19 BBY
Sullust, Outer Rim
The cruiser launched out of hyperspace and into the Sullust System. Jaika stood by the observation windows and laid eyes on the Separatist blockade, as her panic began to rise. But the Jedi knew she could not show it, she must not let her emotions take advantage of her. Jaika sucked in a deep breath before she turned around and walked up to the briefing table, where Wolffe and a couple other troopers were stood.
Admiral Coburn walked past Jaika and yelled out commands for the crew, who began to press various buttons. Jaika watched as they drew in closer to the planet, as the battle stations and the dreadnaughts grew bigger. Their shadows casted a darkness into the observation deck, as strategists yelled out commands. Wolffe sighed from beside her and walked up to the Admiral, "Open fire! We need to damage their forces, break through any crack in their blockade." Wolffe suggested, earning an agreed hum from the Admiral who redirected orders.
Jaika observed the map as they neared the Separatists, while the two Republic cruisers opened fire onto the vessels. She watched as the smaller vessels exploded and broke apart, their debris tangling with surrounding ships. The battle stations stuck to the back of the blockade while the cruisers were up front, unloading heavy fire. Jaika's eyes morphed into an expression of realization, while the troopers around the table looked to her for advice. "What are you thinking, General?" Boost questioned, tilting his head as he observed her wide eyes.
Wolffe gazed over his shoulder and approached the conversation. "They plan to weaken us. They want us to focus on the dreadnaughts and tire us out so that the battle stations can over power us when we are vulnerable." Jaika expressed, as the door to the bridge swept open and the two other Jedi walked in. General Prine watched the outside battle with an apprehensive expression, while Navess's eyes morphed into a fearful expression.
"I would not put it past them to use such a strategy. What is your plan?" Comet agreed, as he recognised the look in her eyes. He had worked with Jaika enough to know that an idea was formulating in her mind. "We need to send out a squadron to weaken the stations and their fighters. We need to utilize every strategy that we can think of to break through their barrier." Jaika suggested, as she peered up towards Wolffe. The Commander did not say a word as he remained still in thought. It was risky, but so was their current position. Wolffe weighed their options and gazed down to Jaika, before sending her a nod. "I will contact Warthog to lead a squadron." Wolffe announced and pressed a button on his wrist as he turned away.
Jaika gazed out the window once again, observing the severity of the opposition's forces. "I'll assist the squadron." Jaika announced, making Wolffe turn back to face her. Although he wore his helmet, Jaika could tell that he was looking at her wide eyed. Wolffe let out a heavy breath. "General, with all due respect, I cannot let you do that. It is too dangerous, you can see how heavy their blockade is." Wolffe reasoned, while the two other Jedi peered between the pair. Master Prine glanced towards Jaika with unsure eyes. "Which is why I will help, like you said, it is too dangerous, I cannot let our men tackle that on their own." Jaika countered.
Navess watched the Skywalker girl with a small smile, as Jaika carried traits that many other Jedi did not. She was a breath of fresh air. Wolffe folded his arms over his chest and shook his head, "We need you for the ground assault." Wolffe responded, as Jaika began to back away towards the door. She sent Wolffe an encouraging glance, in an attempt to reassure him. "There will be no ground assault if we don't break through." She pointed out, making the other troopers share a couple of glances.
"I'll make sure I come back for the ground assault." Jaika promised, with a small smile. The Jedi met the Padawan's gaze and shot her a small smile before she quickly left the bridge. "You better." Wolffe muttered, as the other troopers turned their attention towards him.
~☆~
The squadron approached the dreadnaughts, as many Separatist fighters flew out from beneath the cruisers. Jaika tightened her grip around the steering, firing a chain of blasts upon the fighters, before she twisted the fighter and swerved past them. Jaika dived and skimmed underneath one of the dreadnaughts, flying a couple of meters away from the hull of the ship, making Alpha let out a couple of anxious beeps. "Warthog, I need you to take out the lower cannons of these dreadnaughts." Jaika instructed, earning an affirmation from the trooper before he and a couple of fighters broke off and began to destroy the lower cannons.
"Phoenix, get ready to bring down your Y-Wings." Jaika spoke, as the few Y-Wings in the squadron followed after her. Jaika dived down towards one of the battle stations. As she neared, the cannons turned up towards their fleet. In an instant, the Jedi rolled to the side and dodged their blasts as she continued to dive. Once she leveled out again she released a chain of blasts onto the cannon, dismantling it.
