3rd Person

https://youtu.be/ZUlAytznxn4

The life of a Jedi was worlds apart from the life of an ordinary citizen of the Galaxy. 

For one, force-sensitive children selected by the order were separated from their family during infancy. Called needlessly cruel by some, this practice ensured future Jedi did not develop strong attachments to their birth parents. After all, attachments were dangerous. They clouded one's mind and made one more vulnerable to the dark side. A Jedi's purpose must extend beyond the physical realm. Any emotional baggage would simply weigh down a Jedi Knight. At least, that's what the council believed. 

Such an act of separation came with its own issues. Without tangible parental figures in the life of a nascent youth, how would they learn basic communication? How would they develop properly? Who would be their role models?

This ailment was remedied by the relationship between master and apprentice. Or, that was the intention. A padawan's master acted as their guide in all areas of life, not just their Jedi training. Of course, each individual master had their own methods. Some preferred a more hands-off approach, such as Jedi Master Luminara Unduli. Some insisted on rigid discipline, like Jedi Master Adi Gallia and Jedi Master Mace Windu. Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker stood apart from the rest, with his unorthodox perspective. 

That aside... there were always Jedi who, for one reason or another, became lost. Lost was a label the council used to describe all Jedi that had left the order. Many of the lost had turned to the dark side, killing their former colleagues in cold blood. 

Of particular note were the Lost Twenty, the lone twenty Jedi Masters to leave the order throughout all of time. Count Dooku was among them, having felt that the Jedi had become too shackled to the bureaucracy of the republic. 

Their grievances notwithstanding, one had to wonder. Where did it all go wrong? How did so many Jedi lose their way?

(y/n) POV

Suddenly, I found myself blinded by a ray of light that shone high above the spiral staircase. My eyes had adjusted too much to the murky darkness below. With only a vertical ascent, we would be free of the army of machines pursuing us.

"Comm... ander. Wait... up!" Burst huffed as he appeared beside me. 

"Sorry, guess I zoned out." I confessed, realizing I had left behind most of the company. The thrill of cutting down my first battle droid had usurped my better judgement. Hey, wait a minute! Burst actually caught up to me, albeit with his max effort. Still, that was impressive. 

"You're... fast... kid... er... commander, sorry. You're... too fast." he muttered, exhaling and inhaling rapidly. The both of us opted to wait a bit to let the rest catch up. 

"Did you see me slash that clanker?" I asked, eagerly. 

"Yeah, nice job with the quick thinking; that hunk of junk came out of nowhere. I'm just glad we were able to avoid the rest." he responded, sharing his thoughts.

"What, are you scared of them?" I teased, jokingly. Burst winced, his expression turning somber.

"Yeah. I am." he said. An uncomfortable silence spread out between us.

"Uh... sorry." I apologized sheepishly. 

My bad, should've thought before saying that to a clone. 

"No worries, I know you didn't mean anything by it." he replied, his voice distant. 

At that moment, the stragglers arrived. Wasting not a moment further, we exited the temple. The temple that was now occupied territory. 

With our getaway executed successfully, the aftermath began. We had our answers. The separatists were involved, exploiting the ethereal crystals within the ancient holy site. Now the question was simple; what next? Our trek back to Jedha City would have to be quick. With her hand revealed, Ventress was a like a leaking canister of rhydonium. Unstable, and unpredictable at that. 

Once her commlink picked up a signal, my master promptly began contacting every relevant ally. Busy as she was, the rest of us trailed behind as we processed the ordeal we'd just gone through. 

"Ventress?! You mean the baldy with the dress?" Burst asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, that's the one. She was... she was just like everyone says." I confirmed, massaging my throat as I thought back to my brush with death. 

The droids were easy for me, they were essentially cannon fodder. They weren't even capable of basic movements or agility. Ventress was a different beast entirely. 

"What matters is that you made it out alive. I knew more than a few of my brothers who didn't." Slipstream revealed grimly. 

"What happened on your end?" I queried the four. 

"Nothing really, though I consider that a win. Well... Slip here put these two clowns in their place." Burst chuckled, elaborating the entire story. Afterward, Chirrut cleared his throat. I think he'd been waiting to speak for a fair bit. 

"'Slipstream,' was it? I'm terribly sorry for my... my arrogance I pushed upon you. I was blind, but you were not. You showed me what I couldn't see." Chirrut expressed loudly, kneeling before the trooper that had earned his respect.

"Woah, woah! That's a bit much, don't you think?" Slipstream laughed, caught off guard by Chirrut's shamelessness.

"I'm not as brazen as him, but my feelings are the same." Hela admitted sheepishly.

Adi POV

https://youtu.be/zvi_mromTR8

"A full lockdown, yes. I'll need all available ground forces, urgently. Can you do that, Ponds?" I requested calmly to a ghostly blue image of Commander Ponds.

