I don't own Star wars, it belongs to lucasarts, George lucas and Disney

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Author's note: I haven't quit. But I have a some points at the bottom to address Galen's supposed weakness.

Damn clones are hard to write.

And my writing isn't perfect. I'm sure I've made mistakes.

Because I don't have a beta.

Enjoy!

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Chapter 8: The Crystal Mine: Discovery

Phictamemor Village Mine District, Crystal Mine 2 Entrance. Christophsis

He was a shiny, a clone that hadn't seen many battles since the beginning of the clone wars and any one could tell this from the near clear and clean shine of his standard white armour. It must have been 5 battles on Christophsis so far, nothing to dangerous mostly revolving around stealth and espionage but none the less a promising record of survival for any clone. He had become accustom the to the stealth and ambush base combat that had more assurance of survival than defensive and open-field battle. Resting his rifle comfortably in his arm, Argo turned to his brothers.

"Nart you want to make a bet?" Agro said to Nart standing a small distance from General Starkiller and the Captains Mason, Heart and Dov while they talked. Whatever Galen and the others had talked about with Bail, it had to be important to divide their forces apart. Whether Argo thought it was A bad deal for him and his brother hardly mattered as it was not his place as a clone to question it. A fact that was built and programmed into his mind but despite the weakening of their force he was far more comfortable surrounded by his brothers. And Nart was a good start, willing to make a bet and have some fun on the job despite Captain Heart's attitude.

"Bet? You sure you want to bet with me again?" Nart said to Agro confidently resting his rifle on his shoulder too copying his brother. "I took down 2 droidekas and 6 b1s. Droidekas a worth at least 15 b1 droids. So my score is 36, while you only got a messily 26." Nart pointed out talking about the battle that had just past.

Both platoons 1 and 2 started from a defensive fight to a progressive charge for the control room next, a defensive position around the control room half way, a charge for a transport from there and a defensive position around the acquired ship. If there was standard for battle it worked itself somewhere between charging and defending.

Amongst the clone, was standard betting system dependent on the number of droid taking down and the value of said droid.

B1 Battle droids were worth 1 point.

Super Battle droids were worth formerly 5 points but now 8 point.

And droidekas were worth 15 point.

Agro shook his head "I got 4 supers! They're worth at least 8 each easy. Add the 6 b1s I got and 38." Agro corrected to the near equally shiny teammate Nart.

"Supers are only worth 5 b1s." Nart corrected. "Add the 6 to the 20 and you only got 26." He said counting through his fingers.

Under his helmet Argo frowned. "Since when?" He was sure supers were worth 8 points.

"Since beginning of the war." Nart answer smugly.

"No, that changed on Christophsis though." Agro argued since all the clones on Christophsis had changed the rules due to the battles.

"No it hasn't." Nart argued back turning to another clones "Right Jam?"

Jam was calmer, quieter and more collected clone than most. He had no problem with being left alone in silence for long periods and was reliable to follow orders. Argo would guess it was part of himself being trained as sharpshooter trooper. "Nart's right. You're thinking of the LR-57s that the Retail Caucus created. Because the Separatist group that took over Christophsis is the Retail Caucus, we had to add the LR-57s to the scoring system. And they're worth 8 b1s. Supers are still only 5."

Agro couldn't be wrong. He couldn't have made a mistake like that. "Now I know you're messing with me. It was increased, I'm sure of it." Agro continued to argue.

"They may be slower, but they got tougher shells and heavy weapons." Seagate with a rougher and tired voice pointed out while cleaning one of his pistols with a rag. He was a serious one but within reason. He'd fought in more battles than most clones and survived through either sheer will or by complete accident. Regards, it had made its mark on the clone that had only come to Christophsis on light-duty. As suggested by the Kaminoians that reviewed his mental condition after a prolonged time of anti-social behaviour and violent out-bursts. That was also why Seagate was no longer allowed to carry a rocket launcher. Not because he used it on allies but would occasionally smash the explosive weapon against the ground and wall in rage.

A dangerous and reckless act.

"What, your pistols can't do as much damage as our rifles Seagate?" Agro snapped back not fully caring to his brothers declining mental state that could also potential be instinct mixing with training programs made by Jango Fett.

"No, I can actually hit my targets unlike you." Seagate growled lowly back at the shinnies calmly putting them all in their place. "And my score was 17 b1s, 5 Supers and a droideka. So my score of 55 dominates your 36." He finished before walking away from his brothers. Instead he looked at the pile of body they had been order to collect of the walls.

It was a disgusting job but one that was being done out of respect for these poor, dead souls. Cred, Hardie and Pell were collecting the last of the bodies, along with any identification they could find on them. They were to take the ID back to report while they be burned the bodies. It was a standard process that was not often a clone's job. But in these circumstances working so closely to the leadership of Christophsis, the clones were made to fill the role. The dead needed to be identified out of respect for family that think they could be missing. And burning the bodies was a general and quick way to respectfully see to farewell of the dead throughout the galaxy, even if some species didn't wish it. Thinking about though, they didn't want to die to begin with either.

They generally did the same with their clone brothers. Generally...

"Karabas!" Quickstep interrupted. "As if you got that many b1 droids." He objected to Seagate, the shiny finding that hard to believe.

"Come on brother. No need for cursing." Jam said gesturing for quickstep to cool it. Hence why there brother had been named him such, quickstep always took a quickstep without a thought before acting.

"I was guarding the Verpine and Givin while they were getting the grid online and covered our escape to the ship. The same as the rest of you." Seagate started lowly again sounding as tired as he always did. "You just haven't learnt how to take advantage of when more droids are attacking than retreating." He lectured sounding like he was years older than the rest of them.

Sitting with his back against an abandon and broken speeder, another clone brother put his 2 cents in. "He's not wrong there." Opy answered resting the large Z-6 Rotary Blaster cannon, which was basically a marine chaingun with heavier blasts. While not the brightness or the most opinionated Opy was a tank. He was physically stronger than any of them with a larger build in muscle and he was the best at hand-to-hand combat out of the clones present. "I didn't even count how many droids I downed."

"How could you not remember how many droids you downed?" Agro questioned wondering what the air-head of the mission was thinking.

"Wasn't focused on it. I was wondering where Niji got to. You know, the rodian scout?" Opy answered sure that the rodian had entered the facility with them.

To all the clones' surprise, they too had forgotten what had happened to their scout. In all the chaos they hadn't even think about where he was, which platoon he was in or if he had been fighting with them.

"Well, surely he is on the ship." Jam answered calmly.

"Surely who's on the ship?" Heart asked with Mason following him, leaving Galen, Dov and Reload to talk.

"Niji, the rodian drug dealer." Quickstep answered for all of them.

"Of course he's on the ship. Why wouldn't he be?" Heart said confused as to what they were talking about.

"Did you see him on the ship?" Nart asked. "Because I don't actually remember seeing him."

"I, I don't recall him but why wouldn't he be on the ship?" Heart asked them.

"I don't remember seeing him either." Mason said with a thought on his mind.

"Maybe he did a runner when we weren't looking." Quickstep suggested. "He was criminal who was very familiar with the tunnel services network. Which was why we brought him along to begin with." Quickstep said trying to put the puzzle to together. "He could have known something we didn't."Qucikstep said as the Cred, Hardie and Pell joined them.

Mason looked to Heart. "This isn't going to help Galen's mood. After Asaiji, Raith and the execution of all these civilians I can sense he won't like this news." He whispered to Heart. He wasn't an expert with the force, but Mason was trained enough to sense the emotions of others. As a guard to the royal family of Alderran, he need to the intent of another and if they were force-sensitive he and the other guards would sense it.

As if on cue Galen walked up to them as the ship left to return to HQ and help reinforce Bail and Cooper's forces. With a determined look Galen eyed them all, whom all looked back. Letting Reload rifle hang on his back, Asajj's lightsaber and Dov's thermal detonator hang on his hip, he was ready to continue. "Let's go." He said ready to march into the crystal mines.

"General sir. There's something we need to talk about first." Agro started being the one to address it before Heart or Mason could.

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Chaleydonia, Planetary Defence Headquarters. 1ST of the 14 Cannons. Christophsis

"Karabas. I'm in deep trouble now." Niji said as he watched Asajj from the service tunnel entrance into the cannon's facility. He managed to slip away in the chaos and no one had noticed to his great relief. But no sooner had he made his way down into the dark tunnels again had the damn thing collapsed from the attacking Tri-pod droids above. The absolute worse type of luck when a tunnel collapse for no reason.

It left the rodian drug-dealer no choice but to return to the facility. He knew the droids would still be there but it was his only chance of escape since staying down in the dark tunnels would lead to his death in no time. He couldn't wait as he usual did as a dealer because waiting would give time for others to act. He knew the droids would have to start looking for where to enemy had come from so he couldn't hesitate and had to move out the location they were searching for. He been in too many situations to know that not moving was a horrible idea and moving was a great idea.

He thought it would be easy. Keep the sub-rails and tunnels under the city until he got out into the crystal plains. Then he could lie low in the crystals forests where smugglers, dealer and bounty hunters would hide from the authorities of the planet. Then when the dust settled, he could find a ship and get of this rock. Tatioone was close, ruled by Hutts and mostly separated from the clones wars. The perfect place to start anew.

But he had not expected to run back and see the Assassin of the Confederacy speaking with its leader and former Jedi Count Dooku. Eyeing the laser swords on her belt, he knew for once he had to wait. No chance of escaping with that monster on the prowl. So he watched and waited from the tunnel entrance eyeing her through the smallest sliver of sight.

Asajj was having her own thoughts though unaware of the rodian watching her.

What could her master's concern mean? Did he sense something she didn't? She could guess though that it was entirely possible that there was more than just Galen on the planet, and considering how quickly the enemy had been able to mobiles and attack their forces. It wouldn't be unreasonable to suggest that there were enemies hidden on the planet that she wasn't aware off.

Asajj wasn't certain of anything right now but could spy the approaching droids that she had brought with her. Healing took priority, and even now Dooku had wanted her to attend meeting of his personal council but suggested she stay out to recover.

"Mistress Asajj. The medical droid has arrived as per your request." The b1 battle droid captain said as the floating ball of black metal and thin limbs followed. Medical droids were always weird and varying in appearance and to some looked very intimidating with multiple limbs and precision, sharp medical tools either crafted onto the limbs or hanging of it body.

