The Jedi King II: War for the Rim Chapter 18: Battle For The Slice, a star wars rebels fanfic

Chapter 18

Battle for The Slice

GHOST

Hyperspace

Hera was looking down at the cargo hold of the Ghost, for the first time probably ever was the ship actually being used as a freighter to haul a full cargo hold in Hera's entire life. She leaned on the safety bars looking at all the crates that were stacked to the second level, but even with all the supplies she had a sour look on her face. "Everything alright?" Kanan asked as he came to join her.

She looked at him, at his mask hiding those once kind understanding sometimes brooding teal eyes hidden behind the green mask with white jaig eyes, "Medicine, rations, generators, spare parts for everyday uses, we can do a lot of good with this… but it feels wrong taking it from, them."

"In exchange for the Sith Holocron, I think it's fair," he said.

"But what about your holocron Kanan, all that jedi knowledge?" She asked him.

Kanan poked his metal mask on where his forehead would be "Alright here Hera, even if they could access like Ezra said, they'd be hard pressed to be able to fix them, but I know it's not the holocrons as to why your upset, you're worried about Ahkilleon?"

"I knew Ahsoka for years, she was a close friend we'd both lost so much in the clone wars and it only got worse when the Empire rose I feel like…." "Like you failed her when Ahkilleon left?" Kanan asked.

"Kanan, Don't do that." She said stepping away "Do what Hera?" Kanan asked her.

She rebounded with "Read my mind." "Hehe, just because I'm blind doesn't mean I can see things others can't… well not all the time, but I think we pushed him away."

"What, how can you say that after everything we did for him, all-" "All the times we told him how dangerous he was, or how I would scold him over and over about the dark side like I was some all knowing jedi sage he lost everything and in a moment of weakness the Militia pounced?" Kanan asked her looking up.

Hera looked at him puzzled. "So you think they're using him, what about all the times they tried to recruit us?"

"I think they wanted him from the start, Turok sure did, we would just sweeten the deal they still are." Kanan explained to her.

"What do you mean, what did Tai say to you, Kanan?" She asked.

Kanan turned around and leaned his back on the railing holding it with his hands, "They offered me a seat on their Jedi Council, could you imagine haha." He shook his head with a smirk.

"Wasn't your own Master a member?" Hera asked him.

Kanan nodded "She was, for true not Asimov and his War Jedi, I never even heard of Jedi named Terro and Ventus before."

"Maybe they changed their names, like you?" She said in a soft voice.

"Maybe, but it looks like the cracks in the militia are about to mend?" Kanan said, folding his arms over his chest, "They did seem divided in Jedi vs Militia, wait what do you mean mend?"

Kanan paused, "They were winning up until this point, now the Empire has launched a counter attack, nothing unites a people like a common enemy."

HYPERSPACE
Vanguard Fleet, Shatterpoint

Aboard the Shatterpoint, Corto was standing in front of two large Militia security droids, B2 models that were guarding a room, Jay and the other padawans minus Yumi were behind him. "Let me through, I can help." Corto demanded.

"Negatively, Lord Asimov has instructed the Captain's wounds to be left scarred." The B2 droid said to him.

Corto gaped at him, "I'm a healer, this is what I do?"

"Enough Padawan Vos-Ventress." Terro said walking in to the medical bay with Ventus behind him, the two War Jedi pushed through the padawans and stood in front of Corto, "We are about go into battle, you'll have plenty of people to heal soon enough, Cadet Freeman report to Admiral Zygote and prepare to assist with the bridge." Terro said.

Kraggen cleared his throat "Um Sir Terro, Sir Ventus, can we at least see Ahk- I mean Captain Tano?"

"You all saw him at his punishment, now go, report to Master Ventress and Master Stormblade, I'm sure they have something for you all to do." Ventus said, the padawans and Jay started to leave but Corto held his ground, Ventus walked up to the young hybrid "Go boy, mothers waiting?"

Corto squeezed his fist tight before he coned and left the medical bay.

Behind the metal door to Ahkilleon's room, he was on his chest back up with bacta strips running up and down his back. The bed was built into the wall with one window, a chair in the corner across from him and as he turned his head over on the pillow he wanted to look out the window at hyperspace. The rushing blue and black vortex of light speed and…

Someone walking towards him?

His loss of blood and bacta smeared all over his back was doing something to his mind. He saw a brown robed figure walking towards him and they came right up to the window and through it, pulling their hood down Ahkilleon frowned "Oh stars not you."

"Hey, you're the one who shot me in the back." Qu Rahm said, sitting down in the corner chair. He leaned back leg propped on his knee hands behind his head nonchalantly.

"And now you're haunting me, just what I'm karking need." Ahkilleon mumbled.

Qu sat there and smirked "Ahkilleon, you need therapy."

"You need to go to hell." Ahkilleon said back.

"Whipped to hell and still defiant as ever?" Qu asked him.

Ahkilleon grunted back to strips across his back, numbing some of the pain, but not "Dead and still a pain in my ass, what do you want?"

Qu leaned forward, arms on his knees "You're even the least bit of surprise I hear as a ghost?"

"Not the first ghost I've run into." Ahkilleon muttered.

Qu cocked his head in a sideways nod, "They told me others have done it, well could also be you've been so close to death maybe you're halfway there Ahkilleon?"

"No, I'm not done yet." Ahkilleon said in a grunt, "So, let me ask you something, why didn't you go back with your rebel friends, from what I've seen you haven't enjoyed the Militia."

Ahkilleon looked away and Qu just popped up on the other side, "Come on, spill."

"Because I believe." Ahkilleon growled, Qu leaned back in his chair "Really, after all that time in the rebellion?" he asked.

Ahkilleon scoffed, "Not by choice, I was born into the rebellion, my mother helped start it, she told me all the stories of the Republic, even on the run hiding out in the outer rim moving from planet to planet until Turok found us, she would tell me about the Republic while not perfect, had it's good intentions at heart how the jedi forgot about the people and focused on politics-" He winced his blood pressure rising.

