Chapter 15: The Clone Wars Have Begun

As we flew over Geonosis, we spotted Dooku in a speeder along with Vorlega. However as we followed them, the ship shook and Padmé accidentally fell out, tumbling to the ground. I was then taken back upon seeing Anakin's reaction. "Padmé! Put the ship down!"


"Anakin! Don't let your personal feelings get in the way!" Obi-Wan advised.


"Follow that speeder!" I ordered the pilot. 


"No, lower the ship!" Anakin protested.


"I can't take Dooku and his apprentice on without Storm's and your help! I need you! If we catch him, we can end this war right now! We have a job to do!" Obi-Wan reminded him.


"I don't care! Put the ship down!" Anakin argued.


"You will be expelled from the Jedi order!" Obi-Wan warned.


"I can't leave her!"


I can't believe what I was hearing...Anakin loves Padmé. Obi-Wan wasn't haven't it though as he tried to snap Anakin out of it before he could do anything rash.


"Come to your senses!" Obi-Wan snapped.


"What do you think Padmé would do were she in your position?" I questioned, trying to bring him back.


This seemed to do the trick as he turned to face us. "She would do her duty."


•••


As soon as we caught up to Dooku, he was inside a tall Geonosis building with a ship prepared to leave. I scanned the room in search for Vorlega, but she was nowhere in sight. That's odd, where did she go?


"You're gonna pay for all the Jedi that you killed today, Dooku." Anakin said as we took out our lightsabers.


"We'll take him together. Go in slowly on the left. Storm, you go in slowly to the right." Obi-Wan advised.


"I'm taking him now!" Anakin exclaimed as he lunged forth towards Dooku.


"No, Anakin! No!" Obi-Wan and I yelled out, trying to warn him.


However it was too late as Dooku released his Force lightning on Anakin, causing him to scream before falling aside near the wall. At that moment, Vorlega then appeared out of the shadows with bright yellow eyes. "Hello cousin."


"Cousin?" Obi-Wan repeated rather baffled.


I sighed. "It's a long story."


"As you see, my Jedi powers are far beyond yours. Now...back down." Dooku warned.


"I don't think so." Obi-Wan rebuked.


As Dooku took on Obi-Wan, Vorlega faced me. Vorlega and I circled around each other, waiting to see who would make the first move. I quickly looked at her fighting stance as I felt an immense amount of rage radiating off of her. Vorlega quickly grew impatient as she lunged forth as she let out a battle cry. I hastily raised my lightsaber clashing it with one of the sides of her blood red doubled-bladed lightsaber. She was quite strong, but I could still take her on. 


I saw her raising her leg to kick me, so I quickly crouched, causing her leg to go over my head. I then used the Force to push her back, causing her to hit the wall with a thud. Vorlega groaned before stumbling over her feet as she stood up. She made her way towards me, igniting her lightsaber ready to strike me again. I looked at her stance, examining and observing to see what she planned to do next.


"Master Kenobi, you disappoint me. Yoda holds you in such high esteem. Surely you can do better." I heard Dooku taunted Obi-Wan.


Vorlega wore a wicked grin. "You disappoint me as well, Storm."


"Can you actually think for yourself?" I inquired, mocking her. "Or do you use ever insult you hear Dooku say then repeat it?"


This made her more furious as she let out a battle cry as she raised her lightsaber. I quickly lifted my lightsaber, striking first. As soon as our lightsabers clashed, I pushed back with all my force. However I was caught off guard as I heard Anakin cry out in agony. I whipped around and my mouth dropped as soon as I saw Anakin. I saw him lie unconsciously next to Obi-Wan with his right arm missing. Vorlega used one the blades of her lightsaber against me, giving me a burn on my right leg. I yelled out as I stumbled, fighting to stay up. Dooku then turned towards me as he lowered his lightsaber. "Please Storm, reconsider and join our side. You have no idea what you're capable of. I don't wish to hurt you."


I scoffed. "You don't wish to hurt me? You threw me into an execution area and now you're telling me you don't want to hurt me?!"


Vorlega rolled her eyes. "Oh come on, don't be dramatic."


I tightened my grip on my lightsaber as I felt my anger rising. "How am I being dramatic? I'm practically sane to be pissed right now!"


"Storm, stop denying what I've told you. You now know the truth. I am your grandfather, Storm." Dooku reminded me. "And Xochra is your cousin, one of the several cousins that was kept a secret from you."


I shook my head. "No, no, no. Stop! I don't want to hear another word!"


"Then it's my turn, and I'm not the talking type." Vorlega informed me with a wicked smile. "I take action instead."


With that I raised my lightsaber and deflected the Force lightning she sent my way. She wore a frustrated look, clearly not expecting me to deflect it. I grinned. "Not what you were expecting?"


"You may be a Jedi, however your thoughts betray you. You are ruled by emotions. You know it's not the Jedi way." Dooku reminded me as he slowly made his way towards me. "A Jedi only kills in self-defense when there is no other option. A Jedi does not to strike with aggression, such as anger. You know what I speak of, Storm."


