The War was going well for the Republic. At least thats what the clone and civilian officers kept saying. After the Battle of Coruscant and the abduction of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, I had my doubts about the security of the Republic. Still as I stared out the command bridge of the Victory 1 Star Destroyer New Dawn at the blue lines of hyperspace flying by; I couldn't help but hope that soon this destructive conflict would be over, and that the Jedi could resume their roles as keepers of the peace. It had been nearly two years since I had set foot in the jedi temple. I longed to return to the only place I could ever call home.
Clone Commander Shinning approached me from behind. I sensed his presence as unique from his brothers, he was one of the null batch commandos that were breed to be more independent. This often manifested in null clones questioning authority, but it also made them excellent warriors. Like the Mandolorians of old.
"General" The clone gave a sharp salute as I turned to face him.
"Yes Shinning?" I asked.
"Separatist droid ships have been identified on long range scanners, Battle Group Helios is reporting green across the board to engage."
"How long until we come out of hyperspace?" I asked.
"Fifteen minutes General." He paused then added. "I've heard Raxus has some of the hottest Pazzac tables in the galaxy. Wouldn't mind a go at one of them after this is over."
I held back a laugh but smiled. "Tell you what Shinning if you and your men win this war I'll buy you all a round on the jedi."
"Yes Sir!" He said and then walked the long ramp to the door just as my master Celestia entered the bridge. The clone gave her a hurried salute and met with a pair of other heavily armored commandos as the door slide closed.
Celestia was a Tagruta female of middle age. She had lekku like me, but hers were wildly more colorfully with soft shades of yellow,pink,whites,and blues. Some of the Troopers under her command had painted their helmets and vehicles to resemble the Jedi Master. They had even gone as far as to paint an emblem of the Republic surrounded by a blazing star, on the bottom of the ship after its refit following the Battle of Coruscant. The Destroyer had been among a line of ships that had been instrumental in reinforcing the Open Circle fleet. During the battle it had been damaged by separatist bombers and forced to land, shortly afterwards the Jedi Sentinels had acquired it. Unknown to the Jedi Council, Jedi Sentinel agents had acquired knowledge of a secret hyperspace lane into Separatist space. Much like how they had attacked Coruscant, they were now leading a fleet of over seventy ships on a punch to knock out the Separatist government for good.
"Master" I bowed as Celestia reached me. She looked deep in thought and didnt respond. "Master?"
Celestia looked down at me like she just noticed I was there. "I'm sorry Twilight. I have received.. unnerving news. The Jedi Council has sent Master Kenobi on a mission to assassinate General Grievous." Celestia said stroking her lekku in thought.
"Isnt that good news? He can kill that monster and end this war." Twilight said before she realized.
Celestias eyes looked into hers. She felt in the bond her and her master shared that Celestia knew she was angry.
"Maybe it is Twilight. Only time will tell. But that is not all I have learned. The Supreme Chancellor has made Anakin Skywalker his representative on the jedi Council. The Council agreed; but did not make Skywalker a master." Celestia said staring at the blue waves of hyperspace.
I took a moment to digest that. Never in the history of the Jedi had someone been thrust into The Council by an outside influence. Never had a Jedi sat at the council who had not achieved mastery in The Order. "Why would Palpatine do that?"
"The Chancellor has seen that many enemies of the Republic lie within your precious order." A man in an a grey Admiral uniform said. WIlhuff Tarkin the fleet commander entered the command bridge with a stiff but brisk walk. He stood uncomfortably close as he sized up the jedi. "Surely you have sensed it, the Jedi do not belong in a war."
"I didn't see you stop us when we brought you the hyperspace lanes." Celestia said.
"Make no mistake Master Celestia, the only reason I have allowed this operation to proceed under your supervision is because I have your absolute assurance that the Jedi High Council does not know about this. And I will say, I have quite a distaste for jedi philosophy; but some jedi such as Skywalker and yourself are more reasonable. I doubt however that the rest of the Jedi will feel that way."
