of him that was nervous yet excited would be an understatement. But, he kept his seriousness, even though he knew Dooku would sense his mixed emotions, and nodded. "I will not fail you, Master."

"Good." Dooku nodded. "Now, all you need is a name for this vessel."

Jayden looked at him, then looked around as they entered the bridge. A name… for a ship he commanded, its name would be one that strikes terror and fear in the hearts of the Republic, of the Jedi and their troops. A name… that is to be treated with respect, awe and fear. He smiled as one came to mind.

"The Black Scythe."


Woo! About time I got another Descendant of Revan: Clone Wars chapter out. I do apologize for the long wait, it's... not easy trying to come up with original ideas, plus planning stuff out for the future.

So, firt thing I want to say is: NO! THERE IS NO OC X AHSOKA X VENTRESS PAIRING! The thing with Ventress is a 'fuck-buddy' relationship. They've been doing it since Jayden went to Ventress' world and she trained him to wield two Lightsabers... though that wasn't the only thing that happened. You'd notice if you look closely at the innuendos.

Plus, it does give Jayden experience with women before he settles with Ahsoka. I was contemplating him entering a friends with benefits thing with Royo Chuchi, but there was too much troubling planning that out, so I mereky settled for 'What if Jayden visits a bar with Twi'lek dancers and... gets busy with one?' But of course, that would be off-screen but implied.

Someone even suggested he meets Riyo in a bar and... things get exotic there, same with Jayden sleeping with Aurra Sing.

Anyway, let me know what you think of everything in the reviews.