Qu folded his arms "She's not wrong there, it's why I became a Wayseeker to explore, to adventure to be a jedi people could count on, but that doesn't answer my question?"

"It's the endgame." Ahkilleon told Qu, "The Empire can be beaten, my mom made sure I studied history to learn, all the Sith Empires fall eventually there so consumed by power and their own greed they consume themselves in the end." Ahkilleon said.

Qu cocked a brow, "And you think a Jedi Kingdom will be different, your majesty?" He taunted, "So you turned your back on the rebellion, joined the Militia and have been going through hell because you think you can be better than the Sith Tyrants of old, how?" Ahkilleon grunted and pressed his hands on the bed and pushed himself off his back, still ripped up from the whip blood mixing with the bacta strips he moved to stand in front of Qu "I keep moving forward."

Meanwhile up on the bridge the ship was starting to slow down, "Entering into the Slice now My Lord General Steela and the Maverick fleet are engaged, Admiral." Trek said before the Vanguard fleet dropped out of hyperspace and into a massive space battle between the Militia and the Empire, the lines had been shattered and the ships were tangled together in a massive naval battle. The arrowhead like design of the star destroyers against the sleek angled long militia dreadnoughts were above, below and all around one another. Vulture droids and Hawks tangled in with TIE fighters to dogfights. "Evasive action." Admiral Zygote ordered the whole fleet and the vanguard ships began to maneuver out of the way as they broke through the hyperspace barrier. The whole crew heard the sound of the alarm calling them to battle stations.

Down in the medical, Tai had returned with Yumi, Corto, Urrde, Fatima, and Kraggen getting ready to assist with the crew's medics to be healers. Both Ventus and Terro rolled their shoulders leaving the medical bay to do what they do best, Kraggen and Urrde watched them go looking at one another, an uneasy look in their eyes.

Yumi rolled out a fresh set of sheets on one of the extra beds, her face a little green, "Sister?" Corto asked.

"Brother I didn't know Lord Asimov was going to whip him-" "Save it, I'm still mad at you but right now we need to get ready to be jedi." Corto said as he started to take out medical supplies handing them to the B5 medical droids.

Back up on the bridge, Nareua and Asajj walked in, the two Masters with battle experience, "Look out we're about to hit that Destroyer." Asajj said seeing one Star Destroyer on an intercept course for the Vanguards flagship.

"Good" Lord Asimov said, seeing they were on a collision course with a Star Destroyer to, "My Lord?" Zygote asked.

Lord Asimov rose from his throne and went to the helm "The Mk. II Militia Dreadnought has a reinforced durasteel forward bow, the battering ram is pure metal, and sends reserve power to the engines for ramming speed to that Destroyer's bridge." Asimov said as he took the helm and wheeled it to port closing the distance.

Zygote's tentacles flickered as he grabbed onto the nearest railing with his metal claw "Full power to the engines and into the abyss!" The Shatterpoint flew through the space battle toward the Destroyer.

Aboard the Imperial saw the Shatterpoint heading right their way, its blade-like bow aimed at them a spear pointing to a prize, "Evasive action- evasive action-" "TO LATE!" One bridge crew officer cried as the star destroyer's bridge was cleaved in half by the Shatterpoint taking out the destroyer. The whole bridge crew of the shatterpoint let out a triumph cheer as Asimov held up his fist "Send out all fighters, let them know the Vanguard is here!"

Near the center of the first Militia fleet a dreadnought with a flaming winged dalgo decal on its haul, a hairless equine animal from Onderon that didn't have wings, often used as cavalry. noticed the bold strategy of the new ships. Their dreadnought was just as armored and armed as the Shatterpoint but had a different commander. "General Gererra, the Vanguard have arrived." One of her officers said.

The woman looked back, she had short cropped black hair, wearing a beret, she wore Militia armor with a kama, dressed as a soldier in every aspect of the word. She had teal eyes, her skin brown with full lips. She wore a bandana around her neck and tugged at it before stepping forward "Open a channel to the Shatterpoint." she ordered.

A few seconds before the connection was established, "Shatterpoint this is Pegasus, what the hell are you doing here?"

A hologram of Asimov who had taken the helm of the shatterpoint appeared, the Shatterpoint was cutting a way through the space battle, their guns blasting ramming into TIE's and smaller imperial ships as its cannons opened fire. "General Gerrera, the Slice is the foundry of the Old Confederacy, if it falls we lose our resource basket for our ships and droids."

"What about Serenno, Asimov?" She asked him.

"Serenno is not a priority there, we will reclaim it one day but now we need to reinforce our center." Lord Aismov said.

General Gererra sat in her commander's chair, "Even with your reinforcements the Empire still out numbers us three to one."

"Then it is a fair fight." Lord Asimov said in a husky voice "My fleet is coming around to reinforce your flank." Lord Asimov said and Steela pulled up her holomap to see the Militia in green and the Empire in red, the Vanguard fleet wheeled around the battlefield and got behind her ship into a wedge formation in an attempt to split the Empire's forces.

On the other side of the battlefield. Inside the lead Star Destroyer the Admiral leading the attack watched the militia reinforcements arrive, "Admiral Priam we've identified the enemy fleet as the Vanguard." The Admiral is a tall slender woman with black hair tied in a bun with fair skin and pale gray eyes, "The Jedi fleet." She looked out at the Shatterpoint that was taking a wild approach between the enemy ships.

"They've reinforced the main fleet Admiral." One of her crew said.

"Adjust position, they are trying a wedge formation, draw them in and we will envelope them with our superior numbers." She ordered her ships, the lines of the battle started to change and reorganize to meet the Militia strategy, "Focus fire on the enemy flagships and send boarding parties we need to disrupt their chain of command, send two our ship to block their course they can take out a bridge but not two full ships."