"Yes. Examine my wrist." She said holding it up to the droid without worry or looking like she needed to be examined.

The medical droid complied as thin, metal limbs of the droid grasped and scanned the Sith assassin's wrist as a red light moved across her skin. "Your wrist is broken with a few fractures and torn ligaments. A painful and problematic injury if it were not you mistress. Your accelerated healing though has already reduced the swelling greatly. Allow me to pin and encase the bone in synthesised organic-copying foam. It will secure that bones and muscles allowing your healing to progress much faster." The droid said in a dark robotic tone.

"How long will it take?" Asajj asked.

"A maximum of 24 hours. A minimum of 16 hours. Then it will be fully healed." The droid answered before a light focused on Asajj's face. "Do you require sedatives?" It asked.

"Yes. We have spare time to use drugs." She said rather sick of using the force to negate the pain and allow use of her arm. She could easily fight with the broken wrist through the force, but didn't want to focus on it right now if she didn't have to. Besides, she could handle the pain of a broken wrist easy. She'd fallen hundreds and hundreds of metres twice and was still kicking. Terminal velocity was a joke to Sith and Jedi, at least when conscious.

Galen was gone and she would most like not see him again for a time and on top of that Skywalker and Kenobi were descending upon her. There was no doubt she would face them first before encountering Galen once or twice more on Christophsis. Encountering Galen again was a slim chance given the war itself unless she actively hunted him. And she did want her other lightsaber back.

Whether she could take all 3 of them at the same time was an obvious answer, being "of course not". Galen's force abilities overpowered her, Skywalker's saber skills overpowered her and Kenobi's will overpowered her. Maybe if it was one at a time she could, but even then her chances were low.

Of the 3 though, Skywalker was the most dangerous. Galen may have been able to pull that 4km tower down, but Skywalker had done so before with multiple buildings. And not just bringing them down, but lifting them up and slamming them on his enemies. She'd even seen recordings of Skywalker jumping from multiple moving star-ships more than once, during a battle. Star-ships broke the sound barrier regularly, but jumping off them while they're dog-fighting? She wasn't certain she'd like to try it.

But if he could do it why couldn't she?

The same questioned applied to Starkiller. He could use lightning like her master. So what was stopping her from doing so? A lack of physical skill and force connectivity? Impossible. She was leagues above the norm. It all made her so mad. All that talk from all the masters she had ever had (which was 2 but still) about how things are connected and equal seemed like rubbish. They were all big obstacles, not small pebbles in her road. If only there was another way. A way that could...

"A door-way." She whispered thinking back to what her master said, what they discuss and what she said. Not a short-cut but something was vacuuming and emitting itself from the force. She couldn't call it a shape to enter and exit through but something that she had felt a few weeks ago. She couldn't describe it before...before she had met Starkiller. It was not something that can be seen, but something that you sub-conscious bites at or avoids depending on who you were. Like how some art can depict images that you want to avoid, or how starting over a ledge leaves a pit feeling in the stomach since you know what that great fall could be.

During her fight with Galen, for a moment she touched that force. Not knowingly she had though, but she could recall it now. Yes, at the end when they were talking to each other. Her mind had calmed, the intent and the direction to follow were clear. She was trying to lead Galen to her side. And she could sense his mind so clearly. And she felt strong, stronger than ever before in that moment. Like she could do anything.

The confusion, the fear, the anger, the desire of her enemy was so clear to her. The loneliness and the need to understand. Like a lost child taken from his home. He really didn't have a clue how he had gotten here on Christophsis. That was the truth of Galen Starkiller.

Her force mind manipulation had never been so strong, so subtle. So caring?

Caring? Why did she care?

It was a question for later, since she had touched that force a second time, without Galen's presence this time. Right before her master had called she had touched it thinking of Galen's abilities and it felt like-

SPARK.

Her eyes saw the flash but didn't see what had happened as they dashed to her fingers. Holding her other hands fingers close together but not touching, she could feel warmth from between her fingers. A warm, stinging numbness she was familiar with but not threatened by. Next to her the droid had paused its action, with needles and claws holding Asajj's wrist in place. The B1 droids surround the floors and entrances of the facility turned their attention to Asajj, as if they could sense what was happening. Asajj stretched her fingers to the ground intent on achieving something she could see and feel by hadn't attained. Just like before she thought she saw, she thought she felt...

SPARK.

"Mistress!" The medical droid cried spying the arc of lightning spike from her fingers to the ground. The droids tensed causing an echo of metal to focus on the mistress but rather than distress she gave a wicked and pleasured grin of excitement. Never before could she access such abilities. But it WAS becoming clearer. EASIER. Like what limits she had were fading away under the waking pressure of this invisible door in the force. The pure energy of the lightning was become vibrant and obvious to her. How could she not use it before now when it had just become SO obvious?

Was it power? The force itself? Energy? Something else passing through or waiting on the other side? She didn't care, she was reaching in and grabbing it or the opposite as she tensed her body suddenly, still grinning madly. Dust and rubble that was around her sudden tilted and rose with an exciting pull off the ground as whatever it was, flowed into her body without restrain. She wouldn't stop it, she wouldn't test it. She plunged herself in the unknown, only knowing one thing from it.

The one thing. She was changing!

"How is, what is? I don't even care! I can feel it. The power. The CONNECTION!" She cried as the force flowed around her, pulling, rising and twisting whatever wasn't trying to resist it into a pillar of wind, dust and heat. The droids could not comprehend what was happening. The medical droid most of all was wondering whether it should continue holding onto the Mistress's arm or release it for its own safety. Asajj was losing her visibility to the droids and anyone else that was watching her as all they could see was the dark, warm ash and haze building and flowing wildly away from her body.

Then from her fingers, lightning arced splitting itself across the floor, dancing and jumping. Flashes blinded and performed for Asajj's realisation and in no time it become aggressive as the lightning was stretching, reaching out for more, digging into the metal scarring it with burnt scratches and smoke. Clawing itself across whatever it could. Like something was pulling itself out of a cage, breaking free from its containment within Asajj and was far too excited to do so. Something that was being unleashed.

Asajj could recall the words, the code of the Sith taught to her by her new master. While she could not deny that she had not met the code's wishes through her battles, she believed that what was happening to her must have been what they felt. What those Sith long ago felt from the force.

"...my chains are broken. And the force shall...SET...ME...FREE! HAHAHAHAHA!" She crackled into a wicked giggle of ecstatic as she hugged herself, gripping her stomach while laughing and not stopping the lightning that was releasing and parading itself around her. She hadn't even noticed the medical droid's scream that ended very quickly with a web of lightning encasing, conducting and frying it before it could leave. The B1 droids panicked, some getting caught in the lightning, some running out and others that stayed and watched.

At the centre the medical droid was frying and melting, jerking to the will of the lightning and unable to fall. The indifference was cruel. It wasn't functioning anymore and was just a metal ball clinging tightly to Asajj wrist. Yet it still jerked.

"In the name of...what is?" Niji whispered to himself unable to remain silent as he watched Asajj from the service tunnel.

The lightning and torrent that surrounded Asajj begun to slow and linger in the air. She was happy with a sly smile on her knees and hugging her stomach as if her hardened muscle was pudding. She was a connection to the force like she had never felt before. Her understanding was larger and her strength increased. It wasn't just her mind, and it wasn't her body either. It was the existence in the force called Asajj Ventress. She knew what she had to do. What she could do. And...

"Of course that's how they got in. Crawling and scurrying like bugs under the floors? Niji?" She said and turned to stare at the Rodian who panicked with shivering sweat and his crystal like eyes widened in fear. How could she know he was here, watching? Better yet, how did she know his name? He dropped the lid of the service tunnel and pushed himself in an almighty lunge, jumped off the ladder before landing and breaking into a sprint. He had to try to get through the rubble. He had to dig his way out!

Asajj smiled her eyes never leaving the tunnel entrance before moving with a confident stride towards the tunnel. She already could tell what he was thinking. She could feel it, the collapse in the tunnel. The concrete, angle of the collapse and the amount. Niji thought he could dig his way back out but she could sense better.

She froze with a dumb face on the spot.

"Of course. How silly of me?" She mumbled realising why. She should have thought it through before allowing herself to touch the door-way. Although she doubted it mattered now as the exchange of her location and presence was more than worth the power. Her eyes darted up and around in different directions, pausing at every direction that interested her.

"1."

"2."

"3."

"Oh, 4?"

"5."

"6."

"...Master."

"...GASP!"

She cut herself off, hiding her presence as much as possible.

So dark. So twisted. So corrupted. So cold. So hot. So...ANGERED.

She didn't think...she couldn't have...

Asajj made a nervous smile being the only thing she could do. "Well, that was stupid of me. So much for a surprise." She said quiet fine with this result despite a cold sweat down her back. In fact, now that she could sense it, the fact hardly mattered. She wouldn't do that again. Ever.

The real question was how she was going to deal with her new found access into the force. Funny enough, her mind went in an interesting direction that could be against her master's wishes. But she was confident that she could do this. Regardless of any of them being aware of her.

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Orbit of Christophsis. Venator-Class Republic Attack Cruiser.

General Kenobi's Cruiser: The Negotiator

Obi-wan's eyes widened. "Ventress..." The Jedi master whispered from the command-bridge of his ship. His cruiser was combating the blockade and they had managed to make a large breach with Admiral Trench's retreat and the fall of so many flagships. It had all been going so well with addition orbital blasts coming from the planet. Even with Anakin's impulsive behaviour that this time nearly got him killed.

Yet he had not expected her of all people to announce herself.

He must have said it louder than he had thought as a number of clones and marines looked at him alarmed that he would say the name.

"General Kenobi, did you just say Ventress? As in Asajj Venetress?" Cody asked wondering why the sudden outburst. They were talking about strategies to get troops to the planet's surface a second ago.

"She's here. How, why would she..." He mumbled ignoring his troops. For whatever reason Asajj had just announced her presence on Christophsis without restraint. And she felt stronger. And it felt like she knew Obi-wan was here too. No more so, she knew that Obi-wan realised her presence only because of her actions.

"1." She whispered in his ear.

An image of her face appeared in his mind. "She can sense my thoughts from here." Obi-wan whispered wondering how was alive or if she could hear his words. Why was she here? And why was she so different. Obi-wan knew it, deep down he knew she was alive but how she achieved this much of a shift in presence in the force was astonishing and frightening.

