The clone to the right of Sera broke the silence. “You see a lot of combat Sir?”
Sera wasn’t sure if he was baiting her or genuinely curious. Sera turned to him. Can’t say that I have. Got any advice?”
The clone across the aisle kicked his companion’s shin. “Follow Click, he’ll be a good meat shield.” The other clones laughed at what Sera figured was an inside joke.
Click showed Sera his blaster. You ever fire one of these?”
Sera took the blaster and looked it over. She rattled off the specifications for the DC-15s. “I may have fired it a few times. Commander Pike gave me some pointers on firing it and let me shoot some targets.
“So you were serious about not having combat experience?” Click asked.
“Yes.” Sera responded
Click gave a look of disappointment.
“Calm down. She’s the reason Pike was able to break through the Separatist lines on Calint.” Sergeant Top stepped down into the passenger deck.
“How did you lose your arms?” Another trooper asked.
“Someone tried to teach me a lesson.” She took off her left glove and examined the mechanical hand.
“You learn it?” The clone who had kicked Click asked.
“Pipe down, Rocket.” Top said as he smacked the clone in the back of the head.
Sera looked over at Rocket. “They call you that because you shoot your mouth off?” Sera’s tone was sarcastic.
The clones laughed. Rocket blushed.
“That and the rocket launcher he carries.” Top replied.
“I did learn something.” Sera leaned over to Rocket. “Just not the lesson he thought he was giving me.”
The rest of the trip was uneventful and the group got to know each other.
Sera stood between the pilots as the shuttle entered the Ryvan system.
The sight of a Venator class Star Destroyer had never ceased to amaze her. She saw two side by side.
She counted two Acclimators and several small vessels.
The blue green world loomed beyond the fleet of ships and filled the front view port of the shuttle.
Top stopped Sera and let the rest of the troopers debark the shuttle. “I know what happened to you. Master Immit briefed me. Pike warned me about General Kopesch. I appreciate that you didn’t speak badly of him. We don’t need the doubt that can spread.”
Without another word he joined the rest of his squad.
Pike, with helmet in hand, walked up the ramp to greet Sera. “Congratulations sir. Jedi Knight.”
The pair shook hands. “I heard you got an upgrade.”
He patted her left arm.
“Did they put a lightsaber in your hand?”
Sera chuckled. “I’m afraid not commander.”
“Shame.” He put his helmet on and they walked to the lift.
“General Blaine is overall in charge of the Republic presence. General Kopesch answers to him.” Pike explained.
“What do you know about him?”
“He seems competent.
“He led a planetary defense force in a successful bid to keep a much larger CIS invasion force from taking the planet. He seems to have a lot of respect for you Jedi. Though, between you and me, I suspect General kopesch is putting a strain on that respect.”
Pike had partially briefed Sera on the situation when they reached the bridge.
As the door slid open Sera saw Kopesch with his back turned to her. He was talking to a hologram of a neatly groomed man in a general’s uniform.
Without turning Kopesch addressed Sera. “I have been made aware of the council’s mandate. I have not changed my stance. I will not train a weak minded slave.”
“You won’t have to.” Sera folded her arms.
“That was a mistake I think the council will regret.” Kopesch turned to face her.
She could feel his hatred.
The general coughed politely bringing everyone back to his attention. “I, for one, welcome another perspective.” His voice was serious, almost reproaching Kopesch.
“Twi’lek women offer nothing but comfort and entertainment.” Kopesch spat out.
General Blaine raised his eyebrows at Kopesch.
An ARC trooper who was standing nearby spoke up. “With all due respect sir, this is a matter between you and her and does not belong on the bridge.”
There was the distinct sound of a lightsaber igniting and a flash of green. The ARC trooper fell to the ground with a long scorched scar on the upper part of his armor.
“Now. Is anyone else going to be insubordinate? I may not be in charge of this operation but this is still my ship.”
There was another polite cough.
“General Kopesch, control yourself. I have had the distinct honor to work with several Jedi and this is not how one behaves.” Blaine folded his arms.
“I understand that Jedi Wes was instrumental in your victory at Calint. I expect a tactical assessment from her this time tomorrow.” Blaine made it clear it was not optional.
“Blaine out.”
Kopesch stepped close to Sera with his arms folded. He was trying to intimidate her.
“Do you think you can upstage me? Do you think that you are better than me?”
His voice betrayed his fear.
“You will never be a general or Jedi Master.”
