The Varactyl Squadron Commander (A Star Wars: The Clone Wars Fan-Fiction)

Chapter Sixty-Four

(Sorry for the short chapter, just needed to get this part out so I can focus on the future fight scene. I'll come back and give it more substance at a later date. Thanks again for reading!)

*

Although Ventress prided herself in her ability to maintain her composure in diplomatic situations, she was at a loss for words when the army exited the sewer and an image unlike any other graced the sith's eyes.

It was as if she'd been pulled into a dream; the vast green ocean of giant trees nearly overwhelmed her and the fresh, clean scent of nature erased whatever vile sensations Twar may have facilitated before. A mountain-range of earthy blues and greens with peaks scraping against the glorious white clouds decorated the horizon like a painting. Birds sang harmoniously in fits of delight, flashes of their colorful feathers darted around the waves of branches beneath them and a pleasant, misty breeze danced over her bare skin- unlike the harsh desert sand from the kingdom behind them.

"I..." Ventress was the first to speak, still unable to tear her gaze away from the artwork of flora and fauna. "I can't believe it. You were right. This is real, it's all real."

Despite being able to feel the pure wonder and awe from the armored men, another emotion altogether was radiating from Asemdi. Rage. A quick glance to her left and the young woman witnessed an anger from the queen that nearly rivaled the anguish she'd felt upon the death of her sister. With hands clenched into fists shaking at her sides, Asemdi closed her eyes for a single moment, as if to ground herself. The jungle went silent and when she opened her eyes again, they were overflowing with darkness.

The queen lifted her hand, pointing directly at the mountain ahead.

"There."

"Your majesty, if I may," Ventress put her hand out to gently touch the woman's shoulder, hoping to calm her down a bit, but ended up drawing back as soon as that oily gaze shifted onto herself. "In your story, you mentioned good and evil giants-"

"Leave that to me," was all the queen said as she stalked forward, her army trailing behind.

***

They only had about thirty minutes left of travel before the herd would reach the mountain, but it was enough time to warrant a break. As soon as Etolga had gotten the news of a potential threat, she knew they were only safe inside that mountain; pushing the herd to move a little faster than normal wasn't an issue for her. But she also was aware of their limits; the children and the elderly hadn't complained once but the ache in the air was palpable.

"Have we arrived?" General Skywalker asked when the two commanders made their way to the back of the stalled parade. If this had been any other normal mission with Obi-Wan, Anakin would've already used that term at least ten times just to annoy his old master. But there was no space for messing around, maybe another time.

"No, not yet," Lindi passed a canteen filled with water over to Axel, who then passed it to the general when he was finished gulping down his share. "Etolga said it's over the ridge. The herd just needs a moment to catch their breath. Any new developments back here?"

"It's still quiet as death," Axel's statement was only partly true. The jungle was, in fact, silent as the dead, but he could hardly focus when the clone couldn't bare to even look the woman in the eye. He didn't bother asking General Skywalker for the details, the odds of Axel throwing up a second time out of pure dread would've been through the stratosphere. That damn droid...

He couldn't help but wonder if this, if JC's death, the death of her longest, best friend was the final straw that would thoroughly break Molindi's back.

"I've got a really bad feeling about this," The general stated, sympathetic for the civilians who'd been so welcoming and kind enough to help them, but also on edge. Lindi didn't blame him; she appreciated just how much their new friends were willing to push themselves but also knew that it would all be for nothing if they slowed down at the finish line. "Whatever's out there must be maintaining a decent enough pace with us in order to keep the jungle so-"

All at once, the ground shook underfoot. Unlike the steady thudding sensations from the steps of the massive herd, this was a sharp, deep shake that sent instruments rattling and carts jittering against their wheels. Now the herd followed the jungle's lead and became just as noiseless; the humans of the group all exchanged startled glances, but kept their mouths shut as well.

The second intense quake was followed by a blood-curdling shriek, a familiar sound that caused the hair on Molindi's arms to stand up and dread to slither into the soliders' hearts. And as the pattern grew more and more rapid, it also grew closer and closer and closer. Lindi turned to face the front of the terrified herd.

"Move!"

It didn't take a translator for the parade to get the message.

***

Ventress gripped the vines wrapped around the Tokep's neck for dear life as the creature raced after Asemdi's own Tokep mount. At this rate, the long, spindly monster was in control and the sith was just along for the ride. The make-shift reins she'd knotted together out of the local flora was more of a decoration now than of any actual help.

Though the assassin had witnessed many atrocities and war-crimes in her career, she would never forget the screams of the queen's men as she fed them to the Tokep, one by one, tearing limb from limb before the beast was satisfied and willing to serve. Then she would move on to the next Tokep, and the next one, and the next, throwing one man after another into the gaping maws of these living nightmares, watching as they drained the blood greedily from their sacrifice's throats. At one point when Asemdi seemed to be honestly enjoying the fear and terror she was causing, the sith had been concerned that the queen would throw Ventress herself to the abominations as payment.

The queen's army was less than half the size it had been before.

But with these creatures on their side, Asemdi and what remained of her forces had nearly reached the base of the mountain within the span of only a few hours. At first, Ventress hadn't been too thrilled about this "diplomatic" mission; she certainly hadn't been expecting the queen of Twar to be so cutthroat. But based on everything she'd witnessed, this alliance was going to be more than beneficial for the Separatists.

"I can sense them," Asemdi called from the lead. "Not much farther!"

Ventress could sense them, too: Skywalker, his personal pet clone, as well as that childish bitch from the arena working for them. There was no denying it; Ventress was going to bury her lightsabers hilt-deep into that woman's chest before she'd consider this mission a success. Or maybe decapitate her in front of her Republic friends. Studies showed that the head remains conscious for a certain amount of time after being removed from its body; it would be amusing to deal with the woman first and force her to witness the death of her comrades while slowly, inevitably dying herself.

"Move!" She heard a stern voice shout ahead, a voice she'd just recently learned to recognize. A voice that she was determined to silence forever.

The sith covered her ears and flinched as her mount let out one final mighty scream before the sliver of an army broke through the brush and into the clearing at the base of the mountain. Her grasp slipped from the Tokep's neck and she tucked forward, rolling across the dusty, hard ground before sliding into her traditional fighting stance, red lightsabers ignited before her and her mount rearing and screaming its battle cries.

Her eyes locked with the woman-commander as the Republic spy and her comrades stood between the queen's forces and the fleeing Chitauri people. Their trumpet-like squeals of fear as they flooded towards the mountain were a different kind of music to her ears than the original songs of the jungle upon their arrival; she couldn't tell which sound she enjoyed more.

Skywalker had already drawn his blue blade, while the three others wielded their weapons from the arena on Twar; it was a time that felt like ages ago and yet couldn't have been more than a day.

A smirk danced across the assassin's lips.

If the scene she'd watched of the starving Tokeps hours prior was any indication, this was going to be more fun than Ventress had originally thought.