Obi-wan would say he knew Asajj very well mostly because he was her prisoner for months on her home world Rattatak which she ruled. She had long believed that he would make a great asset to Dooku, that as the apprentice of Qui-Gon Jinn he would naturally follow his master's master. Despite being on the other side, she had spent many weeks using the force, talking to Obi-wan, observing him and in some cases getting far to close and comfortable with him. Not that he would say he didn't enjoyed it, but he could see Asajj in a different light. No one would work so hard toward turning him to the darkside simply because. Dooku didn't even consider it after he refused the counts offer of alliance on Genonsis.

Obi-wan instead saw her as the lost, miserable child abandoned and beaten looking for sympathetic companionship and instead being met with dismissal. Many of the council and Anakin wanted to slap Obi-wan up the head for thinking such a thing of Asajj. But he could sense the confusion and light in her.

But not now. She had grown stronger and unexpectedly so. Something was telling her she had found what she was looking for in her new found connectively. She was feeling whole after feeling empty and alone for so long. And all else that had come before was an afterthought. So far.

How he was going to deal with her, Obi-wan wasn't sure. But he was sure he wasn't the only one to feel her surge in the force.

"Anakin..."

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Neogius City. The Stealth Ship Prototype. Christophsis.

"2."

Anakin tensed gripping the controls of the ship tight. "She's alive." He mumbled silently unnoticed.

The others didn't notices his tension spike instead either focusing on their tasks or looking at the planet's surface seeing empty or half-destroyed cities. But to Anakin, he knew this fight just got a whole lot more complicated and frustrating. How was that un-bearable women alive? Twice he had bettered her and thrown her to her death. And yet he could sense her, flaring her presence and making no attempt to hide herself.

Their first battle was on Yavin 4. He had met Ventress there and she felt like a greater challenge back then. She was swift in her actions, silent and violent in taking down Anakin's solider to the young apprentice's anger. After combating her within the forest's canopy, they eventually arrived at the ruins, drench from the rain and sweat of the fight. She had shown strength in the force but Anakin had a connection that could break her grip and strength in the force. Soon enough, he had broken her footing and sent her falling to her end in the pits of Yavin 4. But after surviving, she had taken a silent role in the clone wars.

It didn't stop their second encounter on Corusant though as she had clearly grown suspicious of Anakin. As if she knew, knew about Padame. About their hidden relationship. Whether she knew or didn't, whether it was a guess or not mattered little as Anakin crushed her, wrapped her in electrical-conducting, steel ropes and thrown her of a tower. He didn't want to risk anything and Asajj wasn't going to threaten him.

Even if she can be defeated, she has proved be to be at the least very hard to kill. So much so that Anakin was coming to believe that even death didn't seem to want her.

Fine, if he had to face her again he would, but he really wished this would be the last time.

"General, Admiral we are receiving a message from the planet's surface. Coding similar to that of Senator Organa." Sparks said turning to them.

"Open communications, private." Yularen answered wondering what the situation was on the Senators end. "It could be Senator Organa's allies."

"Hello there Republic forces! What took you so long?" A voice went over the communicator.

"We were pre-occupied with the blockade." Anakin answered trying to place his focus elsewhere. Asajj could wait. "No worries now though. Who is this?"

"Captain Dov Rench of the Christophsis Military and Defence. This wouldn't be General Obi-wan Kenobi would it?" Dov asked .

...Really?

Anakin frowned in defeat and looked to Yularen and the clones. "Not a word to Obi-wan, ok?" He confirmed hoping Obi-wan would never find out about this. They asked for Obi-wan first. Sure it was a pity thing to get annoyed with but still. His former master could lorde this over him.

"Don't mind him General Skywalker. Dov here doesn't know a thing about sensitivity or professionalism for that matter." Reload spoke next giving Dov a dirty annoyed look to which Dov gave a shit-happy grin.

"You're one to talk clone boy."

"...He is a bit of a nerf-herder sir."

"I take offensive to that Reload!"

Anakin actually smiled thankful someone had brought him back down to earth. He didn't even want to think about Asajj and this was perfect for that. "Settle down soldiers. As important as it is we got bigger things to look at. What's you ID soldier?" Anakin asked still having to met protocol needs.

"CT-16-3576, names Reload General. Formerly for the 407th fighter squadron, now part of the 103rd relief force. Relief force code is 23-LIE-93-ROG-12-HAR-GOR. Sir, myself and this platoon of Christophsis Military are heading for our forces base. Bail's ordered our return following Trench's retreat. That spider going to send ships against the base Sir." Reload explained.

"Can you get a combined line with Senator Organa?"

"Yes sir. Punching it through to you now."

"General Skywalker, Admiral Yularen." Bail answered bowing to the two through the hologram that appeared next.

"Senator Organa." Yularen said nodding to the well know and influential man, Bail Organa. The admiral's eye flickered to his General and he was taken aback for second seeing frustration and concern trying to be hidden on Anakin's face.

Noticing Yularen, Anakin soften his face and his eyes focusing on Bail with sympathy. Although sensing the emotional state of others wasn't Anakin's forte, he could sense concern and uncertainty all over the senator. Familiar sensations from what Anakin was currently feeling that could only mean one thing. Bail Organa was aware of Asajj Ventress's presence on the planet, Anakin could sense Bail had every intention of telling him right now.

"I can sense her, Senator Organa. Please tell us everything." Anakin pleaded with a soft growl to the Senator that could understand where the General was going and how he feeling on the topic.

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House of Dooku Palace. Serenno

"I must say this Dooku, since no one else will." The two thousand year old bounty hunter, Durg started seated in the hologram. His hologram was to scale with his body making him a tower of armour and weapons standing over most of the other participants of the meeting. "Our council grows smaller and smaller every day." He growled eyeing the council through the red visor of his helmet. "I see no progress or new additions coming to join us. I don't like fighting when it's sure to fail and it doesn't get me paid. And as it is going with this pathetic cause against the republic, I may just leave this little charade."

From his side, a man with long brown, greasy hair raised his hand in a grip that Durg felt immediately. "Know your place scum. A low-living parasite like yourself has no words that matter to Count Dooku. Abandonment will be your destruction. " Tol Skorr spat at the bounty force gripping the bounty hunter's windpipe hard while he too was seated. Probably one of the most loyal and most unlikely to betray Dooku, the former Jedi knight would take no insults to the man that saved his life from any of these beings.

Durg however scoffed the force choke breaking the gripping with physical strength alone. He had faced sith and jedi before many times and killed just as many. "Oh! And you think you can pull that off?!" Durg growled his armour shaking and screeching with his movements. "The droid couldn't even kill me with its best efforts and a lowly knight will be able to kill me? I've killed jedi, warriors and monsters more threatening than your slave-chained neck." Durg yelled back. "I was speaking to your master, dog. Don't interrupt me!"

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING DROID?!" General Grievous roared to the bounty hunter standing to shout. "As indestructible and immortal as you are, your thousands of year experience did not prevent your defeat at my hands Durg!" The cyborg shouted. "Insult all these vermin around us to your heart's content, but call me droid and you will be just another fool to die by my hands!"

"Enough from all of you." Sora Bulq said silencing them and making Greivous take his seat. While Sora was not as intimidating as the others, no one would argue the position and strength of the acolyte. He was easily the only one that had a chance of defeating Dooku. The former Jedi Master remained cool, collected and had many followers.

In the hologram behind Sora Bulq, to his right, was Rath Kalkko his Lieutenant, an Anzati Assassin. Like many Anzati, Rath had dark brown hair with a dash of distinguishable grey. But his more notable feature was his large nose, a feature of his species that helped him hide his two Anzati tentacle-like proboscises within his cheeks, making him appear like a human. Although, as Anzati were known as force-sensitive, vampiric assassin's that fed upon the brains of their victims, Rath Kalkko was not one to be taken lightly. (note: yes, that is a thing that exist in starwars)

Behind Sora to his left though, was Bok the Kajain'sa Nikto from Kintan and a Morgukai warrior. With a cybernetic arm, scars all over his face and a mad, angered frown on his face he was warrior of discipline and vengeance. A decade ago he had tried to conquer Ryloth, the home of the Twi'leks. It failed with the death of his father. Since then Bok had vowed revenge against the Jedi that had wronged him. Aayla Secura and Qunin Vos.

Sora's followers and thus Dooku's follower in their own divide, were the strongest, most stable and the ones in hiding. Waiting for the opportune moment to arrive.

Sora looked to Tol, the only one whom had really been helping his cause in the war. "Tol, I have heard your mission on Jabiim has finally ended. Did you find what we wanted?" The dark master asked.

Without smiling but with pleasure in his voice, Tol answered. "Jabiim may have failed many, but I was extremely fortunate and successful on that mud drowned, storm of a planet. I will bring what I have found to you for processing. Did Asajj deliver her finding as well?" Tol asked knowing that the assassin had left their joint mission on Jabiim early to play with her toy. It wasn't a problem for Tol, if anything he made a better assassin on that planet then she did.

"Your cause may be our saviour in this war, but the time it has taken for it to progress is taking too long." The clicks of an insect said as he tapped his staff on the ground.

Poggle the lesser by no means was a warrior, but he was strategies, a businessman and a powerful leader. He's intelligence and loyalty to Dooku was just as, if not more impressive than Tol's. The Geonoisan Archduke had long earned his place on Dooku's private council and was greatly trusted by Count Dooku himself.

Behind him to his left stood Gizor Dellso a younger Geonosian than Poggle that held the position of Head of Design and Engineering. He was Poggle's most trusted follower and one that Poggle had decided long ago would replace him in the event of his death. Thus leading to Dooku's acknowledgement of Gizor's intellect, will and loyalty. He was also a skilled warrior amongst the Geonosians.

"Your hidden project on Saleucami is safe and well funded." Poggle mused before frowning. "A luxury that the rest of us do not have. We need forces to continue this war and we need funds to create forces. I have retaken Geonosis without this council's help, but it has cost the separatist much and the Republic was sure to destroy what we had established on Geonosis. We require new droid facilities to be constructed on the planet."

"I agree." Wat Tambor answered being the only other Separatist Leader other than Poggle on the council. As the leader of the Techno Union, he's assistance with the creation of the B2 Super Battle Droids had drastically increased the strength of the CIS's war forces. "My efforts on Ryloth had been greatly in the confederacy's favour, but I doubt Senator Orn Free Taa will lift a finger for his people and will keep what wealth the planet has generated for himself. I don't doubt Ryloth will be ours with forces to spare but I do not like leaving things to chance. More numbers would be greatly appreciated." He finished.