Sera’s exposed arms hung at her side. She wore a stoic expression, taking in everything Kopesch said.
“I have learned a great deal from you.” Her voice was level and calm. There was no hint of anger or fear. “In fact without you I would not have had the opportunity to advance my tactical skills. I would not have learned to properly analyze opposing forces movements and put the skills I had learned in the academy to the test.” She wasn’t intending to sound patronizing but she could see that Kopesch felt it was.
“You taught me a valuable lesson in that training room.” She paused for a second. “You taught me to conquer my fear.”
Kopesch’s resolve broke and he stormed off the bridge without a word.
Sera looked over the data and plan one more time. General Blaine’s plan was sound enough. But Sera reasoned that a small team would need to infiltrate the holdout’s well-guarded facility and destroy the reactor. With all of the relevant data it would be a one way trip. If they didn’t die in the explosion they would likely be overrun and killed.
Sera knew who was going to go. She would be leading the ARC troopers. She knew that Kopesch would assign her to the task.
“That looks about the size of it sir.” Top handed her datapad back. “And from what I have seen and heard you’ll be the one going with us.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “You must have really done a number on him.”
Sera chuckled. “There was never a chance for me to succeed in his eyes.” Sera took it back and looked at it one more time. “In anything.”
Top stood and looked up to her. “Sir, we’ve worked with a few jedi and none of them had the gumption to call Rocket out like that. I know you’ve never seen combat but my boys will make sure they do everything to see you make it out. We’ve got your back no matter what.”
Sera looked down at the datapad one more time then uploaded her analysis to the Aggressor’s tactical computer.
“You should be proud of that sir. I have no doubt General Blaine will make sure you are recognized for it.” Top patted her on her arm. “Plus you’re practically part droid. Maybe they’ll be confused.” Sera and Top laughed.
“Ah, Commander Wes.” General Blaine’s voice came over the holographic generator in her cabin. I’ve just seen your analysis. Quite impressive.
“Unsurprisingly we missed the shield generators. They hadn’t been activated and General Kopesch may be well trained in lightsaber combat; he is not particularly suited for strategic operations.” He coughed politely.
“But I did not come here to disparage a Jedi Master. I am concerned about the portion of the mission required to take out the reactor.” He looked down at the datapad.
“I admit that it is necessary. I am not a person who is willing to sacrifice troops unless it is absolutely necessary. It appears this may be the only way to ensure the shields do not get activated.”
“Normally I would put someone with combat experience on a mission like this, but I have no doubt that General Kopesch will send you. Hoping that the ARC troopers can fulfill the mission.
“I have no doubt that you put serious consideration into this analysis. I also have no doubt that you understood the implications.” General Blaine’s posture straightened. “I have no doubt that you will succeed.
“Blaine out.”
Sera sat on her bunk and closed her eyes and let the infinite star field that was the living Force to envelope her.
She took comfort in the vastness of it and let her mind drift for a short time. She felt something different, not wrong, necessarily, but different. It was a familiar and unwelcome feeling.
She took a deep breath and pushed it aside to focus. She reached out to the world far below and let the force guide her to the reactor.
Once she had found what she needed she let her mind drift. She felt the clones and their comradery. Not the blind obedience bred into them by the cloning process, though that was present too. She drew from the bond that comes from their shared experiences.
A sudden thought popped into her mind. “Ima.” Sera wasn’t sure if she said the name out loud.
Suddenly the starfield took on bright colors in swirls. Ima had explained to Sera that’s how she perceived the Force when she communed with it.
She saw herself and Ima standing on the landing platform together holding hands. She felt their bond. Something stronger than the clones had with each other.
She watched Ima smiling as she walked up the ramp. As it began closing the bright colors began to fade.
Sera called to Ima and started to run down the ramp.
It closed on her. The last thing she saw before the darkness filled her vision was Ima and a sinister cloaked figure.
The commlink beeped.
“Sir, you’re needed on the bridge.” Gray told her.
“On my way.”
Sera knew what was coming. She had no real desire to be told the inevitable.
After a quick shower she put on the new clothing she had brought for the trip.
“You will not keep me waiting again.” Kopesch yelled behind his back.
“Ah Commander Wes.” General Blaine greeted her. He stood, in person, on the other side of the table.
“General Blaine.” Sera walked past Kopesch and reached out an exposed cybernetic hand.
He looked at her exposed arms. She wore a black leather top with a strap going over one shoulder and fabric over the other and black leather pants.
