Star Wars Rogue Knight - Chapter 10

Part 1

Senate building, Coruscant

My hopes to find more alive Senate guards were dashed when I reached the main guard station for the Eastern part of the building. Its door was blow out and over its twister remain laid the body of a man clad in scorched blue armor. I did not need to be clairvoyant to figure out what had happened to most of the guards. The stench and smoke coming from the room were more than enough.

When I glanced inside I could see pieces of men and armor splattered all over the walls and ceiling. Most of it burned beyond recognition. It looked like a thermal detonator had blown up in the midst of about twenty to thirty people. It was not a pretty sight. The smell was even worse.

So much for that plan. It was time for improvisation. And calling in a couple of thousands clones to clean up the mess. If I was lucky and Palpatine was sealed in the Senate, that would give me few interesting options. But I had a decision to make first – getting out of the Senate and calling in the cavalry will give me free reign to deal with the situation. With the GAR headquarters and the nearby bases hit I was one of the highest ranking officers on Coruscant who could clean up take command of the situation. On the other hand once I left, getting back in could prove problematic. That is if I cared about the welfare of the hostages. However the only value most of them had was as obstacles to Palpy getting even more power.

Decisions, decisions…

=RK=

Skywalker found himself near the rooms where the mainframe of the senate was locate. The door leading to the computer complex slid open and a short, bluish alien sauntered out. The being gave one glance at the Jedi, screeched and darted back inside.

The Jedi turner around and ġrȯȧnėd. Twelve commando droids had sneaked up to him and two of the mercenaries were approaching from the far ends of the corridor. One was a Weequay male armed with a pistol and the other a woman who looked human. She had a sniper rifle levered at him.

“Damn!” grumbled Anakin.

As if his words were a signal the droids opened fire. He had trouble holding his ground under the onslaught. Skywalker deflected most of the blaster bolts and bȧrėly moved from the way of the others. The fact that the commandos were made from better materials than your run of the mill clankers did not help him. In order to disable one of the robots he had to deflect two or three blaster shots in the same area of the damn machines.

Anakin knew that he could not stay at his present position for long. It would take only a single lucky hit or another group of droids showing and he’ll be in real trouble.

The Jedi concentrated and blasted the commandos with a telekinetic wave which threw them off their feet. Only the Weequay and the sniper, who were staying back remained standing. Skywalker deflected few shots at the man who few backwards when they connected with his body. Before Anakin could dart in the opening he had created the door behind him slid open and he felt imminent danger. The Jedi tried to move away but was stopped by few well-placed sniper shots which he was forced to deflect.

Before he could react the small being had jumped on his back and struck him in the neck with something. Skywalker’s world exploded with agony. The last thing he saw before darkness claimed him was a yellow glow.

=RK=

Palpatine glared at the image of the smug bounty hunter suspended over his desk. He was in a bind. He could feel a bunch of droids trying to cut their way in his outer offices. While the fact that most of the senators were hostages was something he could use, Sidious could not permit himself to be caught. That could easily force him in a situation where he must show his powers. Something he was not ready to reveal. The easiest way to avoid that would be for him to ‘cave’ under the demands of that arrogant bastard.

The downside of such an action was that he’ll miss a golden opportunity to dispose of some of his most vocal opponent. Well, he could always spin it in a way as him doing his best to placate the terrorists because of the bio weapon and pretend that he was waiting for the GAR to deal with the issue.

“Senator Taff will carry the necessary papers to the prison where Grievous is held. I am afraid that the Jedi will be most reluctant to release Dooku.”

“Leave them to me.” sneered Bane. “Just sent your friend to take the general.”

=RK=

These days I was supposed to be a general not a common grunt so I decided to act like it. I cut my way through the door of one of the thousands offices spread around the building and made my way through the devoid of life rooms. The thick window which stood in my way of getting shattered when I sliced through it. I frowned at that. I always thought that what happened during the battle between Sidious and Windu in episode 3 was either done for a dramatic effect. You’d think that the windows in the senate building would be made from a sterner stuff… Another point for the lowest bidder I guess. Some things apparently were the same no matter in which universe you were.

I slid down the curved surface of the building and in the last moment jumped off it. After few seconds of free fall I landed on the hull of a freighter that was parked on one of the docking slips of the Senate. That gave me a nice view of a droid manhandling a big blue alien man into a speeder. The man was wearing an expensive looking robes. A senator I think. I frowned. There were a lot of things wrong with that picture.

I hurried down from my vantage point and jumped into a red, two seat air car. I sent a bolt of lightning at its on board computer and used my powers to force start its engine. Then I sped after the robot and the man it was holding hostage while checking my com every few seconds.

Few minutes later I flew out of the jamming field and grinned. It was show time.

“This is General Veil. Commodore Pellaeon report!” I spoke into my com.

=RK=

The bridge crew released a collective sigh of relief when they heard the general’s voice. None more than Gilad who was getting sick from dealing with Rear Admiral Borav Quid – the man who had taken command of the Navy units over the capital after the start of the emergency. How the fool had reached such a rank, the commodore would never know. The man had refused to allow any troops from the fleet to be sent to the planet, which meant that with the virtual neutralization of the bases near the senate (both installations were hugged under their theater shields in an attempt to stem the spread of the bio weapon) the nearest ground ponders that could arrive at the scene of the attacks in force were hours away.

But the Rear Admiral was afraid to do anything without orders from the HQ. The same High Command that was sealed after a bio attack and under heavy jamming preventing communications. So when the General had contacted them, Pellaeon was glad. Technically Veil outranked that toad Quid. The question was if the admiral would and most importantly his subordinates would agree.

The Commodore hurried to give sit rep to his commander, for all it was worth considering how little hard information they got.

“Kriffing bastards!” cursed Veil. “Those attacks were only distractions. There was an attack on the senate. Most of the building is under enemy control. I can confirm that there are dozens and perhaps hundreds commando droids crawling all over the building. Assume that the Chancellor and all senators in there are either dead or under duress. Who is in charge of this clusterfuck?”

“Rear Admiral Quid.” deadpanned Pellaeon. “And as far as we can determine there is no one in command down there. The comms are either jammed or down due to quarantine procedures.”

“By the Force! That at least explains the lack of reaction from GAR units. Listen, Commodore. I am taking command of the situation on the ground. I want you to launch all ground forces you have on board. I want two LAAT’s to vector on my signal and sent the others to establish a perimeter around the senate building. And contact Quid. I want ground forces deployed to contain the situation within the hour. If the idiot gives you any problems patch him to me.”

“Gladly, sir.”

=RK=

Secret prison, Coruscant

I sped up and pointed the air car I had borrowed at the ride which the robot and its captive had used. That had the additional benefit of giving me a nice view of what was happening on the platform. A door in its far end opened and four clones came out. They were escorting a sled filled with clear liquid in which the crippled body of Grievous was floating. I was glad that the RI (republic intelligence) folks were not dumb enough to rebuild that menace. Not that it would have helped the tin can, given the circumstances.

