บท 15: War isn’t a game
Scout ducked underneath Alto Stratus' sword before flipping backwards and kicking a piece of rubble at his face. Alto caught it in his hand and crushed it in a surprising feat of strength, he rushed towards Scout swinging his sword in an aim to bisect her, she side-flipped over the blade and it carved a deep gash in the barrier behind her. She kicked his stomach forcing him back a bit, but even while enhancing herself slightly with the force she wasn't able to deal much damage. Alto Stratus was the perfect soldier and had been crafted as such since he was a child, his body, his mind and his very soul were morphed into being a man of war, and the child before him could do no more damage to him than one of their clones could.
Scout brought her lightsaber down in a rapid series of swings and slashes. Alto blocked them with his blade and avoided the rest, he then kicked Scout in the chest sending her back against a barrier hard enough to crack it. 'He's too strong for a normal person, what is he,' she thought to herself as she quickly got up and jumped over Alto's thrust which stabbed right through the barrier. She kicked both feet against his chest and flipped over the barrier while slashing her lightsaber towards his neck; Alto ducked down and growled before lifting the barrier with both hands and throwing it at Scout. The young Padawan's eyes widened at the display of strength and she had no choice but to slide under the barrier where Alto slammed his fist down on her face hard enough to make her bounce.
Scout was no stranger to pain so she was able to get up and roll away as Alto stabbed his sword into the ground "Peacekeepers of the galaxy, never has there been a worse joke told," Alto said as he approached her.
Scout frowned as she gripped her sword tightly, she couldn't overpower him like she'd been trying to do. She switched to Form III and hoped fighting defensively would help her, though in truth she didn't have much experience in this form as she had only had half a year of practice. "The Jedi are Peacekeepers!" Scout shouted incredulously.
Alto laughed humourlessly "Then why are you here fighting against me?" He asked.
"Because you're a tyrant in league with the separatists to fund their war," Scout said with a stern expression on her face.
"Is that what they told you? You know we are not that different you and I," He said with a shake of his head.
Scout snickered "I am nothing like you tyrant, you murder and kill thousands of your people all for the separatists."
"We are peacekeepers sent to protect those who have fallen victim to your machinations," she stated with conviction.
"Peacekeepers..." he spat.
"Tell me... why do you peacekeepers wield one of the most deadly weapons in the galaxy, you may have been peacekeepers a long time ago, but now you are simply weapons of war, just like me," he said with a malicious smile on his face.
"That's not true!" Scout said with frustration as she gripped her lightsaber tightly.
"Then why have you come here to settle a planetary dispute that at first had nothing to do with the Republic?" He asked.
Scout hesitated for a moment "You allied yourselves with the separatists, the republic had no choice but the join in," she said a little unsure of herself.
"We joined the separatists because we had no choice, after we beat the loyalists and made our intentions on one to leave the republic, they sent a Venator class ship into orbit and started supplying the remnants of the loyalists," he spat out.
"Your republic started this whole war because of greed and you are an instrument of that greed," he said as he pointed towards her with his sword.
"I will end the republic's hold on my planet and free us, I will kill every single Jedi I get my hands on!" He shouted as he charged at Scout at a much faster speed than before; his blade cut through the air slicing into the ground where Scout just was, she tried to counter him but he was able to block every strike and send at least two more of his own. Scout was only able to stay ahead due to her precognitive abilities and the skill she had in them. Most Jedi's ability in this is more of an instinct, a reflex, that they use to block and put themselves out of danger. Scout could see a full two seconds into the future, this coupled with her highly attuned instincts made her a good fighter.
But even so, she found herself on the back foot, Alto was unconventional to say the least, combining martial arts with sword forms and acrobatics. Scout jumped back, but Alto wasn't giving her any space to breathe he slashed his sword across the ground digging up dirt and throwing it towards her; Scout managed to block the strike that came from within and even avoided the foot that tried to connect with her knee. What she hadn't expected however was an explosion from behind her that sent her over Alto and crashing through a barrier onto the muddy ground.
When he had kicked up the dirt Alto slipped a thermal detonator into her blind spot and let it land behind her, he then activated his rocket boots and let the explosion push him up, though it still hurt him a bit. Scout had taken the brunt of the damage and her back was burned to a crisp by the intense flames of the thermal detonator, she groaned in pain as she tried to stand up and fight. She had trained so hard to get to this moment, she had always had a weak connection to the force so she had to work thrice as hard as everyone else, she was so happy when she was chosen as a Padawan. She didn't want it to end.
