Chapter 42
Red Hands
GEONOSIS
Present Day
"Steela…" Saw dropped his pistol, turning away from the Geonosian, Ezra and Ahkilleon had chased the bug deeper into the caves after being ambushed by the bug and saved by Saw. Steela, the General of the Militia fleet known as the Maverick's was standing there in her militia regular armor disguised as a Maverick Captain, with her wookiee Commander Wrargafir. "Hello Saw." She said smiling at him, even though they were no longer the youths they'd known each other as, Steela was still just a head shorter than her brother, whom she patted on the arm. "It's been a long time."
Saw's eyes looked close to breaking "I heard rumors you were in the Militia, I… I didn't believe them." He reached to his belt and pulled out a holodisk, Ezra saw it turn on to show Steela as she'd been in her teenage years, no older than Ezra and Ahkilleon. She had long braids she'd tied behind her head with a bandana and goggles, another scarf wrapped around her neck. Not that different from a rebel. "I am here Saw, right here." She said turning the holodisk off, her braids gone and lines on her face more clear.
"This… can't be real, is it?" he asked, "It's real Saw." Rex reassured him.
Saw suddenly shook his head "The bug." He grunted his voice dropping, "I want to know what Imperial secret was worth the lives of my team, my friends?" Saw spun around and picked up his blaster pointing it at the Geonosian who backed up in terror.
"Easy, Saw. We've all got questions for him." Kanan told him, Ahkilleon looked at Steela who walked up slowly, handing her blaster rifle to Wrargafir, who took it.
REx spoke up "Saw, he's unarmed."
"You know better than anyone, we can't underestimate these things." Saw argued, Steela kept getting closer to him "I think he's afraid." Ezra voiced
"Well, how can you tell?" Saw scoffed before Kanan said "Let Ezra talk to him."
Saw didn't back off, "Steela don't get too close." Saw warned as she touched him on the shoulder, he lowered his pistol and backed off, Ezra got close to the bug and Saw eyed Ahkilleon from the corner of his eye.
"It's okay, we won't hurt you. I'm Ezra. What's your name?" Ezra asked the Geonosian, who replied in his native tongue. Ezra looked to Wrargafir who shook his head "My translator is only programmed for Shyriiwook to basic." he explained.
Steela turned to him "But if we go back to the surface with him, we can have a program downloaded, get a protocol droid?" Ahkilleon suggested.
"What, I thought the Demon wasn't scared to get his hands dirty." Saw growled at him, Ahkilleon turned to him "Yeah I know who you are." Saw grunted.
Ezra heard the Geonosian speak before Ezra gave up and said "Yeah, I think I'm just gonna call ya Klik-Klak." Ezra waved his hand over to their droid Chopper who had been hiding,
"Come on out, it's okay, Chop." Ezra said as the droid approached, Klik-Klak came up to the droid and looked very interested in it, "What's it doing?" one of Steela's squad asked.
Ahkilleon answered "Geonosians are natural engineers, they dug these caves all across the planet. Turok Skell told me something about droids, fascinates them? Probably why they were able to build so many."
"Klik-Klak... can you tell us what the Empire was doing here on Geonosis?" Ezra said holding his arms up above to gesture to the Empire and then down at cave walls for Geonosis, Ahkilleon took his helmet off to look at him "What are you doing?" "Shutup." Ezra mumbled back.
Somehow Klik-Klak was able to understand what he meant, or maybe he wasn't because all he did was get on the dirt floor of the cave and drew two circles a large one and then a smaller one. "Circle inside of a circle?" Rex said "That could be the rings around Geonosis."
Saw shook his head dismissive "I need more than some scratches in the dirt."
"Chopper picked up an energy reading in the direction Klik-Klak was going, down below somewhere." Ezra said, translating for Chopper.
Steela spoke "Our ships didn't pick up anything, just the one on the surface?"
"Probably a trap." he said quickly "Another den of battle droids." Saw argued.
"Or the answers we're looking for, we came all this way." Kanan said to Saw, who fixed his jaw before he grabbed Klik-Klak and slapped him in handcuffs "What are you doing?" Ezra asked.
Saw pulled up blaster in hand "Tracker. I don't want it running off again."
Just then one of Steela's men came running in "General, the storm has passed and the fleet has begun landing but there's another issue."
"Speak trooper." Steela ordered, the regular nodded "A Imperial ship dropped out of hyperspace, we were able to disable it but falling into the atmosphere and will make landfall a few miles from our location here."
"Did it manage to send a signal?"
The Trooper shook his head "We jammed their signals but we aren't sure,
"Have any dreadnoughts that aren't carrying supplies, stay in the upper atmosphere and have the others start building our base, we'll join them on the surface soon." she said, taking her blaster rifle back from the wookiee.
Saw smiled as she went up to join him, "Just like old times, now move it bug." He muttered smiling before he pushed Klik-Klak forward into leading them deeper into the caves.
Ezra frowned at how Saw treated Kilk-Klak "The Geonosians were Separatists, right? Yeah, and they created the droids and gunships that invaded Saw and Steela's world, Onderon."
Up on the surface, the Maverick fleet had split half the fleet remaining up around the rings to guard the planet, the other half had descended on the planet's desert planes and started to land. Hawk fighters strafed the skies as Dreadnoughts landed in the sands kicking up a new sand storm. Their massive hangar doors and loading ramps had opened. Hera watched as an army of blue tinted B5 battle droids marched out with large walkers driven by Mavericks who were wearing exoskeleton droid suits to carry out cargo and more. She could even see them start to unload construction equipment.
Hera looked up to see falling from the sky, in a burning chunk of metal was a imperia light cruiser crashing to the surface, chunks and bits of it ripping off as it crashed. Outside the ship Zeb and Sabine had put the core back and heard the Militia soldiers cheering as they saw it go down shaking their fits, and holding up their helmets high "Hera?" Sabine asked behind her helmet.
"Imperial light cruiser, looks like the Militia dealt with it, for now I'd like to get the others back here now, but I can't raise their comlinks." Hera said concerned. "They must have gone back into the tunnels for some reason."
Zeb offered a solution "If I take a transmitter into the cave, think I can contact them from there?"
"Try it, but don't stray too far. Sabine, you finish locking down the deflector core." Hera said while Lt. Breacher was listening into their comms "I'll have squad escort him, but I have confirmation that the away team are going deeper, they caught the bug and it's leading them somewhere?"
Hera sneered hearing his voice "I'll verify that for myself."
Down below, the rebels and militia followed Klik-Klak to another section of the caves, a small workshop like alcove with piles of junk and tech everywhere "This is where you live? Some kind of workshop." Ezra said.
"He's been maintaining that shield generator and those droids." Kanan said looking around even though he was blind, Steela also took an interest in it as her men secured the tunnel around them "Droids he used to ambush us." Saw pointed out.
"Well, all his people were killed, and we came here with weapons. Can you blame him for protecting himself?" Ezra asked Saw.
Saw quickly started to ransack the place throwing stuff around "What else is it protecting?"
Rex noticed an old Geonsoian monitor still powered up "Transmitter looks functional. Maybe we can boost your signal with it."
"Chop, give me a hand with this." Kanan told the droid.
"Got a lot of stuff here." Saw grunted as Klik-Klak shouted in his own language and knelt down to draw a circle in a circle, pleading Saw to stop.
