Answers to reviews:
Guest02957: Thanks.
Guest: Maybe not for a while.
gpcara2: Yep.
DuckBoi: It has. It's been several months since the Kamino battle, and Ahsoka now looks like as she did in the episode "Heroes on Both Sides".
Guest: Thanks.
Spectacular Webhead 11: Lol!
Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars: The Clone Wars. I only own the OC Jayden Shan/Darth Khan.
Obi-Wan Kenobi made his way down the spacious walkway of the Jedi Temple. It had been a day since the fall of Tibrin and the Jedi Master had been busy with copious meetings between both the Jedi Council and Chancellor Palpatine. The Chancellor was most troubled by the loss of a Mid Rim world and needed whatever intel Obi-Wan could provide, perhaps it was possible that a well-planned attack could recapture the planet.
The Jedi Council, on the other hand, was more concerned with the Chosen One's current medical condition. Which was why Obi-Wan was walking the halls today.
He was going to check up on Anakin.
The Jedi Knight had been beaten to a bloody pulp, his face barely recognizable when first admitted to the Halls of Healing. Being one of the few able to report back on Tibrin's situation, Obi-Wan had been preoccupied with many meetings and was unable to check on the condition of his friend.
During the whole time, Obi-Wan couldn't help but think about Darth Khan. About Jayden.
It was clear that Jayden had grown stronger with his connection to the Force, especially to the Dark Side, and his skills as sharp as ever. And now he had donned his ancestor's gear, wielded his mask, wielded two lightsabers; red and purple. Just like Revan did. And then there's the reports from the battlefield, the victories he has won, the worlds he's conquered and had fallen under the Separatists' banner.
It was clear to the Council that Jayden was becoming a threat. Perhaps one that could rival Revan himself.
Revan was strong with the Force, both the Light and the Dark Side, and he amassed an army in his reign as the Dark Lord, an army that could've conquered the Galaxy if he chose that path. No one knows much about Revan, only what they assumed about him, like his fall to the Dark Side was because of his lust for power.
Would Jayden follow in his ancestor's footsteps? The Sith way was that there can only be two. Eventually, Jayden would turn on his Master, and perhaps this mysterious Darth Sidious, and seek his own Apprentice while securing his title as the Dark Lord of the Sith.
He shook his head, putting these theories to the side. He was focused on seeing Anakin.
The Halls of Healing was a wing of the Temple Obi-Wan seldom visited, used only by Jedi extensively trained in the healing arts to heal those who had suffered injuries of varying degrees. The last time he had been here had to have been just after the first Battle of Geonosis, he couldn't quite remember the last time he had received an injury so extensive it required his admittance. Obi-Wan couldn't help but remember the crowd that had gathered when they had returned. He had broadcasted an emergency signal, asking the Halls to be ready for Anakin. The shocked gasps as eyes first saw the state Anakin was in as he was being ushered in vividly filled his memories. Suffice to say, word spread fast that the Chosen One had been beaten beyond recognition.
Words Obi-Wan never thought he would ever hear.
The Jedi Master found Ahsoka sitting by Anakin's bandaged form. After the copious amount of blood had been wiped away, a rather lengthy bacta bath and a multitude of casts had been applied to his broken limbs, the sight of Anakin wrapped in white was a striking contrast from his usually dark robes. Ahsoka hadn't left his side during the entire process and it wasn't until after he had been placed in a proper bed that Mace Windu, Yoda and Master Che finally convinced her to leave and attend to other things. Of course, that didn't stop her from making regular visits.
Obi-Wan couldn't help but note that Ahsoka was just as stubborn as Anakin could be.
The elder Jedi quietly entered the room and moved to stand at the foot of Anakin's bed. Never before had he been so relieved to hear the beep of a heart rate monitor.
"How is he?" Obi-Wan asked the young Togruta. She slowly turned to regard him.
"Still knocked out. But Master Nema tells me his body is doing alright." She replied.
"Well, I suppose that's good news. And how are you doing?" He wondered, walking over and gently laying a hand on Ahsoka's shoulder. The Padawan sighed, turning back to Anakin's body.
"I've never seen this happen to him, Master. He's always been so… invincible. Like nobody could ever touch him. He was the best of the best and… now… well…" Ahsoka sighed again. "I've never seen him bleed so much. Never heard him scream in pain like he did on Tibrin. I never thought we'd have to carry him out…" Ahsoka trailed off, losing herself in the horrific memories of the other day.