"You are nothing more than a child who thinks they are playing a game...war isn't a game, let me show you," Alto said as he approached her while stabbing his sword into the mud. Duster kept and the rest of the clones looked on helplessly as they had gotten everyone behind the shield, they raised their weapons and prepared to go and help the Commander, but it seemed Alto's men had caught onto that and they had their weapons raised and aimed at the shield and would likely open fire as soon as they came through.
Alto sidestepped a pathetic thrust from Scout who tried to stab him with her lightsaber. He grabbed her wrist and then slammed his palm into her elbow "AAAAAAHHH!!!" She screamed as her arm was broken, her lightsaber deactivated and dropped out of her hands. Scout tried to push him away with the force but she struggled to concentrate —and telekinesis had always been one of her weaknesses.
"Stratus!"
"Stratus!"
"Stratus!"
Duster clenched his fists around his weapon "We can't stand here and do nothing, let's go boys," he growled out as he attempted to charge back through the city shield only to be met with blaster fire that sent them straight back inside. They were at a severe disadvantage, there were over a dozen metres veteran the shield and the first defensive barrier, and they would be slaughtered before even making it halfway.
Alto lifted Scout with both hands around her head "Your death brings me one step closer to my utopia," he said before he started to squeeze her skull. Scout tried to resist but even pulling on the force wasn't enough, Alto Stratus possessed a strength that seemed to go beyond that of other Jabiimi.
"There is no pain... only the force..." Scout stuttered out which angered Alto.
"Pain... is the only thing you'll find on this planet," he replied as he started to squeeze harder making her lose her composure and scream. She could feel her skull cracking and giving way under his strength 'At least it'll be over soon,' she thought to herself.
*BOOM*
*BOOM*
Alto's eyes widened as various missiles were short against his men and exploded the front line kicking up earth and mud. A few seconds later dozens of clone troopers charged from their left flank and started firing on them. Duster took this opportunity and led the clones who were still in the city out and began firing on the Nationalists.
Alto cursed and went to finish Scout off, but had to drop her as the flash from a blue lightsaber entered his peripheral. Had he moved his arms a moment later they would've been cut off, he spun around and attempted to kick whoever had attacked him, but avoided the kick by ducking and sweeping his feet from underneath him. Alto rolled backwards finally getting a glimpse of his attacker; a Jedi no older than 15 in burnt and battered Jedi robes.
Jaden looked at what he was told was Alto Stratus, the leader of the Jabiimi Nationalists and one of the most dangerous men on the planet. "Take her behind the shields," he said to Aubrie who was next to him with her own lightsaber ignited.
"Yes Master," she said as she helped Scout up with one hand.
"A Master? You are but a boy?" Alto said as he withdrew his sword from the ground.
"I haven't been a boy since I first picked up a weapon," Jaden replied. Around them blasters were being fired back and forth, the battle had become intense and it was only getting worse as Nationalist reinforcements started arriving.
"Then you understand that I will kill you now," Alto said with a dark expression on his face.
"You will try," Jaden replied, and he immediately jumped back avoiding a slash by Alto that would've cut him in half had it connected. He switched to Form II and let his lightsaber hang loosely; executing a series of swift thrusts and strikes he surprised Alto with his speed. Alto used a powerful strike against Jaden which nearly flung his lightsaber out of his hand, Alto then spun around on his heel sweeping low with his sword. Jaden jumped over the sweep but was caught with a kick that Alto shifted into.
Jaden was launched backwards, he righted himself in the air and flipped while grasping rubble with the force and flinging it at Alto. He landed on his hands and knees before lunging back at Alto Stratus; the man himself had been hit with the debris, but it hadn't caused much damage.
Alto reached behind his back and pulled a blaster pistol out before shooting at Jaden. Jaden was shot in the shoulder before deflected and blocking the next bolts; he pushed through the pain and concentrated before sending a force push at Alto sending him into a barrier and cracking it. Jaden saw that Alto was stunned, he could end things right now and get off this forsaken planet, he rushed towards Alto intending to drive his lightsaber through his skull, but the blaster fire started to intensify so much so that it forced Jaden back.
"Master do not be a fool, their reinforcements are here!" Zule stated as she deflected blaster fire at them while shooting a rifle with her cybernetic arm.
Jaden cursed as he looked at Alto who had now stood up and was retreating to his men. "Let's go!" He shouted out as he rushed to go back to the shield with Zule following him. The enemy artillery soon started firing again, the entire front line was decimated in mere seconds now that no one was manning the anti-artillery.