"The High Council will find out eventually what we have done. After this war is over I will accept the consequences of what I have done." Celestia said confidently.
Tarkin raised and eyebrow. "You would submit to such sacrifice? Perhaps not all Jedi are the same after all."
A comm tec suddenly sat up from the lowered command centers of the bridge. "Sir! We are about to exit hyperspace into the Raxus system!" He called out.
"Bring quad turbo lasers to bare, ready to launch all fighters from Venator wings. Use our superior firepower to break a hole in their defenses." Tarkin said taking up his position on the bridge while Celestia and I turned to leave. We entered a turbolift that took us to the hanger below the ship. I suddenly got a knot in my stomach that felt like it would rip me apart. I felt Celestia's hand on my shoulder.
"Do not be afraid my faithful student. Feel the force, what does it tell you?" She said.
I closed my eyes and tried to concentrate. "I see... I see. A great Darkness, Like a hole in the force. And waves radiating out from it in all directions." I said. "But there is something else a light in the dark."
Celestia stroked her lekku then placed her hand on my forehead. "I see nothing, The force is as calm as still water. Perhaps it is you who is unbalanced." She said.
"No master, it doesn't come from me. But I can feel it."
Our turbolift suddenly stopped at the hanger bay and I spotted Sunset already in her fighter uniform save for the helmet. Unlike most jedi Celestia had chosen to train two padawans at once. Sunset had been with the Tagruta longer but had yet to reach the aptitude in the force that Twilight had. Being in the Jedi Sentinels it was not as important to be adept in the force as it was to be well rounded. Sunset was a beautiful pilot force sensitivity or not. She carried her lightsaber with her however she preferred to use a blaster when fighting on the ground. For this mission Sunset would be piloting an experimental ETA-2 fighter with significantly ungraded Twin Ion Engines, she would be in charge of Inferno Squad, a sizable group of V-wing interceptors. Sunset told her R2 unit something then walked over to them. She was a young Zabrak with red tinted skin a rare trait among her species. She wore a dark black flight suit that looked like bantha leather. Her lightsaber and blaster were swaying from her hips as she walked over to us.
"So, I see you couldnt stand being in the bridge with that womprat Tarkin any longer" She said.
I smiled but Celestia answered first. "Admiral Tarkin may have his opinions on the Jedi, but he certainly knows how to perform a military action. We're lucky to have someone like that commanding the fleet. Raxus will not be easy to take from the separatists." She said.
"Don't worry Master." Sunset said wiping some grease from her hands on her flight suit. "With you on the ground we got nothing to worry about"
Sunset felt the Ship come out of hyperspace and a moment later was rocked back by forces as she accelerated out of the Dawn's hanger bay. Eight Venators and Six Acclimaters flanked the New Destoryer and they to were pooring fighters out every bay untill a solid screen of fighters was made. Sunset took control and headed for a formation of Arc-170 Starfighters taking up their rear. With her were two dozen Clone pilots in V wing interceptors. "This is Inferno leader, a craft set x foils to attack positions." Sunset said.
In front of them a literal wall of metal. A dozen smaller Munificent class Destroyer ships and a line of four Half circle shaped Lucrehullk carriers spat laser fire at the Star Destroyers. Soon they were Engaged by droid fighters but her ace pilots quickly dispatched them as they tried to fire behind at the Arcs. Two Venators and one Acclimator broke the line and started toward the planet. "All ships be advised we have bombers set on intercept coarse." A clone officer said over general coms.
"Inferno Sqaud lets make some scrap metal!" She shouted and took off towards the hyena droids that were targeting their land invasion ships. She got behind two and took them out in seconds then moved onto the leader which had broken through the laser defenses of one Venator. Instead of unleashing its payload the fighter strafed her fire and struck the bridge directly Causing a massive fireball that made the shields flicker. Sunset realized too late what was happening. One of the Lukrahulk ships had moved above them and was poring out droid fighters and bombers right over them. Inferno Squad managed to intercept most of them but the ones that got through were starting to collapse the shields.