The Shatterpoint continued to move through battle when two star destroyers blocked the ship, Asimov spun the ship to another direction "Fire a broadside!" Zygote ordered bombarding the two star destroyers but then their portside took a pleting hit that shook the whole ship. "What hit us?" Zygote asked.

Trek scanned the ship in nanoseconds, "Boarding pods Admiral, identical to our own droch pods, fifteen all over the ship."

"Send droids to intercept, on the port side." Admiral Zygote said as he went to the ships holotable when he noticed one of the two star destroyers that had blocked them one was adjusting to come alongside them, "My Lord." Admiral Zygote said seeing as the ship got closer and they saw a dozen TIE Boarding crafts heading right toward them, Zygote slammed his claw on the ships comsystem "Prepare to repel boarders."

Down in the hangar the Militia's upper and lower hangar had TIE boarding pods landed in each of them, the Militia crews were clearing out as the soldiers came running in and in front of them. Stormtroopers poured out blasters blazing and the TIE's own guns were being used as a cannon against the militia. Lt. Breacher and Commander Sigma were on the top hanger shooting behind cover "Where the hell are our Jedi?" Breacher snapped.

"Ventus and Terro are dealing with the boarding pods." Sigma said shooting with his twin revolvers, when they saw a flash of blue and green, Six in total, as Nareua Stormblade landed in front of the Imperial lines, the stormtroopers froze in terror seeing the blue and orange Harch standing over them all with six muscular arms each holding blue or green lightsaber, he roared out of his mandibles and charged into the Imperial lines. He was a hurricane of blue and green his lightsabers deflecting hacking and striking the stormtroopers he even used the force to throw a fuel canister at one of the TIE boarding crafts tearing it apart in an explosion.

Sigma and Breacher looked at one another, "He'll do."

Down in the lower hanger, Asajj had joined the fight taking command of the Militia, "With me." She ordered running out to take on the boarding parties, "You heard the lady, get dirty you dogs!" One regular shouted.

Up in the medical bay injured regulars were being brought in their injuries from damage to the ship or from the invading boarding pods, all throughout the ship the boarding pods had burrowed into the Militia haul setting up positions across the ship. Terro and Ventus had split up to engage them but the Shatterpoint was surrounded by the Imperial fleet inside and out. Inside the Medical Bay Corto was healing as fast as he could, Tai was helping a regular get loaded onto a bed as others were being treated for lesser injuries. Suddenly there was a series of blasts that shook the whole ship. The door to Ahkilleons room finally opened and he wobbled out his armor thrown over his bandaged chest. He held onto the doorway making his way out and to the door, Tai saw him "Padawan get-" "Out of my way." Ahkilleon pushed his way past her "You may be a Master, but I'm still a Captain until the Militia says otherwise." Ahkilleon limped his way out of the medical bay and kept his footing as the ship was being bombarded from Imperial fire.

Urrde and Kraggen looked over at one another before, more wounded were being brought in, suddenly another large hit and an explosion "They've almost to the medical wing!" A voice shouted from the corridor, when a stormtrooper came around the corner with a rotary cannon "Take cover!" Tai shouted reaching for her lightsaber but Kraggen was closer he activated his green lightsaber the trandoshan flung himself at the stormtrooper before his rotary cannon could power up Kraggen cut his weapon in half and then swung up slashing across the stormtroopers chest two more stormtroopers came around the corner opening fire but Urrde jumped in front her blue lightsaber deflecting the shots using the force to blast them away. Militia reinforcements soon rounded a corner driving the imperial boarding party back. Both Urrde and Kraggen looked at one another; they looked back at Tai who went up to Kraggen who was looking at the dead imperial he'd just killed.

"Kraggen?" Urrde asked him.

The quarren stood up holding his lightsaber "Come on… they need out there."

"What, no we need you here, young ones." Tai ordered them, Kraggen looked over at her, "There are men dying, we need to fight." Kraggen said before he headed to the "No, you-" Another heavy hit before Kraggen ran out after the militia reinforcements with Urrde following him.

Outside the Shatterpoint the Militia was suffering from heavy Imperial fire, "Their lines won't brea, we need to retreat." General Gerra said aboard the Pegasus, the Vanguard and the Maverick's were getting bombarded by cannon fire.

"No, we stay and fight." Lord Asimov commanded from the Shatterpoint.

Back aboard Admiral Priam's ship she could see the Militia lines and ships starting to falter "Press the attack, they'll break soon." the Admiral ordered.

Aboard the shatterpoint the Militia was seeing their Hawks and vulture droids start to dwindle, Ahkilleon stumbled his way onto the bridge as Asimov drove the ship out of the way of a series of fire, "Master?" Ahkilleon called out leaning on the holotable.

"Ahkilleon- what are you doing here?" he snapped looking back, "You need me!" he snapped back.

Admiral Zygote saw him, "Remove this man from the bridge." Zygote ordered.

"We're losing, I can change that!" Ahkilleon shouted, pushing away the first officer who came to him, "Take him away." "Battle meditation- My battle meditation!" Ahkillson said over Zygote's orders "Belay that!" Asimov ordered leaving the helm for Trek to take.

He walked up "What did you have in mind Captain?" Lord Asimov asked.

"... My battle meditation, we can use that." Ahkilleon said to him, "You're too weak, have you ever used it on this size?"

"Time to find out." Ahkilleon said as he looked at the holobattle, the Imperial lines were starting to bend but they wouldn't break and the Militia force was losing ships by the minute. He held his hand out to focus and tried to focus on the Militia forces focusing on their courage, their skill, the need to wind. Likewise he opened himself up to the force of the Imperial pilots, the stormtroopers and crew aboard the Star Destroyers. He shut his eyes and focused sweat ran down his cheek and his wounds started to seep at the strain on him. He could feel the emotions of so many men and women fighting, dying.