"We will all get through this." Obi-Wan comforted her. "Anakin will survive, Ahsoka. This may be his hardest challenge yet, but I know he'll pull through." Ahsoka said nothing, shaking her head sadly.
"That's what everyone keeps saying." Obi-Wan had a feeling Ahsoka didn't believe him. But with such visceral evidence before her, how could she? "What about you?" She suddenly asked him. "What's going on?"
"The Chancellor is concerned with trying to retake Tibrin. The Council is worried about the threat Darth Khan is now posing." Obi-Wan said. "He's getting stronger, and the last thing needed is for him to become a second Revan."
"Yeah, I noticed that with his wardrobe change." Ahsoka remarked, lost in thought. Jayden had changed, physically and possibly mentally. She didn't know what to think or feel should she ever come across him again, especially after what happened on Kamino several months ago. The time away from each other had actually helped keep her mind off what happened, what she had done because of her Urge, but seeing him again on Tibrin had brought the memory rushing back.
She shook her head, putting the memory far to the back of her mind. She shouldn't focus on that. She's a Jedi. What she did was forbidden. "What happens now?" She asked, to keep her mind off it.
"Well, like I said, the Council is concerned about the threat Khan is becoming. Both agree that something needs to be done… we have to respond somehow." Obi-Wan replied. The Jedi Master paused, considering what he was about to say next. "And we need your help."
"My help?" Ahsoka sounded incredulous.
"We… I need your help to take down Khan." Obi-Wan rephrased his earlier statement. "Both Chancellor Palpatine and The Council want to see Khan imprisoned. I've been asked to lead an operation to hunt down Khan and put an end to him. And I want you to help me, on behalf of Anakin." Ahsoka didn't reply, digesting what Obi-Wan had asked of her.
Every time she and Jayden had met, she always sensed something different about him. The Dark Side swirled around him, almost consuming him, becoming a part of his being. But there was times where she saw a glimmer of the Light within him, though it was buried underneath the Darkness. There has been times where Jayden seems to have some form of honor. He has helped out on a couple of occations, such as during the Geonosian worm incident where they had to reluctantly partner with each other to survive. he could've killed her then, but he didn't.
There's the ship of horrors, where they fought through flesh-eating undead Clones and Ahsoka learned a bit more about Jayden, the tragedy of the young man behind the mask. Why he blamed the Jedi. Why he despised them, yet sees her as different from the rest.
And then there was the time on Garos IV, where their alliance felt... easier considering they had become more comfortable around each other. A form of mutal respect seemed to have formed between them at some point, enough where they can have a civil conversation, almost like two friends, rather than drawing their weapons and trying to kill each other.
But regardless of this, he was still the enemy. He had to be stopped.
"Alright, I'm in. What do we do?"
Elsewhere…
"Hurry! Hurry!" A Clone commander shouted to several other Clones as they ran down a hallway in the ship, coming to a stop at a door. The commander pressed the button to activate it but it opened just a slight bit and halted, metal gridning as it seemed to be stopped by some kind of force.
The lights suddenly darkened and the Clones heard footsteps behind them, whirling around with their rifles aimed at the darkened door they just came through. It went silent, save for the creaking of the ship and the metal grinding.
Then a red lightsaber activated, illuminating Darth Khan in the darkened hallway that was now illuminated with blood red light off the saber.
"Open fire!" The Clone commander shouted and the Clones did just that, but Jayden deflected their shots easily, sending some back at the Clones and getting fatal hits that killed them.
"Help us!" A Clone shouted as he banged on the frozen door, terror and panic in his voice as another Clone ran up on the other side, trying to get the door open.
"it's jammed!" The Clone shouted.
The Clones were fighting a losing battle as Khan continued to stride forward, he lifted a Clone to the ceiling with the Force and clenched his fist, choking the Clone while leaving him up there. He passed under the Clone, slashing him without even looking and the body dropped to the floor. Jayden sent a blaster shot at a Clone with the Force, then used the Force to make the remaining Clones lose their weapons before he slashed and sliced through them easily. He then walked up to the one at the door and stabbed him easily, the door now opening as more Clones arrived and fired but they were unable to stop the incarnation of Death that is Darth Khan.
Jayden killed all the Clones in the hallway and continued walking, not breaking his stride as his lightsaber hummed. He made it to the door leading to the bridge and easily crushed it with the Force. The few Clones and pilots there fired at him but Jayden easily killed them all until none were left standing. Bodies were laying all over the bridge when he was finished.
Seeing this, he took his leave and took the Rogue Shadow back to the Black Scythe as his ship fired upon the venator until it exploded into pieces.