"Our place is to lead the fight, not pay for it." Durg growled ignoring Tambor to focus on the insect. "That is your duty, bug."

Poggle scoffed it. "I was under the impression that this council's wisdom would be able to assist the war effort. Evidently, all you care about is throwing separatist money away with your glorified failures." Poggle snapped back in disgust.

"Glorified failures?!" Durg suggested to Poggle, his ire rising.

But Poggle had no fear in telling it how it was. "A defeat at the hands of Kenobi on Muunilinst, one of Banking clans most valuable planets. And imprisonment on M'Bardi by Fisto and Koon for 6 months." Poggle answered mercilessly.

"So useless." Poggle muttered clearly enough and wanting to be heard.

"RRRAH! How dare you!" Durg roared before wasting a shot with his blaster through the hologram of Poggle who didn't react.

"Enough Durg." A softer, old voice said.

All eyes turned to the leader, Count Dooku seated and patiently waiting for his followers to stop their squabbles.

"You have brought up valid and important pieces in our efforts." Dooku started with smiled as he turned to Poggle and Tambor. "Too our Separatist leaders I apologies for Durg's rude, behaviour. He's appreciation for your efforts are limited to due to his ample time imprisoned and lack of assistance in escaping." Dooku emphasized with them addressing their lack of help to the bounty hunter. "I'm sure you have started the foundation works of new facilities with what resources you have. But to solve your issue Poggle, you will go to Cato Neimoidia and speak with Lott Dod. He will see you issue solved." Dooku answered.

"Thank you, Count Dooku." Poggle responded bowing lightly.

Dooku turned to the Techno Union leader. "Wat Tambor, I have heard that the Republic is in complete disarray on Ryloth. Your assumption that you will have forces to spare is quiet accurate. And you are wise not to leave things to chance. While I know that the Twi'leks are aggressively, resisting your actions, when you secure the planet do everything in your power to turn their forces into our own. Use fear or necessity and they will follow."

"It will be done Count Dooku." Wat Tambor answered bowing.

"Tol, you have proven once more to be a proactive and successful follower. Jabiim was a failure of a conflict and you proved to attain much from it. Once you have given your findings to Sora on Saleucami, I want you to verify our progress and security on Mygeeto and Felucia while remaining stationed on Felucia with the Commerce Guild. They will become very important in our future."

"Yes Master." Tol answered nodding to the man.

"Durg, now to..." Dooku stopped mid-sentence frowning as if he had a bad taste in his mouth all of a sudden.

It caught all their attention since the Count would never hesitate so openly. But they remained patient, except one.

"Master, is something wrong?" Sora questioned with a puzzled and concerned frown across his own face. If there was something that concerned Dooku then it was something for all of them to be concerned with.

Dooku remained silent a moment pondering what he was sensing. "I sense...Asajj." He said clearly able to sense her. What was she doing? She was revealing herself, screaming her presence in the force.

"Asajj? What about her?" Durg asked having worked with her the most and having actual respect for her. Their combined missions were usually of great success and if Dooku was concerned about her, then it would just mean another reason that he should leave the separatist.

"She is different."Dooku said wondering what was happening to Asajj. Her connection had had just increased tenfold, he could feel power surging to her through in the form of understanding, manipulation and clarity. "Her connection, her presence in the force has grown suddenly."

"You can sense her?" Sora asked although more like a statement. He couldn't sense Asajj and by the looks of it neither could the other force-sensitive in the conversation.

Dooku looked to Sora wondering how he could not sense a beacon as loud and bright as Asajj was right now in the force at this moment. "Sense for her, look for her." Dooku said as others connected with the force focused on it. Letting the force guide them to Asajj, to what Dooku was feeling.

Tol froze, flinched and gasped all at once. Grown suddenly was understatement. This was tree growing high into the heavens. "I sense her. She is stronger, and continuing to grow stronger! It is like her limitations are being stripped away." He said not believing he hadn't noticed this shift. It was so blatant and clear he should've have picked up on it as soon as it happened. Was it because of the distance between them? Was it because he hadn't really connected with her? Or because he hadn't been looking for Asajj? Whatever reason, Tol couldn't believe how vast her presence was becoming.

"She is like a haze in the sky. Like ash mixed with snow after a battle. Spreading and polluting." Sora mused still remaining as calm and collected as possible. But he knew something was very wrong. The way Asajj was feeling was like she had gone through an epiphany but she remained the same. No, an external force was the only explanation. Something else was influence her. She could not have possibly come to such clarity on her own. She was years from reaching such.

"What are you all talking about?!" Roared Grievous hating how he was left clueless to their words. Jedi annoyed him with their words about the power of the force. How he would never understand. Not that he needed to when he cut them down and under his feet. Their actions were mocking him, along with everyone else who couldn't sense her.

"A very pressing matter has appeared on Christophsis. Asajj has just made matters more complicated." Dooku said wondering what had happened to her in anger. Was it her battle with Galen Starkiller. The unknown factor in the fight for Christophsis. "A great disturbance in force." Something had triggered Asajj's shift.

"I sense her." Rath mumbled next Sora surprising Sora, Tol and Dooku. The Anzati were force sensitive sure but they were nowhere near strong enough to sense the presence and clarity of another. At best they could sense another force-sensitive 15metres way. Not a few light-years away. Not only that but they all could hear the fear in his voice. Like he had just seen a monster in the distance.

"Oh, 4?"

Rath took a deep and frightened breath as his eyes widened. He wasn't the only one to react in that moment. "She can see me!"

"5."

Tol stared defensively into space, making it look like he was faced with an enemy on the otherside of the hologram.

"6."

Sora frowned, feeling disturbed and uncertain of being so exposed.

Dooku looked impassive, angered and almost proud.

"Master."

They could sense it but it was so clear it was like they could see it happening. Asajj was staring at them smiling, looking at each of them individually. Like they were in circle around her, she would look at one then turn to look at the other. She was fully aware of all of them and had taken note of her raising presence in the force. Evidently she had not intended for them to sense her, but she didn't care for it. Her mind was unleashed and free of doubts, and everything that was required of her was like adding numbers together. It just made sense to her.

Dooku could feel it. She had no intention of betraying them and she was fully aware of what she had to do. What she had to do, to succeed. To achieve. To win.

Then her face vanished from their minds. Her presence gone or hidden. No, more like she scurried.

Strangely enough, it was Poggle that spoke first. And it was an important point to make to Dooku.

"If you are all so concerned...Dooku, you know he would have sensed this. How do you think he will react?" He questioned having met the dark man before. Dooku always had a poker-face that was impossible to break. That was why even with that question Dooku reacted only as much as his body and mind would allow it. But even then they all knew this was first time Dooku had show actual concern and uncertainty.

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The C...-

No. Asajj looked in that direction. She was naive. It was stupid. And she immediately realised her mistake and arrogance. She couldn't see it clearly as it was clouded, hidden and dark. But the shadowed forms become obvious with the pulling gravity like presence. She had met him once through a hologram. Back then she couldn't sense it, but now she knew better.

"..."

Darth Sidious was not one to surprise, to be taken off guard. He didn't like it when people did something he didn't want. And he didn't like it when people tried to get personal with him when he didn't want it.

Of course, his identified hadn't been discovered by that foolish women.

To his credit though, all it did was make him look like a tired old man for a faction of a second. So small, clouded and personal that the Jedi didn't sense it at all from the temple. Even his force-sensitive aids and the Jedi Knight seated at this meeting didn't sense it. If anything it simply made him look more supportive, sympathetic and caring towards the Christophsian Vice President Perentine Warick, the only Christophsian leader to arrive on Corsucant.

Perentine Warick was in his late 30's but looked older, tall but thin with soft frail looking hands. As all christophsian, he had dark skin, red eyes and a long white, straightened beard going down his chest with matching hair down his back. Yet the top of his head was bald. Over all he looked like a very compassionate person, wearing a white robe with golden designs and symbols running through it and a passive stand about him. Not completely unexpected with the most influential man in the galaxy sitting across from you.

"Thank you Chancellor Palpatine. That you consider my planet's safety and security as highly as you do fills me with hope." The man praised so thankful to the leader of the Galactic Republic.

Palpatine bowed his head in appreciation to Perentine. "I think I should be thanking you. You're the first of your planets people to come to me personally and ask for help. For a time, I wasn't sure if your leaders cared about Christophsis. But it gives me hope knowing that someone regards the republic as its ally. Thank you Perentine Warick."

"Thank you so much Chancellor Palpatine again." The continued so happy that he was receiving support. Particular with such a full room.

Standing behind Palpatine was Vice Chair Mas Amedda, the blue Chagrian with his staff had been a long time authority in the Republic. A commanding and disciplined man, Mas was probably the most supportive of the military commission of clone troopers. He was patriot to the Republic, loyal and firm. And with a very commanding voice.

Sitting next to Perentine was the Senior Administrator Sly Moore, the Umbaran women. An unsettling person both because she was Umbaran and personally rather creepy. And yes people did consider Umbarans creepy and Umbaran's knew this because they knew what they were. So to say that an Umbaran was creepy because of who they were personally, was a red flag for many. But Palatine seemed to have complete control over her.

Sitting in with the talks was Senator Orn Free Taa of Ryloth, Senator Padmae Amidala and Senator Jar Jar Binks of Naboo, Senator Sweitt Concorkill of Sembla and Senator Ask Ask of Malastare. All well know and trusted senators to the public. And positive shields against Jedi probs.

But the Jedi Knight, Thongla Jur proved to Palpatine the Jedi's incompetency. He had just used the force, although unconsciously and hidden, to sense Asajj's outburst and Asajj's observation of him. And the council wanted this Jedi to become a master? There were several Jedi more worthy of praise than this industrious sheep. The Anx Jedi Knight was so deep in his faith he couldn't see and would never develop the means of discovering Palpatine's identity.

Although, maybe Palpatine was being unfair. No one seemed to suspect him of anything for near 12 years. Perhaps he was just that much stronger in the force than the Jedi. But he could not let that get to him. Patience, cautious and planning had gotten him further than any Sith. Ego and arrogance was a death-sentence.

Palpatine gave a pleading look to the Christophsis leader. "Now, if you wouldn't mind Perentine, I would like you to remain for this next discussion." Chancellor Palpatine asked hardly moving from his seat.