The aggression of Ventus and Terro who were scattered across the Shatterpoint fighting tooth and nail to drive the boarding party off.

The focus of the Imperial Pilot in his TIE shooting down Vulture droids.

Fear from Militia regulars bleeding out in the medical bay.

All the way to the Maverick flagship, the Pegasus he could see General Steela Gererra; she was the older version of her own daughter Sawyer, but when he tried to influence her courage it was like hitting a brick wall.

He even felt the rush of adrenaline of Kraggen and Urrde who had joined in the ships defense in another hallway near a boarding pod. Kraggen pushed forward with the regulars when one of the stormtroopers started to fall back into the boarding pod. It started to unscrew itself from the haul "Fall back- fall back!" the officer in charge of regulars commanded. Kraggen and Urrde ran back to the blast doors when the pod unlatched, creating a vacuum into space sucking out the dead bodies of both sides. Kraggen dove for the blast door and made it before he grabbed Urrde's arm and held her hand. The hole in the ship was sucking out with such force it ripped Urrde out of Kraggen's hand "URRDE" Kraggen shouted before the regulars pulled him back into the room sealing the hallway blast doors "URRDE!" Kraggen screamed banging on the blast doors with his fitness tears running down the Quarrens black eyes.

It was all overwhelming.

He dropped his arm and caught himself on the holotable "I'm sorry it's too much…" he muttered.

"Too much alone, but not together Padawan." Lord Asimov said coming up behind him, "The Militia fight as one, open your mind to me apprentice. You focus on rallying our men. I will channel all my power into you, Master and Apprentice." he held up his hand "As one." Ahkilleon took it before he turned around he stood up straight and held his hands up, Asimov reached up with two fingers on each hand stretched out he put them on each side of Ahkilleons head.

A surge of force energy rushed through every inch of his body; he no longer felt the wounds of his back, and when he opened his eyes he saw everything.

He could see the ships all around him, the hammering of cannons he could see the fires burning on falling Militia forces, their numbers nearly halved by the Imperial march, their flotilla of Star Destroyers holding their heavy line of ships.

These are not imperial garrison troops, these are hardened soldiers and pilots, men of the stars who aren't afraid show them fear.

"Master?" Ahkilleon heard Lord Asimov's voice in his head as he went through this out of body experience. "Yes Master." Ahkilleon said as he opened himself up to the force.

A wave of emotions rose up from the blackness of the stars and hit him, he felt his hair whipped back and his skin ripple from it as the fear, anger, desire to kill, all hit him at once. There were so many stormtroopers and imperial pilots he had found the cracks.

Among the dog fighting of the TIE's and Hawks he found a pilot, an ace who took out vulture droids left and right he started to chase a lone Hawk dipping and diving, "Come on, come on, come on." the pilot said waiting for his targeting system to lock on he was almost there.

"Shoot." Ahkilleon said making the pilot open fire and miss, then he felt the scene shift to stormtrooper with a rotary cannon shooting his way through the shatterpoint, moving forward taking inches of ground red cannon fire tearing at the Militia regulars, then he saw Ventus.

Ventuss rushed the rotating cannon dodging it before at the last second, the stormtrooper swung it like a club but Ahkilleon saw the moment he needed, "Attack!" Ventus was hit by the guns heavy barrel but his armor took the blow then the regulars behind him charged forward overwhelming the stormtroopers killing them.

Yes, that's it.

Ahkilleon left the Shatterpoint behind and focused on the rest of the Imperial and Militia feet, like a balance of two scales Ahkilleon could feel the fighting spirit of both sides, they thrashed against one another for dominance in the battle the will of the force wrestling to decide the outcome of the battle.

Focus on the need to survive Ahkilleon, let the fear of death fade from our forces and send it to the Empire.

Hearing his Masters words Ahkilleon focused and took away the fear from their own forces before he focused into his own wave of force energy sending into the Imperial lines.

Aboard the bridge, Zygote could see the Imperial ships starting to weaken, the Dreadnoughts were advancing and the imperial TIE's were starting to dwindle "It's… it's working?" He gasped.

"General Gererra presses your advance." Admiral Zygote said pushing Trek off the helm and pushing forward even after the ship had been heavily damaged.

Gererra could see it to "Maverick's full attack!"

Even Admiral Priam was being affected by the battle meditation, "Admiral we've lost two more ships- three more our lines are breaking, we've lost our momentum?" One of her crew told Admiral looked at the imperial ships to her left and right, their shields starting to fail and five of their fleet going down. "Admiral, what do you command?" one of them asked.

"Admiral Praim?" one of the officers called out.

"Order all units to… to… retreat- Full Retreat!" the Admiral commanded.

In his battle meditation Akilleon watched the Star Destroyers at half strength pull away and jump to hyperspace, Asimov pulled his fingers away and Ahkilleon fell back into his chest. The armored juggernaut steadying him as a cheer went up across the bridge and the ship as everyone realized the battle was one.

ATOLLON

Chopper Base

The Ghost had returned to Atollon and were unloading the ship, Kanan, Ezra, Sabine and Zeb were unloading the crates with Chopper while up in the command center, Rex and Hera were watching the holotable of the galactic map, Sabine was moving crates on her own with both hands to burn off steam when she dropped one "Whoa- let me help." Ezra said, coming to grab the other side.

"I can handle it." She grunted.

Ezra looked at her with concern, "Everything okay?"

"Oh yeah Ezra it's great, we just took a bunch of supplies from the lesser of two evils who are fighting a whole freaking war, it's wonderful." She said as she set the crate down before storming past him to get another.

Ezra scratched the back of his neck "I know none of us really talked about it, about 'him' leaving, but do you want to?" he asked, speaking of Ahkilleon without saying his name.

