Two Years Ago

I looked around the world that me and my master had travelled to most recently. he Jedi Council had sent us both to liberate. The world in question was Christophsis. I knew that Anakin Skywalker and Obi Wan Kenobi had fought here at the beginning of the war. Orion and I had been sent to help a group of Clones trapped on the surface. One of them, Captain Sharpshot, was talking with me and my Master. "The droid resistance forces are gonna make a grab for the city, Commander Czar and my men will hold the middle, while your forces and Soldiers deal with the left and right flanks!" he said as Orion and I listened. Orion gave me an encouraging look. I had commanded battles before, but this was the first time I'd led such a large unit. "How many droids are still trying to take the city?" Orion asked. Whenever I led a military force, I always stayed silent for a long time before. Orion had tried in the past to coach me to let go of my nerves surrounding such a thing. Deciding it was easier to let him answer, I stayed silent under the assumption I was studying the tactics Infront of me. Sharpshot shrugged. "Unknown sir, if we had to guess there's anywhere from five to ten thousand, plus tanks!" Sharpshot answered. Known for his serious care to his men, Sharpshot led the 66th Liberation corps. Sharpshot had originally served with a Jedi named Pong Krell. After he turned traitor, Sharpshot had testified to the Jedi Council about Krell's tactics and war crimes. The unit had been without a Jedi general ever since, and Orion and I had been sent to aid them on the planet. "This is not going to be an easy battle..." Orion sighed. I knew what he was feeling. I had sensed a part of him dying with every battle this past year. Sharpshot shook his head. We had worked with him in the past, and the three of us had made an effective team. Orion didn't want to lead the clones for a simple reason. He viewed them to be slaves, which is why he always tried his best to treat the commander and all his men as an equal. Its also why he asked me to lead them. The 66th were quite clearly signified by gold markings on their armour. Eventually, the briefing ended, and I had walked away to practice with my Lightsaber. I remembered my Master's words from around a year before. I was almost ashamed to admit I still hadn't put the pieces together. I practiced forms three and four. I was a long way from mastering them, but I was fairly sure I could hold my own. I heard the rumbling in the distance, and Sharpshot ran up behind me. "Droids are coming in, you ready commander?" he asked. I deactivated my Lightsaber, and smiled for the first time since arriving. "Got any stim packs for if I get tired captain?" I asked. I heard him laugh under the helmet, and my smile grew wider. "Just so long as your master doesn't see you use them" he said. I finally laughed. "Lets go Captain" I said.I looked out at the droid army approaching. The clones I was leading were anxious as many would be before a large-scale battle. "Everyone's ready to move on your order commander" Sharpshot informed me. I nodded. "How long do you think they'll keep at us?" I asked. He shrugged. "Not sure" he answered. I sighed, and reached out with the force, sensing my master. He reached out as well, and I started to feel a bit better. I watched the Droids come closer. Time was blurring together. "When you're ready Sir" Sharpshot said gravely. I nodded and ignited my Lightsaber. "For the Jedi, for the republic and for freedom!" I yelled and pointed forwards with my Lightsaber ordering everyone to charge. I ran forwards followed by the 66th. I cut down the droids for who knew how long. Eventually, Sharpshot reached me. "All ok commander!?" he asked as we took cover. I nodded. "Cover me, I'm going up the center!" I ordered. Sharpshot nodded and I charged, quickly cutting down droids left and right. After a short time, Sharpshot and his men followed me and carried on the battle. I kept going, but I then sensed something. Jedi! They were dying. I then heard Sharpshot responding to a communication. I heard three words. "Execute Order 66!" I sensed the Blasters turn on me. I turned a split second before they started firing and blocked the shots with my Lightsaber. I kept blocking, surprised, but my survival instincts had taken over. It wasn't going to be long before I was hit by the droids, who were soon going to stop looking confused. "Captain, cease fire, now!" I shouted as I blocked the Blaster fire back into the clones. I felt bad doing so. I tried to reach out to my master. I knew he didn't have to deal with clones for the battle. He touched me back, clearly worried, but alive. He must have known what was going on. I saw an alley I could duck into. Fight or flight. I force pushed the clones and droids back all at