"Change of Plan Inferno. All fighters target That droid carrier's hanger bay, Im gonna do a little boarding action."
"She cant be serious." One of the clones said "Oh shes serious alright. Lets give the General some cover boys!"
Sunsets Modified ETA-2 avoiding the point defense of the large ship easily. Her Squadmates had their x foils down as the raced withen striking distance they opened fire on the hanger shields. Opening up the hanger to the vacuum of space. Droid ships suddenly flung past her as they were sucked out. Inferno Squad followed behind her as the door to the massive hanger bays closed. It wasn't long before she ran out of room. She ejected from the ship and used the force to slow down her decent. She landed in a crouching position and was soon surrounded by her clone sqaudmates who had come in slow enough to land safely. A line of battle droids began to recover from the hanger being vacuumed and began to fire on them. Sunset held her lightsaber in on hand deflecting blaster bolts back, and fired her holdout sidearm into the remaining droids. With the help of her squad they quickly cleared the survivors.
The Clone pilots gathered around her when it was safe. "Well general we're here. Any ideas how to blow this rust bucket?"
"Perhaps a few" Sunset said with a smile.
Celestia sat Cross legged On the floor of the LAAT gunship. The Cabin shook slightly from the laserfire that streaked around them. Through the Force Celestia could feel the violence of the battle. The suffering of her own men, but on the enemies side she sensed nothing. Their droid army was as connected to the force as a rock. Twilight her Padawan somehow found the space to pace in the tight gunship. "Calm yourself Twilight. When those doors open you must be ready."
Twilight stooped and looked embarrassed. Then she sighed. "Im sorry master, I always get jumpy before battles." she said.
"Be mindful of your surroundings, but do not dwell on them. Move through the currents that force presents you." Celestia said.
"I will master." Twilight said. Then she looked down and back up at Celestia. "Do you think this will win the war?" Twilight asked.
Celestia shook her head. "This battle alone will not bring every separatist system back in line, but if Master Kenobi can defeat Grievous and the Separatist high council members can be found and captured.. yes I believe we will achieve victory in this war. But I wonder at what cost."
"Master?"
"Tarkin is right about one thing Twilight the Jedi should of stayed out of this war. We must end this conflict before we truly lose ourselves." Celestia said. She continued to meditate as they speed to the surface of Raxus.
They had been deployed ahead of the main ground invasion to take Sepertist Congressman and current Head of State now that Dooku was dead Bec Wiseman back to the Republic to sign a Peace Accord that would unconditionally surrender the Confederacy of Independent Systems to the Republic Senate.
The LAAT must have hit atmosphere because the engine hum that had been just a quit whisper in the cabin was now almost so loud that Celestia couldn't keep her focus. What was clouding her vision to the true nature of the force? With Skywalker becoming a sort of stand in for the Palpatine Administration on the Jedi Council how long was it before The Chancellor was deciding jedi affairs. The Jedi on Corascant had grown too trusting of Palpatine for her taste. The man played a good character, but Celestia didn't buy it. His actions showed he was at the very least, trying to consolidate his own power. And some of the things he did were so at odds with the Jedi it was a wonder that they didn't despise the man.
It worried her that it was Skywalker too. At one point Celestia had been interested in training the young boy in the ways of the Sentinel, but her offer had been rejected on the basis that she already had a student at the time in Sunset, and that Anakin already had a Master in Obi Wan Kenobi. At the time she had accepted the wisdom of the council without question but when she had rescued Twilight from the Hutt clans of Nar Shadda when she was only an infant she felt something special in the girl that she couldn't ignore. The Force was very strong in Twilight, Her skills with a lightsaber were improving at a rate that only a savant of the force could do. All her free time was spent locked in her quarters reading the sacred archives of the Sentinel libraries; a recording of history all the way back to the Prime Jedi, or at least what survived.