"Him who, oh you mean the two faced lying coward who ran away?" she asked as she picked up another crate, "Yeah we can talk about how the next time we see 'him' I'm going to shoot 'him' right in his fancy new armored chest plate." She slammed the crate down huffing and puffing out of breath taking her frustration out on the crate.

Ezra walked up behind her, "I just don't understand how he can stay with them, after what they did, they humiliated him, beat him- maimed him and Ahkilleon stayed why?" Ezra asked as Kanan and Zeb took down a crate, the two men were older, wiser, and veterans of war.

"That's because he's not Ahkilleon, at least not the boy we knew." Kanan explained to them as he rubbed his hands together, "Come on, let's take a break."

Up in the command center, Rex was reporting the latest intel "The recent chatter from imperial transmissions show the Empire have taken Serenno and Garos, along with pushing a dozen other Militia forces back into the deeper rim systems, the fleets called the Free Company and The Golden were nearly wiped out, but other fleets managed to hold their own." Rex said, looking at it with surprise.

"So the Empire's counter attack has begun and the Militia have survived?" Commander Stao said curious with what the future held

"What about the Vanguard fleet?" Hera asked.

Rex wasn't sure if she was being focused on a tactical reason or personal one, "Imperial chatter is saying they reinforced the Militia center in the Foundry part of the Splice off the invasion force under Admiral Priam with a fleet called the Maverick led by… General Gererra?"

Sato's ear perked up "Saw Gererra?"

"No, Steela, his sister, everyone thought she was dead after the Republic liberated Onderon?" Rex said.

Hera held her hands up "Back up, the Foundry?"

"The Foundry was a term coined by the Republic to describe the planets of several of the old separatist factory worlds, such as the planets Boz Pity, Felucia, Metalorn and Saleucami, all but Felucia are under Militia control they stopped the Empire here at Boz Pity and it looks like the lines are stabilizing, for now." Rex explained, pointing to the galactic map.

Sato looked at it with intrigue "But with the Empire's might, how could they not break through the Militia lines?"

"Well the Militia haven't exactly been idle, recruitment, resource gathering building droids and ships, it's a sound strategy to pull back from worlds that can't make the resources you need to fight?" Rex said, looking at Hera.

"But leaves other worlds defenseless." Hera said looking at planets like Garos or Serenno.

Sato let out a sigh, "I believe that is enough for today, though I do not like taking supplies from the Militia. What you brought with you will be put to good use by Commander Syndulla." Sato said gesturing to the crates "Our supplies will last for years to come, allowing us to focus on more objectives."

Hera nodded "Thank you commander." Hera said as the meeting ended.

Rex and Hera walked down the ramp of the command center "So, how did he look?"

"You mean before or after flogging?" Hera asked knowing Rex was talking about Ahkilleon, they all were.

"I swear if I ever get my hands on Asimov-" "Rex, I don't know if we'll ever see him again after this." Hera said as painful as it was to admit.

THE SPLICE

Militia Fleet

After the battle was one, the Maverick and Vanguard fleets were joined in a somber look at the price of victory the dead of both sides floated through the void of space a hundred small rocket b1 battle droids we're flying through the debris to find the bodies of dead Militia pilling them in large death carts to drag back to the ships. The Pegasus flagship of the Maverick fleet pulled alongside the Shatterpoint and a gunship flew over with two Dragoon interceptor escorts before landing in the hangar. Lord Asimov and Ahkilleon stood there with Trek and Commander Sigma awaiting their arrival.

The bays to the gunship opened and General Gerrera walked out with her own staff, she was followed by large gray haired wookie with militia armor over his fur, and behind her a protocol droid with blue paint. "General Gerrera, the Warlord of the Maverick fleet honors us." Lord Asimov said.

"Cut the niceties Asimov, what are our losses?" She asked looking around the hangar before her eyes settled on Ahkilleon narrowing her gaze at him, "Five ships lost, two our own and three soon to be scuttled we're having all their supplies and crew brought over onto our other ships before we send them back to Lotho Minor to be scrapped." Asimov explained.

"I'm told you have jedi aboard?" Gererra asked, Asimov nodded "Yes, I will let Master Ventress know you are here, but the true Jedi of the hour stand before you." Asimov clawed his hand on Ahkilleon 's shoulder "I present my Padawan Learner, Ahkilleon Tano."

Steela looked at him like he was a cur, "I know of him, so that was his little spell I felt scratching in the back of my head?"

Ahkilleon opened his mouth, "I'm sorry General, I was only trying to help but I couldn't reach you."

"That is because like most of my staff we are trained to protect our minds from…" She looks at Asimov's "Jedi mind tricks."

"Battle mediation is no trick, it won the day sending our enemies fleeting into the mid rim, introductions can continue later and return to the med bay to heal Padawan, Commander Sigma makes sure he gets there." Lord Asimov ordered, Sigma nodded "Roger, Roger." he gestured over to Breacher who was sitting on a crate who came up beside Ahkilleon and gave a nod

Ahkilleon nodded before he limped off, as he passed other Militia regulars and pilots, they all looked at him, all of them knew they had won because of his battle meditation. The marks on his back a stain of dishonor that would scar and fade had started too. Ahkilleon saw their eyes looking at him as he passed; there were a few nods of the soldiers. Salutes from those who were of equal or lower rank as they went into the crowded halls. But then something unexpected happened and he heard his name chanted by Lt. Breacher, holding his rifle up he shouted "Ahkilleon!-Ahkilleon!-Ahkilleon!-Ahkilleon!-Ahkilleon!-Ahkilleon!" he stepped forward to raise his arms up for other Militia to join in "Ahkilleon!-Ahkilleon!-Ahkilleon!-Ahkilleon!-Ahkilleon!"

"AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON!"

From the hallways of the interior of the ship, to the echoes of the bridge and engines the crew shouted his name.

In the hangar as Asimov escorted General Steela Gererra through their ship they could hear the chanting, AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON.