 My face fell. The Klatooinian...Cedno Trar. No, don't let it get to you. He's trying to get you to turn to the dark side. And sure enough he was able to distract me as I lowered my lightsaber, turning to Dooku. 


"You may be a Jedi Knight, Storm. But you would be better off a Sith Lady." Dooku advised. "No one will be able to hold you back. You'll be able to unleash your full potential, my child. And better yet, a Sith can have attachments...something I believe the Jedi forbid." 


I tried fighting him off mentally, knowing he was just trying to get me to turn to his side. And during that...it was enough time for Vorlega to strike, sending a blast of lightning my way. 


"Storm! Look out!" Obi-Wan yelled as he tried getting up but failed.


And what happened next happened all so fast. I quickly turned towards Vorlega to see the blast of lightning heading my way. I braced myself as I tried to avoid it, but failing. I yelled out in agony as I felt a great surge of pain. I fell to my knees, dropping my lightsaber. Dooku and Vorlega walked towards me until they were five feet away from me. Ignoring the pain, I got up to my feet only to be met with more pain of the lightning that Vorlega sent my way. It wasn't long until I couldn't stand and so I was welcomed by the cold hard ground. I screamed out as I felt Vorlega amplify her power of Force lightning. Dooku gave her a warning look. "Xochra! We don't want to kill her!"


Vorlega pouted before she reluctantly ceased using the power of lightning on me. "As you wish, master. But can I just say that if we can't kill her, then why don't just take her with us?"


I slowly climbed up to my feet, not willing to go with them without a fight. I still felt the pain, but I ignored it, determined to fight until the end...if that's what it'll take. I narrowed my eyes at them. "Over my dead body!"


"Enough that is. Leave Storm alone, you will." I heard Master Yoda's voice from behind me.


"Master Yoda." Dooku greeted.


"Count Dooku." Master Yoda replied as he gave him a stern look before glancing over at me. "Alright are you?"


I nodded. "Yes, I'm quite fine."


"You have interfered with our affairs for the last time." Dooku warned.


"Powerful you have become, Dooku. The dark side I sense in you." Master Yoda mentioned.


"I've become more powerful than any Jedi. Even you." Dooku rebuked as he sent a blast of lightning his way.


"Much to learn you still have." Master Yoda replied as he caught the blast of lightning with his bare hands. 


I watched in awe. How did he do that with just his bare hands? Dooku wore a frustrated look as he ignited his lightsaber. "It is obvious that this contest cannot be decided by our knowledge of the Force...but by our skills with a lightsaber." 


Master Yoda then used the Force to take out his lightsaber. At that moment Dooku lunged forth, clashing his lightsaber with Master Yoda's. From the corner of my eye, I saw Vorlega preparing to board the ship. I used the Force to pull my lightsaber from the ground and towards me as I rushed over towards the ship, stopping Vorlega from going anywhere. She wore an irritated look before she ignited her lightsaber. "You really don't know when to stay down, do you?" 


"At least I'm not a coward who runs for safety while her master is fighting." I retorted.


Vorlega grew livid at my words, lunging towards me as she yelled. I ignited my lightsaber, striking it against hers. With all my strength and with the Force, I pushed her back, causing her to fly back and hit the wall, falling to the ground with a thud. I then turned to see Dooku slowly walking back towards the ship as he gave us a warning look. "This is just the beginning." 


Dooku then used the Force to tip a huge chunk of the building over Anakin and Obi-Wan. Dooku then looked over at me. "This is not the last you'll see of me. Once you know the whole truth you will come running back to me and to the dark side."


Dooku and Vorlega then took this opportunity to flee onto their ship and leave Geonosis. Quickly Master Yoda and I stopped the huge chunk from crushing Anakin and Obi-Wan. Padmé and a few men in white armor approached us. Padmé wore a worried look as soon as she saw me. "Storm? Are you okay?"


I nodded. "Yeah I'm fine, just have a few burns and scratches. How about you?"


"I'm alright, I just have a few scratches as well." Padmé assured me. "And don't worry about your grandma. Maya and Jinx told me to tell you that they were returning to Corellia to her home so she could gather her belongings. After what happened, they want to relocate her to Coruscant to make sure Dooku doesn't pull another stunt like this. She can stay in the apartment next to mine that way we can keep an eye on each other."


I released a relieved sigh at her words. "Thank you, Padmé."


"It's not a problem, Storm. We've been best friends since we were kids, we're practically family. And family helps out one another in times of need." Padmé replied.


"Then I thank the Force to have such an amazing sister like you." I informed her, earning a smile from Padmé.


As she walked over to Anakin and Obi-Wan to make sure they were alright, I thought about Dooku's words. What did he mean by the whole truth? Is there more that my family's hiding from me? I mentally shook my head. It's just Dooku trying to get into my head. I then turned to Master Yoda.


"I have a bad feeling that the worse is to come, Master Yoda." I commented.


Master Yoda gave me a grim look. "Right you may be, Storm. The shroud of the dark side has fallen. Begun the Clone War has."



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