As the remaining Republic Forces gathered at the Republic Command post, Vres rallies the troops under her command. As she does so, Aubrie was mourning the loss of her master. Mordecai attempts to comfort her.
Mordecai: I'm...I'm sorry for you loss.
Aubrie: I wasn't supposed to die here, I was supposed to train with Master Windu, on Coruscant. My Master said I was destined for the Jedi Council.
Mordecai: It's...it's not over! We're still alive! We're still here! As long as we can fight, there's hope!
Aubrie took a moment to reflect on Mordecai's words. Soon enough, the two Padawans were approached by Vres.
Vres: The Chancellor has ordered us to evacuate.
Mordecai: What?! But we can't just leave!
Vres: We have lost too much already. We're low on supplies and the enemy marches on us as we speak. We're low on time.
Soon enough, explosions were heard outside the command post. Aegis ran to the three Jedi.
Aegis: General! We have Droids and Jabiimi Nationalists surrounding the command post!
Vres: We must hold the line for as long as we can! If the Separatists break through the command post, we'll be slaughtered!
At this point, the situation became clear to the Jedi. They needed to hold the line for as long as they could. Soon enough, Alto Stratus led the Jabiimi Nationalists and the Battle Droids in a daring charge.
Stratus: MAKE THE JEDI SUFFER! LET NONE SURVIVE! KILL THEM ALL! KILL ALL THE REPUBLIC DOGS!
Aegis led the 75th Ranger Legion in a stand against the Separatist Forces. Despite their best efforts, they were hopelessly outnumbered.
Clone Ranger: We're being overrun!
Aegis: Hold the line, ranger! We have to hold this position for as long as possible!
As Aegis made his stand against the Separatists, Mordecai and Aubrie led the Padawan Pack in a stand against the Separatists while Vres led the evacuation efforts. As the Separatists got closer and closer, Aegis and the Clone Rangers were forced to retreat.
Aegis: FALL BACK, RANGERS! FALL BACK!
Mordecai and the Padawan Pack covered the retreating Clone Rangers. During the retreat, some of the Padawans were shot down. Despite this, Mordecai continued fighting. As the Padawans fell one by one, Aubrie turned to Mordecai.
Aubrie: Go to your master!
Mordecai: What about you?!
Aubrie: I'll be right behind you! Go!
Mordecai then fell back to aid his master. Aubrie remained behind while Stratus slaughtered the Padawans. Aubrie soon engaged Stratus in a duel.
Aubrie: You killed half your people....and you've murdered my friends!
Stratus: Don't lecture me on murder, Jedi! All of my victims are casualties of your war!
As Aubrie charged at Stratus, Stratus pulled out a blaster pistol and shot her in the chest. In her final moments, Aubrie fell on top of Stratus and impaled him with her Lightsaber. As she died, Stratus simply laughed.
Stratus: Heh....just casualties of war....
In that moment, both Aubrie and Stratus died among the bodies of Clone and Jabiimi Nationalists. Despite the loss of their leader, the Nationalists fought on. Meanwhile, Vres and Mordecai held the line while Aegis and his troops began entering the last of the gunships.
Mordecai: They...they just keep coming!
Vres: Calm yourself, Mordecai! We must hold the line! The evacuation is nearly complete!
Mordecai: What about Aubrie and the others?! We have to go back for them!
At that point, Mordecai reached out to Aubrie through the Force, but heard nothing but silence amid the chaos of the battle. It was at this moment that he knew that Aubrie had fallen. At this point, Mordecai and Vres boarded the gunship. As they were about to take off, the gunship began shaking violently.
Aegis: Sir! Our gunships are being attacked by rocket launchers! We'll be shot out of the sky!
Without hesitation, Vres jumped out of the gunship and right back into the fallen Republic outpost. Mordecai tried to join his master, but Vres used the Force to slam the door.
Mordecai: MASTER! NO! Lower the ship!
Clone Pilot: We can't sir! The area is too hot! If we go back, we all die!
Mordecai screamed for his master as the gunship took off. Meanwhile, Vres began cutting her way through both Jabiimi Nationalist and Battle Droid. Despite the wounds she sustained, Vres fought on as she killed the rocket launchers.
Jabiimi Nationalist: Kill the Jedi!
Vres continued to defend herself against her attackers with her green Double Bladed Lightsaber. Despite the overwhelming odds against her, Vres made her stand.
Vres: I am one with the Force and the Force is with me. I am one with the Force and the Force is with me.
As Vres chanted the words, she fought valiantly against the her attackers. Suddenly, her Lightsaber is shot out of her hand. Before she could react, she is attacked by a large creature wearing heavy armor. Vres tried to fight off the creature, but she is soon overwhelmed. The beaten Vres looks upon the creature and recognizes him.
Vres: Durge....
Durge then grabs Vres by the skull.
Durge: You know, it's been over a century since I killed a Jedi. Luckily for you, my client wants you alive. But know this, before this war is over, the blood of the Jedi shall drench my armor.
Vres attempts to fight off Durge, but the Bounty Hunter continues to beat down Vres to the point of unconsciousness. After that, Durge collected the unconscious Vres to deliver her to his client as the Jabiimi Nationalists took control of Jabiim in a crushing defeat for the Republic.
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The Clone Wars (Jedi Outcast Series)
ActionBefore the tragic events of Order 66 and the subsequent Jedi Purge, Jedi Padawan Mordecai Arkous and his master Vres Vendoas were knights of the Republic. With the outbreak of the Clone Wars, both student and master are called into service to defend...