She had mastered levitation, force push, and jumps. But she still lacked the defensive training to really outmatch any adversary. She had never crossed Lightsabers with those taken by the dark side. And she hoped she never did. Celestia suddenly sat up drawing the attention of her apprentice who had started talking to one of the Null clones.
"We are here" She said as a laser blast slammed into the side of the LAAT Tearing the door off in an explosion of heat that singed the Jedi's cloaks. "Hold On! Were going down!" The Pilot shouted in their ears. "Mayday Mayday this is LAAT two six charlie niner, we've been hit by enemy fire and are preparing for emergency landing in the City. We have Jedi Generals down repeat jedi gene-"
Sunset blasted another group of battle droids that rounded the hall at them. Her and Inferno Squad had reached the turbolift that would take them to the bridge. Halfway through the lift stopped dead in its tracks. The Clones looked at each other then at their jedi general before the turbolift suddenly started to descend at incredible speed, Sunset was momentarily thrown off balance before she stood up and cut a hole in the top of the lift. She jumped through and her clones joined her on the roof of the lift and readied grappling hooks to their blasters. Sunset took her own Grapple out and aimed for the nearest door. The hook caught and started to repel her up with the rest of inferno squad. Below them the lift slammed into the bottom of the shaft in a fireball that Sunset could feel the heat from. The rappel took her to door and she quickly jumped out only to be met with a fury of blaster fire from perched Destroyer droids. She quickly pulled out her lightsaber and blocked the shots as her clones rolled droid poppers under and through their shields. A moment later the destroyer droids were disabled and they took off running towards the bridge.
"Next time were taking the stairs general" One of the clones said.
Suddenly he was hit in the face by blaster fire and dropped dead. B2 super battle droids rushed them with their wrist mounted blasters. Sunset felt a surge of anger at the death of her clones and without thinking she reached out with the force and felt a great energy sweep through her whole body and out her finger tips. An arc of luminous energy shot form her hands and into the droids which all spasmed and collapsed to the ground.
Sunset suddenly felt very strange. She looked at her hand where the energy had come from. She thought that they should be hot from the bolts of force energy. But instead her hands felt very cold. Sunset realized what she had just done, She had reached into her hate in a moment of weakness and drawn from the dark side of the force. One of her clones brought her back to reality.
"General we need to keep moving!" He said as a new line of droids began to chase us.
Right, we still had a long way to go to reach the bridge. Still she would have to reflect on what had just happened later.
Tarkin watched the battle unfold like a predator watching its prey. They had Boxed in the Separatists and so far intercepted their fighters before they could reach the Capital ships. But that couldn't last forever with the amount of fighters the Lucrehullks could carry. No. They had to destroy those ships first, but the line of smaller destroyers would make any attempted assault a suicide run. But perhaps that was what was necessary.
"Order Captain Telliot to move to engage those destroyers. Deploy bomber squadrons to preform runs on the targeted destroyer."
Tarkin watched as the Acclimator moved down the line drawing fire from the destroyers. Meanwhile Y-wings bombers bombed the hulls of the distracted ships. One exploded then another until the acclimator's shields could take no more and it was vaporized by the heavy fire. The Y wings destroyed one more destroyer before they were destroyed by droid starfighters. Tarkin silently regreted the loss of men but kept his composure for the sake of the living. They had opened up a hole in the Separatist battle line. He ordered the Capital ships in a arrow head formation and charged.
"Heavy fire to all of our venators. Shields holding but they cant take much more!" An officer shouted.
"Keep up the assault Target those carriers with everything we have." Tarkin said in a calm manner.
A second after they had broken through to engage the giant carriers one of the circular ships suddenly thrust up behind the rest and began to open fire on the other separatist vessels. This must have confused the droid commanders as they momentarily stopped firing all together. Tarkin used this to his advantage and positioned the fleet to broadside the ships. The combined firepower of Tarkin's Fleet and the Lucrehulk that had apparently decided to help the republic forces quickly penetrated their shield and sent them tumbling down to the planet in a fireball of plasma and metal. Any remaining destroyers were picked off by Y-wings free of Starfighter fire.