The Jedi fighter drifted above the surface of the battle station, before blasting down the satellites that were positioned in various angles. The rest of the squadron dispatched to tackle the three stations, blasting cannons and the exterior structure of the station. "Phoenix, rain down on them." Jaika instructed.
Looking outside the cockpit window, she watched as the Y-Wings broke formation and swerved above the stations, before they dropped their bombs onto the station. The explosions illuminated the battle as the stations began to crumble. The ends of the curved structures detached from the rest of the station, as the rest of the fighters continued to fire down onto them. Jaika steered her fighter and fired her ion blasts towards the main signaling apparatus that was positioned by the observation deck, dismantling their communications.
A stream of Separatist fighters flew out from the stations, making the Republic squadrons get into a formation and fight back. Jaika led the first fleet and dived past their advances, before twisting her fighter and firing back at the ships. The chaos ensued as a small space battle flickered behind the major cruiser battle.
Jaika spun her fighter and turned before releasing another chain of blasts onto the fighters. A small group of fighters dived towards Jaika's fighter, making her press down on the triggers once again, before she accelerated towards them and skimmed in between them. Turning on her side, she turned around and fired back at them, destroying them from behind.
The squadron earned an instant victory, prompting them to continue the mission and journey back towards the fleet. Jaika steered through one of the downed dreadnaughts which had been ripped open by the Venator's cannons, giving them a path back to the cruiser without flying in a target zone.
Once the squadron descended back into the hanger, Jaika was quick to shut down her fighter and liberate Alpha from his restraints. She jumped out of her fighter and walked towards the lift with Alpha rolling by her side.
Quickly recovering from the space battle, Jaika walked through the doors and entered the observation deck. Her arrival caught the attention of many troopers and the two Jedi, who all looked to her in approval. Jaika approached the briefing table and watched the map, observing how the dreadnaughts began to break formation. "That's our opening." Jaika revealed, pointing towards one of the weaker dreadnaughts which floated in place, though it struggled to keep its position due to the damage from the cannons. "We'll take it. Open fire, 10 O'clock!" Wolffe ordered, as he stepped away from the table.
The two Jedi approached the table, "The stories I hear are true, you live up to your reputation." Master Prine spoke, looking down to Jaika with a small smile. Jaika nodded her head in appreciation. "Thank you, Master Prine. "
Jaika turned her attention back towards the battle, as she watched the two Venators near the damaged dreadnaught and open fire. The dreadnaught weakened before it crumbled and broke apart, creating an opening for their forces. Jaika stepped away from the table and walked down the catwalk towards the window. She observed the remaining dreadnaughts, which continued to fire back at them. The second Venator lurched forward and fired back at the other dreadnaughts, making Jaika's adrenaline rush as she turned to the crew. "They're covering us, take that exit." Jaika commanded, as the crew pressed a couple of buttons, making the cruiser accelerate through the blockade towards the planet.
Wolffe stood beside Jaika, while the cruiser passed through the debris which once belonged to the battle stations. The clone Commander observed the wreckage before he faced Jaika, who gazed back at him with a small smile.
The cruiser pierced through the thick atmosphere of Sullust. The thick clouds blinded their visuals as the planet's hostile weather conditions knocked the cruiser ever so slightly. The dark clouds loomed for miles, making the crew resort to their radar to navigate through the planet. Jaika remained in her place and took in a deep breath, tuning into her senses. "Pull up, we must be close to the ground!" Admiral Coburn ordered, as they continued to dive through the clouds.
Jaika's ears twitched when she listened to the grumbling clouds around her, as the cruiser creaked when it began to flatten out. "No." Jaika spoke, making the crew look towards her. "Keep going, we still have a long way to go." Jaika advised, making the crew members share a couple of unsure glances. Jaika sensed their doubt, "I'll give you the signal, trust me. Now, keep going."
The cruiser tilted downwards once again and continued to dive through the thick clouds. Jaika stood by the windows, listening to the outside world. The heavy rain pattered against the glass, as the thick clouds rubbed against the metallic exterior of the cruiser, while distant thunder boomed around them. The ship continued its travels, as the thunder grew more and more distant and the rain lessened. Jaika's ears tuned into their surroundings, as she watched the clouds grow into a lighter shade of grey. "Pull up." Jaika signaled, making the crew follow her orders immediately.