"No, no, no! That tells me nothing!" Saw howled before he picked up a piece of junk and through it at the wall "Saw, don't. This is his home." Ezra snapped.
"That may be the only answer you're going to get out of him." Ezra protested, Steela observed and so did Ahkilleon who stepped forward "If we take him to the surface, we can get a translator."
"It's hiding something, what have you got in here? A weapon?"
"Stop!" Ezra barked, Saw spun around holding a blaster of some kind, Ahkilleon on instinct went for his lightsabers but stopped when Saw held it out smiling to show proof.
Rex turned and recognized the weapon "Sonic blaster still thinks the bug's our friend?" Saw asked, tossing it away.
"What else did you get in there?" Saw barked as he kept rummaging through the area when he pulled out a large orange stone, with something inside it a larva? "That's... That's an egg." Rex said.
"He's just been defending it, that's what this is all about." Kanan said getting closer "That's what he was trying to draw, looks like a queen egg." Ezra argued.
"It's very rare. That could be the last Geonosian egg left." Kanan pointed out, Steela stepped forward "Well that changes things, squad we're heading back to the surface."
"Spectre-4 to Spectre-1. Can you read me? Come in, Spectre-1." Zeb called out from the upper levels of the caves, he had the Tigers around him as Maverick droids and personal started to come in and set up lights, Kanan went up to the terminal "Spectre-4, we read you."
"Kanan? All right! I got ya! Hold on. Let me patch you through to Hera."
"Spectre-1, do you read?" Hera asked from the Ghost "Loud and clear, we've found something. So did we. The Empire is showed up, we need you back so we can go."
"You too, Spectre-4." Hera added toZeb "On my way!" Zeb said before they cut the transmission.
"That settles it, we go back." Ahkilleon said, slipping his helmet back on, "The tunnel we came in collapsed." Ezra pointed out.
"We'll have to find another way out, what about that giant chasm we crossed? It goes to the surface, maybe we can find a way up." Ezra said, Steela faced him "Already ahead of you Jedi, my men are moving into the tunnels to help establish the base with the groundwork the Geonsoians already made. It's given us a head start. Move out." she ordered and started to move.
Saw grabbed onto Klik-Klak who squealed in terror clutching the egg "This thing comes with us for interrogation."
"Well, then who will protect the egg? If it is a queen, then it's vital to the survival of his whole race."
"Whatever that thing knows is vital to our survival." Saw barked.
"Ezra's right. They don't deserve extinction." Kanan said before "The mission takes priority."
"Saw, we had this argument back at command." Rex groaned "Your mission-" Steela suddenly shot a blaster into the cave ceiling, and walked out into the middle of all the men, "You are all right. But your mission was to recover my brother, yes, and you have but my mission is to establish a base here and make contact with the Geonsoians. If this is the last egg, we need to get it off planet, where it can be protected." She said.
Ezra gapped "Off planet, this is his home, it's not right?" Ezra argued "And your home was Lothal wasn't it, it's about whats right it's about what's necessary." She said to him.
"And if necessary I'm gonna make this bug tell me exactly what I want to know-" "Saw." Steela snapped her voice hard like durasteel, "The bu- Klik-Klak is to be treated as a comrade, and the egg too." Commander Wrargafir approached Saw and looked at him hard, Saw starred up at the Wookiee and to his credit he didn't back down from a one on one with a wookiee.
Saw lowered his pistol for Steela, "Fine but he stays handcuffed."
"Until we can get a translator, I'll allow it." She said as Wrargafir gently prodded Klik-Klak away from Saw and out of his workshop.
The rebels and Militia returned to the chasm where Klik-Klak had destroyed the bridge and just as they approached, two blue Militia gunships dropped down from the surface, "Hyena bombers." Saw gasped seeing how the ships were a mix of the Republic Gunships and the Separatist hyena bombers faces where the pilots would be. "Close, Lord Hood mixed a lot of the designs." Steela said as they boarded "Lord who?" Saw asked.
"Forgelord. Be designs most of our weapons, and uh kind of weird?" Ahkilleon said, trying to break the tension between them "Uh-huh." Saw grunted as the rebels boarded, the gunships rose out of the chasm where they could see the ruins of the Geonosian Temple were already surrounded by the fleet. The Militia had quickly already laid out miles of metal platforms on the sandy ground and were starting to erect walls around their ships and landing crafts. "You guys don't waste any time moving in?" Ezra said.
Steela smirked "The Vanguard may like to take everything at a full charge, but the Mavericks go our own way, efficient, industrious and and fast." she said as the gunship flew over to the Ghost where Zeb and Sabine were waiting with Hera. In the distance they also noticed columns of smoke "What's that?" Rex asked.
"The Imperial light cruiser we shot down." Lt. Breacher said as they exited, said holding the datapad.
"Any survivors?" Ahkilleon asked, "We're scanning a few hundred, the Hawks are already surrounding it and sniper units have moved out to pin down the ship if any try to make a run for it." Ahkilleon took a look at the datapad.
He handed it back to Breacher, "General, we should secure those imperials, chances are they'll try to send a signal."
Steela handed her blaster back to another officer as she adjusted her collar "By all means Commander, go we know how much fondness you have for Imperial prisoners." she said mentioning Ahkilleons failed attempt to try and make a ceasefire with the Empire by returning their men only to have Moff Tarkkin blast the ships out of the sky.
Ahkilleon was glad he was wearing his helmet, not to show his anger "Hmph not what I heard." Saw grunted as he moved away.
"Lt. Breacher, assemble the Tigers."
"What did Saw mean, by not what he heard?" Hera asked Ahkilleon.
Ahkilleon froze his first thought was of Jabiim, of the Governor, his son, of Nolan and his men. But that was in the past, covered up, no it was the prisoner exchange "Some…. In the Militia think I sent the Imperial P.O.W.s to their deaths on purpose, I wanted peace." Ahkilleon said to her.
"Well, if you can make it happen here, I'll be impressed." Hera said her words were kind her face was one of disbelief.
Ahkilleon turned to Breacher who had his men come up in a pair of Militia land speeders, they were similar to the standard speeders the rebels would steal on Lothal, except the Militia's were a bulkier model with railing over the seating area, a mounted turret and extra seating. "Wish me luck." Ahkilleon said as he was about to leave, he then turned to Sabine and got close "I… need to tell you something, when I get back."
She patted his arm "Okay." she nodded, Ahkilleon noticed some Militia soldiers stabbing beacons into the ground outside the basement, "Looks like the Militia took your trick." he said recognizing the beacon as the same type Sabine used to keep Chopper base safe.
"Geonosians aren't the only things that live here." Sabine said as she walked with him to the land speeders "Three headed hydra's right?" Ahkilleon asked her.
"Did your homework?" Sabine asked, "Just some inflight reading." He said before Ahkilleon got into the seat next to Breacher who drove off with his men, the two dozen men sped out of the growing base and across the dunes. "So, Commander?" Breacher asked "Yes Lt.?"
"You and the Mando, nice." some of the men in the speeder laughed hearing the first officer jeer their leader, "I'm going to remember that."
The speeders drove over the dunes of Geonosis and toward the downed light cruiser, they passed by a few other Militia troops who were setting up more anti animal beacons around what would be more of the base. Then they left the safety of the invisible fence to the wild desert. "We safe here without the beacons."