Tarkin Ordered the fleet to surround the last ship. He considered giving the order to fire when a comm officer sudden sat up to address him. "Sir the Separatist ship is hailing us."
"On Screen." Tarkin said.
A moment later a young Zabrak woman with red skin and a black flight suit appeared on the moniter with two clones on either side of her. "Evening Admiral, You looked like you needed some help." She said indignantly.
Tarkin Did not take the bait but congratulated her instead. "An excellent used of tactics, I shall see too it that your master hears of this."
To his surprise she actually blushed, or what could be considered a blush for her species. "Oh thanks.. But you might not want to include this last part. I kinda cut the main flight control station with my lightsaber while we were taking the bridge. We're losing control of our orbit."
As she said that the ship began to tilt back and start to enter freefall.
"Commander send a shuttle to pick them up immediately." Tarkin said to the the lead clone.
"Thanks we will be in the hanger shortly. Did the ships get through?" Sunset asked.
"The First invasion fleet accomplished your goal. We will construct a perimeter while your master carries out the ground assault. We will not be able to hold out if more reinforcements arrive. Make sure your master accomplishes her objective, or this battle will be pointless." He struck out an accusing finger.
Sunset suddenly was pulled away from the monitor as one of the clones shouted. "They're cutting through the Door General!"
"Lets get the hell off this ship boys. B- line to the hanger lets go!"
A moment later the screen went blank and the transmission ceased. Tarkin looked at the carnage the battle had wrought. They had blasted their way through the heart of the separatists, but it would not hold long without reinforcements. He was taking an awful risk by coming here. But when Sheev had come to him with this plan, there was no way he could refuse. As if summoned by his mere mention Tarkin was informed that the Supreme Chancellor wanted to speak with him. Tarkin went to his ready room to receive the transmission. A dark figure huddled under a cloak stood their towered over Takin's desk.
"Yes my lord." Tarkin said with as straight a posture as possible.
"How goes the battle my old friend." Palpatine said. His voice that of a friendly fatherly figure concerned for his children.
"We have broken through their defenses and have begun the planetary invasion." Tarkin responded with no hint of the pride he felt.
"Gooood Goood. I trust that everything is in order for your true task to be completed." Palpatine said his face folding in a wide smile.
"It will be done."
Twilight Felt the crash before it happened. Through the force she was able to soften the impact. Many of her clone companions were not as fortunate as they were mercilessly slammed against the ground like rag-dolls. When it had finally stopped she was barley conscious, she felt the pain of the others. Their lives being cut out from the force all around her. The smoke that filled the gunship, a rising heat. And the voices, some cried out in pain others barked orders.
She saw her master Celestia limp over to her and before she could say anything the Tagruta had picked her up and carried her out of the wreckage. She set her down next to a pair of clones who were bleeding from shrapnel that had pierced their helmets and embedded into their heads. Twilight had to hold back her disgust as one clone had a metal pipe that was stuck in his forehead. To her surprise the clone was laughing hysterically. "What do you got to be laughing about?" The clone medic said as he gave the injured clone medicine. The laughing clone suddenly stopped long enough to spit out. "Im... Im haha.. Im a Unicorn, becker hahah"
"A what?" The Medic asked confused. But the laughing clone didn't respond. He was dead. "Ah Krayt-Spit" The Medic said before turning to look at her. "You okay Generals?"
"I am fine, my Padawan needs attention." Celestia said.
The medic moved beside her and scanned her once before physically examining her. "You have a Concision mamn. Should be fine, but you shouldn't be on your feet for a while. " He said.
I turned to look at Celestia, through our bond I told her that I wanted to come since my lips did not obey my commands to form words. She felt it, and sent me a calm reassurance that everything would be fine. The force had a plan, and it didn't want them together on this mission. It wasn't good enough for Twilight but its not like she could go anywhere. In the distance she heard blaster fire and the sound of engines. Just then two Venator and one Acclimator star destroyer came down out of the clouds with a storm of starfighters supporting them. They crackled down like thunder unto the Separatist world. Whatever had hit their ship was probably destroyed in the barrage of firepower they rained down. Twilight could feel the pounding of the Turbolasers hitting the ground in her skull and suddenly cried out in pain.