I vaulted out of the car moments before it smashed into the vehicle which my targets used to came here. The sheer kinetic strike send both craft spinning under the platform where they smashed in the side of the building and exploded.

While I was still in the air I drew my lightsaber and delivered a diagonal slash. I landed lightly on the platform and smiled at the clones who had their blasters trailed on me. I deactivated my weapon and glanced at the droid in front of me. It tried to turn its head towards me but that little motion was enough to make it understand that it was finished. The upper part of its torso slid to the ground with metallic clatter.

“Stand down men.” I ordered. My words were given more weight by the two LAAT’s which dropped from the sky and floated over the platform. Their side doors opened and they disgorged 71st platoon.

I walked between the two lines of clones who had snapped to attention after a hissed command from their officer. I stopped in front of the container in which Grievous was floating and beamed when I saw that he was awake and was glaring at me.

“No, my tin friend. You are not leaving so easy. It would be a most impolite thing to do.” I turned to the clone officer. “Commander get that thing back to his cell and lock down this facility. There is still a possibility of Separatist attack.”

“Understood General! I’ll see to it at once, sir!”

I went to the senator and all traces of humor disappeared from my face.

“And take this fellow into custody. He was either under duress or he is a kriffing traitor. When we deal with this mess we’ll have to figure out which.”

“This is commander Rex! The Jedi Temple is under attack! We need reinforcements!”

I shook my head. So much for cannon events. Perhaps it was a good thing that I remembered very few things about the Clone Wars era, so I won’t be lulled in a false sense of security by future knowledge I might take for granted. I was sure that there was no attack on the Temple in this period until Order 66 was called and if that was the case it would not be a clone calling in for reinforcements to help the Jedi.

I glanced in the direction of the Senate and then to where I thought the Temple lied. With which mess should I deal first? I wondered before jumping in the LAAT.

=RK=

Part 2

Jedi Temple, Coruscant

Padawan Ahsoka Tano was cooling her heels in her small room in the temple. Apparently the time she had spent in the presence of Delkatar was deemed a “bad” thing and she was put under intense scrutiny. She was in what amounted to a house arrest as a result. But that was not the worst – many of the older Jedi and even a significant number of her friends were giving her wary glances when they thought she was not looking at them! That was… It was frustrating! What did she do wrong?! It’s not like she had become a murdering Sith like Dooku or that skank Ventress! But did the other Jedi see it that way?

“It’s not fair!” she grumbled quietly.

She jumped from the small bed on which she was sitting cross-legged in a futile attempt to meditate. She simply could not clear her mind and concentrate. It was supposed to be “simple”! Just stuff all your emotions in a tiny mental box, lock it up and throw away the key. And the box while you were at it. Well, it did not work!

Her ordeal had started innocently enough – a strange look here, a whispered word there. Then she was summoned in front of the Council where they interrogated her in excruciating detail about every second she had spent near Delkatar. When she had refuted their thinly veiled claims that he was trying to turn her into a Sith Ahsoka could sense that most of the masters did not believe her. Interestingly enough, with the notable exception of Master Windu none of those who were vying for Delkatar’s blood had even spoken to the man! By what she could gather from their questions they had no evidence that he had done anything wrong. In the past three thousand and six hundred odd years at least.

What she had “overheard” from his conversation with Master Ti did not really count, right? Ahsoka would be the first to claim that torturing those ancient Jedi was anything but acceptable, however if anyone had something approaching a just reason for such action it surely was Veil!

She shook her head ruefully. Won’t this madness end at last?

Her brooding was interrupted by the chiming of the doorbell. Ahsoka looked at the entrance to her humble home and smiled. She could sense Rex outside!

The Padawan hurried to open the door and grinned at the clone who was wearing his armor sans helmet. The man was looking at her with amused expression on his face.

“Commander Tano, I am bringing you ‘requests’ from Generals Skywalker and Veil to attend the Senate hearing which will be held this afternoon. I am here to escort you to the visitor’s chambers of the senate.” he declared in a calm, professional tone.

At hearing that her face was stretched by a huge grin. She summoned her lightsaber which was resting on a table near her bed and eagerly nodded at the clone.

“By all means, commander! Lead the way!”

Rex gave her a very proper salute, spun on the soles of his feet and marched down the corridor as if he was on parade.

Ahsoka followed suit. She carefully wiped the grin from her face and did the best she could to give herself an outwards appearance of serenity. She wondered what stunt, Delkatar was trying to pull off this time.

Minute later both of them heard a frantic call from a republic general on Rex’s com. They looked at each other and ran down the corridor.

They reached the huge hall leading to the main entrance of the temple and Tano heard the roar of forced engines. She looked at the huge, half-closed doors and saw three shuttles heading straight towards the opening.

She stared in the approaching ships with disbelief. The few Padawan and Jedi knights in the huge hall mirrored her reaction. This was the Jedi Temple! No one dared attack it ever since the Sack of Coruscant!

Ahsoka was still staring at the onrushing doom when Rex turned around, grabbed her across the waist and picked her up as if she was a little girl. The trooper ran to the closest row of columns lining the hall and used one of them as a cover. He was just in time because a missile flew through the opened doors and slammed in the ground nearby. The blast wave threw them off their feet under a rain of smoking pieces of marble.

The commander acted on instinct and grabbed Ahsoka again. He dragged her away to another column.

The entry hall shook when the first shuttle battered its way through the gates. Its wings were sheared off but its main body remained intact and it crash landed on the floor. The craft was deadly wounded – it would never fly again on its own but it did its intended purpose. Its passenger survived the crash and the moment the shuttle stopped scrapping along the ground ramps on its sides opened. Its two companions used the whole it battered to fly in mostly intact. They slammed into the ground further along the long hall.

A dazzled Ahsoka could see a young Padawan – no more than twelve trying to running towards an older Jedi who was laying bleeding on the floor near the first craft. The human girl looked up at the shuttle and gasped. Her hands scrambled to grab her lightsaber and yellow blade came to life. She managed to deflect the first six blaster bolts which splashed harmlessly on the armored bulk of the shuttle before a shot slipped through her defense and pierced her right shoulder. She shouted in pain and her arm dropped uselessly. The young girl had a moment of horrified realization before she was torn apart by a hail of blaster fire.

Rex scrambled to his feet and activated the comm built in his left arm-guard. He asked for help but did not hold much hope for reinforcements arriving any time soon. With the bases around the Senate attacked it was clear where the bulk of the Republic forces on the planet would be heading.