Lt. Breacher shook his head "No, the speeders are retrofitted with the same beacon design that your girlfriend made for that junkyard the rebels call a base."
"It's not a junkyard." Ahkilleon argued.
"So she is your girlfriend, sir?" Breacher smirked his helmet between his legs as he drove, Ahkilleon tried not to smile "Nothing to be ashamed of sir, a good woman or man does wonders." he said winking at him.
They rode over another set of dunes to see a series of Hawk fighters overhead and gunships circling the crash of the light imperial cruiser. Ahkilleon recognized the design, a Arquitens-class command cruiser, also known as the Imperial light cruiser, a multipurpose light cruiser used by the Imperial Navy, in which it filled roles from detached patrol vessel to communications ship to capital ship support. It was a reworking of Kuat Drive Yards' Arquitens-class light cruiser, though they shared only structural similarities. The cruiser had been cracked down the maun haul with two of it's engines missing and it's command bridge slanted down, smoke was rising from the ships broken haul and a mile long trail of turned up soil and debris were laid out behind where it had come down.
Inside the windows of the bridge, Ahkilleon could see movement and on the edges of the dunes he spotted Maverick snipers ready to shoot at any stormtrooper or imperial who were about to try and escape, Ahkilleon got out with his men and approached a Militia captain, a duros without his helmet on "Commander Tano, Any survivors come out?" Ahkilleon asked as he introduced himself.
"Captain Liao, sir, and no, but our scanners show a large number of organics still inside." the duros raised his gloved hand to point near the ships portside that was open, "We have movement at the port, and more on the other side. By my estimates they'll fortify their position and try to hold out for reinforcements."
"Did they get a distress signal out?" Ahkilleon asked the duros, "We've intercepted any signals they've sent, got some sort of transmitter running but no one can hear them. I told them to surrender, no response." Ahkilleon looked down at the broken ship, he could sense the anticipation coming from it. The duros was right, there were imperials in there, a mix of fear, anxiety and even calm, a fierce determination inside it, stormtroopers.
Ahkilleon handed his helmet to Breacher, "Let me give it a try." he said as he started to walk down to the surface, he undid his harness with his lightsabers on it and dropped it down to walk toward the ship unarmed, he held his arms out wide hands open to show he wasn't coming to fight. "What in the stars is he doing?" the Duros asked.
"Hell if I know, but you'll want to watch." Breacher said as Ahkilleon went toward the ship alone.
Back at the base, Steela had set up a command center in the ruins of the temple, the droids had come in and moved the rubble from the entrance and the ones that had fallen from the roof to do time and erosion. Lights were hung up all around the interior and metal platforms were laid to make the ground more even, a holotable was being set up and so were monitors to scan the system.
"No. If that egg is the last chance to save his people, then we have to help him protect it." Ezra said to Saw who was still wanting to interrogate Klik-Klak who was sitting on a crate with a blanket over him, two B5 battle droids guarded him, they were wearing harnesses with extra ammo, grenades and more. The small bug fascinated by the new models, held the egg close to his chest.
Saw scoffed as Ezra preached to him "I know some people in this rebellion don't want to admit it, but we are in a war, and war is loss."
"Okay, but we're taking Klik-Klak and the egg to our base. After we question him, we'll bring him home, agreed?" Ezra asked him.
Ezra turned to him "Kanan, what's your position?"
"I think we could all use a break." Kanan said coming between them, "I agree, with our base being set up, and the imperial cruiser subdued, we have some breathing room." Steela said standing, she was wearing her blue command duster and saw someone enter the base. It was Sawyer, who froze when she saw her uncle.
Steela smiled, "Saw there's someone I want you to meet." she said, Saw turned to Sawyer who took her helmet off, she ran toward him and flung her arms around him "Uncle!" Saw was taken back by the hug arms out wide shock on his face, but he melted into it wrapping around her, "I'm an Uncle… HA I'm an Uncle." Saw said as he looked at Sawyer, "Steela, you… you made her, she's beautiful."
Sawyer beamed and blushed hearing that, as she stepped back out of the hug, "Saw, I'd like you to meet Hera, our pilot." Rex said, walking up to him with Hera who had a stern look about her.
"And that's Sabine and Zeb." Rex said pointing to Sabine and Zeb who were speaking with Ezra while Saw faced Hera his arm around his niece's shoulder.
"Phoenix Leader, I'm honored to meet you, your actions have not gone unnoticed among the ranks of other rebels." He said with a smile, before he turned back to Sawyer "Neither have yours." She muttered before she went over to Kanan who was keeping an eye on Klik-Klak, the B5 units who were protecting him and the egg were all the bug seemed to notice.
"You found a local?" Hera said, Ezra joined them "It's okay, that's Klik-Klak."
"Is he the only one?" Hera asked him, "We think so."
"Well, that complicates things, he's our only clue to what the Imperials did here."
Ezra nodded "I wanna take him with us."
"Okay, what does Klik-Klak want to do?" Hera asked the jedi.
"He wants to stay here. I think he wants us to take him deeper into the planet." Ezra said before he turned to look at the Gererra reunion, he then added "We should probably let the Militia know our mission, our real mission now that we found Saw."
Glancing over at Steela, Hera thought about it "We need to word it carefully, the Militia had made it clear it's not just the Empire they don't like, we have to make sure we don't mention we're working with the Senate." Hera explained.
"Got it." Ezra nodded before they turned to go speak with Steela.
Back at the downed Light Cruiser, Ahkilleon had made his way to the edge of the haul half buried in the sand, even though it was a smaller model, the vessel was massive. He stood outside the door and saw it covered in shadow, he took another step and a blaster bolt scorched the sand in front of him "That's far enough!" a voice shouted, a woman with a core world accent, an elegant one too.
"Hold your fire Captain." Ahkilleon said into his wrist communicator, "I am Commander Tano of the Militia, here to discuss terms."
There was a long silence, "Who is your commanding officer?" Ahkilleon asked again.
He heard footsteps, echoing out of the darkened opening, and a woman in an imperial officers uniform came out, she was dark skinned with black hair like steela, but taller and leaner, her hair tied in a bun behind her head, the captains hat was missing and she had her arm in a sling, the other was holding a blaster pointed at him. Ahkilleong put his hands behind his back, while she had him at a disadvantage with her blaster, he had the force. "Whom do I have the pleasure of addressing?" Ahkilleon asked, noticing her Captain's badge on her breast "Captain?" "Brunson." she hissed, no she was in pain that broken wing wasn't the only thing that she had hurt.
"And I know who you are Commander or should I say Demon?" Captain Brunson asked.
Ahkilleon nodded and gave a Militia salute, a closed fist over the chest different from the hand to the brow the core worlds often did. "I am here under the authority of General Steela Gererra, of the Maverick Fleet, flagship Pegasus to discuss terms of surrender."
"Surrender is betrayal Commander, you know that." Captain Brunson said her blaster still pointed at him, "Why did you come to Geonosis Captain?"
"We detected something on our sensors and energy surge, we thought it was a meteorite." She said her voice strained, Ahkilleon looked at her posture, her legs weren't broken, her breathing was paced but he couldn't see any change in chest rising and falling. If there was one thing he knew he new when a body was close to breaking, "And instead you found us, wrong place wrong time." He said softly.
The Captain scowled at him "Don't patronize me barbarian."