"Remain Chancellor?" Perentine questioned wondering what the Palpatine would want with him.

"I have some important news to share with the loyalist council and Jedi master. As this news includes the circumstances of Christophsis, I think it would be respectful and informative for you to remain." Palpatine said not so much as batting an eye lash to make Perentine remain.

Palpatine had a schedule to keep and would not falter because of Asajj taking note of his observation of her. He could tell some others had sensed her outburst, but none of the Jedi here on Coruscant. Perhaps it was location, perhaps it was familiarity or perhaps it was because people had not been looking for her. Whatever the reason it led to her realising she had been discovered. The force was blinding and fickle like that. At the least, Palpatine could sense that Dooku, Anakin and Obi-wan had sensed Asajj.

Oh, and he could sense her. The raw power washing away her doubt, the obstacle of thought and desire washed away to make room for the obvious and ambitious. Again, the only word that could come to mind was clarity. The force had made it clear to Asajj. It didn't guide her, but it took all that had defined her, all of that selfish, individual thought that gotten in the way of progress and success.

Honestly, her mind was too clear of greed, rage and fear for Palpatine's liking. Too clear of emotion and of attachment. But her ambition was a dark storm, burning the sky and drowning the ground. Her selfishness was no longer going to hold her back. Like a droid programed to ignore all else in favour of the goal. She had risen above her emotions for her purpose, still yet to be made clear.

Again, Palpatine didn't like because it reminded him of himself. For years he had learned to suppress, dominate and tame the dark, ego of himself. The ego of the darkside led to blindness in truth making Sith arrogance. Pleasure over progress that had lead to the Sith's extinction. He had risen above it after years of patience and control that no normal Sith would wait for. He was still waiting in fact and experience was his teacher in this. He would not be a puppet to his own power.

But despite Asajj realisation and complete lack of focus and experience, she had grown as if years had flown into her. The one positive was that her lack of experience had made her a puppet to her own power. Never the less, she should die now thought Palpatine. Yes, she has become too dangerous to let live. But killing her now would be too obvious. She may even realise Sidious's intentions because she had let the power dominate her and looked somewhere she shouldn't have.

But the bigger question was why and how?

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Phictamemor Village Mine District, Within Crystal Mine 2. Christophsis.

"3."

Galen had been surprised, but didn't go on guard just yet. The mines angled lift was taking all of them down. It had been for the last 20 minutes and they would soon reach the bottom. But as soon Asajj took note of him sensing her, he went on guard.

"Asajj!" Galen growled, the red light saber flying into his hand as he turned in the direction of Asajj. She was a continent away but she felt like she was standing right in front him. Daring him to attack the thin-air in front of him.

What was happening to her? Her presence erupted only moments ago. She wasn't fighting anyone, he was sure she wasn't. But why was she screaming her location and why did she feel stronger?

The clones around him raised their weapons hearing him growl her name and armed himself.

"She's here? Impossible this is an enclose path. We would have seen or heard her coming." Mason shouted pulling both his pistols out and pointing them in air, looking around for her. Had she managed to follow them? She wasn't known for being relentless in chasing her enemies down in her profile. Maybe she was efficient but she wouldn't drag things out. It wasn't her memo.

"Where is she? Tell us quickly!" Quickstep demanded cocking his compact blaster (which was basically a shotgun).

Heart sharply raising his sniper rifle, his eyes scanning and searching for the enemy. "I don't see her. Where Galen?" He shouted.

"Tsk. We can take her!" Seagate shouted his head darting around, trying to find something to point his pistols at.

Galen relaxed as Asajj seemed to take her focus of him to look at something else. In no time though, she hide herself erasing her presence from the force. "She is not here but keep on guard. She's sensed us. Probably knows we're here." Galen answered. "If Loathsom's Lieutenant is here, she is going to contact him."

For a few seconds all those present could only hear the mechanical rolling of the lift taking them further down. Their missions discovery would be a grave issue indeed. "That's great. A deadly assassin that can slaughter clones knows we're walking into a deep, dark, maze of crystals, cave. And it's comforting to know that she's telling this mines guards that we're coming also." Argo sarcastically remarked his hands hardly relaxing their grip on his rifle.

"Calm yourself Argo." Whispered Jam copying Captain Heart with same weapon as him. They were both sharpshooter clones. "No reason to give away our position by shouting it."

"We're slowing down. We've reached the bottom." Breaker interrupted hold the smaller 15S Rifle as the lift stopped and the gate opened for there. Said clone looked back to Galen who nodded in response and then to another clone sharpshooter named Livid. Breaker took point with Galen and Livid looking around the dark area. There were no lights on so anyone that did wonder down here would assume that the place was abandoned.

"There's not much light beyond the lift. What is that smell?" Opy asked following the group, his weapon at the ready but disgusted by the foul smell of this place. It smelt worst than it did above them with the corpse of the executed.

Galen had to agree but did not want to confirm it his assumption was correct. "Breaker, Livid. Can your helmets see in the dark?" Galen asked wanting to know which way to go and what that smell was.

"Yes sir. Breaker and I were equipped with night vision helmets. No one else has them though." Livid answered for them knowing why he was asking that.

"What is this!?" Phic the insectiod whispered looking around in the dark able to see what the clones could not. His biology allowed him to but it wasn't something he wanted to see.

"What is it?" Mason asked as Galen could sense concern and dread in the Verpine's voice.

Galen frowned back at Phic growing annoyed. "Does anyone have a flare?" He asked.

"I do."Jam answered, removing the blaster clip from his rifle to insert a flare bolt clip. Without needing to ask permission from Galen, Jam pointed it to the roof of the mine and fired.

BOOM

A blue flare of light blasted onto the ceiling of the mine and expanded into a ball of blue light, illuminating the mien. But it wasn't some normal mining operation. It was a huge, city-like area, larger than the evacuation shelter in Neogius City that Bail was currently commanding from. With large metal platforms and thick black cables covering the ground, stretching into different caves and caverns it was impressive to the point that years must have been put into it, yet it still looked cheap and simple. Some passages went up, some went down, and some went to cliff-lift that would allow movement of large equipment and sometimes resources found. Switched off lights were nailed to the crystals above confirming that they could turn the lights on.

Overall though, the walls and grounds surface was made from blue, clear crystals having being cut and melted into appropriate shapes to allow passage in and out of the area. There was no dirt though, but instead shards of fine glass dust. It wasn't particularly airborne being too dense though removing that risk. The technical intrusion though didn't hide that they were under crystal structures that stretching miles and miles in a solid formation.

Around them as well were sudden drops, falling hundreds of metres down the mine in dark eerie falls. All of it was railed across the edges but it certainly said something about the size of the mine. They had travelled so deep so quickly that it was surprising that the structure could hold itself together.

"Again..." Galen whispered a growl of anger as he spotted he source of the foul smell.

Christophsians. Kerkoidens. Rodians. Duros. Verpine. Givin. Other humans.

All dead and left to rot in this dark place. They all looked unarmed and defenceless. Most likely they were the people that worked here. Or they were the people still working here after Loathsom had taken over? Whatever the reason they weren't sure but the platoons spread out and looked around to see what they could find.

"Why do this?" Galen asked himself kneeing down to look at one of the bodies unable to understand the logic. A Duros who's blue skin was still somewhat blue, but had become black, green and greasy. Thin and eaten by time. He dared not touch in respect but was disgusted by everything he saw only making him want to find Loathsom faster.

"These are bodies blaster burns." Heart mumbled sombrely. "Droids will do anything their ordered to. They must have tried to escape or knew something that couldn't be disclosed." He guessed as it was all he could think of. More and more, the separatist proved their savagery and lack of care for people. The republic cannot stand this and he and brothers would assure this. Heart calmed himself thinking about Galen's question more. "Why they would leave the bodies though, I don't know." Heart grumbled sick of thinking about it and just wanting to blast some droids.

"A dark, enclosed place, full of dead bodies is frightening to come across. Perhaps it is all a deterrent, to make people not want to enter." Mason answered. Although he had never seen something like this. He knew some people would do anything to keep themselves hidden. Make a myth up to hide something bigger. Publicly eliminate enemies to instil fear. It could not be a whim that these people had been left here.

"They got that right. I don't want to enter." Quickstep noted disgusted as he carefully avoided the bodies, not wanting to step on them.

"Same here brother." Agro said hating the position they were in. "This place is massive and may as well be a city. Where will we go?" He questioned not entirely sure they'd know where to go from here.

"We will go to the deepest site at the bottom of the mine. If the enemy is here looking for energy crystals they won't find anything worth their time this close to the surface. They'd need to go to the deeper sites." Phic answered. "But I suggest we go to one of the major offices. There are a few on the path there that could hold records of activities done, so that we can be sure of enemy movements." The Verpine said all too familiar with the mechanics and machinery used in the mines. He didn't often actually work on them but in his career with Sinect he had be contracted into the crystal mines before.

"In saying that though, the smart thing to do would be to destroy these offices and leave no records." Heart said thinking about it. "And since they know it is a point of interest, they are more likely to have droids patrolling that area as well." He clarified.

"Unlikey." Phic said. "These offices are near indestructible. Made with the same designs and the shelter city in Neogius. Should mine collapse the offices were made to withstand the burial and keep people alive for months." The insectiod answer confident in the offices design.

"It still would be no different to major paths down." Galen confirmed. "We only got this far without a fight because someone else had destroyed the droids guarding this mine above." He said bringing up the interesting piece of this situation.

"Could these be those people?" Seagate questioned sternly pointing to the bodies. "Or could this third party have continued through the mine?" He questioned being sure to remind everyone that until they knew the identity of this third party, they could not consider them allies.

"It is unlikely that these are those people but it is likely that they passed through here." Heart answered. "But there are no tracks to suggest such either making it more believable that they didn't. What do you think Galen?" Heart asked wondering what Galen's Jedi wisdom could bring.

Galen didn't have anything certain but his intuition through the force made him think otherwise. "I sense that the third party hasn't left this area yet. I can't be sure though. But not because of the force, but because I don't understand what it is. If they hid their tracks coming through, that makes them an even bigger threat then the droids."

"Comforting." Quickstep noted not sure where to step himself now. "They could be assassins for all we know. I've never had to fight assassins before."

"Relax." Mason mumbled. "Most assassins aren't as threatening as Asajj."

"But they are still stronger than droids, most times." Seagate finished not wanting his fellow clones dropping their guard.

