Fic - Star Trek: Rise of the Sith 12/17
Chapter 11
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Past: 4 Years
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"We followed the bounty hunter Jango Fett to the droid foundries on Geonosis," the holographic image of Obi-Wan reported. Tom was standing behind Master Yoda in the Council Chambers along with several other members of the council.
"The Trade Federation is taking a delivery of a droid army here and clearly Viceroy Gunray is behind the assassination attempts on Senator Amidala," Obi-Wan continued. "Both the Commerce Guilds and Corporate Alliance have pledged their armies to Count Dooku and - "
"We've got company, shut it down!" Suddenly the image of Chakotay appeared in the transmission, lightsaber drawn but not activated. Obi-Wan turned around in alarm, quickly reaching out and terminating the transmission.
Master Yoda turned towards Master Windu. "More happening on Geonosis, I feel, than has been revealed."
Mace Windu nodded his agreement. "It's clear that the Commerce Guilds has some treaty with Count Dooku and is preparing for war. They must be stopped before they are ready."
"Masters," Tom spoke up. "Don't you think that this is all more than a coincidence? Count Dooku disappeared ten years ago, only to turn up now as the head of the Separatist movement, leading an attack against the Republic. Just earlier, Obi-Wan and Chakotay discovered a clone army built for the Republic ten years ago, which we can now utilise against the Separatist. An army supposedly ordered by a Jedi Master who wasn't authorised by the Council to do so. The Republic Senate was still debating whether to create such an army merely days ago."
"Are you saying that this is a ploy?" Windu questioned.
"Yes. All this events must have been manipulated by the Sith, I'm certain of that."
"But what choice do we have now? The Commerce Guilds will launch an attack, and we cannot allow that to happen. I'm afraid war will break out no matter what we do."
"Then we might have already lost the war against the Sith."
* * *
The small two-man starfighter shook from the impact of the blast across its starboard engine.
"Shields are holding at seventy-percent!" Obi-Wan announced while Chakotay took them through a series of spins, hoping to lose their pursuers.
"I'll try to lose them in the asteroid field, you get the hyperdrive back online."
"Asteroid field? Are you sure?" Obi-Wan sounded doubtful.
"Don't worry, Tom taught me a couple of tricks."
"That's what I was afraid of." Obi-Wan muttered under his breath before focusing his attention back on getting the hyperdrive repaired. "Arthree," he addressed the astro-droid. "I need that hydro circuit reconnected!"
The droid beeped its reply even as Chakotay piloted them into the asteroid field with at least four enemy fighters hot on their tails. Obi-Wan tried to focus on repairs and not on how close they almost come to crashing into the floating space rocks around them. "This is why I hate flying." The Jedi muttered under his breath.
"Which is why I'm the one doing the flying."
"Arthree! Why isn't the circuit reconnected?" The droid let out a series of whistles and beeps in reply. Obi-Wan gave the small translation screen in front of him a quick glance. "I don't care what you have to do! Just get the circuit reconnected so we can get hyperdrive back online!"
Arthree beeped an affirmative and went back to work. Ten seconds and two spins later, Chakotay let out a series of curses Obi-Wan was sure no one realised the normally stoic Jedi even knew.
"Weapons just went offline!"
"What?! Arthree!" But before Obi-Wan could bark out a command, the droid beeped and whistled at him. "Great!" Obi-Wan had to suppress the urge to curse. "Arthree had to take weapons offline and patch the circuit to fix the hyperdrive."
"You just had to tell him you didn't care what he had to do, didn't you?"
"I didn't know he was going to take weapons offline!"
"We'll be toast if you don't get that hyperdrive back on in the next twenty seconds!"
"Arthree!" Obi-Wan all but yelled. The astro-droid beeped. "Got it! Now get us out of here!"
Chakotay dodged an incoming asteroid, taking them into a nosedive; one of the fighters attempted to follow, only to misjudge the velocity of the asteroid and crash right into it. Having temporarily lost their pursuers, Chakotay cleared the asteroid field and engaged the hyperdrive.
* * *
"You can't do that!" Chakotay protested. Both him and Obi-Wan had managed to make it back to Coruscant in one piece and were now reporting their findings to the Jedi Council. "Dorvan will be caught right in the middle of it, the planet will be devastated!"
"We understand that, Chakotay. But there is no choice. If we don't strike first and bring down this droid army, who knows how many more innocent lives are going to be lost." Mace Windu replied.
"And the lives on Dorvan? They don't count?"
"Orders have already been given, the clone army has already been deployed. I'm afraid there is nothing we can do at this point."
"I find it hard to believe that the Republic Senate would come to an agreement on this."
"They didn't have to," Master Gallia responded. "Emergency powers have been given to Chancellor Palpatine to deploy the army."
"And I assume the Council also talked the Chancellor into accepting the power?"
"It's for the good of the Republic, Chakotay, and you know it. Your emotions have clouded your judgment on this issue. Rein them in and you will see that this is the correct course of action. This Council meeting is now concluded." Windu dismissed, but Chakotay was already on his way out before the Jedi Master was finished.
"Chakotay!" The voice of Chancellor Palpatine stopped the Jedi in his tracks just before he reached the lifts.
"Chancellor," Chakotay greeted, trying not to let his disappointment in the Jedi Council show.
"I'm sorry. With the Separatist moving in, I had no choice." Palpatine was remorseful as he faced Chakotay.
"I don't blame you, Chancellor."
"If there was anything else I could've done, I would have."
"I understand that. And thank you."
* * *
"You're giving me a headache." Tom moaned, eyes closed and hands rubbing his temple.
"What?" Chakotay stopped his pacing long enough to turn around to look at his lover.
"I'm trying to shut you out, but with you this close, it's impossible. All that ranting in your mind is giving me a headache the size of Tatooine." Tom elaborated.
"Sorry."
"Don't be, just try not to be so loud, even in your own head. And Chak? All that anger? Not good."
Chakotay let out a sigh and stopped his pacing. "I know, but I just can't help it! It's my home planet they're talking about, and they're acting like it's nothing. Those are people I know! My childhood friends, my family. Dorvan is a peaceful world, they won't be able to handle the conflict. The entire planet will be devastated!"
"I know Master Yoda says there's no 'try', but do try to control your emotions, don't give in to that anger, I don't want you going down the wrong path, you get that? And Dorvan might be a lot more resilient than you thought, ever think of that?"
"I'm trying." The elder Jedi finally sat down on the only chair in the room. "This is all your fault you know." Chakotay teased with a smile.
"My fault?"
"I used to be better at controlling my emotions and sense of attachment. A lot better as a matter of fact."
"Oh, really?" Tom raised his eyebrows in question. "And little old me managed to crack that ice price facade of yours? I must be good." A small smirk slowly made its way onto Tom's face.
"You are. The best thing in my life."
Tom was completely unprepared for the sudden tenderness from his usually reserved lover. He made his way over to Chakotay and did the only thing that came to mind; he kissed Chakotay.
Chapter 12