Rainbow Dash's First Trial: Clone Wars Year 1

by Hikarikurai24587

The Second Shard

Chapter Twenty Eight: The Second Shard

Two weeks passed and Rainbow Dash was growing anxious. She didn’t want to go to the Jedi and tell them how she found out the name of the planet where the next shard was. Sitting down on the cot she stared at her hands before bringing one of her wings forward to pet it. The thick rainbow strand extended outwards, the red color dim. Reaching out her hand she grabbed onto the cord closing her eyes. The cord split off and the orange strand glowed brighter.

Empty halls, metal. The shard floated amongst a blue light as Dooku walked forward. He stared into the reflection of the blade before straightening up and turning around.

“If anything happens, seal the door.” he ordered before leaving the door sliding shut.

The vision zoomed out showing the ship and the planets nearby.

Rainbow Dash’s eyes opened as she got to her feet. She moved swiftly out of her room, spotting the Clones sitting at a table playing a card game.

“Everything alright?” Ash asked, not looking up from his hand. Rainbow Dash gave a grimace saying. “I need to talk to the Jedi Council, I have an idea of where the next shard is.”

“Want us to come with you?” offered Tank and Rainbow Dash shook her head saying. “I’ll be fine. I know where the temple is and they can help me narrow down the location.”

“Be careful, flying at night can be dangerous.” Rampage told her and Rainbow nodded her head saying. “I will. See you guys later!”

Rainbow Dash moved quickly making it to the balcony spreading her wings to take off. While she was in the air she kept close to the buildings to be able to see where she was at. It happened quickly, something hit her in the back causing her to begin carining downwards. She tried to correct herself while trying to get the unknown assailant off of her back.

“Count Dooku requests your presence.” a familiar voice told her before she felt something drag her into a moving speeder. Her head hit the side and her vision went black.

Rainbow Dash groaned as she opened her eyes, she was in a dimly lit cell. Lights flickering beyond the red forcefield. Once in a while the field would dim and Rainbow felt her skin crawl as she moved to the exit of her cell. When the field vanished she bolted through just as it came back on.

“Now, to find out where I am.” Rainbow breathed as she began to move through the hallway. Her eyes scanned the area as she came across a four way path. Down one the halls were just bodies of battle droids, parts strewn everywhere. She took a step back tripping over another part causing her head to hit the corner of the wall. She held the back of her head groaning and rolled around for a moment before a mechanical growl caught her attention. She was on her feet within seconds before jumping up just as a mass of robotic parts crawled through. It paused looking around before heading to the battle droid parts. Rainbow Dash moved to get a better look at the creature: it was an amalgamation of different B1 Battle droids, in the middle of it was a Super Battle Droid. Dragging itself across the floor further down the hallway, Rainbow Dash decided to follow it.

She was quiet as she kept to the ceiling making sure to stay out of sight. The already minimal lighting was flickered making the only way Rainbow Dash could track was by sound. ‘Not creepy at all,’ she complained mentally stopping when she saw nothing but thick darkness up ahead. She swallowed thinking. ‘On the other hand, I should look for that shard.’

Reaching out, Rainbow Dash focused on the shard she watched as the strand extended into the darkness. ‘Of course it had to be in the darkness.’ she grumbled internally as the cord-like strand trembled. “Dishonor.”

“Dishonor?” Rainbow muttered hearing the creak of the metal as the droid zombie came scuttling out towards her. Rainbow Dash managed to jump over it landing on the ground as it spun around. It raised an arm with a blaster attached to it and fired a shot. Rainbow Dash moved out of the way feeling it singe her leg. “Oh come on! I am not getting injured this time! I am going to find out what’s going on! Why are you attacking me?!”

Her wings spread out and the robot seemed to still as it scanned her up and down. A voice echoing from within its depths. “An Equestrian?”

“Star Forge, right? We’ve met on Christophsis.” Rainbow answered and there was silence. “Wait… you don’t remember me? Don’t remember lecturing me on abandoning my people?”

“No.” Star Forge’s voice answered. Rainbow Dash frowned as she folded her arms across her chest wings flaring as Star Forge continued. “I was taken by dishonorable means, these people have not earned the right to….”

“To what? To live? What gives you the right to decide that?” Rainbow Dash demanded causing the droid to still. “This, what you are doing is dishonorable. These droids are programmed to follow orders and you’re punishing them for the actions of the person sent to retrieve the shard you are trapped in!”

“What do you know about honor?” snarled Star Forge and Rainbow Dash took a step forward saying. “A lot more than you do apparently. I at least try to understand the other side. So I can make sure my actions don’t harm innocents.”

“I remember a time when there were innocents, our people. Just the plains of Equestria. In war, though, there are no innocents who fight.”

“You can’t just say that! You can’t forget who you are!” Rainbow Dash fought back waving her arm around. “You’re an Equestrian just like me!”

