Rainbow Dash's First Trial: Clone Wars Year 1

by Hikarikurai24587

Council Report

Chapter Thirty Seven: Council Report

Shae watched speeders fly by glancing down at her communicator, she had tried to contact both Kory and Rainbow Dash. The one problem was neither of them picked up. It didn’t take her long to realize that her communicator must have gotten damaged when she tried to get a hold of Zenith only for there to be static. She leaned her head back against the side muttering. “There has to be something I can do.”

She looked at Mina before wrapping her arm around her shoulder. She gave it a rub before looking at her grapple before moving to look up. Without falling off the ledge. She did a few calculations in her head before looking at Mina. “I’ve got an idea… however it is a dangerous one. I need you to stay here.”

"Okay...I will listen to you this time. I don't want to cause any more problems." Mina said with one more sniffle. Shae reached out and patted her on the head saying. “Hey, someone is going to notice this, I just want you to be alright in the end.”

Mina tugged onto Shae's arm. "You be safe too okay? I don't want to lose you momma."

“Mina… even though I won’t go out and fight I will be going into dangerous situations to heal. I can never make that promise but I’m always going to try.” Shae assured her as she gently removed the arm. “And careful about calling me momma. Just call me Shae, understand?”

"...okay. I don't want to, but if that's what you want mom, I mean Shae." Mina said as she looked away. Shae smiled, took a deep breath, and made sure Mina had let go. She turned around before allowing herself to fall backwards off the ledge. Taking aim Shae fired the cable feeling it attached to something sturdy. She hung there for a moment and yanked her arm back making sure it was secure. She climbed up to where Mina was and said. “I’m secure for now.” Mina nodded as she stared closely at Shae. Shae glanced up ready to begin her climb but her hand hesitated. She couldn’t leave Mina by herself.

"Don't worry about me! You told me to stay so that's what I will do!" Mina cried out, feeling Shae's hesitation. Shae nodded her head before saying. “If no one is up there I’m coming back with my speeder.”

She began her climb up muttering. “I don’t care how many traffic violations I will have to do. I am not leaving her by herself for any longer than necessary.”

“Why can’t I have wings like Rainbow Dash?”

“Right, because her species is still on their planet.”

“MY ARMS HURT!”

“Almost there Shae, almost.”

Shae’s fingers wrapped around the ledge as she pulled herself over hoping that she was at the top and not another indent in the temple. “That’s it, I’m fixing my wrist tech and giving it control over my speeder.”

A figure stood at the ledge as it reached down an arm to pull Shae up. Shae grabbed onto the arm before seeing who it was and asked. “Did you just hear everything I just said?”

The figure revealed to be the Nautolan Jedi, Kit Fisto. He smiled as he said. "Yup. Though it's understandable."

“Excellent, there’s a youngling down there that will need help up. I was just about to go grab my speeder.” Shae replied before her brain processed who she was talking to. “Sorry, Master Jedi.”

"Don't worry about it. I will go rescue the little one. The council will want a report on what happened though." Kit Fisto replied as he leapt down. Shae hung her head sighing before looking at the temple once again knowing she was probably going to be up all night either giving the report or writing it. She wasn’t known to keep sarcasm out of her voice when talking to anyone. Which was why Pir had her write up the reports and just hand it in. She stuck around though just to check on Mina when Kit Fisto returned.

Kit Fisto hopped back to where Shae was as he set the child down. "I would think it would be a good idea to just follow me back to the council, both of you." He said with a big grin. Shae looked at Mina before saying. “Won’t be the first time I was sent to the headmaster’s office.”

Kit Fisto chuckled and showed them the way. Shae was doing her best to hide how nervous she truly was. ‘This is even more terrifying than meeting the Duchess to tell her I was leaving Mandalore.’ she tried to think of things to help her calm down.

“I sense you’re nervous.” Kit Fisto said as he put a hand on Shae’s shoulder. “Do no worry, it will be alright. I know that the two of you weren’t up to no good.”

“That’s good to know.” Shae smiled at him, she was feeling a little bit better. Her eyes glanced back at the doors and she twitched. ‘Does Rainbow Dash do this every time something happens to her that the Jedi need to know about?’

Mina grabbed Shae's hand as the three of them glanced around at the council. Yoda eyed the three of them as he motioned for Kit Fisto to take a seat.

"An intruder we have had, steal an item of importance they did." Yoda said as he sat looking directly at Shae. "What you know, tell us you will?"