He glared at a commando droid which jumped from the first shuttle to crash into the temple. The machine raised its weapon and shot the bleeding Jedi multiple time. The commander drew his pistols and took aim but held his fire. More clankers were exiting the wrecked shuttle. Amongst the machines were two figures wearing black cloaks. One male and the other female judging by the curves of their armors. Those two activated blood red lightsabers and looked up. Six masked Jedi wearing light brown robes and light armor underneath jumped in front of the droids and their leaders. Each of the Order members had a saber staff which when activated revealed short yellow blades.

As if that was their cue, eleven more droids exited the shuttle. They had gray cloaks slung over their right shoulders and force staffs in their arms. The ends of their weapons sparkled wickedly with purple energy.

Beside Rex, Ahsoka shook off the after effects of the explosion that stunned her and jumped on her feet. She activated her lightsaber and moved to join the Temple Guards but the commander grabbed her left hand and shook his head. He pointed at the other two shuttles which had disgorged much more droids and another five men and women brandishing crimson lightsabers.

=RK=

Jedi Temple holding cells, Coruscant

Count Dooku allowed himself a small smile when he heard the subdued sounds of explosions. He knew that his master and the CIS won’t leave him to rot in the Jedi’s clutches. Despite the ancient shackles dampening his power, the former Jedi retained connection to the Force that was strong enough for him to sense what was happening beyond the door of his cell. The surprise of the two Temple Guards who were lounging behind the armored door was a profound source of amusement for him. The taste of their stunned disbelief was like a sip of well-seasoned wine.

“It’s about time.” he muttered when his sėnsɨtɨvė hearing detected the approaching “whoosh” of rocked engines.

That was followed by the “snap-hiss” of activating lightsabers and rapid blaster fire. Dooku’s cell shook and the one armed man had to struggle to remain sitting on the hard bed. He shook his head in an attempt to banish the ringing in his ears caused by the five explosions which rumbled along the corridor where his cell was located.

The Sith could sense the death of one of his prison guards and the agony wracking the other one. That was ended a moment later and he could feel a familiar presence on the other side of the door. So his Acolytes came to his aid.

A minute was spent in silence while the armored door glowed orange and started melting. It was time to leave the Jedi’s dubious hospitality.

=RK=

On the other side of the Temple and few hundred meters down was another cell where Asajj Ventress was stuck. Needless to say the young woman was bored out of her mind. The “interrogation” attempts of the Jedi were bloody useless but at least they were her one source of entertainment. But for more than a week she was left alone with no contact if you discount the opening of a small slit in the door barring her way out from where her meals were delivered. She had to admit that boredom was a better method to force her into revealing information than the sessions she had with the Jedi. Their pathetic attempts to bring her to the light were laughable. Cast off the Dark side? And for what? To become an emotionless drone?

She scoffed at the very thought.

Ventress was in the middle of her daily training regimen – the only thing with which she could fill up her time while stuck in that bland cell when she felt the floor shaking lightly. It was not an earthquake. Not on Coruscant. She grinned like a hungry predator who had just smelled freshly spilled blood.

Suddenly Ventress found herself on the floor when the corridor outside was engulfed by the edge of a massive explosion. She ġrȯȧnėd and spit a mouthful of blood. Asajj had managed to bit the inside of her cheek when she fell. She coughed from the dust that was filling her room and blinked at the door. Something was hissing and burning the armor.

Her boredom was at its end.

=RK=

LAAT Gunship, near a Secret Republic prison, Coruscant

My mind was made up when I felt sudden shock and pain from a weak connection through the Force I did not knew had formed. I could sense the distant presence of Ahsoka from the direction of the Jedi Temple. She was hurt and in danger. Bloody hell! That was a complication that I did not need! Besides I already got an apprentice and she was a bit too young for my tastes to consider her as anything else… besides a friend.

That thought froze me. Its been a long time since Vael had someone who he trusted enough to give such a title. And no matter how much I might have wanted to deny it, I had merged with the echo of the man. His memories, his past, they were mine too. They felt, they were as real to me as my own. I winced. If anyone ever tries to tell you that the Force comes without a lot of strings attached, they are shameless liars.

I called to the pilots.

“Head towards the Jedi Temple.” I turned my attention to the clones who were in the troop compartment with me. “Prepare for battle. I doubt that whoever attacked the Temple has come with something less than what they deem sufficient numbers to at least hold off a lot of Jedi for some time.”

What left unsaid was that if that was anything more than a raid the enemy would most likely have enough troops deployed there to make our contribution irrelevant. But I deemed such an outcome unlikely. The fact that whoever was orchestrating these attacks had tried to have Grievous released meant that the most likely target was the rescue of Dooku and perhaps Ventress.

I activated my com and called for any forces which were not busy cordoning the senate to head towards the Temple. Don’t get me wrong, a bunch of Jedi getting themselves a real taste of war and getting killed in the process was not something awful in my books. But I had an image to create and uphold. When the time to face off with the Jedi Council came I wanted to have the moral high ground amongst other things. Me coming to their rescue would be remembered by the Jedi who were not to far gone thanks to the Order’s indoctrination. Besides I did like the kid. It would be a damn waste if Ahsoka got herself killed.

=RK=

Part 3

Great Hall, Jedi Temple, Coruscant

Rex was trying to pull back Ahsoka who was grimly standing her ground. That delay let them have a front row view of the fate of the six guards.

The commando droids ignored the Jedi and moved away leaving them to their melee armed comrades and the pair of organics with lightsabers of their own. First to attack were the eleven Magna guards who charged the Jedi with their staffs spinning in tight circles around their bodies. They were closely followed by the two Force wielders who reeked of the Dark side. That skirmish was short and vicious.

For the first few seconds the six men held their ground by working as a team. The wave of droids literally bounced from a wall of lightsabers leaving one of their numbers on the ground in a smoking heap. Yet that was only a probing attack. What followed was an all-out charge which was about to overwhelm the Jedi. The two guards in the center of their line used the Force to push away six of their foes. That however bought them just a moment. The droids flied back only couple of meters before being stopped in midair and hurled back at the Jedi. The two Dark Acolytes had waited for something similar to happen before engaging in combat.

This surprised the Jedi who were caught off position in an attempt to overwhelm the remaining robots. That’s when the droids slammed into them, force staffs first. One unfortunate man landed on the ground hard with three of the machines on top of him. Before he could recover, one of the robots grabbed his head in its metal fingers and twisted. The Jedi’s corpse convulsed once and laid still.

Another was a bit luckier if such a term could be used for a Force user. He managed to interpose his weapon between himself and the two droids which hit him. He hissed in pain when the sparkling tip of a force staff connected with his left thɨġh however that was a small price to pay. The droid that hit him on the right side ran head first into his blazing blade. That was one clanker that wouldn’t bother anyone again.

The second one tried to use its machine strength to overpower the Jedi but ended being thrown in the air and met a whirling of yellow blades when it fell.

The last of those three Jedi managed to slice through the waist the droid that collided with him but not before his face was struck by a staff. His mask shattered revealing a middle aged human man who was knocked unconscious.