Celestia looked skyward as more LAATs circled their position and landed next to them. Clones hurried off it and began loading the injured. Before it touched the ground Sunset did a jump off of one and ran over to them. "Is Twilight hurt?" She asked her eyes wide.
"Yes, She must rest. The taking of the city is up to you and me now." Celestia said putting her hand on Sunsets Shoulder.
Sunset smiled but still looked sad at seeing Twilight like this. With Celestia's hand still on her shoulder she knelled down next to Twilight and her and placed her hand on Twilight's cheek. "May the force be with you" She said as they both reached out with a force heal. An Ability that Twilight herself struggled with, but that sunset and Celestia seemed to have a natural affinity for. She began to feel the bonds of the force healing her from the inside out. The pain was taken away and she drifted into a deep sleep as they loaded her onto the LAAT.
Sunset Watched the LAAT take Twilight away then met up with the Republic forces that were emerging from the constant stream of troops and vehicles from the Star Destroyers. A column of hulking AT-TE Walkers marched toward the city proper through what felt like a ghost town. All around them garbage and objects strewn everywhere as if the citizenry had dropped everything and ran before they got there. It was good news for the Jedi as this operation was going to be hard enough to justify to the Jedi Council even without collateral damage.
Sunset hated that word. But it was an accurate description of non combatants who were unlucky enough to get in the the way. The Separatists believed they were morally superior for using droids in their armies instead of flesh and blood. Sunset thought that was a cowardly way to fight.
Celestia was using one of the AT-TE as a command center for their forces. When sunset walked into the cabin of the parked walker Celestia and Commander Shinning were looking at a holo-display of the city of Raxus Prime. "I say we take the walkers down the city square use trooper teams to clear the building along the way." Shinning was saying.
"That leaves us too open to attack. A safer route would be the abandoned Aqueduct system under the city. We can enter it from this access tunnel" Celestia pointed to a location on the map.
"With all do respect General if we get attacked down there we will get boxed in. There is no way out." The Null Clone said.
"Its large enough to fit walkers if we take them in single file. When we emerge we will be within striking distance of our target, the force will provide cover for us." Celestia Said.
Sunset saw the clone get frustrated. "Look we're on a timeframe here so we need to decide what to do not sit around meditating on it. I'll follow your orders; but if you lead us into a Firefeking trap then I will personally take you out." Shining said as he stomped off in his armor.
"He doesn't mean that master. A lot of clones died today, that tends to really light a fire in the clones hearts." Sunset said.
Celestia looked at the holo image and faded it out with a wave of her hand. She stepped out of the back of the transport with her apprentice and they both started moving to the position Celestia had indicated earlier. They reached it soon enough. A pipe that opened out onto what used to be a lakebed. Now dry from changes in the planet due to Civilization. Celestia drew her light saber and was the first to enter. Her Saber giving off a bright yellow glow that filled the dark expanse of the void.
"It must run under the whole superstructure to the city" Sunset said looking at the seemingly endless tunnel before them. "Nobody has been here in a long time."
The first walker came in and further lite up the tunnel as Celestia and Sunset lead the battle group into the unknown.
Commander Shining had been right, the Aqueduct was a trap. They were attacked twice not by battle droids, but by flesh and blood Civilians armed with blasters. They hadn't been much of a threat with the Jedi here, but they had managed to destroy the lead ATTE causing the whole column to be stopped while the tried to move it. He was talking to the jedi when he got and urgent alert.
Marked top secret from sector 000. Shining went to the side of the lead ATTE where his null brothers were attempting to move the wreckage. He taped the tiny holo projector and saw the face of the man he had been breed to adore. Only he was changed now. Scared, deformed. But it indeed was the supreme chancellor. His master.
"Commander Shinning.. The Time has come."