//------------------------------// // Crisis on Coruscant II // Story: Commander Thorn in Equestria. // by SolidArc5542 //------------------------------// "You must realize, you are doomed!" "Oh I don't think so." Obi-Wan Kenobi, sharing a final 'civilized' conversation with General Grievous, before the start of their final fight. -------- "What are you doing?!" Fox asked, shocked at the scene that had just unfolded in front of him. The Senate Commando known as 'Blaze' had shot his partner, another Senate Commando for crying out loud! Fox rushed towards Blaze, but stopped when Blaze aimed his weapon at him. "Easy there." Fox said while holding his hands up. "No need to get this office dirty." "Commander, please step out of the way, I don't want to hurt you." Blaze threatened. "You're a Clone, I know because of your voice." Fox said while slowly walking towards Blaze, his hands still raised. "Don't move!" Blaze ordered. "Alright." Fox said while putting his hands behind his head. "See, not moving." "Step out of the way, I have unfinished business with The Chancellor." Blaze said while walking towards Fox, his DC-15s carbine rifle still aimed at the Clone Commander. "I can't let you hurt The Chancellor." Fox said, he firmly stood his ground and put his hands behind his back, unbeknownst to Blaze, activating his commlink while doing so. "Hurt The Chancellor?" Blaze repeated. "It's The Chancellor who's hurting us Clones!" Blaze said. "What are you talking about?" Fox asked. "You wouldn't understand." Blaze said while walking past Fox. "You're a traitor, and traitors need to be dealt with." Fox retorted. "I've been dealt with before, but survived." Blaze said in a grim tone. Fox turned around. "What do you mean?" Blaze ran towards The Chancellor, he ran over the desk and grabbed him by his collar. "Unhand me at once!" The Chancellor ordered. Blaze jabbed him in his side, making The Chancellor gasp for air. "Chancellor!" Fox exclaimed. "Stay where you are!" Blaze ordered, aiming his blaster at Fox. "Chancellor are you alright?!" A voice asked from outside the office. "Get this door open at once!" The voice ordered. Blaze tilted his head.. A big mistake. Fox sprinted towards Blaze, elbowing him in the side of his helmet, making him stumble backwards. Fox launched himself at Blaze, he grabbed hold of the blaster, trying to wiggle it out of Blaze's grasp. Blaze lifted his leg and kicked Fox in his gut, making him hold his stomach and falling to his knees. Blaze aimed his blaster at The Chancellor. "This is the end for you." Blaze said. Fox's instincts kicked in and he launched himself at Blaze again. Making impact with Blaze's side, sending him and Fox collapse against the wall. A loud explosion could be heard, the entrance to the office was blown open and two Senate Commandos came rushing in, their weapons aimed at Fox and Blaze. "Chancellor!" One of the Senate Commandos exclaimed. "These two were trying to assassinate me!" The Chancellor said, fear clearly present in his voice. "What?" Fox asked while turning around, releasing Blaze in the progress. "What are you talking about?" Fox asked in utter fear and shock. "Quickly! Shoot them!" The Chancellor ordered, fearing for his life. "Wait, I didn't--." Fox was cut off when the Senate Commandos began opening fire at him. Fox quickly ducked behind the desk. The Chancellor ran towards the two firing Senate Commandos. "Get The Chancellor out of here! I will handle th--." The Senate Commando was cut off when Blaze shot him in his chest. The other Senate Commando grabbed hold of The Chancellor's arm and dragged him out of the room. "You're not getting away from me!" Blaze shouted while running after them. The Senate Commando made a run for the elevator, pressing the up button, he activated his commlink. "Attention all Commandos, we have a breach. The Chancellor is in danger and I am escorting him to a safer location. A Senate Commando and Clone Commander have tried to assassinate The Chancellor and are now in pursuit, I need immediate reinforcements!" "This is Captain Rukis, we are on our way!" Captain Rukis said through the commlink. "Thank goodness, I thought we--." The Senate Commando was cut off when three plasma bolts went straight through his chest. He fell to the ground, his body going limp. Blaze ran towards The Chancellor and uppercutted him, knocking him out instantly. "What do you think you are doing?! "Fox asked while running towards Blaze, holding the DC-15s carbine rifle of the dead Senate Commando in his hands. He aimed the blaster at Blaze. "Put him down!" Fox ordered. "Fox, didn't you hear what he just said, he told those two you tried to assassinate him." Blaze said. "I-I-- that's not true! Y-You're trying to get into my head!" Fox retorted. "Fox, you already made a big mistake when you killed that Clone, don't make another one." Blaze said while picking The Chancellor up and hanging him over his shoulder. "You know damn well what he said, he betrayed you, he betrayed all of us." Blaze said. "I-I." Fox stammered. "Trust me, all will become clear soon." Blaze said in a nicer tone than before. Fox wanted to shoot him, he really wanted, but his mind said not to. As if his body had its own will, he lowered his blaster. Blaze nodded. As if on cue, the elevator that was called a few seconds ago; arrived. Blaze stepped inside, The Chancellor still hanging from his shoulder. "Come on, we need to get going, and we're probably going to have to shoot our way out." Blaze said. Fox entered the elevator, perhaps Blaze was right. 