"As you wish, Captain." Ahkilleon said as he lowered his arms and took a step "You're ship had run aground, you may have been able to get a signal off, I know you're working on transmitting one right now, it won't work. My men are blocking the signal as we speak, not to mention they have your ship entirely surrounded." Ahkilleon explained gesturing to the various glints of sniper rifles fixed on their location. Ahkilleon shut his eyes and let the force guide him into the ship from his minds eye, his body staying outside "I can see your men inside, many of the are wounded. But those who aren't are doing their duty, fortifying the entrances, counting your rations, you even have a small detachment of stormtroopers right now who are debating on mutiny if they don't like what you bring back. And if that fails…." he opened his eyes "You won't just scuttle the ship, you'll blow its hyperdrive core, try and take as many of us with you as you can."
Captain Brunson narrowed her blue eyes at him, "Jedi sorcerer." She muttered.
"Even I don't need the force to see that you can't win, or that you and your men are in no condition to fight." he said hand outstretched to her gesturing to her arm and when she looked at it her neck seized and she looked forward that was it, her spine, she'd cracked it in the crash. How in the stars was she still standing?
She was quiet, thinking, he had to put pressure on her. "You're very young to be a Captain?"
"No less young than you to be-ah a Commander?" She noted, she was older than him, maybe in her early twenties compared to his teens.
"Fair enough, where are you from?" Ahkilleon asked her "Why does that matter?" She hissed.
"Because I think you'd like to see home again wouldn't you?" he asked her, Brunson didn't lower her blaster but she did grip it firmly, she was thinking. "... Coruscant." she said.
Ahkilleon gave a nod, "I've only ever seen it in holos, an entire planet, one big city, an ecumenopolis I've only ever been to Nar Shaddaa, does it compare?"
Captain Brunson wasn't pleased by the small talk, "Why do you care?" She asked.
"Because, I have no planet to call my homeworld, my mother was on the run and gave birth to me in space, all this fighting really boils down to who holds what world. The Militia want our worlds back, your Empire thinks they are right to them." Ahkilleon said to her "Are you willing to die here, for this place, all this sand and rock?" Ahkilleon asked as he squatted down and scooped up a handful of sand "Seems a waste?"
Brunson was silent, "My orders are to guard this sector from pirates, rebels and above all barbarian scum like you."
Ahkilleon stood up smiling "You think that word barbarian bothers me, do I seem like a barbarian to you?"
Brunson looked him up and down, though she was dressed in a naval officers uniform with leather boots and gloves, while he wore his robes with armor over himself, she thought "The stories of you are…. Somewhat different."
"I'd love to hear them?" Ahkilleon asked, "They say you drink the blood of the dead, collect the heads as trophies that you…" She cut herself off as Ahkilleon cocked a brow "But you do seem to have something of an education?"
"My mother insisted, even as we hid, as she kept me safe. She was a Jedi, so was my father." he explained "Do you have a parent Captain?"
"That's impossible, jedi can't have children, they were emotionless child stealing wizards." she said and Ahkilleon cocked his head and shrugged not disagreeing "I'm sure the Empire has told you many things about us Jedi, but I asked about you. Do you have a family, parents, siblings, children?" he asked.
Brunson kept her blaster locked on him, "Don't you want to see them again?" he asked not caring for her to answer "Don't you think your men want to see there's?"
"Not many of us have them, thanks to the last war you Jedi started, right here?" she said looking around Geonosis, "Is that how they teach it in imperial schools, my mother always told me the jedi came to Geonosis to stop the war, that they looked at every turn for a chance to end it, but in the end nobody won." he said looking out at the dunes, the sand whipping up in a gust of wind, he turned his eye to Brunson, he could sense she was tipping from one decision to the other "Surrender now, and I guarantee you and your men will receive medical treatment, till we can ship you off world to a POW on Raxus."
She held her blaster up to his face, "And let you send us to our deaths like you did at Lothal?"
Ahkilleon saw the look in her eyes, "I could debate with you all day about how it wasn't us who fired on those ships, or sabotaged them. But I give you my word, I wanted peace, I give you my word, the word of a jedi.""HA, the word of a Jedi what does that mean anymore against the Empire?" she asked him, compassion and mercy had only gotten him so far in this conversation, it was time for another approach. Ahkilleon walked forward and pressed his forehead to her blaster pistol, "Then look into my eyes, do I look afraid of your Empire." Brunson looked into the two green emeralds on each side of her blaster barrel, and Ahkilleon let her see the monster behind the man, the Demon was there, waiting, hoping, praying for a chance to get out, to taste blood and fury and all that stood between it and her men was Ahkilleon.
Slowly, she lowered her blaster pistol, and turned it over in her hand the hilt toward Ahkilleon, "I will have to get my men ready to move, some will need to be carried, Commander." She said addressing him formally. Ahkilleon hid his relief and nodded "Then we have an accord." Ahkilleon said holding out his hand to shake hers, she looked at it and shook his metal hand.
Later, after a long walk back to Steela's base, Steela was talking with Saw and Sawyer around a small table made of stone sipping on a drink, "An entire fleet, an army Steela this is all yours?" Saw asked as he looked out at the large base being built the main walls around the landing strips were already set up and now the Militia was working tirelessly to start setting up barracks and defenses. Massive triple barrel droid cannons were marching off the ships like great elephants and taking up positions on large rock formations. "The Militia had a long… long time to get ready." Steela explained.
Across from them, Rex was speaking with Kanan and Hera, "Guess Ahkilleon was right, both Steela and Saw are both more relaxed than I've ever seen Saw." Rex said.
"Reminds me of you and your father, Hera." Kanan said, Hera narrowed her gaze at Saw, her lip pressed into a thin line.
The conversation was interrupted by a commotion coming outside, the rebels and militia came out of the temple and saw walking through a sea of Militia Mavericks, who weren't as rowdy as a Vanguard crowd watched as Ahkilleong rode standing up holding onto the gun of his landspeeder jeep with Breacher driving, and the Tigers walking on the outside of a line of hundreds of marching, limping and wounded carried Imperials, they had been stripped of their weapons, and walked in an orderly march of four to a breast, with Brunson walking at the front of them. And like Ahkilleon had guessed there was a small company of stormtroopers with them, their white armor dirtied at the knees by the sand.
"Speaking of?" Hera said as Ahkilleon got out of the jeep and approached the Gererra's, Captain Brunson followed "General, I give you Captain Brunson and her crew, of the Imperial Light Cruiser, Terror." Brunson had given him the name of their ship.
Sawyer scoffed "Not so terrifying."
Brunson walked up and gave a stiff salute, her face dotted with beads of sweat "Commander Tano guaranteed my men medical treatment, there are some back at our ship that are still to wounded to be moved." Captain Brunson said, "With your permission General, I ask to retrieve them with proper medical equipment?" she kept her posture erect.
Saw now scoffed "Imperial scum, still think they can boss us around as our prisoners?"
"Saw." Steela cut him off "Commander Tano was in no position to make such an offer." Steela said, Saw smirked seeing Steela about to resend the offer, "However, as your men have come here with no weapons, and shows your good faith I will send medical droids and personal to have your men treated before being brought here. In the meantime any man or woman who are able will be put to work here."
Captain Brunson sighed in relief, "Understood." she said head bowed.
