บท 2: Episode 2: Below the Thunder
After a couple of hours of sleeping, Ahsoka and Rex are suddenly waken up by the sound of Maul on the intercom. Maul: "Report to the cockpit." Ahsoka gets up out of bed and Rex quickly rises from the floor. He looks across at Ahsoka. Ahsoka then leaps out of bed and Rex turns the light on. Rex quickly puts his armor and helmet on.
Rex: "I have a bad feeling about this." Ahsoka looks back at him with a look of perplexity. Rex then opens the door and Ahsoka follows. They both enter the cockpit and notice Maul standing behind Laura and Hugo. As Ahsoka walks closer towards the cockpit, she notices Coruscant in the distance.
There are also several distant Venator cruisers, however, these Republic ships do not seem to notice them. Flying around the Venators, are v-wing starfighters and a few arc fighters making patrols. Even from orbit, you can see distant lights scattered throughout its surface. The ship has a natural cool feeling in it.
Maul: "We are now approaching the prime time for our attack." Maul says this without even turning around. Maul: "Failure, is not acceptable. This is no ordinary Mandalorian ship, I personally made sure it had advanced stealth systems. The Republic navy will not be able to track us."
Ahsoka gets ready to say something, but Rex beats her to the punch. Rex: "Coruscant has an advanced shield system, you cannot enter without permission. Coruscant also has the best tracking systems in the galaxy. Even if your ship has stealth systems that are too good for them to detect, Coruscant has several space mines that will trap your ship."
Maul chuckles then responds, "Do you see any fighters following us? They surely cannot detect us. I know how Coruscant's security system works, my old master showed me. I have an inside contact that has opened up a route for us." The ship then flies into Coruscant's atmosphere. It is night time, but the planet is still illuminated by several bright lights of every color. Bars and clubs are open, business goes on as usual. The planet never sleeps.
Ahsoka: "Where are we heading?"
Maul: "Patience young one, we will be there soon enough. At a location that is familiar to you."
Ahsoka wonders where this place might be. Could it be the chancellor's office or some important information center? Then Ahsoka gets an affirmation on where it is as she sees the Jedi temple in the distance. As the fighter gets closer towards the temple, Ahsoka can see smoke emitting from it. Ahsoka: "It looks like a battle has begun, clones must have attacked the temple."
Maul: "Indeed, this is our best chance." Ahsoka looks back at Maul in surprise.
Ahsoka: "Is Anakin?"
Maul: "All will become clear very soon. If you want to think about your emotions then think about all your Jedi brethren and sisters that are brutally destroyed by republic forces. All the work of these traitors! Avenge them!"
Ahsoka: "But, revenge..."
Maul: "Is not the Jedi way? But you're not a Jedi anymore, remember?"
Ahsoka: "Then why should I avenge them?"
Maul: "I know the game you're playing. Were these Jedi not your friends? Were they not the ones you grew up with even if they were naïve? Did that justify their slaughter?"
Rex: "Ahsoka, don't listen to him. He is trying to manipulate you. He doesn't care about those Jedi."
The Mandalorian fighter hovers over the platforms on the right side of the temple. They are about 30 meters long and are grey in color. The area is particularly dark and they lead up to doors within the temple. The doors are guarded by distant 501st troopers. The engines of the ship are difficult to hear due to it's unique design.
The ship descends and the back door opens hovering over one of the landing platforms. Maul quickly sprints past Ahsoka from the cockpit to the center room and dives out of the ship onto the platform and rushes ahead. Ahsoka suddenly leaps out of the ship behind him. Rex then looks at Laura and Hugo. Realizing that the ship is still about 20 feet in the air.
NIGHT OF TERROR
Rex: "I'm not a Jedi, can you lower the ship? That way I can join them."
Hugo: "You want to kill your clone brothers?"
Rex: "No, but I do not want to leave Ahsoka alone, let me go after her. I do not trust your leader, Maul."
Laura: "You wouldn't be of any help over there. The Jedi would brand you a traitor and swiftly dispatch you. They would not tell you apart from the other clones."
Rex: "You actually have a point there." Rex rubs his helmet and decides to wait for a moment.