As the cruiser flattened out, they pierced through the bottom of the clouds and laid eyes on the terrain below. There were many lava flats and rocky mountains which covered the planet, as many fumes plagued the atmosphere. "We are picking up a signal up ahead." A crew member announced, making Jaika observe the clone before she met the Admiral's gaze and sent him a nod. "Full speed ahead." He ordered.
Jaika kept her eyes on the world around her, observing how abandoned it looked. As they continued to drift, a distant complex shimmered in the distance. Jaika's eyes narrowed when she laid eyes on it, noticing how it spread through the lava flats. A familiar hum rang through her ears when she looked upon it. "It's a Separatist fortress." Jaika revealed, before she turned and walked down the catwalk towards the briefing table.
The map readings of their current position appeared, allowing Jaika to read how far they were from the fortress. They still had quite a distance to cover, but the more she observed the fortress, the more she became aware of their position. "They have air defenses. We are too exposed, we should take the gunships down." Jaika suggested, as the two other Jedi observed the map. "I agree, we are too much of a target." Master Prine suggested.
~☆~
Jaika held onto the over head handles as the gunship swerved through the air. The high winds made flying difficult, as the ship was thrown off course. Jaika gazed towards Alpha who magnetized his stilts to the floor of the gunship, before she glanced towards Comet, who swung in his place while he held onto the handle for his life. "You know they will be waiting for us." Wolffe spoke, making Jaika gaze up towards him.
"I'm counting on it." Jaika answered, before she redirected her attention towards the outside world. While the ship continued to fly over the smoke storms and battled against the wind, Wolffe observed the Jedi he had grown up with throughout the war. He noticed how her once mischievous eyes had been broken into a solemn expression, as they were starting to fill with dread. It was not just the clones who were affected by the pressures and extremities of war.
Jaika held onto the handle as the ship rocked, her eyes slowly peered towards Wolffe whose helmet was tilted down in her direction. Before the Jedi could question him, a shrill hum ripped through her ear drums, making the hairs on her arms stand up. Jaika whipped her head up and looked out through the thin window slats. Wolffe noticed her sudden focus and motioned towards the pilot, who swept the doors open.
The girl's eyes narrowed as she stared up at the dark clouds, as a distant rumbling thundered from above. A sick feeling churned from within her as a distant light illuminated from within the clouds. "Do you smell that?" Comet asked, removing his helmet to take a better look. Before Sinker could make a joke, the sudden smell of burning fuel overwhelmed their surroundings, the strong smell blinded all of their other senses.
Jaika's chest tightened as the deep resonance grew louder and louder. The light faded into an intense red shade, before smoke began to infiltrate the dark clouds. From within the clouds, the second Venator pierced through the thick smoke, covered in fire and debris. The front bow of the cruiser had crumbled from the fire, and the sides of the ship continued to break off from the rest of the ship. "What are they doing?" Boost questioned, observing the cruiser which was nose-diving towards the ground.
The Jedi frowned and observed the ship, before she laid eyes on the destroyed observation decks and the bent hanger doors. The more she looked at the cruiser the more she could feel...nothing.
"They're dead." Jaika muttered, making the other clones quickly look to her in shock. Wolffe quickly turned to the pilot, "Pull up, now!" He ordered, as the gunship quickly steered away from the cruiser. The Jedi watched with anticipation as the cruiser neared the fortress, making her chest constrict with anxiety. Her grip around the handle tightened as the cruiser crumbled into one of the edges of the building, shaking that side of the building as the Venator exploded and was engulfed within a thick smoke cloud. The contact of the crash sent a shock wave across the ground, making the clouds of steam blow the gunships off course.
Jaika shielded her eyes as the smoke blew towards their open gunship, as the pilot fought against the weather to get back on course. Once the rocking stopped, Jaika slowly recovered herself and observed the crash site, as the front half of the cruiser was obliterated and all that remained were shards and scraps of metal that were attached to the back end of the cruiser, the main structure of the cruiser was unrecognizable. Their back up were gone.