the same time. After, I did the only thing I could. I ran! I found Orion, clearly tired, his eyes were full of sorrow. "Padawan, are you ok?" he asked me frantically. "Yes Master!" I said, scared and shaken up. "We have no time for questions, not yet, Sato is going to try and help us get off the planet! We've trained for the times we might have to run. Our only mission now is to stay alive, do you understand?" he asked. I nodded, still shaken up. Orion didn't have the time to speak, but he reached out with the force, trying to calm me down. After a few moments, I heard familiar voices. "Clones" I whispered. Orion nodded. "Let us take time away to observe, and then create a diversion" he instructed. I nodded, and followed Orion as we tried to find somewhere to get a look at whatever was going on. We moved for a short while, the clones no longer bothered by the battle. I knew my master shared my relief, so we kept going. It didn't last. Before we got any further, I sensed it. "Master!" I yelled, force pulling him away from the mine. Clones surrounded us and started firing. I blocked one group of blaster bolts as Orion blocked the other with his own lightsaber. Clones kept coming, we kept defending ourselves. "Padawan! Jump!" my master yelled. I looked up, deflecting blaster bolts on reflex. I saw the balcony, and the safety it offered. "Go, I'll cover you!" I shouted. Orion jumped, and I threw back all the clones with the force. I tried to jump, but panicked. It didn't matter, I felt myself getting pulled through the air. "Czar...!" I heard my master say. I looked out, still trying to defend myself, which wasn't easy. Orion wasn't having a hard time keeping me up, he was a Jedi Master, it was the constant blaster fire that was making it difficult. As I looked, I saw a rode of some kind. It must have been for a statue or something. I quickly came up with a plan. "Master, let me go!" I yelled. For some reason, he trusted me and let, and using the force, pulled the rope towards me and swung on to the balcony. Orion didn't need to ask the second part of the plan. Together we lifted the statue, and threw it down below. Clones on the other balconies, I guessed they rappelled up, were firing. Orion looked at me as we both deflected the blaster fire. I finally spoke as we were both getting tired. "Got a plan master!?" I yelled. Orion thought for a few moments. "We need to go to ground!" he yelled back. I reached out with the force and shattered the glass windows, using the shards to stab the clones. "Czar, we have to go, now! Sato can't help two dead men!" he shouted. I finally remembered what Orion had said. Sato was going to help us escape Christophsis. We fought our way along the upper levels of the city, trying to find a way to escape. The clones seemed endless, although both me and my master Orion knew they weren't. eventually, we managed to duck into a building and take out the last of the units giving chase. Orion and I looked at each other and said nothing. After that, I remembered little more, we just kept running.Three Months After Order 66

Night had fallen. I was cold, wet, shivering and weak. Sato and Strife had found us and informed us that the Clones had won the battle. I knew they were still searching for a ship for us. Orion had continued my lessons only when it was safe. Deep down though, he knew I was terrified, and there was nothing he could but keep me distracted. We slept in shifts, ate what scraps we could find, and were fast running out of water. I thought again why the clones had betrayed us, and if any other Jedi had survived. I looked up, at my master as he came closer, we hadn't dared light a fire, and it had reached the local winter. The planet's rain wasn't helping. Orion came over, trying to make me eat. "Padawan, you need your strength, you must eat, when we get off planet I promise, we will rest!" he said. I looked up, shivering, almost crying. Orion was holding himself together, but he wasn't as terrified as me. As I begrudgingly reached out to take the food, I sensed someone in danger, falling. Instinctively, I reached out with the force and grabbed the citizen, breaking their fall, and carefully placed them down. Orion noticed. "Czar!" he snapped in a hushed voice, and grabbed my hand, hiding it. "No use of the force, we agreed!" he said. I gasped in terror. I'd been anxious, on edge and silent for the past three months. I looked around, scared. Orion sighed. "We need to get ready to leave" he said, a bit more kindly. We gathered our belongings, what few we had, and got ready to get moving. Strife and Sato could only do so much. After gathering our things, we stood, I had eaten, begrudgingly, and felt like I wanted to be sick. We started moving quietly through the alley ways. As we went, Orion stopped. "Wait..." he said. I