"Shh. Stay down" Windu hushed Dash as he crouched down behind some crates.
"Where are we" dash whispered. Peeking his head off the side of the crate and looking around. A group of clones were patrolling the area, there was a starfighter being hooked up to a truck by one of the clones, while others loaded off some fuel into other trucks.
"That is our way out of here." Windu said as his eyes scanned the area for any more hostiles. "It even still has its hyperdrive wing. It must have belonged to a Jedi before all of this."
"But Master Windu, there are too many of them." Dash said. There were at least a dozen soldiers, all armed and they looked like they were on high alert.
"That's why you are going to stay here." Windu said as he put his hand on Dash's shoulder. "I'll handle this."
"But, how are you supposed to fight off that many-"
"Remain calm youngling." Windu interrupted as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "A jedi must learn to overcome even greater obstacles."
With those words. Master Windu sprung into action. He used to force to launch himself up from his hiding spot and land right in the middle of where the starship was leaving himself completely surrounded
"What the-" One of the clone troopers said as they all aimed their blasters at Windu.
"I am giving you all one chance to get out of this alive. Let me have the ship and you can all go in peace."
"Not a chance!" their commander said. "Open fire!"
The squad all blasted simultaneously at Windu's position, but all they managed to hit was each other as Windu had already leapt high into the air to avoid their fire. As he came down, he landed on top of another clone, burying his saber into his chest. Mace, with his weapon still in the chest of the soldier, used his only good hand to force push their commander back, crashing into a crate. As quickly as possible, he retrieved the lightsaber and began blocking a volley of blaster shots by the remaining four. Even though he was having trouble using just one hand, Windu still managed to deflect the blaster's back at the clones shooting them and take them all out. Seeing no more threats, Windu unignited his saber.
The clone commander slowly got up and saw Windu standing triumphantly over his dead brothers, but he currently had his back turned, so the commander took this as his chance, raised his blaster to shoot Windu, but before he could pull the trigger, his blaster felt as if it was yanked from his hands and it landed right into Dash's.
Dash stood there holding the weapon and froze while the clone just stared. Dash couldn’t see his face, but he knew the clone had to be scared, just as scared as he was. Before either could make a move, the clone was violently yanked forward, then slammed once more against the crate.
"Didn't master Yoda teach you to never hesitate?" Windu scolded.
Dash stared unblinking at Windu, who looked exhausted. The once proud master jedi was now scraping by for survival just like him, a youngling. It cemented the reality of how grave their situation was. Everything he was taught, everything he learned so far was about to be turned on its head. Dash knew this, and it made him angry.
"Didn't master Yoda teach you to never turn your back on your opponent?"
Taken aback by the youngling's sudden burst of snark, Windu stumbled with his words. "I only had my back turned in the literal sense." Windu said in a defeated and exhausted tone. "Nonetheless, you did well, padawan."
Dash froze when he heard that word. "Padawan?" he asked in confusion.
"If we are going to survive, I'm going to need someone who can watch my back, and handle themselves. You can't very well do that unless I train you."
Dash's eyes widened in excitement, but it was soon turned to sadness as he remembered Veil. "But, my friend. She's still waiting at the temple. I promised her I'd get help."
"I already told you, she's likely dead."
"But she's not! I'm sure of it! I can feel it." Dash yelled.
Mace just looked at his padawan, and sighed. "The best thing you can do for her, is to survive. I'm getting on the ship, you can come with me and live, or you can try to save her and die."
Dash just gritted his teeth in anger, as tears started rolling down his cheeks. "This isn't the jedi way." He mumbled as he followed Windu onto the ship.
"The jedi way is dead." he replied.
After they both buckled in, Windu took off. He flew as fast as he could to try and avoid any clone fighters. Dash looked out the window and was able to see the jedi temple, currently in ruins.
"Do you have a name, padawan?" Windu asked. Breaking the silence.
"I'm Dash. Dash Daivik."
"Well Dash Daivik. It’s an honor to be your teacher."
Before long, Coruscant was now a small marble in the middle of space. Dash just looked on in regret and sadness as he got farther and farther away from his friend.
"Jumping into hyperspace, in three, two, one!"
________________________________________________________________________________________
"No!" Veil screamed in her head as she could feel Dash jumping into hyperspace. "He..He left me."
Tears overflowed her eyes and covered her face as she began quietly sobbing. Only stopping herself when she felt someone was nearby.
"Maybe he went to get help from farther away." she thought to herself. "Maybe he'll come back."
Days went by. Some days she heard faint sounds of clones, and other soldiers. One time she thought she heard Obi wan, and Master Yoda, but she never left her hiding spot. She was determined to keep her promise with hope that Dash would keep his.
"I promised Dash I wouldn't move." She kept repeating to herself. "I promised Dash I wouldn’t move."
Even more time had passed. Hunger was starting to set in, and she could feel her life force weaken. Just as she was ready to give in, she felt another sinister energy enter the same area. This one was unlike all the others. This one was in pain.
KHOOOOOH! PUUUUUUHR! KHOOOOH! PUUUUUUUUHR!
Veil was unable to hide her remaining strength anymore. She was powerless and at the mercy of this new energy.
"I know you are here." a deep robotic voice said in between the heavy breathing. "Show yourself."
Unable to move, Veil just laid in her hiding spot with her eyes closed. Soon she felt the droid casing lift and she fell off of it.
She looked up at the voice, but her vision was blurred. She could only see a tall black figure, holding an ignited red lightsaber at his side.
Veil couldn't fight back even if she wanted to. The days of hiding had taken their toll. Her friends were dead, Dash seemingly abandoned her, and now she was faced with certain death. She wanted this figure to kill her. She wanted to get it over with.
But the figure didn’t move to attack her. He just stared from a distance. He then turned off his saber.
Veil could feel her body being lifted, and she floated all the way into the figures cold and metal arms. She felt a small surge of energy be absorbed by her body, and she no longer felt as if she was dying. She only felt tired. The repetitious sound of the figure's breathing put her into a trance, and she fell asleep in his arms.
The two left the temple together.
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