Meanwhile Maul is charging towards the temple and Ashoka is following him. Ahsoka then looks back and notices Rex isn't with her. They were running too fast for him to keep up anyway. Ashoka: "Wait, we are going too fast. Rex can't keep up with us."
Maul: "We don't need him. He will be safe with the others."
Ahsoka: "I don't trust him around your Mandalorians."
Maul then briefly stops, "You AGREED to come with me. You must trust me. He will only slow us down." Maul then sprints forward yet again and Ahsoka follows. She does not know what is worse. Leaving Rex behind or Maul. She also wants to see what Maul will try to do.
As they close in towards the entrance Maul and Ahsoka notice a couple of distant clone guards. Both have long blaster rifles and are about 10 feet apart about 5 feet in front of the entrance. Both are 501st troopers, Ahsoka's chest hurts as she notices men from her beloved legion. Although her closest allies were set with her on Mandalore, they all felt like family. The clones were not intently looking to see in Jedi reinforcements were coming, instead, they were aimlessly looking around and occasionally chatting.
They did not expect anyone and they thought they would be informed by their fleet if any other Jedi came from space or other planets. Maul charges behind the clone on the right flank and snaps his neck. The clone on the left turns around and faces Maul. Then Ahsoka leaps forward and kicks him off the platform. Maul charges forward again, this time into the temple. Maul notices three clone troopers in a hallway, all armed with blaster carbines.
The halls have vague walls with brown highlights running through them. The temple is bright and open within. He sprints, looking like a blur and zooms behind the clone in the back. Activating half of his lightsaber through the clone's back. Clone: "Arahahhgahgha!"
The clone in the middle of the hall turns around in surprise, then Maul leaps in the air and decapitates him. The last clone returns fire and Maul deflects the shot, sending it flying into the clone's chest. Maul sprints again, heading towards a hallway on the left. Ahsoka just keeps running behind him, trying to keep up.
Maul charges into a longer hallway that extends about 30 meters, as he gets closer to the main battle. He notices one clone about 10 feet across from him. The clone opens fire and Maul deflects the shot back into his chest. Maul can then see another two clones behind the one he just dispatched. Each about 10 feet apart. To the right of him, is a chamber with another two clones standing guard over the door. To the left, is a huge open space where dozens of clones are fighting a few Jedi.
Most of the Jedi in that space have already been killed. The clone trooper facing Maul quickly reports: "Darth Maul, is in the building! Level 17!" Maul force pulls the clone towards him and slices him in half. The two clones right of Maul open fire and Maul dives between them both. Then Maul extends both of his arms and force throws them both into the walls beside them. Both clones are viciously knocked out. Maul then charges into the chamber.
As Ahsoka moves in behind him, the last clone in the hallway shoots at her. She quickly swats the blaster shot back into the clone's face. Then she enters the chamber. She notices dozens of dead younglings. Then Ahsoka gets a sudden headache. Remembering the vision of Anakin killing them. Ahsoka: "No!!"
Maul: "Quiet, you'll give away our location. These younglings were dispatched by lightsaber blows, not clones. He is near!" Ahsoka wants to say something, but she cannot get words to come out of her mouth. Maul then sprints into the hallway again. Instead of heading in the open room on the left, he charges down the main hallway into a dark security room. The room is illuminated with several bright lights and Ahsoka notices a dead Jedi master.
Ahsoka: "That's master Vadrum!"
Maul: "He too is dead from a saber strike."
Ahsoka: "Anakin, no." Maul then looks at the control panel in the room where he can see ongoing battles through the camera system, then he quickly looks with great seriousness. Maul sees Anakin and Ahsoka says: "He is nearing the central plaza. I know the fastest way there."
Maul: "Then lead the way young Tano."
Ahsoka quickly sprints forward through a door behind them. They have entered a quick shortcut route of hallways that Jedi leaders and temple guards use for traveling throughout the temple. During an emergency, all Jedi are trained on how they can use some of these secret routes to protect the temple or escape. However, not all routes are known by anyone except for the highest-ranking Jedi personnel or those that have temple oriented positions.
The halls within this route are yellow with bright brown trimmings. As the two advances, they notice three clones who found the hidden entrance. Clone trooper: "Blast them!" Ahsoka deflects shots from the clones and into the clone in the middle. Then Ahsoka rolls forward and horizontally cuts the clone on the right in half. Maul force pulls the remaining clone into his lightsaber then kicks him aside. Ahsoka then charges down the hidden hallway for another two minutes.