Once he had docked on the hanger area, Jayden went to the hologram projector and established contact with his Master, bowing to a knee as the holographic form of Count Dooku appeared.
"Master, the last of the small fleet has been destroyed." Jayden reported.
"Good work, my young Apprentice." Dooku praised. "Now, I need you to travel to our shipyard on Gwori. Word has reached me of the possibility of a mole within the overseers. Your presence should be enough to smoke them out. Once you learn who the mole is… kill them."
"Understood, my Master." Jayden acknowledged with a nod and the call was cut then.
Meanwhile, on Coruscant
Ahsoka and Obi-Wan met with Chancellor Palpatine and Mace Windu outside the Coruscant barracks. This military base housed detachments of the Republic Grand Army, serving as a home base for Clones away from Kamino. It also happened to be one of the biggest depots in Republic space. The Chancellor had summoned them here with the intent of revealing to them a military project that very few knew about.
"Glad you could make it, Master Kenobi." The Jedi Councillor greeted them. "How's Anakin?"
"Ahsoka's been told he'll make it and I'm confident he will." Obi-Wan reported. "If anything, it'll be his pride that takes a hit." He mused.
"Perhaps we can restore it once we've taken down Darth Khan." Palpatine suggested.
"With all due respect, Chancellor," Ahsoka interjected, "I don't think anyone can take down Khan. I mean, Anakin was the Chosen One… and look what happened to him. I've fought him and it isn't easy."
"Nothing lasts forever Padawan Tano." Mace informed her. "Be it a Sith Empire, a separatist confederacy or a Sith Lord's reign of terror, everything grinds to a halt eventually."
"But how do we end his 'reign of terror'?" Obi-Wan asked, still a little skeptical on how such a thing could be accomplished. "Yes, he needs to be dealt with, but how?"
"We've assigned several Jedi and their padawans to apprehend Darth Khan once we find out where he is." Mace informed them. "A group of highly skilled Jedi masters with their padawans should be enough to take even Khan down. A detachment of Clones will be sent with as well to give the upper hand."
Obi-Wan didn't look quite convinced. In total, only five Jedi had been killed by Khan in this war. Three Masters and two padawans.
"So, where do I fit in with this, Master?" Ahsoka asked him. Obi-Wan paused, considering the possible roles Ahsoka could fill. He had told her he needed her help with this initiative and now that he had some materials to work with, he needed to figure out what her role would be.
"Ahsoka, I want you to be on this mission as my representative." He stated at last. "You'll work from behind the scenes, command and control. As long as this operation to hunt down and imprison Darth Khan remains active, you'll report directly to me. Something like my 'second in command', if you will."
"'Command and control', huh? I can do that." Ahsoka nodded with a small grin. "Rex and Anakin have taught me a few things over the years about that stuff."
"Then it should come in handy." Obi-Wan remarked.
Suffice to say, the Jedi Master was feeling none too optimistic about this situation. One might say, he had a bad feeling about it…
Gwori…
The Rogue Shadow landed on the landing pad, where the factory's overseer: a Muun known as Juhm, stood waiting. Having been informed of Khan's coming beforehand by Count Dooku, the overseer was slightly flustered by the sudden visit. With only a mere hour before the Sith's arrival, Juhm had no idea how to prepare or even what to prepare for his visit.
Juhm gulped as Jayden strode down the ramp with purpose and walked forward. The Muun bowed to him, getting over his nervousness and slight fear at the sight of this man.
"L-Lord Khan, this is an unexpected pleasure. I'm honoured by your presence." Juhm said, Jayden waved a hand in a gesture for him to follow and forgo the pleasantries.
"You may dispense with the pleasantries, Overseer." Jayden said swiftly. "I'm here to handle a mole problem. A mole that is sending information to the Republic. I'm here to tell him differently."
"A mole? Here?! Impossible!"
" So it may seem." Jayden mused. "It's just like the Republic to slither under our noses without us realizing it. Good thing we managed to uncover such a leak."
"But how? Not even I know about this!" Juhm exclaimed.
"I will explain in good time. However, we must move quickly lest our mole escape and leave us in a dire situation." Jayden stated, suggesting the move inside.
"W-What shall I do?" The Muun wondered.
"Go and gather all your chief overseers, top scientists, everyone of great value and introduce myself. Say I am here to increase security on behalf of Count Dooku." Jayden instructed him, having developed his plan of action on the way over. The best way to force out a mole was to make a very obvious security presence known. That way, they would be forced to act, assuming they had been found out. In that moment of weakness they would reveal themselves and Jayden would end them.
