NEW BEGINNING - Book I

Chapter 12

Battle of Devaron (Part 2)

The group split up in two teams. Obi-Wan, Anakin and Katooni went to the town centre and Rex, Cody, Fives and Petro were supposed to find out what happened to the female civilians and their kids. Anakin warned Petro again that he shouldn't act without permission before the padawan's group started searching the houses, but they didn't find a single life-form inside of them.

'That's strange. It's like the town is deserted. Not even the male Devaronians are here anymore.'

'You're right. Maybe we should investigate the town's center. We might find answers there.'

Suddenly they heard gunfire. Petro jumped on top of a roof and sprinted over the houses. He could already see where the noise was coming from. A female Devaronian ran from a group of droids. But she was not unarmed, in her right hand she held a blaster and fired at the droids. But she ran into a dead-end.

'Stay down.' one of the droids ordered. Shortly after Petro jumped down from the roof in a front flip with his activated lightsaber he sliced the droid in two halfs. Protectively, he stood in front of the woman. The same moment Rex, Cody and Fives rounded the corner and eliminated the other clankers. Petro turned to the middle-aged woman.

'I'm padawan...'

'Are you here to help?'

'Excuse me?'

'Are you here to help, jedi?'

'Y-yes, we are.'

'Then follow me.' The group exchanged questioning looks but Petro just nodded and mentioned them to follow.
She leaded them into a house with a staircase leading into a dark basement. The room was completely empty. The woman went to the wall and searched for something. Her fingers glided over the wall's surface. She stopped when she found an barely visible crevice. She pushed against the wall and it opened. The Devaronian waited till everybody was inside and closed it again behind them. They stood in a dark hallway. The clones activated their night viewers and Petro his lightsaber. The woman led them about five minutes through a complex linkage. Finally, they reached a lightened cave where many Devaronian women sat on the ground or stood around talking to each other. When they saw the group they started whispering to one another. The Devaronian who led them sat down behind a wooden desk which stood in an empty angle of the cave. She folded her hands and looked at them expectantly.

'You are from the Republic army, aren't you?' she broke the silence.

'Indeed, we are. I'm padawan learner Petro Demaron. And these are Captain Rex, Commander Cody and Arc-Trooper Fives. What did happen to you? Why are you hiding?'

'I'm Malkesha. When the Separatists occupied our planet they captured most of our population. We could escape and since then we hide here. We don't know where the others were brought to. All we know is that the Separatists probably imprisoned them. They must have told them that they'd harm us if they would fight them. That's why I was up in the streets. I tried to find out if the male Devaronians are still in the city, but a droid squadron saw me. So Jedi, will you help us free our planet?'

Without any hesitation Petro answered 'Yes, we will. And we will find the other Devaronians and free them.'

For the first time Malkesha's lips formed a slight smile.
Rex cleared his throat behind the padawan.

'Commander, on a word?'

He grabbed him by the arm and pulled him aside.

'Commander, I think we should discuss this with General Skywalker at first. May I remind you that he told you not to act without his permission.'