“I was outside, after telling stories of Mandalore to a group of younglings, when I noticed a man disguised as a Jedi.” Shae said, ignoring the eyes on her. “His boots, looking at all of yours, I know that they aren’t the same. Most likely bought in the Outer Rim. So I decided to talk to him after Mina said she didn’t recognize him.”

"Do you know where he headed?" The also present Mace Windu asked. Shae glanced at him saying. “Just a speculation but he probably had a getaway vehicle or he was aiming for an empty speeder. However when I poked him a bit he had to improvise.” Yoda's head turned to Obi-Wan to see if he had anything to say. Obi-Wan closed his eyes before asking. “How did you ‘poke’ him?”

“I walked up to him, pointed out the glaring flaw in his disguise, and took off his hood.” Shae said as Anakin hid a chuckle. Obi-wan glanced at him as he continued. “What else did you find out?”

“He is a Duros named Cad Bane, most likely was hired, bounty hunter judging by the grapple he has on him, and dangerous.” Shae answered keeping her arms behind her back standing at attention.

"A Holocron he has. In the hands of the enemy it must not go." Yoda added as his expression looked concerned. "To children strong in the Force it will lead."

Shae twitched before asking. “Shouldn’t there be a failsafe? Something to keep him from accessing the data?”

"A Jedi is the only person able to access it and that's what we're afraid of. There may be a traitor working alongside this bounty hunter." Mace Windu said. "If someone like Dooku has this Jedi working for him then I fear the worst."

“Or he’s just prepared.” Shae pointed out and Anakin nodded his head. “Is there any Jedi who you’ve recently lost contact with?”

"Bolla Ropal. Though he's not the traitorous type...maybe he's been captured." Windu answered. Shae nodded her head saying. “Well there you go, I’d help you find him but I’m just a medic.”

Obi-wan glanced at Anakin who spoke up. “This might be a good time to actually put my plan into action.”

“Oh please no.” Shae sighed as she remembered the introductions and the reason why Anakin wanted to meet them. “Just had to open my mouth didn’t I?”

"Opening your mouth is why you're here young lady." Mace said sternly. "We need to get the holocron back at all costs."

Shae did an internal happy dance before Obi-wan spoke up. “She was able to spot Cad Bane quickly, my question is: How did he escape?”

Shae looked down at Mina biting her lip. She decided to tell the truth. “He spotted Mina and used his grapple to capture her. He ended up using her as a shield.”

Yoda's hand rubbed his chin as he said. "Desperate this hunter is. Capture him we must."

“I guess I’m done with my report. I don’t see any further use of my time or yours.” Shae told them taking a step back. Yoda nodded with everyone in unison at Shae. "Your help, most appreciated it was."

Shae left the room before looking at Mina and gave her a wave. Rainbow Dash watched her for a moment seeing her head towards the lift. Shrugging her shoulders Rainbow Dash poked her head into the room just as Anakin said. “If they are going to work with the Clones they need to be around them. Shae already knows who we’re looking for and can pick out the bounty hunter in disguise. We shouldn’t just disregard them or their talents.”

“Anakin, after what happened with Jelu Seer I’m not sure this is a good time to try out this plan.” Obi-wan cautioned and Rainbow Dash glanced at the floor as she pulled her head out. Anakin looked at him saying. “Actually that is why we should. No one paid attention to him, tried to get in contact with him, we don’t know what Dooku is doing and the only people who know what to look out for with any hints he may leave are the recruits he trained with.”

Mina who was still in the area walked over to them. "Um, excuse me. I think Anakin has a good idea. Shae is able to help, I know she can."

"Agree I do, Master Obi-Wan. Use Shae to capture Bane you will." Yoda said to his fellow Jedi Master. Luminara nodded her head saying. “We will discuss who we are sending later. Mina, return to your training. Rainbow Dash, enter”

"Yes Master Luminara." Mina said as she bowed and left the room. Lumniara looked at the rest of the council as Rainbow Dash walked in. “I have met one of the spirits during Rainbow Dash’s training.”

"The one I instructed you to bring out it was?" Yoda asked her. Luminara nodded her head as she spoke. “Correct. He managed to take on an almost tangible form. I am not sure yet if this will persist with the other spirits or not. He saw through my intent as well as the training. In the end it was Rainbow Dash who took control, but she did not destroy the spirit. Instead she offered a truce, he will remain within her and offered her this…. ”

Luminara held up the lightsaber given to Rainbow Dash laying on a cloth. “I believe it was once his.”

"A lightsaber it is." Yoda said as he grabbed hold of it and approached Rainbow Dash. "Yours now this is. A gift it was, but also chosen by the crystal you were."

