Gray Jedi - S01 E03

Story 1 year ago

Gray Jedi - S01 E03

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 3

*****

Serra Keto sat in quiet meditation on the balcony of her quarters, reflecting on the events of the day. She was worried about what eventual punishment might soon befall her and Malik from their encounter in the gardens. Still, even knowing what might happen, she did not regret her actions. He was one of the few good, honest men in the galaxy, and selfless to boot. Malik would gladly run into a sea of blaster fire to save an injured friend, no hesitation. His resolve and kindness made Serra’s heart leap. The fact that he was also handsome didn’t hurt either. His lean, compact form, short blonde hair, and icy blue eyes… they were all intoxicating to her. Through everything that had happened, she knew how she felt about this man.

“Serra?”

Turning to the entrance to her quarters, she saw her old teacher. “Master, good evening.”

“How are you feeling?” the older man asked, joining her on the balcony.

“Fine.”

Serra was still a bit apprehensive, as the two had engaged in a heated argument earlier over her actions with Malik. Sensing this, Drallig sought to comfort her.

“Serra, I want you to know that our disagreement earlier changes nothing regarding my feelings for you. You are, and remain the most incredible pupil I have ever had the pleasure of teaching.”

“You mean that, Master?”

“I do. In a few years, I would not be surprised to see you replace me as Battlemaster!” he said with a grin.

“I… would love that,” Serra admitted. “Still, I doubt the Council would see fit to grant such a promotion, what with me and Malik…”

Though he at first thought to try and reassure her, a strange sight in the distance captured Drallig’s attention.

“Serra, do you see that?”

“Huh? Republic troop transports… why are they heading this way?”

“I don’t know, but I sense a dark presence with them.”

“Yes… I feel it also, Master. There is danger approaching.”

“Get your equipment ready. I’ll go alert the guards,” he said as he left.

Drallig hurried through the hallways of the temple, alerting everyone he could that trouble was likely on its way. Soon, he arrived at the balcony overlooking the Jedi Archives and main entrance to the Temple. Below, he saw his old friend, Jocasta Nu, talking with another Jedi. He could not be sure from the angle, but it appeared to be Anakin Skywalker.

“I need access to the Jedi Temple beacon,” the hooded figure said.

“On whose authority?” Jocasta replied.

“By the authority of the Supreme Chancelor.”

Drawing her blue lightsaber, Jocasta backed up a step and stated, “That is not within the Chancellor’s power. Only the Jedi High Council can authorize access to the beacon.”

Drallig watched the horrifying scene unfold, seeing his old friend flung through the air and into Skywalker’s grasp. Jocasta Nu was soon impaled on his lightsaber, and he tossed her lifeless body aside. The other Jedi in the Archives immediately sprang into action, seeing Skywalker as a traitor. As Drallig was about to leap down and join them, he saw a battalion of Clone Troopers enter through the main gates, flanking Skywalker and opening fire on the Jedi.

“Master! Can you hear me? What’s going on?!”

Picking up his comlink, Drallig replied, “Serra, it’s Skywalker. He’s gone rogue, just murdered Jocasta Nu in cold blood.”

“WHAT?!”

“It’s about to be a bloodbath, we need you down here.”

“Don’t think that’s wise. We’re also under attack at the east wall, holding firm but fading fast.”

“I’m on my way, just stay alive!”

Drallig bounded through the temple at breakneck pace, enhancing his speed with the Force. As he ran, Clone Troopers began appearing from the windows, crashing in with jetpacks and grappling hooks. Drallig drew his green lightsaber and made short work of them, slicing through the first few as he continued his sprint. After a minute or two, he finally reached the east wall of the Jedi Temple. Seeing an enormous hole in the wall, the hallways were now under siege from a large number of clone troopers. As a nearby trio turned to fire upon the Jedi Master, a whirling green lightsaber flew past, beheading each of them.

“Master!”

Looking up, he saw his student. “Serra! What’s our status?!”

“The younglings are hidden, taken up to the Council Chambers. Right now, priority is containment. There’s just too many of them…”

“Then let us tip the odds back in our favor,” Drallig replied with a sly grin.

As another group of clones turned to attack him, the wily veteran activated his ace-in-the-hole: using the Force to move so fast he left afterimages of himself across the battlefield. The unsuspecting clones were so confused that they didn’t even know what had hit them by the time Drallig cut them down. Speeding off, he then approached a pair of clones with their backs turned to him. Drallig snuck up behind them and placed a hand on each one’s shoulder.

“Soldiers, the Jedi need your help,” he said calmly, probing their minds with the Force.

Glancing at each other, the clones said in unison, “The Jedi need our help.”

Having been mind-tricked, the pair turned upon their fellows, opening fire on a nearby group of clone troops. Their forced betrayal was short lived, though, and a lieutenant soon eliminated them with a flurry of blaster fire. But this distraction provided just the opening Serra needed, igniting her second green lightsaber and leaping into the fray. Her furious strikes took the remaining clones by complete surprise, which combined with Drallig’s speed and cunning for a devastating combination. As they dropped the last of the clones, a loud noise sounded from the hole in the east wall.

“Master! Two AT-RT walkers approaching!” Serra shouted.

The pair shifted to acrobatic maneuvers as the walkers entered the Jedi Temple, opening fire with their heavy blaster cannons. As they evaded, each tried to think of a way to combat their new adversaries. They could cut their legs, but the ankles were reinforced with small repulsor shields designed to resist lightsabers and blaster fire. But soon, Serra realized their fatal weakness: the open cockpit housing the pilot.