'Why did The Chancellor say that he wanted to assassinate him? Why would he do that? Weren’t they.. Friends?' "Commander, press the button, we will go to the lower levels". Blaze said. Fox hesitantly pushed the button and the elevator went down. "Have you ever killed Senate Commandos before?" Blaze asked while grabbing a Thermal Detonator from his belt. "No." Fox replied. "Well, there’s a first time for everything." Blaze said. The elevator stopped and the doors opened, Blaze instantly threw the Detonator out of the elevator. "Look out!" They heard someone scream. An explosion followed, and then there were screams of agonizing pain. Fox and Blaze stepped out of the elevator and looked around them. A squadron of Senate Commandos laid sprawled across the ground, some of them were still alive, others were dead.. including Captain Rukis, the Captain that had escorted Fox to The Chancellor. "What have you done?" Fox asked while looking at the bodies of the dead Commandos. "We need to keep moving! Come on, on the double!" Blaze said while running towards the exit. Fox shook his head. "What have I done?" He whispered while running after Blaze. They reached the landing platform, the same landing platform Fox had been dropped off by Captain Rukis and his men. There he saw the ship that he was in before. "There!" Fox said while pointing his index finger at the ship. Two Senate Commandos were guarding the ship. "I got this." Blaze said while walking towards the ship. "Hold!" One of The Senate Commandos said while walking towards Blaze. "What are you doing with The Chancellor, Blaze?" He asked confused. "Where is Captain Rukis?" The other Senate Commando asked. "Sorry, but we’ll be leaving now." Blaze said while walking towards the ship. "Hold it Blaze." One of the Senate Commandos said while pointing his DC-15s carbine rifle at him. "Commander, do it." Blaze said. "Do what?" Fox asked frantically. "Do it!" Blaze ordered. "H-Hold those two! They have taken The Chancellor hostage!" A Senate Commando said while running out of the same exit, Blaze and Fox had run out. "Blast." Blaze muttered while throwing The chancellor into the ship. He turned around and shot the two Senate Commandos. The Commandos fell dead to the ground. "No!" Fox shouted. "Move it!" Blaze said while grabbing hold of Fox’s arm and dragging him into the ship. He closed the doors and sat in the pilots’ seat. The engines were turned on and the ship took off. Fox looked down at the landing platform, seeing the wounded Senate Commando who had run out of the exit fall to his knees. "What have we done?" Fox asked. "We have done the right thing, now put that piece of kriff on one of the benches, I will get us somewhere, no one will find us." Blaze said Fox aimed his blaster at Blaze. "I am not betraying The Republic!" Fox practically shouted. "You are helping The Republic, The Chancellor is not who you think he is!" Blaze snapped back at him. "He is the one who will end this war, he will bring peace to the galaxy!" Fox retorted. "No, he will not! He will destroy the galaxy, shroud it in darkness, for he is not who you think he is!" Blaze said. "I-I have m-my duty, g-good soldiers follow orders." Fox said. "Commander, please, calm down and do as I say." Blaze said. For some reason Fox could not comprehend, he lowered his blaster and did as he was told, putting The Chancellor on a nearby bench and watched him closely. 'Why am I doing this? This goes against every standard protocol!' Fox thought. After half an our of flying, they reached a familiar place. Blaze landed the ship and walked out of the cockpit. "Commander, you know where we are, don't you." Blaze said as he walked towards The Chancellor and put him over his shoulder. "I remember this place, this is-- why? Out of all the places, why here?" Fox asked. "This is were it all ended, this is were I failed to do my duty, but now I can redeem myself." Blaze said while walking towards the, all to familiar storage bay. "Redeem yourself? What do you mean? What are you talking about?" Fox asked. "Commander, I only wanted to do my duty."" Blaze said while stepping inside the cargo bay. Fox followed him, carrying his DC-15s carbine rifle. "I remember now." Fox whispered. "Get down soldier! Get down! On your knees!" Fox ordered while running towards Fives, a squadron of Shock Troopers behind him. "No--no wait!" Fives shouted while waving his hands in front of his chest, trying to get the Troopers to back off. "Don't do it soldier! Don't do it!" Fox ordered while running towards Fives, his blaster pistol aimed at the ARC Trooper. "Fives!" Rex shouted, trying to get his brother to calm down. "Stay away from me!" Fives demanded while reaching for the pistol that Captain Rex had laid on one of the nearby crates. He grabbed the blaster and aimed it at Fox. Fox pulled the trigger, hitting Fives directly in his chest. Fives fell to the ground, breathing heavily. A burn hole in his chest plate. "Fives!" Rex shouted while pushing the ray shield. "Get this ray shield off!" General Skywalker ordered. One of The Shock Troopers shot the shield generator and the ray shield was gone. "Fives!" Rex exclaimed. "Call for help! We need a medic!" Red ordered, getting down on his knees beside Fives. "R-Rex." Fives called out. "Fives." Rex said comfortingly. "This i-it's.. Bigger than any of us, than anything I could have imagined." Fives said while trying to reach out for Rex. "I-I never meant to." Fives said while reaching out for Rex. Rex held his brother close, Fives' head near Rex' ear. "I only wanted to do my duty." Fives breathed heavily and his body became weaker. He leaned back, Rex following his brothers' movements, holding him above the ground. One of his hands rested under Fives' neck, while the other rested under his back. "Fives. Stay with me Fives. Fives!" Rex pleaded, shaking Fives a bit. "The mission.. The nightmares.. They're.. Finally.. Over." And with those final words, Fives' body went limp. His head slowly turned and his eyes closed. "No, Fives. Come on Fives. Don't go! Stay with me, stay with me! Fives? Fives! .. Don't go." Rex pleaded, but it was too late. "No, oh no." Rex whispered, his bottom lip trembling as tears started to form in his eyes. Rex carefully placed Fives' head on the hardened metal ground, General Skywalker knelt down beside Rex and placed a hand on his shoulder. Even The Shock Troopers removed their helmets and stood in a circle around Fives, bowing their heads respectfully. They mourned their brothers' loss.. Except for one. "What have I done?" Fox thought while looking at the scene. "What have I done?" Fox whispered. "Commander, it is time you know the truth." Blaze said while removing his helmet. Fox's eyes widened underneath his helmet. "You? It can't be."