"What?" Saw gasped, "These are Imperial Steela, you can't, they don't deserve our mercy they-" Saw moved toward Brunson and suddenly Ahkilleon intercepted him, and gave him the same look he gave Brunson before, Ahkilleon rose to his full height to meet Saw's gaze. Ahkilleon had put his saber harness back on but didn't reach for it "I gave my word Brunson and her men wouldn't be harmed, and it will be honored."
Saw bared his teeth like a boar ready to fight a tiger, "Honor is it?" he asked, "What do you know about honor, eh Demon?"
Hera spoke up "Enough to know prisoners of war should be treated fairly." She said chirping up, Saw turned to Steela who beamed at him showing he was outnumbered in his objection. Brunson started to wobble, the march, the heat, and her cracked spine had finally taken it's toll and she fell to one knee, Ahkilleon turned to catch her arm but the sight of an Imperial officer kneeling made quite a site. One that Breacher capitalized on, he walked forward quickly and raised his blaster rifle shouting "Ahkilleon! Ahkilleon!Ahkilleon!Ahkilleon!Ahkilleon!Ahkilleon!" The other tigers joined in beating their shields or their chests with their gauntlets, "AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON" As the Tigers chanted, and the imperials who had come with their Captain saw her kneeling, the bridge crew did the same and then the engineers, followed last by the stormtroopers. This caused some of the Mavericks to join in the chant, Ahkilleon had won a battle without having to even draw his lightsabers, and the Gererra's took notice. Some of the Mavericks started to chant his name.
Steela rolled her eyes, at it and looked to Commander Wrargafir, the wookiee let out a bellowing roar and the Mavericks who had joined in were silenced, Ahkilleon gave his men a look and they went silent, but Lt. Breacher was smirking under his bucket hat, his mutton chops rising around a large grin as if ready to fight the wookiee right there. "I trust your Lt. can manage your prisoners, Commander Tano?" She asked.
Ahkilleon nodded "You heard the General." He said to Breacher.
Breacher nodded and went towards Captain Brunson, despite being on her knees, the Lt. offered his arm and she took it to rise to her feet. Her men followed and they started to head back into the halfway built camp. "Come on, Jedi time to figure out what to do with the bug." Saw said.
Ahkilleon joined the others in the Temple, Klik-Klak was still clutching the egg under guard by two B5 battle droids, when he entered Klik-Klak stiffened"So, the egg can't stay here. So where?" Steela said walking over to the rocks she and her family had been sitting at. Saw stood close to Klik-Klak, Sawyer found a perch on a fallen pillar. The rebels were gathered around on the other side while Ahkilleon stood in the middle near Saw. Commander Wrargafir and his squad started to go out with his blaster rifle and backpacks the whole temple ruin clearing out, "Steela, I mean General. Where are they going?" Rex asked.
"Scout the rest of the tunnels, check to see if our guest left us any more surprises, Captain Rex."
Ezra walked forward, "We should take Klik-Klak back to our base, it's more hidden."
"Perhaps, but Raxus has the largest fleet next to the Empire, it and uhm Klik-Klak would be protected, and if that's not good enough we can take him to Arcadia." Ahkilleon said to Ezra. While they debated, Hera tapped Kanan on the arm.
"Kanan, can I have a word with you?" she asked.
Ahkilleon saw Ezra gawk at him, "Ahkilleon, it's the last egg."
"I know, and I know you want to keep both of them safe, but it's not that simple." Ahkilleon explained.
Behind the rocks, Hera and Kanan spoke in secret "What's wrong?" He asked her as they headed off behind some rocks out of sight.
"Gerrera. How much do you know about him?" Hera asked him.
"Nothing, really. Just what Rex told us, you have a problem with him?" Kanan asked the twi'lek, Hera frowned her lips into a thin line "We need to be careful, from what I hear, Saw's got a reputation for being a little extreme."
Kanan sighed, scratching his beard as he did when thinking, "Considering his past, can't say I blame him."
"Leave him alone!" Ezra shouted, "Saw!" Steela shouted.
"Hey, you can't take him!" Ezra barked, Saw had drawn his blaster, something had been said or offered that made Saw draw his pistol and point it at Klik-Klak, and the Geonosian was being shocked by the handcuffs. "I said go!" Saw barked.
Steela was on her feet, "Saw." she said again, "
"You're hurting him!" Ezra snapped, Hera and Kanan ran back around to see the chaos "Gerrera, what are you doing?" Hera barked at him.
"I'm taking your shuttle and the bug." Saw growled at Hera, "You're not taking The Phantom anywhere."
"Saw, this isn't how we do things." Kanan said hands up trying to calm him down, "Your methods are soft, Jedi, we lost the last war because of you. I won't lose this one." Saw said as he electrocuted Klik-Klak again, the droids guarding the bug were at their ready but waited on Steela's words to move, she held her hand waving them off. "Stop!" Ezra yelled at Saw, Rex got closer, when Saw was distracted Ezra went for his wrist control of the handcuffs to try and wrestled it off him. Saw was older, and stronger and he flung Ezra back. Sawyer almost leapt from her perch to attack Ezra, but Steela shook her head. Rex rushed Saw and grabbed him, wrapping his arms under Saw's arms to grab the back of his head to restrain him.
"Easy, soldier, you're not in command here." Saw was bigger than his bulky armor and he rammed Rex back into a large rock and they scuffled, he broke free and leapt at Klik-Klak, Ezra got to his feet and ran for the bug he grabbed Klik-Klak before Saw could snatch him, but Saw wasn't after him, he was after the Geonosian Queen egg.
Everyone froze when Saw pointed his pistol at the egg "Now move it, bug!"
"The egg!" Sabine said hands on her blasters, nobody moved, Ahkilleon had been oddly quiet and still during the whole ordeal, Klik-Klak weakly walked toward Saw, for the sake of the egg. Saw spoke horsely "I don't want to do this... but you leave me no choice, you may not want to admit it but we are at war!" Saw spat out at them.
That's when Ahkilleon spoke, "Shut up."
Saw glared at him, "I'm done asking again, get out of my way."
Their eyes met, and both Ezra and Kanan could feel the force in Ahkilleon, he held his hand curling his hand into a claw, the blaster in Saw's hand leapt from his grip and old man tried to breath but he couldn't, he locked up the lack of oxygen and he lost his grip on the egg. Klik-Klak dove to catch, Saw clawed at his neck gasping, his face losing color. Ahkilleon raised his claw up to make Saw dangle like he was being choked by an invisible noose, "That's enough Ahkilleon." Hera ordered, but Ahkilleon didn't until Steela pressed her blaster pistol to the side of his head.
"Let my brother go, now, Commander." She ordered, at blaster point.
Ahkilleon leared at her, but he released Saw, and he fell to the ground coughing "... Our enemy shows no mercy, neither can we…" he wheezed, Sawyer had come off her perch and had her hand cannon out pointed at Ahkilleon, who held his hands out to the side open showing he wasn't going to attack, yet.
"Saw…" Steela turned around and knelt, Ezra walked up slowly as Klik-Klak hid behind him "If you had harmed that egg, you'd be helping the Empire wipe out the last of his kind. The last of his family." Ezra said, Saw wheezed looking up at Steela and Sawyer, his family.
"I… I don't care." he muttered.