The other three Temple guards were not that lucky. The man on the left lank of their original line found himself facing four Magna guards who fell on him like berserk uncaring for their own safety. He exchanged a flurry of blows with them while failing back from their unrelenting ȧssault.

Two of the droid attacked him simultaneously from the both sides. He managed to interpose the blades of his saber-staff between their weapons but that pinned him down for a moment. A third of the elite robots landed a crushing blow in the middle of his weapon shattering both it emitters and the Jedi’s right hand. The man’s pained scream was cut short by multiple bone-breaking blows from the other three droids.

On the right flank, the other two Jedi had it much easier. For about five seconds. In that time they were facing a single droid each. The Temple Guards knew that only seconds remained before additional enemies engaged them so they went on the offensive. That caught the droids by surprise and they were forced back under an unrelenting ȧssault. One of the Magna Guards was not fast enough to reposition his staff to parry a diagonal slash and his staff was sliced in two. That was followed with a short upward cut which melted through the lower torso of the machine. While not immediately disabling, the damage slowed it down considerably and the Jedi took the opportunity to cut it to pieces with few precise attacks. His partner was still busy with the other droid when the two Acolytes choose to attack.

They darted from both sides of the robot and struck simultaneously. The Temple Guard managed to throw away the droid with a Force push and met the attack from the right with one of his blades but was not fast enough to intercept the slash from the woman on his left side. He grunted when her crimson saber cut a fiery line through his ċhėst. His legs refused to support his weight and he fell to his knees. He saw a flash of red and the world rolled madly. The Jedi blinked in confusion at a kneeling headless body before his eyes closed for one last time.

Meanwhile Ahsoka was slowly stepping back under the onslaught of multiple commando droids who were shooting rapidly at her. Behind her Rex was returning the favor with his two pistols.

They watched helplessly how the Temple Guards were taken out one after another. It was worse for the Padawan who could feel them dying through the Force.

And they were not alone. Of the thirty odd Padawan and knights in the hall prior to the beginning of the ȧssault only eight were still alive.

The Magna Guards concentrated on the Jedi that had taken out two of their numbers while the Acolytes attacked the last of the Temple Guards. Both battles were over within the seconds. The man facing the droids was simply buried under an avalanche of swinging Force staffs.

The Jedi attacked by his dark counterpart fared a bit better. He was retreating under a rain of slashes and jabs expertly delivered by his opponents until the woman used the Force to pull him towards her. He tried to counter her technique but to his horror found out that he was simply not strong enough.

She sidestepped a desperate attempt by the Jedi to impale her and surged forward. She cut off the left hand of the man at the elbow and sent his staff flying away. In the next moment her fellow Acolyte finished the Jedi by plunging his scarlet blade in his ċhėst.

=RK=

Council Chambers, Jedi Temple, Coruscant

Both Yoda and Windu, the only two Jedi Masters currently on the planet had made their way to the Council Chambers when they felt a strong disturbance in the Force. Unfortunately their sight of the future was even worse than usual so they did not know what to expect besides being aware that it would be bad. For all their experience and supposed wisdom, or perhaps because of it, neither of them could have imagine what was happening. They stared at a holo-image from a security camera showing the Great Hall. What prompted them to check what was happening there? Was the bȧrėly heard sound of explosions and even worse the Jedi deaths they felt?

“Dark day this is.” muttered Yoda.

He had a sad frown on his face and his ears had drooped in a sign of regret.

“Distraction this is.” he said.

Windu nodded. They both sensed Jedi dying from both east and west sides of the Temple – far from the site of the main attack. But where their Sith prisoners were held.

“I’ll go after Dooku. Undoubtedly he is their real target.”

“That you must. Greet our uninvited guests I should.”

Before they left towards their targets they called the young-lings caretakers and ordered them to take the children deeper in the Temple where they should be reasonably secure as well as ordered additional guards sent to protect them as well as the Archives. All other combat ready Jedi were ordered to converge upon the Great Hall.

The Jedi Masters ran in different directions. One who did not know better would be surprised at how fast Yoda moved – by jumping from the floor and walls more often than not.

=RK=

Great Hall, Jedi Temple, Coruscant

If it was not for the Jedi Knights and Padawan joining the battle in constantly increasing numbers, Ahsoka doubted that she or Rex would have lasted much longer. The clone commander was taking cover behind a column and she was holding her ground in front of him, facing a semicircle of commando droids who were trying to shot them to pieces with mechanical precision.

“Hey! ‘Soka!” exclaimed a voice which was all too cheerful considering the circumstances.

A short Mirialan woman sprinted from a side passage and joined Tano in deflecting the storm of blaster bolts. Her midnight blue robes were a stark contrast with the lighter colors that most Jedi preferred to wear.

“You know me, Barriss! It appears that trouble finds me no matter where I am.” Ahsoka chuckled despite their situation.

Which had become grimmer. The two Dark Acolytes noticed them and headed their way. The only silver lining was that the commandos decided to go search for other prey but the remaining Magna Guards from the first shuttle moved their way.

“This is going to be unpleasant.”

“You think?” asked a new, male voice.

The Padawan glanced behind and grinned at the young Mon Calamari male who had joined them. Nahdar Vebb gave the girls a rueful smile and activated his blue lightsaber. The new Jedi Knight – he had been promoted mere weeks ago did looked with disapproval with the six droids marching towards them and their dark masters. The sheer audacity of those CIS people… frustrated him. They had the sheer gal to attack the Jedi Temple itself!

The Jedi Knight strode forward and took position between the Padawan.

=RK=

Part 4

Holding cells, Jedi Temple, Coruscant

The melted remains of the armored door barring Dooku’s cell were hauled out with the Force and the aging Sith saw a brown skinned Zabrak woman on the other side. She gave him once over and looked him in the eyes critically.

“Kadrian. It’s nice to see you again.”

The woman bowed to her master and walked towards him. He waved with the stump of his left arm at the metal belt to which his remaining hand was chained and his part-time bodyguard cut through his bindings with her blade.

Dooku stood up and stretched. Once the artifact binding his powers was sliced open he could again bathe in the full presence of the Force. Suddenly he looked a decade younger.

Kadrian retrieved a curved lightsaber from her belt and respectfully presented it to his master who gave her an approving nod and retrieved the weapon. It was one of his spare sabers which he kept in his various strongholds.

“We need to leave, master. Unfortunately we do not have the forces at hand to deal with the Jedi today.”

“Indeed. We’ll have our vengeance another day.”

They hurried away escorted by four bounty hunters wearing mandalorian style armors and two squads of commando droids. However when they exited the prison wing the Separatists ran headlong into a single man.

The vanguard which consisted by six droids opened fire. Their shots were intercepted by purple lightsaber blade which reflected them back at them. The man threw his cloak at a pair of the commandos obscuring their vision for a moment. He moved much faster than a human should be able to and cut off the heads of two machines with single sweeping strike. The Jedi used telekinesis to hurl another pair at nearby wall from which they bounced with godawful clatter.