Rainbow Dash looked at the lightsaber before saying. “I think this will always belong to the original owner. I just asked for something to honor his memory and he gave me this. I’ve even got a spot where I’d think this would look really cool.”

She heard the chuckle of the Emperor’s Wrath in the back of her mind causing her to roll her eyes. “Anyways, that’s not all I did today during training. I found the location of the third shard.”

“Another matter I wish to discuss.” Luminara brought up looking at Rainbow Dash then to Yoda. “There was another spirit who manifested. One of a Jedi.”

Yoda held up his hand as he folded Rainbow Dash's hands over the lightsaber. "Correct you are, it's owner it still belongs. Chosen you as it's new wielder the Force has." His head turned to Luminara. "A Jedi you say?"

“Yes, she said she was there to guide Rainbow Dash through her visions, that she sees what Rainbow Dash sees, planting the descriptions in her mind.” Luminara explained as she thought back to everything that happened. “The Jedi also told me that the blade that she shattered must be reforged and that she is proud of the Order.”

Yoda was hesitant at first to say anything because of his doubts of the Order since the war started. "Reforged then the blade shall be."

“Well first we’re going to need to find the shards of the sword.” Rainbow Dash spoke up, after being quiet for a moment. “It looked like large ancient buildings, once a city, in a swamp. There were these creatures, nasty creatures, crawling all over them. Just looking at them….”

Rainbow’s wings folded around her shoulders.

“The spirit said ‘In the swamps of the city destroyed in years long passed. The unsettled planet. Awaits the third.’.” Luminara informed the council, Rainbow’s eyes flickered towards all of them hoping for an answer. “It seems like this spirit is fond of riddles.”

Yoda's head turned to Obi-Wan. "An idea you have?"

“Perhaps, these creatures, they could be Rhakghouls. A species that has been giving the planet Taris a hard time. They have asked for help but the Senate has not been able to spare any troops to contain the growing threat.” Obi-wan replied and Rainbow Dash felt an overwhelming familiarity to that name. It was like a sigh of relief that the planet was still around.

"Taris is too dangerous to send a squad over to investigate. A small party, one with vaccines on hand. We cannot risk the plague escaping the planet so if need be...you know what has to be done for the sake of the galaxy. I wish there were an alternative." Mace inputted as he looked towards Rainbow Dash. Indigo lightning was surrounding her hand as she continued to listen. Yet it wasn’t to the council, it was like distant whispers. There was a question they were all asking, through the debating and arguing. “Why not let me bring the clones along? In total there’s eleven of them all twitching and wanting to get out there again. Doc can handle the vaccines…. What is this vaccine for, exactly?”

"The Rakghouls are like an infectious parasite. They contaminate you, and you slowly lose your will and become one of them. They were created by the Sith of old." Mace warned. "It would be better for Jedi to accompany you on this mission as the Force will be vital in surviving it."

“And who would you suggest? I mean most of you are fighting a bigger war right now.” Rainbow pointed out as the lightning turned orange. “No offense.”

“Rainbow Dash, what’s going on?” Anakin asked, taking a step forward and Rainbow looked at him in confusion. “Your hand.”

“Huh?” Rainbow Dash glanced down as if seeing the lightning for the first time. “I don’t know.”

"The spirits, active they are. Reveal to us the different colors do who is present." Yoda explained. Rainbow glanced at her hands. “Do I need to take notes on them? Did you want me to try and talk to them?”

"The better you will be if learn more you do." Yoda instructed.

Kit Fisto stood up and said. "I will accompany her on her quest." He said with a smile, looking at Rainbow Dash.

"Very good. And take Master Plo with you, his insights should prove useful." Windu added. Rainbow Dash nodded her head asking. “Am I dismissed?”

Kit Fisto walked over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You are. I will meet up with you alongside Master Plo later."

“Understood.” Rainbow Dash told them looking up at Kit Fisto. “I’m going to pack and tell the guys. Don’t know how long this is going to take!”

She moved off quickly and once she was outside noticed that both Shae and Kory had left. She understood, both probably needed time to themselves. Flapping her wings Rainbow Dash took off towards her apartment. When she landed she headed inside to explain everything.

Shae sat at her desk trying to figure out what to do. She knew she didn’t want to be a burden to the clones yet… she hit a switch under her desk. There was a whirring sound as a hidden compartment in her closet opened up revealing a suit of armor. ‘Now is not the time. I need to finish restoring this and I can’t use any of the components without the whole suit. Maybe just the breastplate? Claim it was a parting gift? Wait… the blasters, of course!’ Shae nodded her head as she stood up and walked quickly over. Her hand hovered over the blaster as she said. “For a good cause, I promise you.”