"Never the less, we need to press on. Livid, Breaker, keep your scanners on for movement. Phic and Galen we need you to lead too since you two can sense things better." Heart commanded to which Galen was happy to comply. It was the best strategy.

"Argo you follow after me." Galen said. "Opy and Phic after you and Cred and Hardie will cover our rear following them. Mason and Heart, have your platoon follow from a 15 metres distance behind us."

"Done sir." Heart replied with a nod and Mason nodded as well.

Much like what had happened in the led up to the Planetary Cannon, the team went silent for that point on. Walking through the crystal mines, going through tunnels, and walking by impossibly thin, railed cliff edges that just used for personnel entry and maintains of services.

Sneaking like this was nerve racking and at times boring to Galen. He could sense though that the clones were happy to sneak about. Fighting all the time meant your chances of living long weren't high. Although Galen was sure none of them would ever admit it, but they didn't want for in this to turn into a fight. He was sure they say something along the lines of "I'm fighting and dying for the republic, that is my purpose." Or "My life is for the Republic." Or "I'd die for the Republic Chancellor's rule."

It was programmed into their minds but they were still sentient and thinking creatures. Doubt, emotion and individuality were suppressed to the max but he could still sense their individual being. That piece that made them THEM and not the same as each other. It was obvious in all of them. Was it the mind, the soul or the spirit? Galen wasn't sure, but he could sense it the force. It was what Asajj had flared not long ago.

Something that the droids did not have. Which Galen couldn't help but feel sad about. He did not know why but he rather enjoyed the interactions with droids back at the base. For things programmed to do what they were created for, he enjoyed there company.

Damn his memories. He was sure his compassion for droids lied there as well but not in the flashes he had in the force so far.

It must have been 2 hours into the mine before they stopped to rest and step themselves up for possible encounters. They hadn't encountered anything and they hadn't seen any droids scrapped by their possible third party. They had set up a perimeter to rest. Some of the platoons were on watch while other rested, they were sure to take their time and rest up as much as possible. The next time they moved they would probably face the enemy.

Galen kept to himself mostly, every so often talking to some of the clones about what to do if the attacked, and a bit about who the clones were. Turned out Breaker had once considered leaving the clone army, despite the punishment being death. He didn't go through with it, but it was something he had considered, valuing his life for more than war.

Silently Galen took a moment to rest, away from the major group and was speaking to Opy privately when Nart approached them.

"Hey, General?" Nart greeted walking over to Galen and Opy, sitting next to Galen and taking his helmet off. The sides of his head had been shaved leaving thick but trimmed head top of hair on him. As Galen and Opy went silent Nart looked at Opy curiously. "What are you two talking about?" Nart asked curiously.

Galen weakly looked to Opy taking a bite of a rations bar before nodding to the clone to explain.

"I think we're being followed." Opy answered quickly and without any worry scaring Nart into inhale bit sharper than he wanted.

"Being followed?" Nart repeated before looking at Galen who didn't flinch or look worried himself. If anything he looked extremely calm about the fact. "Why haven't you told anyone yet?" Nart asked wondering why they weren't looking for this enemy following them.

Galen took a breath. "I've been sensing this enemy since we started walking. They or it has been watching us silently." He said taking a moment for Nart to digest this. "I sense they wish no ill intent or harm to us. If anything they or it is curious and feels rather comforted as well." Galen concluded certain of this third party's emotions.

"Comforted?" Nart repeated again.

"Meeting new people must be a gracious thing to them or it." Galen mumbled. "Though I don't know what that could mean itself." He noted not being able to put his finger on it. To have a mindset like that in this situation didn't make sense. It was conflicting information, making Galen think he was sensing things incorrectly.

Nart grew more uncertain. "Why do you keep saying they or it?"

"Because I don't know if it is one or more people. One second I sense them in one direction, the next in the opposite. Unless they're teleporting or moving fast enough not to be seen, I guess that it is more than one." Galen guessed putting it together as best he could. There was no way that someone could move in between them all so fast without being detected. They had to be hiding themselves, as another would spot them then hide again. It was a cycling tactic.

"Both possibilities don't sound good." Nart muttered open to the idea of there being only one person. Perhaps they knew the mine better than them and could mauver themselves unseen. Plus, having only one enemy sounded better than more. Nart looked to Opy. "But why would you tell Opy?" Nart asked gesturing to the clone who wasn't as bright as the rest of them.

"Call it his disconnection to situation, but Opy noticed this presence. He was more fascinated with the mine than enemy attack and noticed flickers of light and shadows an assumed that it could be someone else." Galen said before looking at Opy seriously. "Speaking of that Opy, you need to focus more."

"Yes Sir, I will try."Opy answered. He may not be the brightest but he did keep to standard professional degree of communication.

"So wait, you went to the General with this Opy? Nart asked.

Opy nodded. "Seemed like the right idea. We hadn't been attacked yet and I thought he would the wisest to tell." He answered.

"Thank you for that Opy. You do have good judgement." Galen said appreciating it before looking at Nart. "We will not go looking for this party that hasn't attacked. They've had more enough time to do so, meaning that fighting us isn't their priority. What their priority is however I am not sure. But I sense no connection to Loathsom or any of the droids. We will focus on our target. This other party can do what they want as long as it doesn't interfere with us." Galen concluded again.

Nart nodded understand before stopping and staring at Galen. "But why tell me sir?"

"I've been thinking about it. Who should be made aware of this? You've been silent through this mission so I thought you could keep this quiet and you have a smart gut. It was convenient that you came over when you did. I would like you watch out for your team, be ready if they are not." Galen commanded knowing that Nart would co-operate with his wishes. The clone was not only silent but more relaxed and focused than the rest of his team. Sure he could count on Heart and Mason to look after them, hence why he separated them from himself, but they would make this discovery a focus and add to the factors and worries that might end up plaguing the minds of the troopers.

"Thank you for your belief in me sir." Nart answered in whisper keeping himself quiet.

"Good. Now, what was your reason to come over here?" Galen asked wondering why the clone had approached them to begin with.

"Well actually sir now that you asked me to look out for the third party, I don't think it is a good idea." Nart said shaking his head.

Galen frowned wondering but not forcing the info out of Nart. Although, Opy had an idea and didn't hesitate to bring it up. "Were you going to offer Galen some of the booze you won yesterday?" He asked stupidly not seeing in-between the lines.

"What?" Galen muttered not expecting that.

Nart growled glaring at Opy before slowly bring the small canister out. "We were playing cards yesterday when Dov wanted to make it interesting." Nart explained making Galen roll his eyes. Of course it was Dov, the christophisan didn't seem to take anything seriously and was taking risks at every turn for the fun of it.

"He bet the booze and lost to me." Nart finished before he looked around to other, noting that none of them were watching and took a quick small, sip. "It's warm and relaxes you some." Nart said enjoying it.

"I thought something like that was against our programming." Opy questioned to which Galen agreed.

"It is, but the Jedi have been embarrassing individual, creative thinking. We can make choices of our own Opy." Nart said with a smirk nudging his brother.

"Evidently you're not using those teachings for the best reasons." Galen said with a chuckle as Nart silently offered him some to which he declined.

"You sure? You never know when your last moments will be. May as well enjoy it. Embarrass it even." He said as he screwed the top back on and pocketed the drink getting a look from Galen.

"Hey, I'm not dumb enough to drink more. A sip will relax me. Anymore and it will affect me during combat." Nart explained taking his safety and the teams into account at least.

Despite it, the act warmed Galen a bit seeing how clones were seen as soldiers but could act so human. How they didn't want to be just numbers. The good and bad would come about but these clones knew who they were and who they wanted to be. Which could say more about them, than himself.

They had to keep moving though, thoughts about clones and third parties would have to wait. They had rested long enough and had to keep moving. Down some shafts, tight tunnels, platform ladders and steel elevated bridges. Sharp, smooth crystal pecks, large enough to piece through building and stretching on for miles was all that covered their paths.

"You hear that?" Breaker wondered as he looked to Livid next to him. "It's like a ti-ti sound. Like foot-steps. Are your scanners picking up anything? Cause I got nothing." He asked wondering if his scanner was malfunctioning.

"It probably just water. I haven't–" Livid stopped and signalled everyone to stop as his helmet started flashing within it. "We got readings. 30 metres ahead!" Livid whispered in a panic. They were walking down a cliff-side personal passage that had a massive drop going down a few hundred metres. There was nowhere to hide and fighting could signal the further enemies. The scanners should have picked them long before!

"That's way too short-a-time! We have to line up and volley them with blasts!" Seagate muttered unable to think of any other way of fighting and quickly approaching enemy.

"Peppering them would be too loud." Heart pointed out knowing that the blasters would echo through the mine. They had to find the crystals being collected first before getting anywhere.

Galen turned to the soldiers trying to think of something. Phic looked very scared in that moment, the insectiod wasn't a fighter. The clones looked ready to march and fire on the enemy, they were ready to fight. Mason drew his pistols and pointed them-

"That's it." Galen muttered and grabbed Reload's rifle.

"This jobs not going to well." A B1-battle droids complained as it walked alone the cliff-side passage, its feet tapping with every step across the metal flooring nailed to the ground.

"Scouting isn't so bad." Another said.

"Not bad when there isn't a Jedi around."

"That's so true." It responded.

"Jedi can die." A super battle droid responded next to them. "Did any of you hear something close by?"

"If there were people we would have found them by. And kill a Jedi. If we had more numbers? But our probability of destruction is 89% higher because there is a Jedi on the planet." The first B1-battle droid pointed out as droids generally did rely on percentage and probability. "It goes to 130% because there are only 5 of us. And if the Jedi knew we were here it would go to 240% chance of destruction. "

"It doesn't change the fact that we must look out for clones or rebels." The super battle droid answered. "Our scans picked up moment around this area and I could hear movement. Look around." It ordered.

"Roger, roger." The droids answered unable to argue with their programming. Even if the data was logically correct it didn't change the fact that someone had to do the job. Risk of destruction was part of their programming but not one that was strongly influenced their self-preservation protocols.

Continuing their search, the droids flash their head lights, looking for any sign of the enemy.

"Zero chance of promotion from this job." The droid muttered to itself as it flash its light over the edge of the cliff-side to the other side seeing nothing. And not noticing the cable clinging to the wall with Galen hanging from the edge by Reload's rifle cable directly under him.

