Chapter 12: First Victory

Chapter 12 of Burning Shadows

Thomas made the first move against Jackson.  He went for a frontal attack to force Jackson into the defensive and knock him back so that when the troopers arrived, he would be surrounded.  However, Jackson dodged to the right and tried to attack Thomas from the side.  This was easy for Thomas to parry with his two lightsabers to help keep himself balanced.  The two of them then went straight into sparring for a few minutes, moving a bit in a circle.  But then Thomas noticed that Jackson was forcing him towards the command center so that he could get some reinforcements.  Thomas tried to do a force-run up the wall to try and get closer to the entrance, but Jackson blasted force lighting in his path forcing him to fall back down hard and retreat even further back towards the enemy.  But a few paces before they reached the center, Thomas heard noises coming from further up the hall, and then a few seconds later, heard alarms going off throughout the base.  Reinforcements had arrived and were coming fast.  Jackson jumped away from their battle and started running towards the main room.  Thomas was about to chase after him when he decided to run towards the group and fill them in on what to expect.  He kept his lightsabers on so that the enemy wouldn't accidentally fire at him, then found the first wave of troopers and their Jedi commander.

"Jedi Knight Watson, what should we expect from the enemy?" said the commander.

"A large number of troopers.  I don't know how many Sith Lords.  This is a strategic place to capture though, so make sure you don't hold back, and try to not destroy any information we could use."  The commander nodded, then led his troops into battle, Thomas following in suit.  They got to the main hub and were greeted by laster blasts and a few bolts of force lightning.  Thomas and the commander used their lightsabers to deflect the lightning, forcing some of the enemy troops to fall back or be zapped.  The Republic troopers started making headway into the enemy lines, forcing many Sith Lords to retreat deeper into the complex.  Thomas was chasing after them, when Jackson and another Sith Lord jumped down from one of the upper catwalks and attacked him.  The Jedi Commander saw this and told one of his troopers something, and he ran back to the entrance.  Thomas had to use several force techniques to make sure that he wasn't on the wrong end of the lightsaber blades.  The Jedi commander joined the fray and forced Jackson off his back.  Thomas was sparring with the other Sith Lord when a laser blast hit his opponent in the head, killing him.  Thomas looked up and saw a second wave of troopers that had just entered and were using grappling hooks to get up to the catwalks to remove the enemy's advantage.  Thomas jumped into the battle with Jackson, causing him to use a force push and start running towards their ships.  Thomas was about to pursue when he suddenly felt a pain in his left leg. A laser blast had hit him just below the thigh, causing him to fall over in pain.  He used what little force-healing tactics to stop the pain as best he could, then dragged himself back away from the battlefield.  As he got out of the fray, another squad with a medical team came in, and a few healing Jedi's tended to his leg.

Thomas was sitting in one of the medical bays on the Star Destroyer on the way back to Courascant.  The battle was still raging back on the planet, but this particular ship was going back for more troops and to bring back the wounded.  A medical droid was working on Thomas' new cyborg leg.  While the skin itself was fine, the blast had gone right through his leg and destroyed the bone, and the nerves completely.  Thomas was feeling a bit better, but it still hurt.

"I have completed the procedure Jedi Thomas.  If you would like, you may walk around the ship and get a feel for your new leg." said the droid.  Thomas got up from his chair, and walked around a bit, stumbling at first, but quickly getting the hang of not feeling flesh below his thigh.  He walked over to one of the other bays and saw a trooper having to get his arms and one of his legs removed because he ended up on the wrong side of a Sith Lord's lightsaber.  Traditionally, troopers would be left to die, but if given the chance, they would be treated just as would any Jedi.  The ship dropped out of hyperspace and landed on Courascant.  People were celebrating when Thomas got off.  He looked up and saw on the news feed that one of the campaigns on another planet had been successful.  Surprisingly, the planet was Estanoki.  Thomas was a little confused and found Master Kenobi getting patted on the back.  Thomas walked over to him and placed his hand on his shoulder, to which when he found out who it was, he quickly brushed it aside.