"Yes, you do." Steela said cupping his cheek "I remember a brother, who would risk everything to protect what little had left, who saw allies in strangers we'd never met before, because he knew they'd fight with us." Steela said as she "I lost you once, big brother, please don't let me lose you again." Steela said as she hugged him, Saw's eyes went wide and he wrapped one arm around her slowly and embraced her in the hug.
He held her tight, "Steela, we have to be more, we have to be as ruthless as the Empire."
"Then you're no better than the Empire." Ezra said to him, Ezra's words cut deep even to Ahkilleon and his shame, Steela helped Saw to his feet and "Maybe Saw, but the Empire isn't here and Jedi, we can save the politics for later,." Steela said as she dusted her brother off, "We still need to decide on what to do with your little friend." she said, looking down at him. "What I want to know is, are there any more?"
Ezra looked at Klik-Klak, who was still terrified, "What about getting a translator, surely you have a protocol droid in your army?" Ahkilleon asked, seeing the danger had passed.
"She's on her way." Sawyer said her blaster still pointed at Ahkilleon, "General, please tell your daughter to get that blaster out of my face."
"It's not in your face, it's in my hand." Sawyer taunted, winking at Ahkilleon the animosity between the two of them still hot.
Steela paused, "Sawyer, enough take your uncle to get the translator introduce him to the men."
Her uncle looked at her, and then at Klik-Klak still glaring, "I'll go, but that thing stays in cuffs."
"Very well." Steela said back to him, Saw walked to the mouth of the temple and Sawyer walked with him lowering her hand cannon, "So, what exactly is a dragoon?" he asked his niece, Sawyer spun her pistol into her holster, "Way cooler than a Jedi." After they left, Steela let out a long sigh and then sat down on the rocks.
She shook her head and ran her fingers through her thick black hair "This is why I don't like working with Vanguard, you all are so hot tempered and all you want to do is fight, you can't see past the battle, to win the war."
"Um, is that proverb or are you talking about the literal war?" Zeb asked her, she glared at him letting him know her words were rhetorical.
"I'm sorry for my brother's actions, I know he has a reputation. But he hasn't had the luxury that we have." she said to the rebels, focusing on Hera more than the others.
Sabine cocked her head "We?"
"Those of us who have family." Steela explained looking at the Specter's, "It's a shame we didn't recruit you rebels earlier, rather than meet Asimov's lot?" she said, Ahkilleon took a step and she held her hands up "Easy, despite what you may think I just don't like Asimov it doesn't mean I don't respect him as a Warlord and a leader, I hear he's recovering nicely." Steela told him to calm him down.
Another long pause, "Now I'm trying to be polite, you returned my brother to me. I won't forget that, but I'm no fool Specters, this wasn't just a rescue op. Half a lifetime of hiding and keeping secrets has helped me recognize when something is up, so spill why are you really on Geonosis?"
Hera turned to Kanan who sensed that Steela was someone they could trust, and Hera after seeing how the Mavericks had been less keen to cause pain and more eager to build their base, as well as the guards they gave Klik-Klak she answered. "We were sent here by rebel command, to find out what happened to the Geonosians." She gestured to Klik-Klak, when we first came here we found imperial debris in orbit, and no life signs. Saw's team was sent first, we were sent to find them and finish the mission."
"And we found him." Ezra finished patting Klik-Klak on the shoulder.
"Rebel command, hmm who is exactly in command of the Rebellion, Commander Tanp?" Steela asked looking at him, this was more than a question, it was a test of loyalty and Ahkilleon felt both Hera and Steela's gaze on him.
"Not even I knew when I was with the rebels, the cells rarely knew about one another. In case one gets captured they can't compromise the others." he explained to her, Steela nodded at the strategy, the deception and Hera felt a wave of relief "But this was sent by an Imperial Senator, Bail Organa of Aldereann." Ahkilleon said, revealing the secret, "Ahkilleon." Hera said ice in her tones taking the betrayal.
Steela held her hand to her mouth and rubbed it, she got up pacing and thinking "Well, that complicates things." Steela said, "Yeah, like loyalty." Ezra said in a huff at Ahkilleon who didn't look at him.
"He proved his loyalty to the Militia, you all understand we are at War with not just the Empire, but the Emperor's supporters, everyone one of those Senators like Organa are guilty of collaboration, guilty of the crimes the Empire committed, if the Empire surrendered tomorrow and the Militia marched into Coruscant, there's no guarantee their wouldn't be a massacre." Steela said to them.
Kanan spoke "Didn't you hear Ezra, if you do that you're no better than the Empire."
"And didn't you hear my brother, there are more in the Militia who don't care how we win, but that we do." Steela said calmly, arms crossed looking at him, Hera patted Kanan on the arm "But not you, General?" she asked the onderonian.
Steela nodded "No, this war must be won the right way. Not with butchery and mercilessness, the laws are forgotten in war. I'm no fool, I know not everyone in the Empire loves it, I also know that Organa and other Loyalists have never stopped trying to uphold the Senate, even as it loses power each day."
Silence returned as they waited on Steela, "You've given me your trust, so I will keep this secret for now, on one condition." She said to the rebels.
"Such as?" Hera asked, before Steela could say it her comlink beeped and she answered it, Wrargafir spoke or roared and his translator spoke for him "General, we've found something at the bottom of the chasm, looks like we found the circle in a cirlce."
"I say we check it out." Ezra said quickly, "What about the translator?" Sabine asked.
Steela answered "It'll be waiting for us when we get back, for now we go."
"What about Saw?" Rex asked.
"He'll be fine, Sawyer grew up hearing my stories about him." Steela said, the rebels and Militia left the Temple and approached the chasm where the Militia had set up a checkpoint, gunships were already next to it for them to board, they got on with Klik-Klak and started to lower them down into the earth once again, going down, down, down and down until they had to turn on their lights for them all to see the bottom. When they landed Steela walked out first and Klik-Klak started to yap and point into the shadows. Wrargafir was standing at the bottom with his men at the edge of the shadows.
He went forward holding the egg pointing at something large and made of metal, four large sphere canisters with the Imperial symbol on them were standing their covered in dust, but still recognizable. "Those canisters, imperial weapons division, they're for poison gas." Sabine said recognizing the weapons.
"There. Just like his drawing, the circle in the circle." Ezra said, starting to understand, Ahkilleon scratched his chin looking at Klik-Klak. "Now we know what happened to his people."
Steela looked at the canisters and then to the rebels, "Is this proof enough?" She asked Hera, who as tragic as it was smiled "Yeah, that'll do it."
"Commander Wrargafir, get these canisters loaded up on a gunship and move them to the surface, get them loaded up to the rebel freighter." she ordered, the Wookiee nodded and gestured his squad to follow the orders, as they worked Steela turned to Hera and Ahkilleon. "Now about my condition for this help." she said.
Hera met her gaze, "My daughter is the most precious thing in the world to me, I've trained her, I've commanded her but she needs to broaden her perspectives about this fight. When you leave, Sawyer will go with you."
"What?" Ahkilleon asked, "She's seen the strength of the Militia, she needs to know what it is to fight without being able to have a fleet at her back, do we agree Captain?" She asked Hera, she looked at Ahkilleon who shook his head "Agreed, we could always use another girl on the team."
On cue, Wrargafir rose up with the cannisers on one gunship and another descended carrying Saw, Sawyer and a Maverick protocol droid, who walked forward, it had green optics and as it approached spoke with a feminine programming "You summoned me General?"