“And I was dishonored! I lost my wings to someone who I thought was my friend for deciding to remain with the Pegasi! They were right, I should have never trusted a Unicorn.” the metal around them began to creak as the droid parts began to gather around the amalgamation. Rainbow’s eyes turned orange as she grabbed onto one of the parts flying towards the mass of robotic parts hiding the shard. Orange lightning arched out from her hands the piece of metal warping in her grasp.

“You had to choose between you people and your friends? Why?” She asked through gritted teeth and Star Forge answered in an uncaring tone. “They weren’t Pegasi, we had to look out for ourselves when they proved they couldn’t be trusted or relied upon. It was each race for themselves. Sure we would help with the weather, but we would have asked for payment in return.”

“You speak of honor but, you are the reason why ponies were nearly killed by the Windigos!” Rainbow Dash spoke the orange energy forming a blade. “You claim your duty is to your people, you say you cannot trust a Unicorn. Perhaps you are right or perhaps you caused something so unforgivable to happen.”

“You know nothing little one!” screamed Star Forge as the robot leapt forward. Pieces going everywhere as Rainbow rolled out of the way. She was on her feet in seconds to dodge the blaster fire. She slammed the blade of orange energy into the ground allowing the electricity to spread out. The current travelled up the mechanical monstrosity causing it to screech. The orange energy reformed into the blade Rainbow Dash made a slashing motion. The ship shook as Rainbow Dash charged forward slicing into the metal watching as it flaked away. A blaster shot hitting her arm she jumped back flapping her wings quickly.

“I HAD A DUTY! I WAS HONOR BOUND TO SERVE MY PEOPLE!” screeched Star Forge bringing down a mass of claws to swipe at her. Rainbow Dash was knocked to the side. She hit the ground with a thud looking up to see the mechanical mass starting a charge towards her. Glancing at the blade it began to reform into a heavy blaster cannon. It was large and heavy but it felt right for the situation. She took three steps back and opened fire at the creature knocking back the pieces one by one. It leaped towards her letting out a mechanical snarl only to be frozen in midair. Rainbow peered past it to see Mace Windu and a squad of clones there.

“About time you got here sir.” Rainbow said as mechanical mass was thrown into a nearby wall. “The shard is attached to a super battle droid in the middle of the mass.”

“I will handle that.” Windu said as he began to rip pieces off as Star Forge’s voice growled out. “So you have come, Jedi. Did you seek this broken Knight of Zakuul? He told me you would come.”

One of the clones reacted quickly noticing that the technological amalgamation was about to fire at Windu and shot off the arm. Rainbow Dash spotted the shard and flew forward quickly banishing the weapon. She grabbed a hold of it saying. “You have to let go of what some did to you Star Forge. You’re never going to be able to move on if you don’t.”

She glanced down to see the image of the pegasus screaming and crying as she gently removed the shard saying. “Hold to your honor and duty has made you lose sight of who you were. You focused so much on making that your only quality isn’t good for you.”

“I left them to protect my people and yet when my wings were taken they rejected me.” Star Forge responded looking away. “You have shown to be an honorable pony. The shard is now yours.”

“Thank you Star Forge.” Rainbow Dash whispered as the body of the super battle droid. She glanced at Mace Windu nodding her head in thanks, her eyes fading back to magenta. “So, how’d you find me?”

“Ash came to the temple to see where you were. He correctly assumed that you were captured when we told him that we hadn’t seen you. It took us a bit but we managed to find a Jedi to track you down, good thing you didn’t take the ship for a joy ride.” Windu replied, taking note of the change as Rainbow Dash shook her head saying. “Good thing you got here when you did. Thanks for the help Master Windu.”

She walked towards wrapping the shard in a spare piece of her sleeve that she had torn off. “Here, another shard, I’ve got a feeling I’m not going to like where her story ends. Just take care of her, please.”

“We will.” Windu replied as the trooper escorted Rainbow Dash to the ship as he looked at the shard seeing a woman with grey white skin and deep blue eyes watching him. Her face littered with scars from what looked to be battle and a burn scar more recent.

“We’ll keep you safe until she returns home, don’t try anything.” Windu told her before following the group.

Rainbow Dash was already seated in the ship tilting her head back when Mace Windu entered. He glanced at her before moving to the cockpit saying. “We’re all here, take us to the command ship.”

“Yes sir.” responded the clone as Windu took his seat observing Rainbow Dash. After about a minute she twitched before looking at him saying. “You don’t have to stare at me. I didn’t mean to get caught. I was staying by the buildings when someone jumped on me. Told me that Count Dooku requested my presence.”

“Ventress.” Windu uttered before sitting back. “She managed to sneak her way onto Coruscant to capture you. What are the Separatists planning?”

“Well whatever they’re planning it seems like they’re after the shards.” mused Rainbow Dash feeling uncomfortable. “And it isn’t good.”