“Master, cover me! I have an idea!”

Drallig stood in front of Serra, shielding them both by levitating the large pieces of rubble strewn about the hallway. Meanwhile, Serra concentrated with her all on both of her lightsabers. In most instances, she would not dare use this attack, as it left her quite vulnerable. But today there was little other choice; she had to pull out all the stops. Drawing on the Force, she flung both of her lightsabers into the air. They spun towards the walkers and, before the clones could react, beheaded the two pilots.

“Whew… I can’t believe that worked!”

“Well done my friend,” Drallig said with a smile. “Now, we’ve got to get to the beacon. Skywalker wanted access to it, no doubt to lay a trap for all the Jedi off world.”

“Let’s go, then! This way!”

As Serra dashed off down a nearby hallway, a concussion missile from the gunships outside suddenly rocked the temple. This resulted in a statue falling to the ground, blocking the hall and separating Serra and Drallig.

“Serra, I’ll find a way around! Wait for me!”

“I can’t, Master. Anakin’s up ahead… I sense him. I… I’ve got to stop him.”

“Serra, don’t! He’s too much for you alone; you need my help!”

“I won’t stand by and watch him cause any more pain! I’m sorry, Master… I have to go.”

Sprinting down the hallway, Serra soon reached one of the large instruction rooms. She was then besieged by blaster fire from a trio of clones, but was able to defend with ease. Killing two of them by reflecting their shots back at them, she leaped high into the air and landed with a thunderous kick in front of the final clone, slicing off his head before he could react. As the helmet clattered to the ground, Serra now saw the person at whose feet the helmet had landed. It was Anakin Skywalker himself.

“You shouldn’t have come here,” Serra stated, glaring at him.

“Serra… Cin Drallig’s greatest pupil has come to greet me.”

A sinister smile grew on Skywalker’s face; he relished this moment to embarrass one of the most skilled young Jedi in the Order. He ignited his blue lightsaber and leapt to the center of the training room, beginning his offensive assault on Serra Keto. Despite his relentless strikes, Serra was able to defend with relative ease, given her mastery of fighting with dual lightsabers. Her green blades clashed with Skywalker’s, defending against his furious fighting style while seeking to find a weak point to strike at. Soon, their blades were locked together as the two combatants stared each other down. Knowing he was far stronger and more skilled than she, Serra decided to adopt a strategy of forcing Skywalker into a mistake through his recklessness.

“Seems the rumors are true,” she mused.

“What are you babbling about?”

Serra smirked. “The Dark Side does make you ugly.”

Growling in reply, Skywalker swiped at her with his weapon as his anger began to grow into hate. The superiority of all the Jedi… it disgusted him. They needed to be put in their place, and he was just the one to do it.

“TAKE THIS!” he shouted, whirling around with his lightsaber like a tornado.

“Woah!” Serra said.

After evading and deflecting his blows, Serra flipped over his head and attempted to grab him in a stranglehold from behind. Though she was successful in grappling with him, she was unable to run him through as she had planned.
Skywalker, picking up on her strategy, used the Force to fling both of them straight backwards into a nearby wall, stunning Serra from the blow and forcing her to release him. He then attempted to end the duel then and there, striking at the center of her chest, but Serra managed to parry and leap out of the way, gaining a bit of breathing room. Noticing a large piece of machinery attached to the wall, she called on the Force and jarred the equipment loose, flinging it at Skywalker. He rolled out of its path at the last second, slicing a piece of the machine off as it flew past him.

“You’ll wish you hadn’t done that…” he seethed in anger.

As he charged Serra’s position, she was caught off-guard by the renewed ferocity of his attacks. Twirling his lightsaber in one hand, the power of his blows skyrocketed and he began enhancing his speed and strength with the Force, driving her back. She attempted to Force Push Skywalker back to interrupt his momentum, but he simply shrugged off the attack and pressed on. With a pair of backflips, Serra soon had to retreat to the balcony encircling the training room from the upper level. Skywalker followed without hesitation, resuming his assault on Serra. She was once more being driven back and now was running low on stamina. Serra knew she would have to end this quickly or she would not survive the battle.

Defending against a few more of Skywalker’s blows, she managed to find an opening to deliver a kick square in his chest. This threw him back and pinned him against a nearby pillar. Seeing her chance, Serra rushed forward, attempting to decapitate Skywalker with her twin blades, but he was too fast for her. He leapt out of the way at the last instant, causing Serra to only slice the pillar in half. Thinking fast, Skywalker called on the Force and began to topple the pillar on top of Serra. She saw what he was attempting, but was too exhausted from their duel to defend properly. Her evasion attempt failed, and she was thrown from the balcony to the floor below, the pillar landing on top of her before rolling away.

“Serra!!!”

Cin Drallig had arrived just in time to see his friend and pupil fall to the floor, her body now cold and limp. He glared up at Skywalker, still prowling on the balcony above.

“Your favorite student is no more,” he taunted.

Without a word, Drallig ignited his green blade as Skywalker leapt down to engage him. He seethed with righteous fury at the loss of his student, yet refused to channel the Dark Side; Serra’s vengeance deserved to be pure, he reasoned. Defending against several of Skywalker’s power strikes, he channeled as much energy as he could and Force Pushed the traitor out a nearby window.
When he landed on the outer terrace, Drallig charged after him without hesitation or fear of any danger; Skywalker had to be stopped.

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