As they run, they can hear blaster shots and saber motions throughout the temple. Ahsoka can sense other Jedi dying and she sprints faster. Then she runs down the stairs towards the lower levels of the temple into another hallway. She hears the sound of several lightsabers activate around her and Maul. Ashoka looks left and notices a middle-aged female Jedi master with medium length light brown hair, green eyes, fair skin, and a light purple lightsaber named Vulkra. On the right, are two more Jedi.
One is a young adult Twilek male knight with green skin, brown eyes, and a blue lightsaber named Garius. There is also a seventeen-year-old, Zeltron female Jedi knight with a green lightsaber, grey skin, black hair, and eyes that have hints of blue and purple in them named Meraina. Vulkra: "Not, so fast."
Ahsoka: "Vulkra, it's Ahsoka, remember me? I briefly saw you while training as a Padawan."
Garius: "We don't trust you anymore Ahsoka."
Ahsoka: "Search your feelings, I am still on your side."
Vulkra: "The force is not always so clear. Why do you have Maul with you? This monster has killed several Jedi, including Qui Gon."
Maul: "She has her reasons. You let your emotions blind you. I am not your true enemy, look around."
Meriana: "No one asked you Sith!" Meriana points her lightsaber at Maul while she says this.
Ahsoka: "You have to trust me."
Garius: "What about Anakin? Your former master is leading these clones to victory."
Maul moans in irritation, "We don't have time for this! You fools are attacking the only ones who can help you. That is why you are all weak and ignorant. Every second I waste explaining things to you, we all are put at greater risk."
Vulkra: "We don't need your saving."
Maul: "That wasn't an option." Maul leaps past Vulkra and springs ahead. The Ahsoka flips past Vulkra. Vulkra then force pulls Ahsoka back towards her and wraps her arms around her.
Ahsoka: "Stop!" Ahsoka then elbows Vulkra in her stomach and runs two feet from her. Ashoka then notices Garius and Meriana closing in. She then unleashes a powerful force push sending Garius and Meriana rolling 5 feet back, but Vulkra holds the blow back with the force.
Ahsoka sprints forward again but, the Jedi pursues her. Ahsoka then collapses part of the ceiling over Vulkra and Vulkra holds the debris back with the force, then tosses them behind her as Garius and Meriana move in ahead of her. This buys Ahsoka enough time to get a good distance from the Jedi as she senses where Maul is heading (who is a little beyond her visual range).
TRUTHS REVEALED
Maul enters another hallway. The halls of this lower part of the temple are wider. Often being about 10 feet wide. Maul then notices five clone troopers ahead of him. The clones are more spread out and each is about 2 feet apart from each other.
Clone trooper: "Take him down, boys!" Maul smiles then activates both sides of his double-bladed lightsaber. He swiftly rotates his lightsaber as the clones open fire. Sending blaster bolts flying back into two of the clones. Then Maul dives forward and vertically cuts one of the clones down. The other two clones start falling back as they suppress fire.
Maul deflects a shot from the clone on the left-back into his neck. Then Maul runs up the wall on the right then twirls behind the clone while dodging several blaster shots from him and his opponent in the back. Clone: "Blaah!" Maul then notices three more clones including a chain gun clone and two clones with long blaster rifles. He also notices the corpse of a Jereebean Jedi knight (a bird-like creature with tan fur, green eyes, and was 7 feet tall).
Clone gunner: "Time to bring the heat!" Maul force pulls the clone's chain gun out of his hands and throws it behind him. Then Maul deflects blaster shots from the two other clones back into their bodies. Maul then jumps forward and vertically slices the clone gunner in half before he can pull out his pistol.
As Maul advances, Ahsoka senses a shortcut that she can use. She quickly uses another side door and she notices Anakin a large open chamber. There are large columns on the left side of the chamber across from her along with long windows that look into the night sky. On the left side of the chamber is an open doorway that leads to some more narrow hallways. The chamber is about 20 meters wide and another 30 meters long.