"Your men are quite enthralled with the boy." Stella said looking at Asimov who stopped "I often forget you are from the inner rim, Onderon, but you seem to have forgotten In this part of the galaxy, General Gererra, the man who gives victory in battle is prized beyond every other man."

Chapter 18

Battle for The Slice

GHOST

Hyperspace

"In exchange for the Sith Holocron, I think it's fair," he said.

"But what about your holocron Kanan, all that jedi knowledge?" She asked him.

"Kanan, Don't do that." She said stepping away "Do what Hera?" Kanan asked her.

She rebounded with "Read my mind." "Hehe, just because I'm blind doesn't mean I can see things others can't… well not all the time, but I think we pushed him away."

Hera looked at him puzzled "So you think they're using him, what about all the times they tried to recruit us?"

"I think they wanted him from the start, Turok sure did, we would just sweeten the deal they still are." Kanan explained to her.

"What do you mean, what did Tai say to you, Kanan?" She asked.

Kanan turned around and leaned his back on the railing holding it with his hands, "They offered me a seat on their Jedi Council, could you imagine haha." He shook his head with a smirk.

"Wasn't your own Master a member?" Hera asked him.

Kanan nodded "She was, for true not Asimov and his War Jedi, I never even heard of Jedi named Terro and Ventus before."

"Maybe they changed their names, like you?" She said in a soft voice.

"Maybe, but it looked like the cracks in the militia are about to mend?" Kanan said folding his arms over his chest, "They did seem divided in Jedi vs Militia, wait what do you mean mend?"

Kanan paused, "They were winning up until this point, now the Empire has launched a counter attack, nothing unites a people like a common enemy."

HYPERSPACE
Vanguard Fleet, Shatterpoint

"Negative, Lord Asimov has instructed the Captains wounds are to be left to scar." The B2 droid said to him.

Corto gaped at him, "I'm a healer, this is what I do?"

Kraggen cleared his throat "Um Sir Terro, Sir Ventus, can we at least see Ahk- I mean Captain Tano?"

Corto squeezed his fist tight before he coned and left the medical bay.

Behind the metal door to Ahkilleon's room, he was on his chest back up with bacta strips running up and down his back. The bed was built into the wall with one window, a chair in the corner across from him and as he turned his head over on the pillow and wanted to look out the window at hyperspace. The rushing blue and black vortex of light speed and…

Someone walking towards him?

"Hey, you're the one who shot me in the back." Qu Rahm said sitting down in the corner chair. He leaned back leg propped on his knee hands behind his head nonchalantly.

"And now you're haunting me, just what I karking need." Ahkilleon mumbled.

Qu sat there and smirked "Ahkilleon, you need therapy."

"You need to go to hell." Ahkilleon said back.

"Whipped to hell and still defiant as ever?" Qu asked him.

Ahkilleon grunted back to strips across his back, numbing some of the pain, but not "Dead and still a pain in my ass, what do you want?"

Qu leaned forward, arms on his knees "You're even the least bit of surprise I hear as a ghost?"

"Not the first ghost I've run into." Ahkilleon muttered.

Qu cocked his head in a sideways nod, "They told me others have done it, well could also be you've been so close to death maybe you're halfway there Ahkilleon?"

"No, I'm not done yet." Ahkilleon said in a grunt, "So, let me ask you something, why didn't you go back with your rebel friends, from what I've seen you haven't enjoyed the Militia."

Ahkilleon looked away and Qu just popped up on the other side, "Come on, spill."

"Because I believe." Ahkilleon growled, Qu leaned back in his chair "Really, after all that time in the rebellion?" he asked.

Qu folded his arms "She's not wrong there, it's why I became a Wayseeker to explore, to adventure to be a jedi people could count on, but that doesn't answer my question?"

Qu cocked a brow, "And you think a Jedi Kingdom will be different, your majesty?" He taunted, "So you turned your back on the rebellion, joined the Militia and have been going through hell because you think you can be better than the Sith Tyrants of old, how?" Ahkilleon grunted and pressed his hands on the bed and pushed himself off his back still ripped up from the whip blood mixing with the bacta strips he moved to stand in front of Qu "I keep moving forward."

Meanwhile up on the bridge the ship was starting to slow down, "Entering into the Slice now My Lord General Steela and the Maverick fleet are engaged, Admiral." Trek said before the Vanguard fleet dropped out of hyperspace and into a massive spacebattle between the Militia and the Empire, the lines had been shattered and the ships were tangled together in a massive navel battle. The arrowhead ike design of the star destroyers against the sleak angled long militia dreadnoughts were above, below and all around one another. Vulture droids and Hawks tangled in with TIE fighters to dogfights. "Evasive action." Admiral Zygote ordered the whole fleet and the vanguard ships began to maneuver out of the way as they broke through the hyperspace barrier. The whole crew heard the sound of the alarm calling them to battle stations.

Down in the medical Tai had returned with Yumi, Corto, Urrde, Fatima, and Kraggen getting ready to assist with the crews medics to be healers. Both Ventus and Terro rolled their shoulders leaving the medical bay to do what they do best, Kraggen and Urrde watched them go looking at one another, an uneasy look in their eyes.

Yumi rolled out a fresh set of sheets on one of the extra beds, her face a little green, "Sister?" Corto asked.

"Good" Lord Asimov said, seeing they were on a collision course with a Star Destroyer to, "My Lord?" Zygote asked.

Aboard the Imperial saw the Shatterpoint heading right their way it's blade like bow aimed at them a spear point to a prize, "Evasive action- evasive action-" "TO LATE!" One bridge crew officer cried as the star destroyers bridge was cleaved in half by the Shatterpoint taking out the destroyer. The whole bridge crew of the shatterpoint let out a triumph cheer as Asimov held up his fist "Send out all fighters, let them know the Vanguard is here!"