In the next moment he was upon the last two droids which were still trying to shoot him. He deflected a blaster bolt at the weapon of the one that was further away and slashed through the ċhėst of the closer robot. He pulled the second one to him and impaled it on his saber. The Jedi discarded the destroyed droid and turned to the Sith and his Acolyte.

“Count Dooku.” the black man hissed the Sith’s name. “You won’t escape.”

“Is that so, Master Windu? Your anger is plain for all to see. That’s not the Jedi way, is it?” taunted Dooku.

The Count and Say activated their crimson blades and charged the Jedi Master.

=RK=

East Ball Room, Senate Building, Coruscant

Anakin came back to the land of the living feeling cramps all over his body. He blinked owlishly trying to figure out where he was. On the bright side he found out that his head was in Padme’s ŀȧp. That was the only good news. He looked around and saw a bunch of Senators with few aides. They were all gathered in the center of a large, round room. Around them he could see a cage made of visible laser beams which emanated from charges placed on the walls around them.

“What did I miss?” he quipped at his wife who looked at him with relief in her eyes.

“That your Chancellor does not value your lives.” Bane deadpanned.

The bounty hunter had tried to contact the droid he sent to retrieve Grievous but for the last few minutes that was unsuccessful. He drew one of his blaster pistols and shot couple of senators in the head. The rest of the politicians huddled together like a herd of scared cattle. All but that pretty senator from Naboo who was tending to Skywalker. Bane smirked and aimed his gun between the woman’s eyes.

The Jedi jumped on his feet and shielded her with his body. Bane’s hand twitched and he pressed the trigger.

“Anakin!” shouted Padme.

=RK=

LAAT en route to the Jedi Temple/ Great Hall, Jedi Temple, Coruscant

We were minutes away from the battle and I was treated with something I dreaded. It was a surreal experience – like being in two places at the same time. On one hand I was in the hold of the gunship and was looking outside at the space-scrapers flashing by us. Yet, through my connection with Ahsoka, I perceived what was happening in the Temple. It was like the nightmarish memories of Veil on Shili. I could only helplessly watch what was happening.

In the Great Hall Rex opened fire on the advancing Magna Guards as the Jedi charged them. He was able to hit few times the rightmost droid in the head but that only slowed it down.

The Mon Calamari Jedi twirled his saber in his hands and struck it in the ground. A wave of telekinetic energy flew from his blade and moved under the droids then exploded upwards. The Magna Guards were thrown straight in the air.

Ahsoka and Barriss jumped at the momentarily helpless droids but were intercepted by the two Acolytes. Nahdar let the Padawan to face the Dark Jedi for the time being and he jumped at the closest airborne robot. He sliced the machine in two and before landing threw his lightsaber at another.

Rex used this opportunity to unload shot after shot at the momentarily disabled Magna Guards and managed to take out one of the droids.

The machines crashed on the ground and before they could recover, Vebb and Rex were upon them. Concentrated blaster fire destroyed another droid leaving the last two to face the male Jedi. They were behind the rest of the combatants so the clone commander did not have a good shot at them.

Barriss was holding her own against the male Acolyte but Ahsoka was not so fortunate. The woman she was facing was something else. There was no sight of the furious attacks which the Padawan had expected thanks to her encounters with Ventress. Instead she was facing cold and calculated precision. Every movement the female she was fighting with made was measured and economic. The only reason why Tano was not falling back in front of the woman was because the Dark Jedi was not advancing but content to probe Asoka’s defenses and take her measure.

The woman was using a Makashi form which she had modified to suit her own mindset.

On the other side of the hall the tide of battle suddenly turned. The advance of the droids and their few Dark Jedi leaders was stopped cold when a small, green figure jumped from one of the upper floors.

Yoda landed on the ground and his lightsaber flew from his belt to his outstretched right hand. He frowned at the carnage that littered his Temple. His ears drooped in regret. He had failed his people. For a second time the Sith had waltzed in the Jedi Temple without a care in the world.

To his left a young Padawan was fighting in a desperate attempt to shield his fallen master but was hard pressed to survive against two droids using force staffs. For a brief second anger flashed through the ancient eyes of the Jedi’s Grandmaster before being beaten back and locked away. The two Magna Guards crumbled to the floor smashed to pieces. It was like a careless giant stepped on and flattened the machines.

Yoda gave a small nod to the Twi’lek Padawan and jumped in the fray. He was an emerald blur which moved from droid to droid, leaving machines destroyed by precise strikes behind. The frantic efforts of the commandos to shoot him down had no effect. They either missed the small ball of mayhem or their shots were expertly directed back to the sender. Only the Magna Guards lasted a moment or two longer because they were simply a bit sturdier and Yoda was not about to exhaust himself when he did not know if those were the only forces he’ll have to face that day so he did not go all out.

He had turned over a thirty droids into scrap metal when two of the Dark Jedi darted in his way. The look of determination on the small Jedi’s face never wavered and he jumped at his new attackers.

Yoda parried a slash by one and rolled over a sweeping strike from the other. Before landing for a split second he tried to cut the left side of one of his adversaries but the man managed to interpose his saber in front of the attack. The Jedi touched the ground and slashed at the legs of the same man only to be forced to jump away from an overhead strike by the other. While in midair he pulled his first target towards him with a telekinetic force and landed on the unfortunate man’s shoulder. His emerald blade was buried in the Dark Jedi’s mask.

He jumped up when a horizontal strike aimed at him decapitated the dead man. Yoda parried another slash and went on the offensive. He was jumping and spinning around the remaining fallen Jedi who was desperately trying to parry or avoid slashes coming from all sides.

The man had to jump when Yoda found himself at his feet and tried to cut him off at the knees. The Grandmaster grabbed the airborne man in a solid Force grip and slammed him in the ground hard enough to crack the marble. The broken man expired with a lightsaber blade struck through the top of his head.

Yoda rolled between a pair of commando droids who were taking pot shots at his Jedi, jumped up and took their heads with a single strike. From the height of his brief flight he saw a sight that made his eyes widen.

Ever since they felt Master Yoda joining the fight the Jedi were heartened and fought with redoubled efforts. Nahar, with the help of a lucky shot by Rex was able to deal with another of the Magna Guards leaving him only one as an obstacle to helping the Padawan.

That’s when everything went wrong for the Jedi.

Rex was trying to find a clear shot to the remaining droid. He was not about to send blaster bolts where Ahsoka and her friend were engaged with the Sith. A stray shot there could end deflected at anyone.