"Yes, you've updated your programming to speak his language?" She asked the droid, it turned to Klik-Klak and spoke, in Geonosian, even though the bug didn't have an years that could be seen. They pricked up hearing his own language, Klik-Klak replied and the droid translate, "It's been a long time since I heard another one speak my tongue other than myself?"
Ezra's face lit up "It's working?"
"Klik-Klak, are these canisters the circle within the circle you drew?" Ezra asked, the droid translated and it went back and forth like that.
"Yes, the Empire came made slaves of my people to build their great machines, we fought, we lost, then when the gas." Klik-Klak said, clutching the egg tight. "I lost my entire hive, our Queen died many years ago, but there are still many of us left. Even during the war with the Republic." Klik-Klak said to them.
Ahkilleon got closer, "Were they building just star destroyers, or something else?" Ahkilleon asked.
Klik-Klak shook his head, "I do not know." the droid translated, "I was hiding most of the time, I had to protect what little we had left, I did not see the sky for many years." he said holding the egg.
"Are there any other survivors?" Steela asked him, Klik-Klak was silent "I do not know, I may be the last." the bug said to them.
"You've been very brave, Klik-Klak." Hera said and the droid translated, the geonosian smiled at her then looked at Ezra and Kanan "You are jedi, yes?" Klik-Klak asked.
Ezra and Kanan smiled, nodding "That's right."
Klik-Klak then looked at Ahkilleon "The Jedi came here a long time ago, they attacked my hive."
"The Clone Wars, first battle of Geonosis." Rex said out loud, "I'm glad jedi are friends, scared at first because of the whiteblade." "Whiteblade?" Ahkilleon asked, knowing full well white lightsabers were rare, "What Whiteblade?" he asked, getting closer.
Klik-Klak backed up, and looked to Ezra who nodded, "We fight Jedi, we take back home, Jedi come back with their armies of copies."
"Copies?" Sabine asked, "Clones." Rex explained, Klik-Klak continued "We rebuild factories, machine warriors fight with ours. We fight hard, we stop jedi at first, scattered, ready to be defeated all but one." Ahkileon tensed up hearing him "Whiteblade." Klik-Klak said looking at him squeezing the egg close to his chest "Warriors attack, Whiteblade does not run, I watch from the factory, Whiteblade attacks harder, fights harder not Jedi, Berserker" Ahkilleon's eye were wide hearing the title of his father, Klik-Klak waves his fingers over his face, points to Ahkilleon "This one, has whiteblades face."
Saw heard that and the dots connected "... What?" Saw asked "He's…" Steela could see Saw was about to snap again "Leo Rock's son, Uncle." Sawyer said, her uncle's face twisted and he glared daggers at Ahkilleon.
"You knew?" Saw asked Steela, "All of you know who he is?" Saw asked the rebels.
He didn't wait for them to answer, "And Ahsoka, she… after everything that man did to our world, our people, it all makes sense now."
"What does?" Rex asked as Saw walked up to Ahkilleon "It was you, it had to be you!"
Ahkilleon didn't move as Saw stood in front of him, rage seething "Saw I fight alongside former Separatists, the Empire is our common enemy."
"Is it just the Empire, Steela, what if you run into rebels like me, like them hmm?" Saw asked her, Steela was puzzled and looked at Ahkilleon whose face was stone "We… try to recruit them, or work with them like Phoenix Squadron?"
Saw gave a dark snicker "He didn't tell you, then?" Saw asked "I shouldn't be surprised, he is a Demon after all?" Saw teased.
Ahkilleon curled his hands into fists but said nothing, "Saw, what are you talking about?" Rex asked him.
"I'm talking about what happened on Jabiim."
Ahkilleon's jaw twitched, knowing what was coming "Jabiim was freed long ago, Saw, what does this have to do with anything?" Steela asked.
"I'll tell you, do you remember Nolan Rex, and his freedom fighters who fought in the clone wars like we did?" Saw asked him, Ahkilleon's eyes didn't show it but he knew what was coming.
Rex looked perplexed and scratched the back of his head "Nolan, I haven't spoken to him in years."
"And you won't anytime soon." Saw grunted hands clenched in fists.
Rex turned to Ahkilleon, all the rebels were looking at him confused and worried, "Ever wonder how the Militia were able to subdue the planet so quickly after the Governor was assassinated by the 'rebels' there, a world full of independent people strong fighters?" Saw asked him.
"The Rebellion was never part of that cell, the Jabiimites refused any aid we offered." Hera said to Saw who shook his head, "No not you, him." Saw pointed an accusing finger at Ahkilleon.
He met Saw's gaze, face tight and tense, his green eyes smoldering. "At first I thought it was the Empire who covered it up, but when I got to Jabiim to see what had happened to Nolan and his people, they were dead, a hero cut down and left to rot in the mud, all of them. Just like the Governor, just like the Governor's ten year old son."
Ahkilleon set his jaw, "What?" Ezra asked, looking from Saw to Ahkilleon, "Ahkilleon, what is he talking about?" Sabine asked him to remove her helmet, he looked at her and the pain in his eyes was clear only to her.
"What did you do?" Rex asked him.
Saw gave a toothy grin' Yeah, what did you do?" Like he already didn't know the answer.
"Talk to us?" Kanan asked.
Hera walked up to him, she was starting to realize it too "Tell me it isn't true, the reports say a a jabiim rebel killed both the Governor and his son, tell me it's not true?" Hera asked him, he met her gaze.
"Everything he said…. is true." Ahkilleon replied, Hera swung her open hand at him to slap him but Ahkilleon caught her wrist and flung it away like it was nothing. "But Nolan…." He gargled the world like acid "Was no Hero." Ahkilleon spat back at Saw.
"He wanted a show of faith that the Militia could deliver. It was our job to kill the Governor so we attacked his convoy, I was just supposed to follow him, the Governor ran into a dead end, he saw a jedi with lightsabers in hand and attacked. I cut him down…. I didn't know he had his son with him." Ahkilleon said looking to Hera and the other rebels, the look in his eyes showed regret. "It was dark, the boy saw me kill father and picked up his blaster. We were so close I barely had time to deflect it… he didn't get out of the way in time." Ahkilleon said looking at his lightsabers that deflected the shot that killed the boy.
The rebels heard the confession each one of them had a different look, Ezra was horrified, Kanan was solemn, Zeb had arms crossed and looked away, Hera was mortified, Rex shut his eyes and Sabine couldn't even look at Ahkilleon.
He took a step to Saw they were inches from each other, "As for your friend, Nolan, and his brave freedom fighters, they took us prisoner and were going to blow up the capital, kill thousands I begged- I pleaded for him to stop but they wouldn't listen." Ahkilleon held up a hand to make a point, he clutched it into a fist.
Saw reached slowly for his blaster, "So you killed him, his men, his women, maybe even his children?" Saw growled.
"What is it you said? Saw, afraid to admit we're at war?" Ahkilleon asked, Saw squeezed his blaster grip tight "I'll kill you for-" "No." Steela said, putting her hand on his arm.
"We know." Steela said "What, and you still-" "We needed Jabiim, it's ore is what helps build the droids and fleets you see around you?" She asked him.
