Chapter Six: Operation Knightfall
Artus had seen battles. He had experienced countless campaigns across dozens of star systems. His training had been forged in unrelenting heat of the Clone Wars. However, nothing could have prepared him for the sight of the Jedi Temple. The ancient stones were ablaze. Statues of great Jedi of yesteryear were collapsing. The sounds of blaster fire ricocheting off of lightsaber blades could be heard from the shuttle. Barran brought the gunship down on a landing pad near the north face of the Temple. The fighting and destruction did not appear to have reached this area. The ship doors slid open with a whoosh and Artus disembarked the shuttle, followed closely by his master.
The Jedi ran into the hanger. They could hear screams and explosions echoing through the building. A turbolift door slid open across the hanger; Artus and Barran ignited their lightsabers. Two blue blades slid from their hilts. Smoke poured from the turbolift. Through the smog Artus could make out three silhouettes. Three robed figures emerged.
"Who are you? What's going on?" yelled Barran.
"Master Zendak… is that you?" A faint rasp came from the closest figure. It raised its hand and the smoke dissipated. "Thank the Force."
"Master Zyral!" exclaimed Barran. Artus deactivated his lightsaber. He recognised Lopan Zyral from his days as a Padawan. Zyral was accompanied by two young Jedi who had been younglings with Artus: Bene Hukks and Kruiz Fonder.
"Bene! Kruiz!" he rushed to help his friends.
"We'll catch up later! We have to get out of here!" Bene spluttered. "The clones, they've slaughtered everyone…"
The Jedi ran to the ship. R9 didn't need instructions this time; the gunship raced through the smoke and fled the carnage. Artus turned to witness the Temple continue to burn. A cloud of smoke led away for miles. Artus fell to his knees; the Temple had been his home since he was a child. The gunship doors closed. Artus's last view of the Temple confirmed his worst fears; the Jedi Order had fallen.
It had taken only moments to reach Barran's safehouse. An apartment a few miles from the Temple, it was a perfect refuge. Barran had ensured it remained off the Order's database; for once, Artus was relieved by his master's paranoia. The gunship set down at the building's private landing pad as the Jedi disembarked, followed by Sarge. Despite the distance, Artus could still see the column of smoke coming from the Temple. Zyral had not seen the clone before they landed.
"Traitor!" Zyral ignited a green lightsaber and pointed it at the clone's throat, followed by Bene and Kruiz. "How could you do this?"
"Lopan! Stop!" yelled Barran. "You'll get us all killed, waving a lightsaber around like that!"
"General, please. I have no clue what's happening." Zyral could sense the trooper's sincerity; he reluctantly lowered his weapon and turned away. The group entered the apartment.