The commander sensed something from behind him and tried to roll away but an invisible force slammed in his side and send him flying at a nearby column. He struck the hard stone with a grunt of pain. He felt a rib or two snapping in his right side. Rex frantically searched for his pistols which he had dropped but before finding his weapons an armored foot slammed in his left side and sent him back at the column. He looked up and found himself starring at the barrel of a heavy blaster held by a man in a gray mandalorian armor.

“Don’t.” grunted the warrior who had him at gunpoint.

Rex glanced to the battle between the Jedi and his heart froze. Another enemy had stalked up to them unnoticed.

Ventress was upon the Padawan like a Fury. The girls sensed her in the last moment but could hardly disengage from their opponents in order to face her.

Barriss was the one to feel her wrath. The young Jedi stepped back so she could face both the enemy she was engaging and the onrushing Sith. She looked grimly at her new enemy and prepared to defend herself. However moments later she found out that Ventress was on another level altogether from the man she was facing. And the female Sith was pissed off.

Despite that the young Mirialan managed to hold off both of them for few seconds. Their blades moved too fast for ordinary human eyes to follow as they clashed in a short and lethal union. Barriss deflected a slash that would have cut off her left hand and would have demolished her heart but was not fast enough to defend herself from Asajj’s next attack. The Sith woman darted forward and plunged her scarlet blade in the Jedi’s gut.

“Tano, stand down or your friend is finished!” growled Ventress.

Ahsoka shouted Offee’s name and tried to run to her aid but was stopped cold by he own opponent. The female Acolyte used the distraction to swipe at the Padawan’s saber arm and left a deep burned scar on it.

Skywalker’s apprentice shouted in pain and surprise before finding herself on the ground after being kicked in the back of her knees. She tried to stand up but froze when a hand snaked around her and a crimson lightsaber blade was activated centimeter from her throat.

“That’s quite enough, Jedi. Drop your weapon or the girls die.” Ventress ordered the Mon Calamari male who had just disposed of the last Magna Guard.

Vebb glared at the Sith but after seeing the condition of the Padawan nodded sullenly and deactivated his lightsaber. He glared at the Dark Jedi and let his weapon fall to the ground.

Nahdar cursed when he was yanked hard by a Force pull and found himself lying on the ground next to Barriss who was clutching her abdomen and mȯȧning quietly. Ahsoka grunted when she was thrown to nearby on the floor and the woman who had kept her at lightsaber point turned around and spoke through a voice amplifier. She could be heard over the rumbling sounds of the battle.

“Master Yoda, unless you want to see more of your Jedi die, you will stand down now!”

As if those words were a predefined signal, the droids and remaining Acolyte’s disengaged and jumped back from their enemies.

The Grandmaster of the Order stared at the Dark Jedi who apparently led this attack. The woman nodded at one of her men who raised his red lightsaber over the prone form of Ahsoka Tano.

“Drop your weapons now or more of you will die!” she nodded at the Acolyte.

Many of the Jedi in the great hall could see how the Dark Jedi’s lightsaber arched towards the young Togruta who was laying stunned on the ground.

“Not again!” I hissed through clenched teeth.

We were close, damn it! Only twenty more seconds and the LAATs could fly straight through the demolished doors of the temple!

My right hand shook while gripping a handhold so hard that the metal under my fingers ġrȯȧnėd. I could see through Asoka’s unfocused eyes the crimson blade falling for the kill.

=RK=

Part 5

East Ball Room, Senate Building, Coruscant

Anakin did not flinch when the blaster bolt flew centimeters from his side and hit Senator Ben Iblis in the stomach. However he stiffened when a scared Padme shouted his name and engulfed him in a frantic embrace from behind. Her hand were busy roaming all over his front searching for injury before it dawned to her that he was not hurt and she compose herself.

Skywalker glared at the smirking cutthroat who had sheathed his blaster and was grinning at them. If eyes could kill, Bane would be a stream of scattered atoms by now.

The Jedi could feel his anger and fear bubbling in him, trying to gain control. The whispers of the Dark side which was out there, just waiting for him to reach for her was not doing anything good for his state of mind.

Before meeting Veil, Anakin would have tried to suppress his anger, put it in a small box and lock it away. To disregard the dragon which lived deep within his heart. There is no emotion only peace. Riiight…

‘Try telling that to my anger.’ he mentally snorted. His feeling were real. Not something that could be simply disregarded or discarded. All the wonderful ones. And those leading to a particular kind of madness and self-destruction.

For first time in his life, instead of trying to deal with his emotions the Jedi way, which had never worked for him (see the Wife who was embracing him from behind) or stumble in the dark grasping for a way to deal with his feelings he decided to do something different. Anakin followed an advice given to him by Delkatar and let the anger flow through him. Instead of fighting it all the way, Skywalker channeled his emotions. Used them with a purpose.

For a moment he saw red and was terrified. If it was not for Padme holding him and her presence acting as an anchor he probably would have lost it and went berserk just like that time on Tatooine. But she grounded him and give him the strength to rally himself so he won’t be controlled by his anger which was about to turn into pure fury.

Just as fast it had come, the perceived lack of control was gone and he was in charge again. Ah. Yeah. Suddenly Anakin felt the need to bash his head into the nearest flat surface. Delkatar had warned him not to try this stunt for the first time without someone to monitor him because after a life when he was trying to suppress his feelings they might overwhelm him if he let his emotions run mostly free.

He let those thoughts go. This was not the place or time for self-blame. Padme was here and was in danger. That was the important thing.

Anakin looked around the ball room with new eyes. He could feel the Force rushing through him like an unchained river which until now had been barred by a damn which was no longer there. Its rejuvenating power coursed through his veins and he felt more powerful than ever before.

His eyes stopped at each of the charges and the laser emitters attached to them which created a crimson spider web around him and the Senators. His glanced at the two dozen commando droids surrounding them and the few bounty hunters lounging around Bane. How was he going to get his wife and preferably the senators too, from this mess?!

=RK=

Near the holding cells, Jedi Temple, Coruscant

Dooku and Kadrian separated, moving to flank the Jedi Master. That gave a clear firing lane to the bounty hunters and the remaining droids, two of which were Magna Guards—the only survivors of a group which had dealt with a bunch of Jedi who had tried to reinforce the prison guards. The remaining commando droids placed their blasters on clamps built in their backs and drew vibroblades. Both machines and bounty hunters waited for a sign to attack.

The Force users looked at each other for a moment then they exploded in action. Windu sent a wave of Force energy at the woman staggering her in the middle of her charge and turned to his left side where he met the former Jedi turned Sith Lord head on. Purple and crimson blades crashed with tremendous force and Dooku was forced to step back in an attempt to keep his balance. His missing arm not only halved the power with which he could swing his blade. It also disrupted the balance of his body and would take him time and training to become accustomed to it. Or to the changes a prosthetic would bring. What was worse in his opinion was the slightly diminished connection he had with the Force because of his lost limb.