A frown crept along her face as she felt the lives of many come to an end all at once, as thousands of screams cried out only to be silenced a second later. The heavy weight of their deaths pushed Jaika down, as she watched the scene with sad eyes. A hand gently placed itself on her shoulder, drawing her out of her thoughts as she gazed up towards Wolffe. "We will commemorate them for their sacrifice once this battle is won. We need to focus on the fight ahead of us." Wolffe advised, earning a nod from the girl.
~☆~
The gunships landed by the wreckage, as the crash had created an opening in the metallic fortress. Jaika jumped out of the gunship with Alpha rolling by her side and Wolffe walking by her other side. The other forces reunited with them as Master Prine and Navess walked a couple of paces behind Jaika and her clones.
Jaika climbed up a mountain of wreckage before slipping through a hole in the side of the building and landed in the interior. Alpha was quick to lower beside her, before the rest of the Wolfpack joined her. The Jedi observed the dark interior, as the dark and long hallways provided little to no light in the maze-like building. The girl knew that the rescue will be a tiresome mission.
Once the leaders of each group had convened into the space, Alpha projected a map of the fortress allowing everyone to grasp the confusing interior of the base. "We are here." Jaika spoke, pointing to one of the edges of the building, "And the prisoners are being held here, in the prison facility. Master Prine and his team will launch an extraction and free the hostages, take them to the gunships and make sure you get them all out alive. Alpha will go with you." Jaika commanded, earning a nod from Navess who gazed up to her Master. Alpha grumbled to himself, making Jaika shoot the droid a glare. "We will. But what will you do, General?" he questioned.
"I'm going hunting for Muuns, and hopefully find a bounty hunter along the way." Jaika revealed, earning a couple of entertained chuckles from the Wolfpack. The two Jedi nodded, "Be careful, there are many droids crawling around." Jaika warned, aware of the fact that Nix Card has a thousand droids protecting him. The Jedi bowed to Jaika, which she hesitantly returned before they went separate ways.
Jaika stepped down a hall, taking stealthy steps as Wolffe and the other clones followed after her. The girl tuned into her senses, hearing the distant clanking of battle droids as they conversed a couple of corridors away. Jaika gazed over her shoulder and glanced towards Wolffe, who sent her a nod, the girl looked past him and observed Comet and Boost who itched in excitement to endure another clanker fight. The Jedi turned around the corner and continued down the empty corridor, walking with silent steps while she traveled at a quickened pace.
Wolffe held his twin blasters ahead of him, aiming them around each corner before giving the all clear. Jaika followed after him and unhooked both of her lightsaber hilts, holding them in a tight grip as she ducked beneath open structures in the walls. The girl held her breath as a patrol of droids marched past, not noticing their presence.
Once they were gone, their scout continued through the thin corridors. They turned one last corner and walked into a open supply room, filled with droids and communication devices. The droids chatted together before a sudden silence fell upon the room. A B1 droid shot up from its place at a desk, "Hey! You're not meant to be in here!" The droid accused, pointing its finger. Jaika shared a glance with Wolffe. "My bad." Jaika smiled.
The girl instantly ignited both of her lightsabers and spun them into a ready position. In an instant a stream of red and blue blasts fired back at each other. Jaika ducked beneath the wall of blasts and rolled towards a droid and cut through it, before she twisted around and stabbed through the chest of another droid.
Jaika rolled back onto her feet and spun her lightsabers around, deflecting the red blasts that were fired towards her. She shot out her hand and moved it to the side, throwing one of the droids directly into the line of fire. Jaika turned around and angled her blade into a variety of different angles, while she spun her other blade behind her. Once she was close enough to the droids who were shooting at her, Jaika took both lightsabers and slashed through them.
The girl turned towards the communications desk and leapt onto the top of it, before she jumped down and sliced the droid who was operating the information. Once the last droid fell, the aura within the room relaxed. Jaika deactivated her lightsabers and attached the hilts to her belt, while Sinker and Comet kicked the droid bodies around. Boost accompanied Wolffe who approached Jaika at the communications desk.
Jaika scrolled through various files, in search of the Muuns. The troopers surveyed the room, looking for any clues while Wolffe scanned various data readings with Jaika. While the girl read, a shiver quickly traveled against her skin, making her hairs stand up and her chest tighten. The girl spun around and laid eyes on a figure concealed in the shadows. Wolffe acknowledged her movement and turned around, as the figure chuckled.