The armor plate on her left arm had the symbol of the Jedi Order.
“I had heard of your training accident.” He took her hand and shook it.
“I apologize for being late General Blaine.” She took a place between Commander Pike and Sergeant Top they had made for her.
“Yes. See to it that it doesn’t happen again.” Blaine straightened his uniform and ignored the look of anger on Kopesch’s face.
“The operation will begin in four hours.” General Blaine opened the briefing.
Sera stood over the hologenerator going over the battle.
Sera straightened up and turned. His anger was creeping into Sera’s mind.
“Plait humiliated me in front of everyone by keeping me from killing the leaders. The people who had kept me from victory.” Kopesch walked through the door to the bridge.
“Maybe I’m not worthy to hold the title of Master. But you had no place to say it. The council made that decision.
“You will never be anything more than a broken doll.” His lightsaber came to his hand. “I wanted to kill you when you came aboard. Then you gave me a way to get rid of you.” Sera could feel the dark side energy building inside of her.
“But you had to make me look bad.” Sera could feel the Dark Side welling up in him now.
“I didn’t need to make you look bad.” The words came out before Sera could push them down.
“You sacrificed countless lives for your ego.” She was losing control. “Jedi value all life. Clones are living breathing beings like us. And sent them to their deaths because you could not be wrong. Even when you were.” She fought to keep her hands away from her own lightsabers. She wanted to kill him.
The feeling she had fought before made her sick. It had returned and it was stronger than ever.
Kopesch’s arm straightened by his side. His finger touched the switch to activate his lightsaber and the green blade hummed to life.
Sera was no longer in control. Before she realized it both lightsabers were in her hands and she was in a fighting stance.
Sera parried the first blow with her left saber and swung with her right. Kopesch dodged and brought the blade for an uppercut. Sera sidestepped the swing and lunged at his side.
Kopesch barely had a chance to parry and stepped out of the way.
Suddenly she felt his anger turn to fear.
Sera pressed in and Kopesch fought for his life. “You fear what you have created.” Her words stung his mind as she invaded it.
He reached out his hand and pushed her. But his intent had already been read and Sera stomped her foot.
He tried to counter the push, but it overwhelmed him. He hit the monitor bank hard. Hois saber fell from his hand.
Sera put her main saber away and walked towards him with the smaller one at her side.
As hard as she fought the control the Dark Side had over her, she could feel herself drawing from his fear. The power she felt to rid the galaxy of the monster before her was too much.
He grabbed his lightsaber, ignited it, and stood, feigning defiance.
Sera grabbed his right wrist and twisted it. The strength in her cybernetic arm, overwhelming his flesh and bone.
“You will never hurt another person.” She laughed.
“You. You’ve turned to the Dark Side. Get control of yourself. When this is done I will have to kill you myself.” Even while he was pleading he couldn’t help but denigrate and threaten her. “I told you your will is weak.”
She let him finish the sentence then turned the blade towards his chest. “You showed me true weakness.”
She pushed the blade into his chest slowly. She was horrified at her actions At the same time she relished in the power she had over him.
His arm went limp in her grip. The blade had gone all of the way through his chest.
As soon as she let go of his wrist his lightsaber hilt fell to the floor.
She dropped the shoto and watched the dead Kopesch fall to the floor.
She was suddenly in full control of her actions.
The bile in her stomach rose to her throat. Kopesch’s lifeless form slid down the wall.
There was a quickly cooling hole in the bulkhead where the bladder had penetrated it.
Sera fell to her knees and vomited on the ground. She laid in front of him for a moment, curled up.
She was afraid. If anyone found out she had turned to the Dark Side she would be expelled from the order or killed. Everything she had worked for was lost in those moments. Kopesch was right, she was too weak to stop it.
After a few minutes Sera stood and picked up her lightsaber.
“I have to find a way out of here.” She said to herself.
Just as she managed to get the grate back on the vent Commander Pike and two clone troopers entered the bridge.
“Looks like the other one took care of this one for us.” One of the clone troopers said.
“Shame. I was looking forward to killing him myself.” Pike responded with a seriousness that concerned Sera.
“The general is dead. Find the other Jedi.” He paused. “She killed the General; she is likely more dangerous.
“You two, check the vents and maintenance tubes. This vomit is still fresh, she can’t have gone far. And be careful.”
She heard the holotable connect.
“Sir, we have a situation here. The general is dead, killed by the Jedi, likely in revenge.”