So the first clash of blades was enough for the Count to conclude that he won’t be able to win a one on one battle with Mace. It was fortunate that he did not have to face the Jedi Master alone. Windu was forced to jump back and to the left to avoid being attacked from behind by Kadrian, whose blade swept through the position where the black man stood.

Dooku sent a concentrated lance of telekinetic energy at his former comrade who was surging at Say’s flank. Windu blocked the attack by creating a half dome of Force energy in front of him before the spear of invisible power slammed into him. A whoosh of displaced air could be heard. The clash of energies could be actually seen as attack and shield collided. Mace remained unharmed but his charge at the Zabrak woman was disrupted and she could recover from her failed attempt to slash him in the back.

Windu faced the two Sith who moved in tandem leaving enough distance between themselves so they did not get in the way of each other – a typical mistake of people who had not trained to fight as a team.

On the Jedi’s left, Dooku was advancing behind his stabbing lightsaber which he used as a rapier. In his current condition the old man had no intention to enter a contest of strength with his younger and hale adversary. On the right, Mace was confronted by the powerful strikes and slashed which were emblematic for the Djem So form.

For all his skill with lightsaber, Windu was hard pressed to defend himself when confronted by this two radically different styles at the same time. In order to counter the woman he had to place significant strength behind his parries and strikes which slowed him down a bit. Dooku’s insistent attempts to skewer him required different approach… unless he could concentrate only on the traitor. The matter was not made easier by the inherently offensive nature of his own Vaapad style. Windu could not cut loose against those two. Not when he had to keep them between himself and their kriffing droids or risk to either be shot/stabbed or bludgeoned and shocked.

He glanced at the bounty hunters. At least two of those had flamethrowers mounted on their arm-guards. Or fired. Where were the other the Jedi? He was definitely not above asking for help when he needed it. When all was said and done, neither the Order nor the Republic had much use for dead heroes. Not that he saw himself as such. Windu had always done what he believed right for the people he was responsible for. As a Jedi Master that included most if not all other Jedi and the Republic as a whole. That’s why he had to stop Dooku from escaping. He was a former Jedi who was a living proof that letting people leave the Order and go on their own was a monumental mistake for which everyone was paying even before the end of the war.

The only thing he felt towards a man he once saw as a kind of a mentor was pity. And determination to stop him at all costs.

The Jedi Master’s thoughts ran in similar way as far as that other Sith was concerned. Windu did not know what games Veil was playing but that man had to be stopped. He felt it in his bones. If Veil was left to his own devices the Order as it was now would cease to exist replaced by some kind of abomination molded by the ideals of that monster. He had seen the records from the Great War all those eons ago. The murdered and tortured Jedi. Shattered Republic fleets. Whole worlds burned from order by that man’s command. Mace shuddered to think what would have happened if Veil was not catapulted to the future. That Sith was a special kind of monster. Even worse than most common animals with who he shared name. Veil and Dooku were the greatest danger the Jedi and the Republic faced in millennia. It was not only their skills as battlefield commanders. Far from it. Their ability to use honeyed words to corrupt their enemies as well as their patience – that was the true threat that they represented.

It was a danger that the Republic and unfortunately a lot of young Jedi, both Padawan and Knights were not ready to face. Left unchecked those two could shatter the integrity of the Order and the Republic it had to protect without firing a shot. Their words were poison which would find all too many receptive ears.

Indeed, who would balk when one of those two offered a much easier and faster path to master the Force? It will be a lie but the Dark side is insidious. It confuses the mind and blinds. The power it confers in the short term is a mere hook, a tool which uses to twist a person until no one could recognize him anymore.

He was present for Tano’s report and immediately saw the danger. The poor girl was unwittingly walking towards a path that will destroy her. Damn that man! He was openly corrupting young Jedi and right now was untouchable! Those blind fools who had never brushed with the dark side – both the Senators and the countless masses could never understand why a Jedi needed to cast off his feelings! Emotion was the greatest enemy to a Force sėnsɨtɨvė! It left you open to the predations of the Dark side!

But those who did not know the Force simply could not see it that way. For them feeling emotions was the natural thing. So in the court of public opinion Veil would be a winner as long as he was careful and did not show his true face.

Windu ducked under a swipe from the woman that nearly took off the top of his head and deflected to the side a stab from Dooku. Getting distracted in the middle of combat almost got him killed!

Mace was still kneeling when he staggered under a powerful downwards strike from the woman. Dooku was moving to attack him again and he was in a bad position. Windu twisted his wrists to change the angle in which his and Kadrian sabers were locked and rolled to the right. His left leg snapped along the ground and he kicked the woman’s feet from under her.

The Jedi Master was bȧrėly able to stand up when Dooku jumped over the prone form of Say and slashed at Mace. Windu parried and went on the offensive seeing probably the only opening he was going to get in this battle.

He surged forward with his purple blade dancing in an unpredictable manner. With every strike he was battering at the unsteady guard of Dooku and forcing the old man to retreat. The Vaapad master saw his opportunity and unleashed his deadly style. He let the Force fly through him and siphoned the dark side derived energies surrounding his opponents like cloaks.

Only the Count’s excellent footwork and decades of experience permitted him to remain millimeters away from the purple blade seeking a piece of his flesh. Kadrian’s attempts to counterattack and break up the Jedi’s momentum turned out to be unsuccessful. Windu moved like a storm front, keeping the Sith between himself and the droids, and bounty hunters. Every time when Say tried to flank him he maneuvered in such a way as to mitigate any advantage she would have gained or used brute Force attacks to keep her close to Dooku. Ironically enough, despite being the least experienced of the three combatants, thanks to her preferred style, Kadrian was the one better suited to face Mace’s powerful attacks. But considering that Windu resembled more a whirlwind of purple blades than a man at that time it was largely irrelevant.

“Enemy reinforcements just entered the Temple. Veil is on one of the LAAT’s!” the comms worn by the bounty hunters came to life with the voice of one of the scouts watching for the Republic’s response.

Dooku swore and nodded at the mercenaries and the droids. It was time to leave.

The Sith wasted a moment pondering the look of anger that flashed over Windu’s face when he heard about Veil’s arrival. So at least the good Jedi Master was not on good terms with the Republic’s rising star. That was a useful information to have.

Dooku’s lightsaber was battered away leaving him open for attack but before the purple blade could cut into his side, Kadrian’s weapon intercepted the attack. Then the two Magna Guards were upon Windu followed by the commandos.

The old man breathed a sigh of relief. He summoned his lightsaber from the ground and followed the bounty hunters who waved him to hurry up.

Windu used a massive wave of Force to throw the droids out of his way and jumped after the running Sith only to have to scramble back when four flamethrowers bathed his way with hellfire. Before the bounty hunters stopped feeding the wall of fire the droids were back on their feet and fell on Mace like a pack of starving dogs. The Jedi Master raised his blade over his head and charged the machines.