Everyone was quiet, "I know what he did, I know what his father did and I don't begrudge him for it." Steela said softly "The past is the past, we have to build a better future." Steela said.
"But Nolan he-" "Was an old soldier who never healed from his battle scars." She said cupping his face and her light blue eyes filled with sorrow "The official report is that Nolan and his men were attacked by Imperial forces after the Governor and…. His son were killed, they fought to the last man and the Militia were too late to save them. There's a statue of him in the capital, the base where Jabiim soldiers trained for the Militia carry his name as Nolan Squadron, he died exactly how he wanted to be, a martyr."
"But a lie." Hera said, "Yes, a lie that's bound Jabiim and the Militia together stronger than ever, a lie that does great things, will any of you destroy that?"
"What about wanting to fight the war the right way, General?" Hera asked Steela, Steela knew she was in a corner, so she said nothing at first "I've given you my trust to keep your secret, will you give me yours?" Steela asked, it was more than trust, now both Hera and Steela knew terrible secrets about both sides.
Hera thought it over, fists tight before she declared to them "We'll keep the secret, come on let's go." it didn't make Ahkilleon look any less grim, now that THEY knew what kind of monster he was.
"What about Klik-Klak?" Ezra asked the geonosians soldier, "Saw, release him." Saw heard his sisters orders, and he hesitantly obeyed, "He will remain here, under our protection, if he wishes." Steela said and the droid translated.
Klik-Klak replied, "Thank you, General, this is my home you are welcome to stay."
Steela gave a slight smirk, "Now, we're done here, I trust our agreement stands Phoenix Leader." Steela said walking to her ship, "For now." Herea replied.
The gunships returned up to the surface, riding in silence, the rebels headed to their ship and loaded up the canisters, Ahkilleon kept his distance, even as he watched them load them up. None of them looked him in the eye, Hera approached him with a cold look on her face, he said nothing but she did "Your mother would be ashamed of you." she didn't wait for a reply
"She's dead, and you're not her." he replied, so he headed toward a speeder and got on a speeder bike and rode off.
The rebels not only loaded up the cannisters, they unclogged the ships guns from sand "Are we just going to not talk about it?" Zeb asked.
"Are we even going to let Ahkilleon and his men come back to the base?" Kanan asked Hera, letting her know it was her call, "We don't have a choice, we need the Militia's steady supply of weapons."
"But Hera, he… I couldn't have done that?" Ezra said arguing with himself, "He did it, I can tell by the look in his eyes, the shame." Rex muttered as he helped Zeb unclog the top gun ports.
Hera looked at the cannisters, thinking of what Steela said, about terrible things happening in war "Sabine, what do you think." Sabine didn't answer.
Out across the dunes of Geonosis, Ahkilleon rode a mustang speeder bike at full speed, he rode it miles and miles away into large rocky canyons, turning left and right until he came to a cave. Dismounting his mind was a flux of what happened on Jabiim he walked forward alone. The feeling of regret, of shame, of anger, of pain. The looks his friends had given him, especially Ezra and Sabine. He stepped toward a light at the end of the tunnel, his eyes burning but he walked out back into the sun onto rough coarse sand in a large circle, no not a circle and arena. The Petranaki arena, also known as the Arena of Justice and commonly referred to as the Geonosian execution arena, was brought about by both a need for entertainment in the rigid Geonosian society, and an efficient way of disposing of otherwise resource-draining prisoners. He looked around it's large cavernous walls, with seats carved in around it, molded from the stone to form a ghoulish colosseum, where the Clone Wars began, where it all began Ahkilleon had contained his anger for as long as he could "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!"
The drum shaped space echoed his scream back to him louder at first and then echoing off into the distance over and over, till alone.
Back at the Ghost, the rebels were inside speaking to Commander Sato and Senator Organa "With the help of the Militia fleet we ran into we were able to recover the poison canisters used by the Empire against the Geonosians." Hera told the two of them, "This truth is frightening but should be enough to convince the Senate of the Empire's atrocities and may, however, help us recruit more systems to our cause." Senator Organa said to her.
"Your intel concerning these matters, an acquisition of promise for a shield core and the rescue of Saw Gerrera makes the mission a profound success." Commander Sato said, neither of them knowing the terrible truth about Ahkillon and Jabiim "Well done."
"We also gave Klik-Klak and his race a fighting chance for survival." Ezra said wanting to be optimistic.
"We still don't know what the Empire was building on Geonosis." Hera added, but Kanan spoke reassuringly "Maybe not, but they can't keep it hidden forever." Rex said.
"We'll deal with it, I just hope it won't be too late." Hera said, concerned, "Do you think now that he knows his sister is alive, Saw will join the Militia?"
Hera answered "Ezra, you're gonna find not all of our allies share the same values or even fight the Empire for the same reason we do. I've also got my issues with Saw, but as much as I hate to admit it, both the Gererra's are right. Terrible things happen in war."
"Then it's our job to make sure they don't." Ezra said confidently, that made Hera smile at the young man.
They heard a loud groan from the hangar, and saw Sawyer walk in, her luggage wich was just one duffle bag like her fleece lined jacket and fatigues was black, her black interceptor had been loaded up on the other side of the ghost,and she even had a black astrodroid "What a piece of junk, Pit?" she said as the droid beeped in a low boop, Chopper let out a loud squawk seeing another astro droid on his ship and rolled down to screech and beep at it. Both Sawyer and her droid 'Pit' looked at him, then Pit's head opened up, along with his side compartment, parts that were usually used for tools had been replaced with a blaster, a rocket launcher, a flamethrower and a buzz saw "Well, at least Chopper's making friends." Zeb said.
"Speaking of friends…" Kanan said "Where's Ahkilleon?"
Far off back at Petranaki arena, Ahkilleon was sitting down on one of four ruined columns that were used to execute prisoners, he was looking at the dust hunched over hands clasped together when he heard footsteps "Brother click-click-click what was it you wanted to speak to us about?" It was Master Stormblade, the orange and blue harch jedi along with his veiled padawan Fatima.
Ahkilleon raised his head and stood "I'm sorry for the secrecy and delay, today was… long?"
"We heard there was some disagreement between you and the rebels, is everything alright Ahkilleon?" Fatima asked.
"No, there have been too many lies, too much pain. I promised myself something after I defeated Jerec in the valley of the jedi. That I would be better." Ahkilleon said to them "When I was on Jabiim, the whole mission to recruit the rebels fell apart, I had to kill the rebel leader, and his men and in the mess of it all I killed a boy after he watched me kill his father in cold blood. The council, and the Militia command want it covered up but if I'm to ask for trust, you need to know the things I've done."
Both jedi looked at one another, "This is click-click-click, troubling to hear click-click, but your honesty is appreciated." Stormblad clicked at him.
"If this had been a few months ago, I would have said something different but, this is war. I'm sorry that happened to you brother." Fatima said softly, he nodded at her sincerity "Is that what you wanted to tell us?"
Ahkilleon shook his head, "No, I wanted to talk about the prophecy of the Jedi King?"
"That's…click-click Just a rumor?" Stormblade asked, "Is it?" Ahkilleon asked them "For the longest time, I thought it was me, my Master Asimov thinks so. But I'm too inexperienced, my red hands covered in too much blood, not ready to be a Knight let alone a king, but there is someone who is, Obi-Wan Kenobi is alive and he is the man we will make king."