Near the center of the first Militia fleet a dreadnought with a flaming winged dalgo decal on it's haul, a hairless equine animal from Onderon that didn't have wings, often used as cavalry. noticed the bold strategy of the new ships. Their dreadnought was just as armored and armed as the Shatterpoint but had a different commander. "General Gererra, the Vanguard have arrived." One of her officers said.

A few seconds before the connection was established, "Shatterpoint this is Pegasus, what the hell are you doing here?"

A hologram of Asimov who had taken the helm of the shatterpoint appeared, the Shatterpoint was cutting a way through the space battle their guns blasting ramming into TIE's and smaller imperial ships as it' cannons opened fire. "General Gerrera, the Slice is the foundry of the Old Confederacy, if it falls we lose our resource basket for our ships and droids."

"What about Serenno, Asimov?" She asked him.

"Serenno is not a priority there, we will reclaim it one day but now we need to reinforce our center." Lord Aismov said.

General Gererra sat in her commander's chair, "Even with your reinforcements the Empire still out numbers us three to one."

"Then it is a fair fight." Lord Asimov said in a husky voice "My fleet is coming around to reinforce your flank." Lord Asimov said and Steela pulled up her holomap to see the Militia in green and the Empire in red, the Vanguard fleet wheeled around the battle field and got behind her ship into a wedge formation in an attempt to split the Empire's forces.

On the other side of the battlefield. Inside the lead Star Destroyer the Admiral leading the attack watched the militia reinforcements arrive, "Admiral Priam we've identified the enemy fleet as the Vanguard." The Admiral a tall slender woman with black hair tied in a bun with fair skin and pale gray eyes, "The Jedi fleet." She looked out at the Shatterpoint that was taking a wild approach between the enemy ships.

"They've reinforced the main fleet Admiral." One of her crew said.

"Adjust position, they are trying a wedge formation, draw them in and we will envelope them with our superior numbers." She ordered her ships, the lines of the battle started to change and reorganize to meet the Militia strategy, "Focus fire on the enemy flagships and send boarding parties we need to disrupt their chain off command, send two our ship to block their course they can take out a bridge but not two full ships."

Trek scanned the ship in nanoseconds, "Boarding pods Admiral, identical to our own droch pods, fifteen all over the ship."

Sigma and Breacher looked at one another, "He'll do."

"Kraggen?" Urrde asked him.

The quarren stood up holding his lightsaber "Come on… they need out there."

"No, we stay and fight." Lord Asimov commanded from the Shatterpoint.

Back aboard Admiral Priam's ship she could see the Militia lines and ships starting to falter "Press the attack, they'll break soon." the Admiral ordered.

"Ahkilleon- what are you doing here?" he snapped looking back, "You need me!" he snapped back.

Admiral Zygote saw him, "Remove this man from the bridge." Zygote ordered.

"We're losing, I can change that!" Ahkilleon shouted, pushing away the first officer who came to him, "Take him away." "Battle meditation- My battle meditaiton!" Ahkillson said over Zygote's orders "Belay that!" Asimov ordered leaving the helm for Trek to take.

He walked up "What did you have in mind Captain?" Lord Asimov asked.

"... My battle meditation, we can use that." Ahkilleon said to him, "You're too weak, have you ever used it on this size?"

The aggression of Ventus and Terro who were scattered across the Shatterpoint fighting tooth and nail to drive the boarding party off.

The focus of the Imperial Pilot in his TIE shooting down Vulture droids.

Fear from Militia regulars bleeding out in the medical bay.

All the way to the Maverick flagship, the Pegasus he could see General Steela Gererra she was the older version of her own daughter Sawyer, but when he tried to influence her courage it was like hitting a brick wall.

He even felt the rush of adrenaline of Kraggen and Urrde who had joined in the ships defense in another hallway near a boarding pod. Kraggen pushed forward with the regulars when one of the stormtroopers started to fall back into the boarding pod. It started to undrill itself from the haul "Fall back- fall back!" the officer in charge of regulars commanded. Kraggen and Urrde ran back to the blast doors when the pod unlatched, creating a vacuum into space sucking out the dead bodies of both sides. Kraggen dove for the blast door and made it before he grabbed Urrde's arm and held her hand. The hole in the ship was sucking out with such force it ripped Urrde out of Kraggen's hand "URRDE" Kraggen shouted before the regulars pulled him back into the room sealing the hallway blast doors "URRDE!" Kraggen screamed banging on the blast doors with his fitness tears running down the Quarrens black eyes.

It was all overwhelming.

He dropped his arm and caught himself on the holotable "I'm sorry it's too much…" he muttered.

"To much alone, but not together Padawan." Lord Asimov said coming up behind him, "The Militia fight as one, open your mind to me apprentice. You focus on rallying our men. I will channel all my power into you, Master and Apprentice." he held up his hand "As one." Ahkilleon took it before he turned around he stood up straight and held his hands up, Asimov reached up with two fingers on each hand stretched out he put them on each side of Ahkilleons head.

A surge of force energy rushed through every inch of his body; he no longer felt the wounds of his back, and when he opened his eyes he saw everything.

These are not imperial garrison troops, these are hardened soldiers and pilots, men of the stars who aren't afraid show them fear.

"Master?" Ahkilleon heard Lord Asimov's voice in his head as he went through this out of body experience. "Yes Master." Ahkilleon said as he opened himself up to the force.

A wave of emotions rose up from the blackness of the stars and hit him, he felt his hair whipped back and his skin ripple from it as the fear, anger, desire to kill, all hit him at once. There we so many stormtroopers and imperial pilots he had find the cracks.

Yes, thats it.

Focus on the need to survive Ahkilleon, let the fear of death fade from our forces and send it to the Empire.

Hearing his Masters words Ahkilleon focused and took away the fear from their own forces before he focused into his own wave of force energy sending into the Imperial lines.