=RK=

Great Hall, Jedi Temple, Coruscant

Yoda glared at the Dark Jedi who had three of his people on their “mercy”. A concept that those fallen to the Dark side lacked. Two of the Acolytes were blocking his way. He could easily blow through them but not in tame to save young Ahsoka. Or his other two Jedi.

The lull in the battle gave an opportunity to most people present in the hall to watch the unfolding tragedy. The Grandmaster fought the urge to look away. Ahsoka was another child he had failed. Just like all other Jedi lying dead in the hall. This was the one building in the galaxy where his people should have been safe!

The ancient being’s eyes widened. He could see it through the Force moment before it happen. So he acted.

The two Dark Jedi facing him were blown away like a twigs on the way of a hurricane as well as the droids who were nearby and could stop him.

Nahdar used the Force to reinforce his body to the breaking point and beyond. He knew that any direct attack would be sensed and stopped before it could do anything so he went another way. He moved like a blur and was over Ahsoka before the crimson lightsaber was halfway down. The attempt of Ventress to throw him out of his way with the telekinesis splashed over the energy surrounding his body.

He was in front of the swinging lightsaber and made a pushing motion with his arms discharging the Force he had gathered. He could feel the power racing to his hands and smiled.

The Mon Calamari blinked in confusion when he felt the Force dissipating with only a fraction of it pushing the Dark Jedi stumbling a couple of steps back. Something caught his attention and he looked to the right. The masked woman had her saber arm outstretched and her weapon was not in sight.

Nahdar looked down and his smile became sad. There was a still active lightsaber sticking to his right side. Vebb had a moment to wonder why it did not hurt before slowly toppling to the ground like a centuries old tree.

Asoka’s sight cleared and in front of her horrified gaze the spark of life departed Nahdar’s eyes. She was oblivious to the man who had tried to execute her actions.

He snarled and jumped forward ready to impale her on his blade. The shocked Padawan felt a tug and was hastily pulled away from the descending blade which stabbed the marble floor.

That was the last help Yoda could give her because he was attacked by a mixed group of Magna Guards and commando droids. One of the Dark Jedi he had thrown away had recovered enough to join the fun.

“You should have stood down, Jedi.” muttered the masked woman. She made an intricate motion with her left hand and Ahsoka froze where she stood. She could feel a cocoon of Force which felt sickly sweet, twisted around her body preventing her from moving.

The masked man stood up and walker towards her.

“Third time is the charm, little Jedi. You are out of luck.”

Ahsoka frantically grabbed at the Force with all her will. She was desperately trying to either free herself form this captivity or somehow stop the Dark Jedi.

Her blue eyes widened in fright when his blade arched towards her head for the third time.

=RK=

LAAT gunship, Jedi Temple, Coruscant

I could kiss both that brave boy who sacrificed himself to protect Ahsoka and the little green troll who was dealing havoc upon the CIS forces in the temple.

That thought flashed over the rage I was feeling. With every close call Ahsoka had while I was helpless to help her fed my fury. If I had a mirror I bet that my eyes right then would have been sickly yellow.

The LAAT flew through the smoking remains of the main temple gates. Moments later I used the Force to propel myself forward. I threw my lightsaber and used my mind to guide its flight. It ignited in midair with its crimson blade emanating the blood-thirst I felt towards those who dared to hurt Ahsoka.

I am not really sure how or when it happened, but there was a part of my mind that saw in her something of the person my unborn daughter could become. I had not thought about the way I felt about her. The only way I could describe it at the time was a strong affection and over-protectiveness akin to something you could feel towards a younger sibling. The fledgling Force connection only made those dormant feelings stronger.

It was an excellent food for my fury.

After I jumped from the LAAT the world moved in slow motion. I could see my lightsaber spinning lazily in the air, Ventress who was oh so slowly moving towards a female Jedi laying on the ground and a masked woman who was turning towards the gunships.

I twisted midflight so I could land on my feet while I gathered Force fueled lightning in my left palm. My lightsaber hit the blade of the man trying to cut down Ahsoka mid-swing with enough force to push back his weapon and make him stumble a step back.

My armored boots hit the ground hard and sent a pulse of force energy which collided with the two female Dark Jedi. They were thrown off their feet but managed to use their powers to land safely few meters away. The man was not so lucky. I sent a torrent of lightning at the bastard trying his best to kill Ahsoka. A part of my brain noted that she was kept in Force induced stasis and filed that tidbit of information for later digestion. I was too busy frying an idiot who wanted to be Sith without knowing what that truly was and guiding my lightsaber back to my outstretched right hand. The screams of the masked man was music to my ears.

If it was not for the bloody single-mindedness of the droids all combat in the great hall would have stopped. I could feel the shock of both the Jedi and their darker brethren at what they felt from me. I was drinking deeply from the Dark side and channeling it in a way only a True Sith could. From my position its icy tendrils were spreading through the Great Hall. And the screams of the man under my lightning ȧssault were rising high over the din of battle. What I used on him was not my battle version. Oh, not at all. I was not feeling particularly merciful. It was the standard Sith lightning attack that was made for torture.

The man was suspended in the air with dark blue bolts of electricity arching through his body and grounding in the floor. I pushed more juice through my attack and he was pushed backwards. The Dark Jedi slammed hard in a column pockmarked by blaster fire and his smoking body lay still when it hit the ground.

I gave a slight nod to Ahsoka who was still paralyzed and walked towards her until I was between the young Togruta and the two females who probably thought they were Sith. Heh. What a joke.

“Ventress.” I my voice hissed in a tone I did not immediately recognize. “It was foolish of you to participate in this… mistake.” I muttered. Now it clicked. It was I’ve heard only in my memories. That of Darth Vael.

I fixed Asajj with an icy glare.

“Foolish children bumping in the night. I can see it in your stance. The way you move. And in your eyes. “I smirked. “You do not even comprehend what you are trying to emulate.”

She glared fiercely at me.

“I am Sith!” she shouted but made no move to attack. I could see it plainly. The strong aura of darkness that I had shrouded around myself like a common cloak was terrifying her as well as drawing her in. And she did not know how to react.

“Nonsense.” I snorted in response. “Girl, you bȧrėly qualify as a Dark Jedi.” I pointed my ignited lightsaber at her. “You do not know the full power of the Force. All I’ve seen you do is surrender to the Dark side like a common thug. Where is your pride, woman? All I see are ignorant children who thing that being slaves to the Dark side is what mean to be a Sith! You are a bunch of blind fools!” My voice was gaining strength with each word until it was a dull roar echoing throughout the Great Hall.

I glared at the women.

“You want to a be Sith? I will educate you! It’s time to learn what means to face a True Sith. It will hurt. A lot.” A sinister smile stretched my lips.

I gathered upon myself the Dark side energies I was letting loose around me like a mantle and surged forward. Living shadows clung around me like a cloak which chilled the blood of everyone looking at me.