Next to him was Phic clinging to the crystal side by the grip of his claws of his hands and feet. Verpine were an impressive species able to climb walls and ceilings without the need of cables. But all around them the clones and Mason had were hanging from the cables of their weapons trying to be as silent as possible.

Separatist Droids weren't particularly smart. It was a flaw they could take advantage of. They weren't thorough in their efforts, not because they weren't trying but because there programming and hardware was cheap and full of flaws. Their intelligence wasn't their fault and they can't realise this because of how cheap their minds were.

"Promotions aren't real. We get assigned our duty by design. Not ability." The other B1-Battle droid corrected looking up and down the walls ignoring his fellow droids words.

"That's not true. I heard some droids get promoted to Captain and get painted." The B1-battle droid stated.

"That just what they tell you. They mess with our programming, make droids think that. Stop talking about things that will never happen B1-CHR-888." The other droid said as started to walk away.

"Ok." B1-CHR-888 answered obediently.

"Let's move on." The B2-Super battle droid commanded as the droids continued to walk on pass the hiding platoons.

"I knew these droids were stupid but they have pathetic lives." Galen muttered looking at Heart to him wondering what he thought of the conversation above.

"They're not alive, nor are they intelligent enough to know how pathetic they are." Heart answered coldly. He didn't have a shred of care for droids. "Alive or smart doesn't matter if they were swarm you. They're like insect, rely on numbers over intellect. No offence." Heart noted to Phic who was looking at the 2 talk.

"None taken. If anything I take it as a compliment. "If the tactic works", that's all that matters." The verpine answered climbing up the crystal glass surface like it was normal.

"I think recall General Kenobi saying something like that." Mason mumbled thinking about it. "If droids could think, we'd all be dead." He finished with sarcasms.

Galen gave the signal and they all repelled up the crystal cliff-edge.

"Sir, I don't think our scanners are working so well down here." Breaker pointed out to Galen.

"The scans probably reflective of the crystals too much. Sometimes you'll get a strong signal, other times it will be a weak one. Particularly if it has reflected too many times of the crystals surfaces." Phic answered.

"And you couldn't have told us this sooner?" Livid angrily asked.

"I was hoping it would work. I was wrong." Phic said unable to defend himself. Breaker and Livid on the other hand weren't impressed since they were the ones leading the platoon by their scanners

"Let's move on." Mason suggested not wanting the droids to turn around anytime soon and catch them. Doing as Mason suggested the platoons moved back into formation. Breaker though wasn't thrilled. His scanner could potential fail him and get him and everyone killed. Looking over Livid, he was sure his last remaining training squad mate felt the same.

Breaker was getting anxious being in the dark, leading the platoons with Livid and having no clue if his scanner was working. It was getting to him, the calm before the storm. It was waiting for them and he was hoping to all things that they found them first. He wanted to spot them before they spotted him. He was leading from the front and all clones knew what that would mean. That you would be the first be shot at. Walking in half blind just made it worse.

This was why he wanted to leave the army. He didn't want to die quickly like a domino falling on top of one another. He would fight yes. But he didn't want to be a situation that would quickly lead to his death. And after seeing so many clones die around him, he knew he was in a very bad situation. But duty called. They could predict everything and be prepare for everything. Adaptability made a great soldier.

"Breaker." Galen mumbled behind him as they approached the end of a tunnel. "Relax. I sense your tension." Galen advised feeling the clones fear. "Focus and watch those corners. Scan for droid signs." Galen could sense his tension and they weren't far now according to Phic.

"We got this Breaker. Don't worry. Me and the General got your back in front." Livid assured to which Galen gave a small smile agreeing.

"Yep. Got ya." Breaker answer slowly moving into the tunnel exit. He pointed his rifle around the left corner while Livid did the right, nothing on both side. It was silent and he took a few steps forward, walking along the edge that only went about 10 to 15 metres down. It was a bit of clearing with more tunnels and entrances with wires and platform streaming through them. It seems to go on forever as he held his rifle up and looked across the clearing scanning for enemies at the entrances.

"All clear." Livid reported from his side.

"I've got droids, down below. 28metres. They haven't noticed us." Breaker reported from his side, his rifle spotting the B1 Droids walking away from them around machinery.

TAP.

Breaker heard it and his eyes moved first followed by his head turning with his shoulders. Only for the visor of his helmet to reflect the inches away, two barrels of the droid wrist blasters pointed at his head.

BANG.

Galen eyes widened as the B2-super droid came from around a corner of its own, not walking out of an entrance, but walking with the paths edge. The entrance came from a horizontal angle making the two walk directly next to each other with a thin yet dark blue crystal wall between them. Breaker wasn't facing the wall he thought was behind him. Why would he when had spotted droids below.

"NO!" Galen shouted lunging at the B2-Super battle Droid with the red saber in hand. Breaker's body collapsed in a silent yet shattered heap and Galen sliced through the droid that only registered the flash of red light moving towards it.

Lunging straight through the droid Galen twisted in the air and landed facing the direction of the clones and droids walking parallel to one another.

"Jedi! Fire." The super battle shouted followed by a volley of blasters shots that Galen went to work deflecting.

"Through the crystal wal-ACK!" Galen shouted to the platoons behind him before shouting in pain from the shot that grazed his stomach. He should have blocked that shot. Why didn't he? He was sure he even moved the saber to deflect it. Galen's eyes and body refocused on dodging and deflecting, brushing as much of the pain aside as he could.

Galen gripped the lightsaber tighter realising what had happened. 'The lightsaber. The grip is curved. I didn't think it would make such a different.'

Opy with the heavy repeater blaster turned on the wall in front of him and blasts through it like he was holding a drill to the crystal. All the other clones that could angle themselves to fire did so and laser fire flashed through the mine. It was a messy, loud and crystal shards rolled and stream between the clone's legs like water. But it ended very quickly. The droids had no cover once the walls around them shattered and they were focus on Galen in a different direction.

"Breaker!" Livid shouted rushing past Opy and others for his last brother of Zen squad. Galen deactivated the light saber and joined Livid gripping stomach.

"He's gone." Galen muttered seeing it straight away. A clear burnt hole that was still hot through the left side of Breaker's helmet and out the other side. The visor of the helmet was broken to glass shards with the back of the helmet mimicking it.

"Clones above!" The B1 droids shouted from below hearing the blaster fire and quickly marching toward the clone up above.

Galen was on it straight away ignoring the pain, suppressing it with the force. Igniting the saber again he jumped from the upper levels of melted glass down to the droids below. However he flinched in the air sensing something coming towards him from behind. It was too fast and he couldn't twist his body quickly enough to block and dodge. But he still tried.

"..." A flash of blue lines, rays of lights, flashed by him and pierced through the group of B1s that had gathered. Burning with enough heat to melt a hole through anything that was behind where the droids stood. Like puppets without strings the droids collapsed leaving a stunned Galen looking in the direction of his team and not the droids.

From behind.

All the clones, Mason and Phic turned to the entrance they had just come from. The blue shoots had come from behind them and they were exposed.

FLASH

"A force-sensitive? Are you Jedi, Sith or maybe something else?" An echoed voice asked Galen from behind him illuminating a blue light on Galen's back. Turning quickly with the red saber in hand, Galen was ready to swing again at full force but stopped when he saw it.

His comrades weren't far behind him as they all turned also when the blue light flashed by them, flying by them. When they saw it to they could only guess in their heads. None fired, unsure if it was enemy or what "it" was.

"What in the name of..."

"Light? Blue light?"

"What is that?"

"Impossible."

"Where are its eyes?"

"Wings?"

The entity focused on took on that description with a thought. "Oh, wings? Right I'm still showing an angel from Lego." The being of a light said in the form of an angel with insect like wings. Then the light bended but it did not supply a mouth, ear, hair or eyes to the head. "There. Human shape is usual boring by I don't mind if I can get answers." The echoed voice of a woman said as the shape was that of a woman with no distinguishing features and a smooth outline.

"What are you?" Galen asked with a growl point his red saber at the being. He could sense this being through the force and it almost felt normal. Nearly like any other being he'd come across. It or she, was force-sensitive. But not like Galen or Asajj. More like how Mason was force-sensitive. There was an awareness but not full fledge training.

"I am Kristallin. A Lumos." She answered loud and gleefully. "A being made of energy. Thousands of years old. Well I was asleep for most of it and hadn't actually intended on awakening. I didn't expect to awaken to a droid army either. Haven't seen one of those in a while." She noted thinking about some of her encounters before refocusing on Galen. "So back to my question, are you jedi, sith or something else?" She asked shifting closer to Galen through her own shining light.

"Something else. I think." Galen answered not sure how she would respond to a yes as a Jedi or a yes as a sith.

"Something else. Then maybe you felt that surge a few weeks ago. Or maybe the one in brown clothing knows." She suggested making Galen look back to Mason and everyone else who was watching from the mine's upper level above. That statement suggested a lot being that this "Kristallin" could feel that Mason was force-sensitive.

"We don't know anything about a surge, but whose side are you on Kristallin." Seagate started surprising all of them that he would be the one to start talking with her.

Kristallin took a curious, ghostly hover like a shy girl towards the group that stepped back or flinched when she approached. "That armour. It looks like Republic armour but a lot thinner, maybe better than what I've seen. Not by much though." She commented inspecting them. "You're all part of the Republic army?" She asked.

"Yes we are ma'am." Quickstep answered.

"Ma'am?" She repeated before looking back to Galen. "I like that one. What's your name?"

"Quickstep."

"Quickstep? That sounds like code. Or a nickname." Kristallin commented again.

"I'm sorry ma'am but I must focus back on Seagate's earlier question." Heart stepped in making sure to lower his weapon but keep a close grip on it. "Are you with the Republic or with the Separatist?"

"Separatist? Never heard of them. And I am on my own side trooper. Beings like me try our best not to get involved either because we're powerful or the last of our kind. But it seems something's never change. Republic is in power so that's good for the universe. No other group has done better for it than the Republic." Kristallin monologued.

"By other groups what do you mean?" Mason asked wondering and suspecting an answer that would prove her claim of age.

"Oh, the Hutts, Mandorians, Sith, Zygerrians. I'm sure there is more but they're the ones that pop out the most to me." Kristallin answered. Although it didn't confirm anything in Mason's mind since anyone with half a brain and the ambition to look could find out historical events in the universe. Still those were all great powers that had all tried in conqurering the universe.

"Now you two have got to answer my question. What was that surge a few weeks ago? It woke me up and it takes some great power and presence to awaken me." Kristallin explained.