Anakin is about 10 meters away from her. Anakin has a hood over his head and two clone troopers beside him. Anakin and his clones are on the left side of the temple. Ahsoka quickly takes cover and deactivates her lightsaber as she notices Cin Drallig and two temple guards on the right side.
Cin Drallig looks at the fallen jedi with utter disgust. Cin Drallig: "Why?!"
Anakin: "I would ask you the same thing? Why have you betrayed the chancellor?"
Cin Drallig looks back at Anakin with confusion: "What?"
Anakin: "I'm tired of your lies!" Anakin leaps forward and kicks Cin Drallig sending him flying 4 feet back. The temple guards immediately activate their double-bladed lightsabers. One of the temple guards on the right dives at Anakin and swings. Anakin leaps behind the guard and force pulls him into his lightsaber. Then Anakin throws the corpse into the other temple guard.
Cin Drallig gets back up, turns on his lightsaber, and lunges at Anakin. Anakin turns and blocks the blow then counters and swings low at Drallig's legs. Drallig leaps backward, avoiding the attack. While the two clones shoot at the temple guard. The guard deflects the blaster shots into the clone on the right then moves forward and cuts the other clone down with a diagonal swing.
Then another three clones from the distance shoot at the guard. The guard starts deflecting shots again. Knocking one of the shots back into the clone on the left. The clone in the middle tosses a grenade at the guard and the guard leaps forward avoiding the explosion, causing him to stumble three feet forward on the floor. The guard drops his lightsaber and it rolls 4 feet past him.
The temple guard then force pulls the lightsaber back in his hands while kneeling so that he can get up, but immediately gets shot on the right side of his chest by the clone on the left. The guard uses the force to cause part of the ceiling to cave in and crush the clones as he dies. Causing a sharp debris to fall beside his corpse. While this was happening, Anakin rushed Cin Drallig again. Attacking with blinding speed, Ahsoka could barely keep up with his movements. Anakin hammers on with four rapid strikes that Cin struggled to block.
Drallig felt shockwaves through his body with each blow that he blocked and these attacks fatigued him. The old master could feel his legs getting weak from Anakin's tremendous strength but, he used the force to preserve his physical state. Anakin then kicks the Jedi to the ground and Drallig groans: "Yah!"
Drallig force pushes Anakin back. Then Drallig leaps at him with a vertical attack. Anakin blocks the attack then twirls his lightsaber in a way that breaks the saber lock and shifts Cin Drallig's lightsaber to the left direction. Then the new Dark Lord vertically slices Drallig in two. Anakin then turns around and notices his fallen clone comrades.
Anakin sighs thinking these are now the only people he can trust, besides Palpatine himself and his wife. While this is happening, Ahsoka comes out of hiding and starts to approach him. Anakin then turns around and locks eyes with Ahsoka. Ahsoka freezes and can feel her heart pounding. Anakin also freezes and says, "Ahsoka."
While this was happening, Ahsoka did not notice that Maul had moved in through the back entrance. He had deactivated his lightsaber so that he would not be heard and he still kept a good distance away as he looked at Anakin. Maul can tell that Anakin's senses are dulled by the sight of his apprentice. Maul immediately notices the sharp object that is lying on the floor beside the fallen temple guard, it is about 5 feet long and it is metal. Then Maul force launches the sharp debris at Anakin, Anakin suddenly senses something strange and turns around.
The long object flies through his stomach. Anakin: "Ahaaa!" Anakin feels betrayed as blood runs down his mouth and he collapses onto the floor. The whole ordeal happened within a two-second time frame.
Ahsoka: "No!!!" Anakin's emotions were all over the place. He would feel strong emotions of guilt, anger, fear, stress, betrayal, depression, and confusion. Anakin's greatest vulnerability were his emotions, but they were also his greatest strength. They could amplify his abilities in combat, but they could also weaken him if they worked against him.
Had Anakin tapped into his rage, he may have held out longer. But it was just too much all at once, he could not handle it. Anakin dies in his frustrations.
Maul: "Goood, it is done." Maul takes a breath of relief at the action and briefly smiles thinking of how Sidious will react. Ahsoka then feels a sudden rush of the dark side within her as she looks up at Maul. Her eyes turn yellow with hatred and she reactivates her lightsabers.
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