“Does this have anything to do with Order Sixty-Six?” Blaine asked.
“Sir, the Jedi have attempted to assassinate the Supreme Chancellor. Our orders are to hunt down the jedi and execute them.”
Sera had a hard time wrapping her head around the words Pike spoke. There were so many questions.
Before she could think of possible answers, the grate she had come up through slid to the side and one of the clones’ helmeted head popped through. Without a second thought she decapitated him. His helmet clattered onto the metal duct as he fell to the ground.
“She’s in the vents.” The other clone yelled.
Pike and the remaining clone fired into the ceiling several times. A blaster bolt struck her left arm.
She yelped and fell out of the vent.
Pike stepped cautiously towards her still form. He suspected she was feigning death and fired another shot at her. She rolled to avoid the shot but it hit her left arm. She sprang to her feet and struck him down in a flash of purple.
The second trooper fired wild hoping to keep her on the defensive. She deflected several blasts into various electronics on the bridge as she pressed towards him.
When she reached him. She impaled him with her smaller shoto blade.
She slashed the door control and sealed it for as long as she could.
She heard a polite cough from the holotank.
“Commander Wes.” Sera turned.
“Considering the circumstances I am forced to do whatever it takes to enforce this” He paused “Order Sixty-Six. That includes destroying the vessel under the command of a Jedi if I deem it necessary.” He stood with his hands behind his back.
“Why would you tell me this?” Sera was confused.
He turned away from Sera. “Gunners target the engines first.”
“Blaine out.” He terminated the transmission.
She felt the impacts of the turbolasers as the Aggressor was struck.
“He’s giving me a distraction.” Sera said to herself.
Sera sounded the Abandon Ship alarm and climbed back into the vent she had hidden in.
The ship shuddered from another impact and an internal explosion. The floor of the vent collapsed under Sera and she found herself in a passageway.
“There she is.” Sera heard a clone trooper yell.
She jumped to her feet and in an instant deflected the initial shots. She jumped behind cover.
She stamped her foot and threw the troopers against the wall.
She launched herself towards the group of clones. She struck the first one with her main saber and deflected a bolt with her shoto.
A clone fired at Sera but she ducked and the blast hit another trooper. She turned and cut down the clone who fired with her shoto and sliced the barrel off of the last one’s blaster.
On her way to the hangar she dodged two groups of clones who were trying to escape the doomed Aggressor.
Near the main door of the hanger her left arm was hit from behind.
There was a sharp pain in her shoulder as the limb shorted out and seized.
She unlocked the arm from its socket and threw it on the ground from behind cover.
Several blasts hit the arm as soon as it landed.
“Just come out Commander Wes.” Top called from the small group.
Another explosion wracked the ship and Sera heard some commotion from the group.
“Top, you can kill me or escape the ship.” Sera calls out.
Sera found Kopesch’s fighter in the empty hangar. As she triggered the hatch and climbed in she realized that it would be a big target for the other Venator’s turbolasers. If she had both arms she could have easily dodged and banked out of the way. But without her left arm she was an easy kill for skilled clones.
She set the fighter on autopilot and sent it to its fate.
The ship was coming apart fast. She could feel the metal tearing apart through the deck plating. Secondary and tertiary explosions continuously rocked the massive ship.
She found a single escape pod that had a dead clone trooper half way into the pod when a chunk of the ship impaled him.
She pushed the unfortunate trooper into the pod and as the last section of the Aggressor failed the pod fired itself into the debris field.
“I’ve failed.” She thought to herself.
For a fleeting moment she felt someone tugging at the edge of her mind. The starfield and swirls of color merged and she saw Ima.
“Sera.” Ima said her name once. Sera felt a flash of angry blue light fill her chest and the colors again faded and disappeared.
“No no no.” Sera tried to find Ima once again but she was lost.
She looked down at the two lightsabers and the clone lying next to her.
“I’m sorry.” She told him.
“You were created to die for a cause you were too young to understand. You were conditioned to love a government that saw you as expendable.
“We did this.” She examined the lightsaber.
“We became something we were never supposed to be.”
The pod landed near a large settlement bloc made up of several towering structures. As she climbed from the little craft she thanked the clone trooper and headed into cover.
Two LAATs approached the pod and searched it.
Top called over to his troopers. “Vic and Rocket, collect the trooper’s body and we’ll take it back to base.”
When the craft had left Sera started to walk towards the buildings.
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