"Is that any way to treat someone who just wants to congratulate you?" Thomas said sarcastically.

"Please.  As if you had gratitude to give."  Said Kenobi.

"You know, I'm kind of tired of you just treating me like garbage.  You want to tell me why you hate me so much?"

"What's there not to hate?  You're just some stupid Earth kid that thinks that because they entered the Jedi academy, they're a big hot shot.  You think you're above everybody else and..."

"And I'm from a planet that defiled the sacred history of the Republic, right?  Look, I've heard this racist spiel  before, but most of us aren't like that.  The people back on Earth have to bend over backwards to try and find a decent place to live even in the safer neighborhoods.  Money is scarce, crime is high, and the Republic won't do didly squat about the pollution problem!  And somehow people in the galaxy think we're the bad guys.  And I know for a fact, that the Jedi aren't supposed to think this way.  So, you want to tell me what's really on your mind Master Kenobi?"  There was a silence for a few seconds, and most people around them were murmuring in agreement with Thomas.  Suddenly, Thomas felt a rage inside Master Kenobi like none he had ever felt before.

"You want to know WHY I hate Earth people so much, well I'll tell you, you self-righteous jerk!  When the Republic came to Earth, they learned about your little re-telling of the Empire Wars.  And they wrote my ancestor as a weakling who folded against Darth Vader in their final duel!  And the galactic internet would not let me hear the end of it!  Even though they knew it was false, they called me and my family cowards for almost a year before I could restore my honor!  So don't act like you are so righteous with your actions Earth boy!"  Master Kenobi stormed off back into the Jedi temple, everybody giving him strange looks.

"That was way out of line.  Jedi Thomas, I do apologize."  Thomas looked up and saw Master Wei standing right behind him.

"He will be charged for his actions.  It is unacceptable for a Jedi to act in such a manner.  Again, I do apologize."

"No need to apologize Master Wei.  You weren't the one throwing angry tantrums in my face.  And if it's all right, don't make the punishment to harsh.  He should be given charges from the council, but in a war, we need good strong masters like him.  At least when his head is in the right place."  Everybody chuckled a little bit, and Thomas went back to his room.  He put everything away, and kept looking at his new cyborg leg.  It was weird to him.  He had seen plenty before, but he never expected to have one on his own body in place of flesh and blood.  After a few hours of just sitting in his room, he decided to take a walk in the gardens.  He strolled around for a bit then sat himself down in front of one of the fountains.  The statue in the middle depicted Luke Skywalker in a meditating stance.  Thomas had seen this statue plenty of times in history books to know that this was to show the peace that the new Jedi Order helped create after the Empire Wars.  Thomas wasn't thinking a whole lot about the peace however, he was thinking still about his cyborg limb.

"Impressed, I am.  Difficult it is to find artificial limbs with flexibility."  Thomas turned around and saw Master Elzan walking towards him.

"I take it by your presence master that the battle is won?"

"Correct you are.  Won back the planet is, but concern, there still is.  Welcomed by the locals, we were not."

"Really?  I was wondering how people might react or think of us.  When I was on Estanoki, the people there were fed up with the Republic.  Said that the Sith had been protecting them more than the Republic was.  Granted, the Sith Lords took advantage of that and used the Sith Knights as bait, but still.  I mean, we need to do better.  My home planet is still a wreck, and that's nothing compared to some of the other planets in the outer rim."

"Right you are young one.  Strive for the future we must.  However, priorities, we must remember.  Defeat the Sith Lords we will.  Restore peace to the galaxy, we must.  Then, look to the future, we will."  Thomas nodded, looked back at the statue of Luke, and felt like he could now understand the statue a little bit more than before today.

Author's Note

Okay, this was a really long time for an update, but hey, life happens, okay?
Please let me know what you think with a review!

Reviews

[New Theory]

Awesome action packed update, sorry for again a late review but dont worry keep going I will definitely be reading all of it. I enjoyed this part too and the action was quick and great, along with the dialogues between Thomas and Kenobi was good. I like the tension between them which allows you to really put good dialogues. Awesome work Miles, you are going good.