"It shall be done immediately!" Juhm quickly replied, making to sprint off and ensure everything was done according to Khan's plan.
The sound of a lightsaber cutting through flesh was heard before a body dropped as Jayden stood over him, lightsaber in hand. Thanks to his sudden arrival and increased security, the mole had stupidly revealed himself and Jayden was quick to end his miserable life. However, Jayden did see that the mole had managed to send a message to the Republic, that he was here on Gwori.
Juhm watched over his shoulder with a level of fear and surprise as he took note of the identity of the body. "Overseer Kal? I… I had no idea…" He whispered in awe, surprised to discover a fellow overseer was really a spy for the Republic.
"He will have contacted the Republic after learning of my arrival." Jayden said, getting straight to business. "Keep an eye out for any… unwanted visitors. Inform me of any Republic presence arriving."
"Y-Yes, Lord Khan." Juhm bowed and left.
In Hyperspace
It didn't take long to get a shuttle off the ground and send the Republic strike team hurtling through hyperspace towards the planet of Gwori. The strike team consisted of Ahsoka, alongside four Jedi, two Masters and their Padawans.
There was a Rodian male Jedi Master named Vlass Vlartiit. His apprentice was a human female named Ashan, a friend of Ahsoka's that she knew in the Jedi Temple.
Next was a human female Jedi Master named Kasara Jusdow, with her was her Apprentice, a human male named Rashzav Tebcon, another Padawan Ahsoka knew at the Jedi Temple.
Ahsoka was stirred from her musings when Ashan walked over to her. "Ahsoka?" Ahsoka shook her head and looked to the human female.
"Yes, Ashan?"
"I just wanted to express my condolences for what happened to Master Skywalker." She replied, taking a seat next to the Togruta. "I can't imagine watching Master Vlartiit get beat down like that."
Ahsoka nodded slowly, sighing as she remembered the events of Tibrin. Witnessing Anakin's blood fly was a moment seemingly seared into memories.
"That was… the most impossible thing I've ever seen." She admitted. "Up until now, Anakin had always been so… unstoppable. Sure, he got hurt from time to time, but he always managed to get back up shortly afterwards. That was the first time he didn't get up." Ahsoka told Ashan. The young human understood her fellow Padawan had confided this with her, sensing it was something she had never told anyone before.
"I promise, Ahsoka, we'll make sure Khan pays for what he's done." Ashan stated, placing a reassuring hand on Ahsoka's shoulder. Although skeptical if this mission would truly be the ultimate end of Darth Khan, Ahsoka nodded in reply.
The group huddled together as they planned their trap, a holomap produced by Ashan floating before them.
"It appears we've managed to strike at a most fortuitous time. The populace is minimal and so are the security teams." Vlass noted.
"Then that will provide us with enough time to assume our positions." Kasara agreed. "Padawan Tano, how shall we proceed?" The human woman asked Ahsoka, deferring leadership to Master Kenobi's representative.
"We need to gain Khan's attention, which will be easy considering Sith's goals are to destroy Jedi. I think I have an idea." Ahsoka highlighted the central security hub for the south wing of the facility. "If I can hack into the security hub, I can shut down any defenses and keep an eye on the whole area while you all wait for Khan."
"Always good to have a someone looking out for us." Rashzav agreed with a grin at Ahsoka which made her duck her head shyly before she got back onto focus.
"Then it would behoove us to split into teams." Vlass added. "Our Clones will be our first line, laying in wait for our quarry to arrive. We Jedi will form the second line and wait for Wraith in this common room." He pointed to a large, circular room that connected all the other areas of the south wing. "We'll make sure Khan will be unable to fight back and ambushed."
Everyone was in position. The Jedi stood as a group, ready and waiting in the central room just beyond the doors to the access corridor.
Ahsoka sat by herself in the security hub, checking all the available holocams for that wing. But the one that was her primary focus was the one mounted in the access corridor, which gave her a platform to view the Clones as they formed up, weapons pointed at the opposite end of the hall. She would be the team's eyes and ears if Khan got past them, providing direction but incapable of assisting them.
The Clones primed their weaponry as they took up defensive positions before the door that lead to the south wing. In this momentum no one said a word. The Clones remained quiet as they anticipated the arrival of their foe. Lining up the door at the opposite end of the hall in their cross-hairs, they sat waiting in eager anticipation for their chance to take down the fearsome Khan.
