Chapter 9 - The Dark Side

214 7 1
                                    

3rd Person

22 BBY, The Battle of Geonosis. That singular catastrophic event had changed everything.

Count Dooku, the well-respected former Jedi Master; unmasked as a Sith Lord.

The clones fought their first battle alongside their Jedi Generals.

Most importantly, for the first time in nearly a millennia, the galaxy found itself at war.

Adjusting to the new role of their order was difficult for many Jedi Knights. Nevertheless, war is not sympathetic or forgiving. As such, there were countless casualties within the first year. Those who were unfit or unwilling quickly died out. Adapt or perish, that was the only rule of the clone war.

Many of the unprepared Jedi fell victim to the Count's numerous agents of chaos. The ruthless Jedi-killer General Grievous was one of them, of course. The cyborg leader was slippery, crafty, the meaning of a "fair fight" was absent from his vocabulary.

The only other notable agent of death was Asajj Ventress. She appeared out of the shadows, her origins unknown to the order. Upon her debut, many Jedi scholars quickly assumed she was the Sith apprentice of the rule of two. After further contemplation however, they were skeptical. Count Dooku was a Dark Lord of the Sith, that much the council was sure of. Anything else was up in the air.

One thing was certain, that one thing being that throughout the chaos, Ventress would continue killing.

Zevon

"Neyo! Neyo, can you hear me?!" I desperately yelled into my commlink.

"No one's coming, dear." the Sith assassin cackled at my third attempt. She paced back and forth, her eyes incessantly fixated on my master and I. It was as if she was sizing up her prey.

"Master, I'll get help!" I cried out, making my way toward the tiny passage we'd come from.

"No! Stay here, padawan." Master Gallia insisted, her eye contact with Ventress unbroken. "That's what she wants. She could have any number of droids hidden down here."

"You're a clever one... I don't believe we've met." Ventress hissed. My master said nothing in return. "Not very talkative, are you? You Jedi are so boring, why can't you all be like Kenobi?"

My master was silent, standing perfectly still in her form V stance. For a moment, it was as if time stopped. The only audible sound was the trifecta of lightsabers creating a buzzing harmony.

Then, Ventress struck.

She accelerated so fast that I was unable to react. It became clear in that moment that, if she'd gone for me, I'd be dead on the cold cavern floor. Fortunately, my master intercepted the assassin's furious flurry.

"Ksssshhhh!"

"Kssshhh!"

"Kssh!"

Sparks flew from the trio of sabers, illuminating the catacombs as Master Gallia parried the blade dance Ventress unleashed upon her. The assassin showed her emotions unabashedly, an expression of utter hatred etched upon her face. She snarled as she was unable to break through my master's defense, despite her persistence.

"Kssssshhhhhhhhh!"

Ventress crossed her twin sabers together as she locked them against my master's singular saber. The struggle was brief, for the assassin overpowered Master Gallia frighteningly quickly. Thus, my master tactically retreated backward several feet before regaining her composure.

The Weakest JediWhere stories live. Discover now