"What type of power?" Phic asked speaking up for the first time.

"A verpine. A lone verpine." Kristallin noted as her form changed losing the human look, becoming more insect like.

No one else but Phic realised what she was doing and becoming. "That's the form a hive mother! You're one of the deities of Christophsis!" Phic shouted having heard the stories many times before throughout christophsis. The shape-shifting deities of Christophsis that guarded ancient and powerful crystals. This Kristallin could do so shaping her body to that of humans, angels and verpine hive mothers confirmed Phic's suspicions.

"Deities?" Mason repeated having of course heard of such but never believed it.

"What, like, like a god?" Quickstep suggested. Below Galen frowned deepened only more confusion by curious none the less.

"Once, maybe." Kristallin mumbled remembering an age long gone. "The Christophsians referred to us as such. But that was thousands of years ago. My kind left some time ago. I'm one of the last on Christophsis." She confirmed thinking about the time long gone and how it had ended. The light on her body ripped for a second before shifting back to that of a human. "But enough, back to the topic. The type of power that could wake me, I could only describe as unnatural. The only machine of technology that could possibly awaken me through unnatural effect is a lightspeed collision from a large carrier. And from what I have seen of Christophsis, it is the only advanced tool that could awaken me." She further confirmed but had not seen any proof of such.

"There hasn't been anything like that. We would know." Captain Heart answered although his eyes drifted to Galen. An unknown jedi and a deity? Things didn't just happen without reason. The surge that this being referred to was too big a point of interest to ignore. Something had happened on Christophsis that no one was fully aware of. But it was surfacing and they caught in it.

Hearts eyes caught Mason how didn't know. No doubt that the Bail's Alderran Guard had the same suspicions.

"Then the force-sensitives must have felt something." Kristallin demanded. "The force is a powerful and greater existence. Not many reach or dream of achieving the ascended cosmic divine of its presence. And I sense that no one on this planet is capable of such. But surely something unexpected happened within it." She insisted believing there was no other answer.

Mason and Heart knew that Galen would be obvious answer but neither of them were sure of Kristallin's intent and could go south very quickly if it wasn't friendly.

"Galen happened." Opy said making the leaders tense. "He appeared out of nowhere." He finished not thinking of answering the floating women.

"Appeared out of nowhere?"

"I awoke here." Galen jumped in. There was no going back on talking about the topic of his arrival now. But it wasn't a disaster and could actually clarify and answer some of his questions. "I don't remember how I got here, entirely. Could the force have done this?" He asked selfishly although not against anyone else's own curiosity.

Kristalinn faced Galen but without eyes or a mouth or any skin on her face no one could tell she was looking at him. "I've seen and heard a story of such things." She answered making Galen and the other listen intently. "Thousands of year ago, of a very powerful force wielder who lost his memory. It is very possible that the force has done this to you, Galen. But I don't think you want to hear the details of that story." Kristallin stated although already knowing that the man would want to hear it.

"Please, tell me!"

Kristallin paused. "It could upset you."

"I don't care. I need to know." Galen growled.

Kristallin paused again but answered. "It was of a creature named Darth Revan. A powerful Dark lord of the Sith, Revan the butcher. He was an embodiment of thirst, legend and solitary. He marked the stars with a presence that will never leave but will always be exiled because of what he is. The Jedi used their full power to suppress his memories to erase the monster that was into something good. Through their actions, they saved the universe and a power Jedi returned. I don't think you want your story to be like his." Kristallin said knowing that Galen and all those listen would not like for him to be a Sith without memory.

"Returned, what do you mean?" Galen asked.

"Even the darkest of creatures can start out of light. Revan was such an example. Do you believe you are like him?" Kristallin asked the direct possibility.

"No. I don't know Revan. So I could not." Galen said concerned with more question in his mind now.

"If makes you feel better, you have the mind and look of a Jedi." Kristallin comforted Galen as her light seemed to bend around him. "If you cannot remember who you are then the force is a more likely and probably culprit than anything else. The mind is easily manipulated through it. Who or maybe why it has affected you, I don't know. But it was unnatural and powerful becaused it was strong enough to awaken me. And it hasn't faded from the planet yet." Kristallin further explained as all any of them could do was listen and ask her for answers.

"Faded? Yet? You're suggesting some very dangerous things ma'am." Mason said almost shouting at her. This was far deeper than he though, deeper than any of them thought. What concerned Mason though was that Bail was connected to Galen who could be at the centre of such.

"Very dangerous indeed. I do not possess the power to mend such wounds. But like fate wishes, the universe will do everything in its power to heal it." She continued cryptically. "Although it is too late, the scars are being reopened. And the surge's affect will spread and be unleashed before the wound has healed. For all those aware of the universe, it will be hard to ignore. And they will reach for its mystery." She finished leaving them only more confused.

"What are these riddles you're speaking about?!" Agro shouted surprisingly, wanting to point his weapon at the women that wasn't helping their current situation.

"Scars, unleashed...Asajj!" Galen shouted realising that some Asajj had found what Kristallin was speaking about. And so quickly. There was no other possibility.

"You felt it. Moments ago." Kristallin said focused on Galen. "As powerful as I am, Jedi and Sith are still very dangerous to me." She said still aware of how danger they could be. Being made of light didn't mean much against telepaths or telekinesis. The light of her body rippled and glowed as she realised what Galen had done.

Galen frowned feeling her intent with the force. "You're not talk about just Asajj. You did not just come to us seeking answers. You want our help with something else." Galen pointed out realising what this really about.

"As a just stated, Jedi are still very dangerous to me." She said aware that Galen was not push-over with the force. "There is a dark presence below. It appeared out of nowhere, it comes and goes, but not as you did. This was through technology. The Great 3 energies that rest in Christophsis is being sought for. I must stop it. But I cannot go there alone. So I beg you, help me." She begged to Galen and the republic forces.

"What could be so dark down their?"

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Bottom of the Mine.

"Lord Tyranus."

Dooku wasn't in a good mood. With a disgusted frown, Dooku grimaced as he appeared on hologram faced with General Loathsom and his forces leaders. He's councils meeting was over and he had just finished talking with his master just now. Christophsis and Loathsom were quickly becoming a bothersome and troublesome situation to deal with.

"I've threatened you more than once about using that name. It was a poor joke." Dooku scowled in a rage about to strangle Loathsom this time.

"We've found it." The blue beast stated confident, pleased but with no ego making Dooku stop his action. "As we thought, the rumoured great energies of Christophsis are the large energy crystals we have been looking for. We have one of three Great Kyburr Crystals of Christophsis."

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Author's note: Let me make something clear. I know a lot of you think I've made Galen weaker. But Galen is as strong as he was in the game. Here are my 9 reasons why Galen did not just destroy Asajj.

1st. The Universe: My story uses every bit of information from the starwars sources, so canon and legends material. Movies, clone wars series, cartoons, comics, novels and games. I try to include all of it. That means that although Galen's force ability are extremely powerful, they are not uncommon anymore. Including every source, Yoda was capable of making giant ships collide into each other while surrounded by droids, Darth Sidious was able to create black holes, anakin could overpowered force gods, plo koon could even control the laws of physics and luke was capable of every one of these feats.

2nd. Which Game: Galen is from the 1st force unleashed game and isn't the clone from the 2nd. He will have to learn those skills later on.

3rd. The Events of the Game: In the game, galen is extremely strong when attacking but when you tried to defend with him not so much. It always frustrated me when galen fought against vader and was quickly and easily force choked into the air and throw away. Also when your blocking, Galen can't move. Look back on Galen and he got force chocked / gripped a lot and throw about like a rag doll.

4th. Physical and Mental Ability: I think about 4 features when determining the skills of asith or jedi. Physical attributes, light saber dueling forms, force abilities and strategic planning. Galen's force abilities are above that of a master level (except his mind control and defenses), and his physical attributes are at master level. But his lightsaber dueling forms aren't as effective without the force, making it a jedi knights level, and his strategic planning isn't the best as he is known for charging right in and attacking rather than thinking of alternatives. It is also because of this why I believe he trusted Vader despite being stabbed in the back by him.

5th. Who Asajj is: Because I include legends, it means that Asajj's has survived some crazy battles that should have killed her. But she's not dead, meaning that she has one massive will to live. During this era, Asajj is one of greatest dark side users of this time. From the 4 features I described above, she beats Galen in 3. Her cunning and saber skills are better than his as without the force to power his saber skill's galen won't be able to overpower her. Her physical attributes are just barely better than Galen's. There almost the same if Asajj hadn't been able to survive the feats she did, an e.g. being that Anakin threw her off a one of the towers on coruscant wrapped in steel wires that were conducting electricity and fell all the way to the bottom meaning she had to have falling a minimum of 3kms. However Galen's force abilities are so much greater than hers, so much so that he makes up for this gap completely.

6th. Vader and the Emperor: Galen beat vader but in my opinion Anakin skywalker was stronger before he became vader. He was faster and had better dueling abilities. Vader was stronger in the force, slightly stronger because he was a cyborg and smarter because of experience which I believe Anakin can gain. As of the emperor, to my knowledge he was nowhere near as powerful as he was during the clone wars. He spent too many years confident without concerns and let his physical abilities fall greatly. Both of them are nowhere near as strong as they were near 20 years ago.

7th. Galen's Death: Galen died. Galen died! Regardless of the reason or situation, the emperor killed him while surviving the same blast. That's probably his greatest humiliation.

8th. Galen's Identity: Galen isn't some chosen one like anakin, harry potter, naruto, griffith or superman. You could argue that because his parents were jedi he is stronger than most but that takes away the years of training he went through. If he could kill Asajj just like that, what would I be proving? That Galen's better? That's a poor, predictable and easy plot with no thought or care put into all the characters. I'm sure there is at least 20 fanfics that have Asajj one shoted and killed. I don't want something that is like everyone else's. If you want something like that, watch Rey vs Luke Skywalker with sticks because that makes "Sense".

9th. My style of Writing: Similar reason to the 8th. I don't hand out victory to the characters I write about. I purposefully make it hard for the characters. If it isn't hard on them I won't care. I don't care if Galen can drag a moon from the sky, if Galen can't bleed for his efforts than I can't acknowledge his ability. Because it means it wasn't hard and there was no struggle. It just becomes boring and annoying with a mary sue character around.

So thank you and by all means:

Review, comment, criticises and endorse. Or advise whatever.