The figure stepped into the light, holding a large blaster rifle. Jaika's eyes travelled along the weapon before she met their gaze. The Bounty Hunter. "Looking for something, Jedi?" The hunter questioned, tilting their head in amusement. Jaika narrowed her eyes, before she pressed a button on her communicator, transmitting a code to the other team. The Jedi let out a breath and detached her lightsaber hilts from her belt. "Aurra Sing, we meet again."
The woman let out a growl and lunged towards Jaika, who pushed her hands out and threw her into the wall. Aurra crashed into the metallic walls and slid to the ground. While Jaika stood in front of her, holding her deactivated lightsabers, the Wolfpack lined up from behind her with their blasters drawn. "I've knocked you down once, I will do it again."
Letting out a snarl, Aurra jumped to her feet and forced her blaster rifle against Jaika, knocking her back, before she kicked the Jedi down a small flight of stairs and onto the main floor of the room. Jaika let out a small grunt as a hand shot out from beside her. Jaika gazed towards Sinker and took his hand as he pulled her to her feet.
The girl faced Aurra once again, who stood opposite her with a smirk. Jaika activated the two blades, filling the room with a blue aura while the hunter fired various blasts at the Jedi. Aurra swung her long blaster rifle into a ready position, as she began to aim towards the troopers that stood behind her. Jaika's eyes landed on Wolffe, who was in Aurra's targeting field.
In an instant, Jaika rolled along the floor and jumped upwards and sliced both blades through the nozzle of the blaster, dismantling the weapon. Jaika took a step back and spun her lightsabers around her wrist before positioning them into a reverse grip either side of her body. Aurra growled once she looked down at her destroyed weapon, before she glanced towards the quick Jedi who disarmed her favourite blaster. "You'll die for that."
Aurra ripped out two blaster pistols and unloaded a stream of blasts upon Jaika. The Jedi ducked below the blasts, before she twisted her body around and turned so that she could lunge towards the hunter. While she moved, Jaika angled her blades, making the blasts ricochet around their small fight. Once Jaika was close enough, she pulled her arm back and disarmed Aurra of both blasters; before she twisted her body again and kicked her leg against hers, knocking her onto her back.
Once the bounty fell onto her back, Jaika was quick to place a foot on her chest to hold her down. Aurra let out a shocked gasp as she gazed up at the Jedi who had her pinned. Jaika twirled her lightsabers around her wrists, before she crouched down and held one blade a couple of inches away from her neck while the other was securely aimed towards her. Aurra Sing knew that she could not get out of this one. "Are you going to kill me?" She questioned, holding back a smirk.
Jaika's eyes shimmered with distaste, as the red lighting which illuminated the information room reflected an amber hue into her irises. The Jedi tightened her grip on her lightsabers, "Yes. You are responsible for the murder of many civilizations and the disruption of peace. You are too dangerous to be left alive." Jaika answered, recalling the many times Aurra Sing had been responsible for destroying civilian settlements and transports.
The bounty hunter smirked, "But you can't." She spoke, as she eyed the two lightsabers that were tightly held in Jaika's hands. "Remember... you Jedi don't murder in cold blood. Your precious Republic would slap you on the wrist for that." She spoke, looking Jaika in the eye in an attempt to find a weakness. Jaika faltered for a moment, before she looked the hunter in the eye. "Luckily this war has tainted the Jedi scriptures red." Jaika spoke.
She spun her sabers around her wrists again before she pointed both blades down, crossing them over Aurra's neck. "I've never been one to follow rules." Jaika finished. The bounty hunter's breath hitched, getting stuck in her chest as she looked up at the two blue blades which burned around her neck. The Jedi in front of her did not stammer, did not hesitate as she held her swords to her neck, ready to make a final blow with a single nudge.
Aurra Sing closed her eyes, ready for her execution. Only it never came. The hunter opened her eyes and looked upon the Jedi who deactivated her lightsabers. "But I refuse to shed more blood upon the Jedi. I will not take lives with these weapons unless the situation requires it." She answered, before taking a step back.
"I have other ways of defeating you. The Jedi are more than just our lightsabers." Jaika spoke, before she lowered both hilts onto the ground. "Now get up." She ordered, prompting Aurra Sing to stand up. The once scared bounty hunter smirked before she charged towards Jaika, who dodged out of her way and stood behind her.