looked at him, questioningly. "I can sense something... something dark!" he said. I finally spoke. "You think it could be a sith...?" I asked, barely keeping my voice from shaking. Orion shook his head. "Not that dark, get to the ship" he said, and handed me his Lightsaber. I still had mine, but this was following an ancient jedi ritual, one that symbolised friendship above all. I offered mine, but Orion shook his head. "Keep that for me until I get back" he said, holding up his hand. I silently nodded, and made my way there. "Czar, if you see any, you can't hesitate... if I am not at the ship by sunrise, instruct the pilot to leave without me!" My master said. I nodded and he said his last words to me. "Run Czar... Run!" I stared dumb struck for a moment at him, and started to move to the prearranged meeting place. I looked back as my master left, and I wished more than anything that I had followed, or said something back. I kept making my way towards our ship. I heard an alarm sound. I ran, just as he had instructed. I saw Clones round the corner and recognise me. I activated my Lightsaber and blocked their fire. It was almost endless. It seemed there was half the clone army chasing me. At least that's what it felt like. I kept fighting on the defensive, deflecting blaster fire. I couldn't keep going forever, I was going to get tired soon, and I was already extremely weak. The clones kept firing, I kept blocking the shots. I tried to touch my master with the force, but got nothing back. Remembering a lesson he had taught me before the battle, I breathed in and out, and synced myself with the living force. As I kept breathing, I deflected more shots, I started to defeat the clone squads chasing me. I knew I wouldn't be able to keep it up forever, but when I eventually panicked as I normally did when I got concerned, I was sinking too deep. I was out of sync, but I had bought myself time. I used it and ran, still deflecting shots from the clones. I kept running, and the chase was on. As the Clones followed, I knew that I didn't have much of an escape. I quickly cut down any in the way. I heard my Master's voice in my head once again. Run...! I kept doing so, but as I did, I sensed something through the force. Orion was dead. I screamed in agony as I sensed his spirit leaving and passing on. A shockwave of Force power erupted from me, shattering everything around me. I didn't care about running anymore. I turned and faced the clones, blocking their blaster fire back at them. The pain of my loss fuelled me and I kept going. Eventually, blaster fire started hitting the clones, but it was nothing I'd deflected back at them. Strife was there. "RUN!" he yelled. I didn't move, and I stayed there with him, both of us fighting off the troopers who wanted me dead above all else. I wasn't going to let Strife die to them as my master had. He had other ideas. Pushing me back Strife was replying on just one hand to fire with and I continued fighting, trying to save him. Strife kept pushing me back further and further as he fired. "Left a gift at the ship for you! Now go! Don't let me die in vain, go, live survive!" he ordered, and before I could say anything, he threw explosives at a half knocked over building. I had to move, or I'd be crushed. I moved out the way. "Strife!" I yelled the first thing I had spoken in three months. The name fell on deaf ears. I screamed and the force sent out yet another wave of power. I must have injured if not killed a lot of clones that I couldn't see. I could feel Strife's death through the force. Two of my friends, one of them my teacher, the other like a brother, had died today. I wiped away my tears and ran like I had never ran before. Eventually I managed to get in sight of the ship. There was a young girl with blonde hair waiting, clearly on edge. I deactivated my Lightsaber, hid it next to my Master's under some of my clothing. I walked up. "You waiting for someone?" I asked. "Do you know a guy who called Strife?" she asked. I opted not to tell her that I was a Jedi, or at least a former Jedi. "We were part of the same unit... he died so I could get away..." I said. The girl, because she couldn't have been much older than me, nodded. "He left some Mandalorian Armour for you, he said you might find it useful!" she must have noticed my shock at the very least, and smiled. "Is anyone else coming?" she asked. I shook my head. "Its just me" I said, and she motioned for me to board the ship. "We should probably go, introductions can wait" I nodded. "Sounds like a good idea!" I said, and we both ran on board. A few minutes later we were in the air. I was alive, but I couldn't do much more than wonder if I deserved to be. My saviour must have realised I needed time, and so she showed me to my cabin, and left me to my grief.