Jaden looked as fire washed over the shield like a tsunami reaching nearly 30 feet high. "Master, what do we do!" Aubrie asked as she shoved through a group of clones.
For a moment Jaden didn't answer, he was cursing himself for being too cautious. He had refrained from channelling the Dark side during his fight as he lost control last time and it ended up with him being injured. If he had done it this time he could've ended things, crushed the leader's throat before he could even swing his sword.
"Master!"
He snapped out of his thought before looking at Aubrie "They are going to attack the city as soon as they are in position, who's in charge here," Jaden called out.
"I was General," Captain Duster answered as he made his way to Jaden.
"Show me a map of the city," Jaden instructed, and Duster quickly complied ordering one of the clones to bring a pad with a holographic map.
"Where is Master Norcuna?" Jaden asked.
"He has set up three fortifications covering each exit to the city and has a main command centre in the of the city, he should be there," he explained.
"Are there no other fortifications along this route?" Jaden asked and Duster shook his head.
'What a kriffing idiot!' He thought to himself. He split his forces up unnecessarily and ended up giving the nationalists an easy way to destroy his forces.
"What's your name Captain?" Jaden asked.
"Clone Trooper DU-534, but I go by Duster," he replied.
Jaden nodded "Alright Duster here's what I need you to do, it's very important you do it right."
Aubrie didn't hear the next part of Jaden's plan as he whispered it to Duster. After he was done Aubrie grabbed his arm "Master what are we doing?" She asked.
"We are retreating further down and setting up a makeshift fortification, start helping the wounded, we don't have much time," Jaden stated, Aubrie nodded and dragged Zule off with her and they started to help get the wounded on the few vehicles they had available.
Jaden weaved and moved past the clones. He had completely stopped thinking about his desires at this moment, about his need to get off the planet; he was now unconsciously channelling his battle meditation which flooded his thoughts with that of battle plans and fighting. He found the injured Jedi Padawan and knelt next to her body, he had seen her fight and while she had been beaten by Stratus she was still skilled in fighting.
Drawing on the force he started healing all of her wounds. Scout sighed in relief as she felt the pain from the burns across her back disappear, the skin regrew and in a minute it looked as if there had never been a burn in the first place. He then focused on her broken arm and fractured skull, this took a bit longer but he was still able to heal it just as well.
Scout no longer wounded quickly woke up and looked around "What happened? Did we lose?" She asked.
"Not yet," Jaden replied as he helped her up to her feet.
"Who are you?" She asked never having seen this particular Jedi before.
"Jedi Knight Katarn," Jaden replied.
Her eyes widened and she quickly bowed her head finally aware of her lack of respect "We will have time for formalities later," Jaden said as he stopped her.
"I need you to help cover our retreat with Duster and the rest of his platoon, can you do that?" Jaden informed her.
"Yes, Master!" Scout said with a mock salute.
Jaden nodded and went back to oversee the retreat, he looked back out to outside the shield and saw that they were almost ready to attack.
———————————————————
Alto Stratus retreated behind his front line and made his way back to his main camp where his second in command and good friend Colonel Mazzi was waiting for him. He walked under the command canopy dropped his sword and took a seat "Did everything go as expected Commander?" Mazzi asked.
Alto leaned forward with a scowl on his face "There was a boy... no a man, he was different from the other Jedi," he expressed.
"Different in what way sir?" Mazzi asked.
"I'm not sure... he seemed different from the way the Jedi I've met are, the way he looked at me when he had thrown me to the ground using the force..."
"Had he not been interrupted he would've killed me without a moment's hesitation, he is a true warrior," He stated.
"Perhaps he has seen war before, there are Jedi who have gotten involved in conflicts before," Mazzi stated.
"Maybe, but a feeling tells me it's something different," he replied.
"Does it change the plans?" Mazzi asked.
Alto shook his head "No we kill everything in the city," he replied unapologetically.
"Our agents have already infiltrated and will be taking down the shield soon, then we can raze the city to the ground," Mazzi replied.
"Good I will join them soon, send the the first wave of battle droids, no point in letting them get too comfortable," Alto commanded.
"Yes sir!" Mazzi said as he turned on his heels and left.
(AN: Battle is continuing, Jaden is falling into the role of commander pretty easily (Battle meditation) things will be ramped up next chapter. I hope you enjoyed it.)
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