The halls were barren and empty, the only sound to fill them was the clicking of Jayden's boots against the metal floors. Alone with his thoughts, Jayden thought nothing else apart from calculations and strategies. He mapped out in his mind the corridors and halls of the south wing, plotting every possible route the Clones could take to avoid him or escape them.
How they entered as of no concern to Jayden. None of them would be leaving here anyway.
The access corridor to the south wing was just a few meters ahead now. Jayden readied himself for the coming battle, prepared to handle who knows how many Clones the Republic had sent to aid their mole. Jayden grabbed his lightsabers and gripped them tightly, ready to activate them. Standing before the access door which opened to the hallway leading directly to the south wing, Jayden rolled his shoulders and head, letting several muscles pop. Opening the doorway, Jayden was met with the sight of a long corridor, brightly lit white walls…
And a group of Clone troopers with their weapons pointed in his direction.
"Hold it right there, Seppie!" A Clone with red-marked armor commanded him. "By order of the Galactic Republic, stand down and come with us! You are surrounded!"
Jayden stared at them. "All I am surround by is fear… and dead men."
With that, he activated his lightsabers, the red and purple blades activating and casting him in a sinister light.
"Open fire!" The Clone commander shouted and they started firing and Jayden started blocking and deflecting the shots back while walking forth. Once he reached the line of Clones, he started slashing and slicing through them, sometimes hitting Clones without even looking at them and using the Force to toss them into the walls hard enough for their heads to smash and kill them on impact.
The Clones fell so easily and Jayden continued forward to the next room where he found a much more better challenge.
Jedi.
Two Masters with their Apprentices.
All too easy.
Ahsoka watched with widened eyes as Jayden cut through the Clones first, then he marched onwards to the next room and faced the Jedi… he didn't spare them a single bit, he made sure they suffered before ending them.
Now she was the only one left.
She needed to leave. Now.
Ahsoka bolted for the door, not caring about anything else apart from her survival. She sprinted down the hall and into the central room, not pausing to look at the body of Rashzav. Retracing her steps, Ahsoka quickly followed the route the group had taken to get in here, hoping to make it back to the shuttle without getting detected. The took the first left and entered a short corridor that lead to a hallway. A long one, that led directly to the outside. Escape was not far away…
That's when the lights went out.
Ahsoka slid to a halt and instinctively reached for her lightsabers, expecting someone to ambush her in the now blackened corridor. Her thoughts drifted to monster she was alone with. If she couldn't make it back to the shuttle, she would face a very grim fate indeed.
Then she heard a lightsaber activate and slowly turned to see Jayden standing at the end of the hallway, his red Lightsaber ignited, the red glow illuminating his figure in a sinister manner.
He stood still, watching her movements. He could easily sense her feelings… he could sense her fear.
"Hello Ahsoka." He greeted her, his tone almost soft.
"J-Jayden." Ahsoka swallowed, taking a small step back. "Please..."
Jayden tilted his head. "Please what?"
Ahsoka shook her head. "Don't do this. You're letting your anger and pain drive you, fuelling the darkness within you. You don't have to-"
Jayden pointed his lightsaber at her. "Do not tell me what I have to and what I don't have to. I may hold a modicum of respect towards you, Ahsoka, considering our past encounters. But at the end of the day, unfortunate as it is... we are enemies."
Gripping his lightsaber, Jayden moved forward to-
No. He wouldn't. Here, in this moment, Jayden did something he never did. In all of his experience, Jayden did the one thing he had never done in battle against an opponent.
He hesitated.
His eyes drunk in her lithe form, memorizing every curve and feature. Her orange skin, her striped montrals, her bright blue eyes that radiated fear… a very fine form indeed. She was the only member of this raiding party left. The last of those sent to apprehend him.
Sensing and seeing his hesitation, Ahsoka did not hesitate herself to break off into a spring towards the exit. She could hear Jayden break into a sprint after her so she used the Force to boost her running and knew Jayden would do the same. Running as fast and as quick as she can, Ahsoka managed to make it to the landing pad outside. Rain was pouring down and it soaked her to the bone.
She managed to get onto the shuttle and took off just as Jayden ripped the doors open with the Force and walked out in time to see the shuttle take off.
Jayden watched the ship go before he turned around and headed back inside, unaware that a small drone had been recording the whole thing and broadcasted the footage straight to Count Dooku.
Looks like Dooku is going to have words with his Apprentice. Although... I really wouldn't say 'words'. Heck, I wouldn't even say it's Dooku who's going to do it.