Aboard the bridge, Zygote could see the Imperial ships starting to weakn, the Dreadnoughts were advancing and the imperial TIE's were starting to dwindle "It's… it's working?" He gasped.

"General Gererra press your advance." Admiral Zygote said pushing Trek off the helm and pushing forward even after the ship had been heavily damaged.

Gererra could see it to "Maverick's full attack!"

"Admiral Praim?" one of the officers called out.

"Order all units to… to… retreat- Full Retreat!" the Admiral commanded.

ATOLLON

Chopper Base

"I can handle it." She grunted taking it.

Ezra looked at her with concern, "Everything okay?"

Ezra scratched the back of his neck "I know none of us really talked about it, about 'him' leaving, but do you want to?" he asked, speaking of Ahkilleon without saying his name.

"That's because he's not Ahkilleon, at least not the boy we knew." Kanan explained to them as he rubbed his hands together, "Come on, let's take a break."

"So the Empire's counter attack has begun and the Militia have survived?" Commander Stao said curious with what the future held

"What about the Vanguard fleet?" Hera asked.

Sato's ear perked up "Saw Gererra?"

"No, Steela, his sister, everyone thought she was dead after the Republic liberated Onderon?" Rex said.

Hera held her hands up "Back up, the Foundry?"

Sato looked at it with intrigue "But with the Empire's might, how could they not break through the Militia lines?"

"But leaves other worlds defenseless." Hera said looking at planets like Garos or Serenno.

Hera nodded "Thank you commander." Hera said as the meeting ended.

Rex and Hera walked down the ramp of the command center "So, how did he look?"

"You mean before or after flogging?" Hera asked knowing Rex was talking about Ahkilleon, they all were.

"I swear if I ever get my hands on Asimov-" "Rex, I don't know if we'll ever see him again after this." Hera said as painful as it was to admit.

THE SPLICE

Militia Fleet

After the battle was one, the Maverick and Vanguard fleets were joined in a somber look at the price of victory the dead of both sides floated through the void of space a hundred small rocket b1 battle droids we're flying through the debris to find the bodies of dead Militia pilling them in large death carts to drag back to the ships. The Pegasus flagship of the Maverick fleet pulled alongside the Shatterpoint and a gunship flew over with two Dragoon interceptor escorts before landing in the hanger. Lord Asimov and Ahkilleon stood there with Trek and Commander Sigma awaiting their arrival.

The bays to the gunship opened and General Gerrera walked out with her own staff, she was followed by large gray haired wookiee with militia armor over his fur, and behind her a protocol droid with blue paint. "General Gerrera, the Warlord of the Maverick fleet honors us." Lord Asimov said.

Steela looked at him like he was a cur, "I know of him, so that was his little spell I felt scratching in the back of my head?"

Ahkilleon opened his mouth, "I'm sorry General, I was only trying to help but I couldn't reach you."

"That is because like most of my staff we are trained to protect our minds from…" She look at Asimov's "Jedi mind tricks."

"Battle mediation is no trick, it won the day sending our enemies fleeting into the mid rim, introductions can continue later and return to the med bay to heal Padawan, Commander Sigma make sure he gets there." Lord Asimov ordered, Sigma nodded "Roger, Roger." he gestured over to Breacher who was sitting on a crate who came up beside Ahkilleon and gave a nod

Ahkilleon nodded before he limped off, as he passed other Militia regulars and pilots, they all looked at him, all of them knew they had won because of his battle meditation. The marks on his back a stain of dishonor that would scar and fade had started too. Ahkilleon saw their eyes looking at him as he passed there were a few nods of the soldiers. Salutes from those who were of equal or lower rank as they went into the crowded halls. But then something unexpected happen he heard his name chanted by Lt. Breacher, holding his rifle up he shouted "Ahkilleon!-Ahkilleon!-Ahkilleon!-Ahkilleon!-Ahkilleon!-Ahkilleon!" he stepped forward to raise his arms up for other Militia to join in "Ahkilleon!-Ahkilleon!-Ahkilleon!-Ahkilleon!-Ahkilleon!"

"AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON!"

From the hallways of the interior of the ship, to the echoes of the bridge and engines the crew shouted his name.

In the hangar as Asimov escorted General Steela Gererra through their ship they could hear the chanting, AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON.

"Your men are quite enthralled with the boy." Steela said looking at Asimov who stopped "I often forget you are from the inner rim, Onderon, but you seem to have forgotten In this part of the galaxy, General Gererra, the man who gives victory in battle is prized beyond every other man."

"AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEONAHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON"

As they changed his name across the ship, others were doing their own things, the droids had come back to the ship with their first haul of dead militia, friends had come to sort out their bodies and none more berefed then Kraggen who found Urrde's cold lifeless body frozen from space. He picked her up and carried her all the way back to the medical bay tears to dry to run down his squid face, when the Quarren entered the Medical bay where the others were, Corto was healing a line of men out the door with Tai, Yumi and Fatima assisting when they saw Kraggen holding Urrde's thawed corpse in his arms Fatima screamed behind her veil. Kraggen fell to his knees still holding her body as Fatima fell in front of him holding Urrde's lifeless weequay face her eyes bloodshot from the loss of oxygen lifeless and swollen. In the corner of the room, Terro was wounded in the arm, with Ventus next to him, head bowed exhausted. Tears dripping onto her face, Yumi came over and held Fatima in her arms even as Ahkilleon walked with other soldiers still cheering.

"AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON-AHKILLEON."

He looked down and saw the young jedi gathered around their fallen friend, he looked at Corto who focused on his duty to heal those he could. Tai stood over Yumi and let her mourn with her friends she shot glare at Ahkilleon she didn't say it, but she showed that the fault of this padawan's death was his, maybe not intended but the price victory was alway high even for the glory he had won.

War would always lead to suffering and death.