Aurra turned around and let out a scream as she swung a tight fist towards her. Jaika held her hand up and held Aurra's hand in place, making the bounty struggle as she tried to free her of the solid grip. Jaika raised her other hand and forced Aurra's other arm in another direction, stretching her torso into an uncomfortable strain. "What---you Jedi, fight me! Don't be a coward! Fight!" Aurra shouted, as she shook in her place, struggling to free her arms.
Jaika walked around her, inspecting her. "I am. I just chose to use another weapon." Jaika responded, before she gazed over her shoulder and looked at Comet. The trooper nodded back at her and stunned the hunter, making Aurra flop unconsciously within Jaika's grasp.
While the troopers tied an unconscious Aurra Sing up, Jaika stood and watched as Wolffe joined her side. "I've never seen a Jedi do that before. I respect your choice on not killing her on sight, even if I might not agree with it." Wolffe spoke, making Jaika peer up at him. She hummed. "This war has made so many Jedi forget about our greatest weapon, the force. We have been blinded by the never-ending violence of battle. The Jedi do not feel like a true Jedi if they are not slicing something apart with their lightsaber." Jaika expressed, feeling as if many Jedi now fought relentlessly without a second thought. She was guilty herself.
"Commander, we have the prisoners. Sending coordinates now." A trooper spoke through Wolffe's communicator. Jaika shared a look with Wolffe before she led them through the many tight halls towards the tracker beacon. Jaika walked along the grated metal flooring and approached Master Prine and Navess. Jaika looked behind them and laid eyes on many Sullustan prisoners, who looked back at them with fearful eyes.
"We need to send them to the closest outpost. There should be one on this planet." Jaika suggested, before she approached Alpha who projected a map of the planet. The droid pointed her in the direction of a transport hub where the prisoners can find refuge. "Warthog, ready the gunships." Boost spoke through his comm device.
Master Prine gazed between the clones and the prisoners with a thoughtful expression. "I noticed that the crashed cruiser still has its escape pods. It may be more efficient for all of us, that they use those." He suggested, earning a couple of hums. Jaika nodded before Master Prine lead the battalion through the tight halls towards the cruiser.
~☆~
Jaika's chest tightened as she stepped through the damaged cruiser halls. The walls creaked as sparks illuminated the crossed-wires which hung from the ceiling. It was in a bad state, and Jaika knew that the Venator could catch fire at any given moment.
The Jedi stepped over more debris and walked into the thin hallway into the evacuation chamber. Jaika crossed her arms over her chest and watched with interest, as the troopers ordered the Sullustans into the escape pods. The masses of people piled into the small vessels, cramping up together. Jaika gazed down towards Alpha and gave him a nod. The droid rolled towards one of the control ports and rotated a gear, activating the pods as they shot out from the cruiser and away from the facility.
"I do not envy them, I hate those pods." Sinker grumbled, reminiscing on the time he was stuck in one. Jaika peered towards the trooper before she turned away and began to lead the squad out of the evacuation chamber. "We need to find our way out of here and locate their main quarter of operations. If Nix Card is going to be anywhere, it is there." Jaika suggested.
Without any questions, they continued through the wreckage of the cruiser. Jaika walked at the front with Wolffe by her side, looking through every crevice and hole for attackers. A distant clanking echoed through the halls as the walls began to shake even more so. The growing noise made Jaika's anxiety worsen, as a patrol of droids marched through the dismantled blast doors and surrounded them. Before Jaika could plot their escape plan, a squad of destroyer droids rolled in front of the battle droids and activated their ray shields, aiming at them.
Jaika eyed Navess who lowered her hand towards her lightsaber, making Jaika cringe as she predicted the inevitable outcome if they tried to take on the droids that surrounded them. "Stand down." Jaika ordered, as the troopers around her hesitantly lowered their blasters, confused as to why the Skywalker was evading confrontation. Jaika gazed towards a battle droid which was painted in a purple colour scheme, different to the rest.
"This is a fight we will not win. Stand down." Jaika muttered, accepting her temporary defeat.
(5155 Words)
***
A/N:
Before you ask, I am treating this arc similar to the seige of Mandalore by having the mission be carried out. Also it gives an excuse to write more 104th content because I love them.
I hope you like this chapter.
Now get ready for pain.
☆