"Yes, General. I'm sending you every man we can spare without leaving the Absolute unprotected."

"Splendid. Dismissed, commander." I ordered, ending the dialogue.

"Good luck, General." he concluded, the hologram fading.

My mind was in utter chaos, contemplating any potential offensive measure Ventress would employ. Surely she would attack us openly now. Would she? Truth be told, I had little experience with the sith assassin. 

My wrist throbbed, taking me out of my thoughts. Ugh. 

Ignore it. 

Now for the council. Lightly dialing a sequence on my holo-messenger, the projections of four fellow council members materialized before me: Grand Master Yoda, Master Mundi, Master Shaak Ti, and Master Eeth Koth. 

"Master Gallia. Found, the answer you sought was?" Master Yoda inquired.

"Indeed, and it's far worse than expected. Asajj Ventress is currently occupying the Temple of the Kyber. The scope of the separatist presence on Jedha is unknown." I informed them effectively, hearing several mutters of concern amongst the council.

"Troubling, this is. What will you do?" Yoda pressed further.

"Without an accurate estimation on the size of her army, my options are limited. For now, we'll hold out and fortify Jedha City. Can you spare me any reinforcements?" I said, sharing my many thoughts.

"We're currently spread thin, I'm afraid. If things change, we'll contact you." Master Mundi declared.

"A pity." I expressed, hiding the disappointment and uncertainty in my voice.

"If that's all, we must attend to other matters." Master Mundi proclaimed, upon which the other members nodded apologetically. 

"Very well." I agreed reluctantly. 

"May the force be with you, Adi." Shaak Ti smiled as the miniature council was absorbed into my holo-messenger.

My thoughts now drifted to my duel with Count Dooku's assassin. I had... I had failed. Again. First it was Grievous, now her. Shrugging off the ever-present pain in my wrist, I couldn't help but dread the coming storm.

In all areas, the future was uncertain.

Upon our return to the grand gate that divided the city, we were greeted with an unexpected surprise. A sea of white-robed church members were organized to the right of the gate, whilst black-robed guardians made up the left side. They were all packed together en masse; it was as if Jedha had become the streets of Coruscant. 

"Jedi Master Adi Gallia! I'm terribly sorry for my absence during your arrival." voiced an elderly woman who emerged from the mass of black robes. "Zena Killian, Grand Sentinel of the Guardians of the Whills." she introduced, bowing lightly to my padawan and I. 

At the sight of his ordained leader, Chirrut Imwe swiftly took her side.

"Adi Gallia, member of the Jedi council." I reciprocated, but this was no time for greetings or celebrations. 

"Master Gallia! Congratulations on your safe return!" Priest Donnall croaked jovially, hobbling from his white-robed supporters. Seeing Zena, he gave her a respectful wave that she reciprocated. Hela mirrored Chirrut, leaving the temporary fellowship to join her leader's side.

"Priest Donnall, Guardian Killian. I'm flattered by your... entourage, but our surveillance uncovered a truth you may not have anticipated." I unveiled flatly. The priest's brow furrowed, while Zena simply raised an eyebrow.

"What truth do you speak of?" Zena questioned. 

"During our expedition, my padawan and I encountered Asajj Ventress. She's a known separatist leader, and a highly prized killer utilized by the Count." I clarified.

"That is... to think... under our noses..." Priest Donnall sputtered. 

"Additionally, she has an undisclosed number of CIS battle droids under her command. Her true offensive capabilities are unknown at this time." I added. 

"What is to be done?!" the Grand Sentinel demanded, palpably panicking.

A thunderous hum of air transports in the sky answered her question. Through the clouds up above, three LAAT gunships emerged. Following them were an assortment of other conventional republic transports and attack ships. 

'Tsk, three is far too few. I woefully underprepared for this mission.'  I scorned myself internally.

All heads were turned to the sky as the galactic republic made its entrance.

"Attention!" I yelled, gaining the recognition of every black or white speck in the crowd. Then, I spoke. 

"I am Jedi Master Adi Gallia, a General of the Grand Army of the Republic. Separatists have infiltrated your stronghold, therefore drastic measures shall be enacted! From this moment forward, Jedha city is under my jurisdiction."

(y/n) POV

From the moment we came back, everything became a blur. The two sects, our forces arriving, it was all very strange. As soon as the 91st legion touched down in their aerial machines of war, Jedha City transformed from a galactic tourist attraction into a fortress. Rather than being filled with simple pilgrims and street shops, the streets were now occupied by armor-clad clone troopers and a wide array of weapons and vehicles.

It was necessary of course. The separatist threat was real. An all-out battle was surely on the horizon, which gave me the shivers. Partly due to nervousness, of course. However, I was also excited to finally experience my first real battle.

Among the legion's offensive capabilities were three LAAT gunships, a single AT-TE walker, about a dozen AT-RT walkers, two AV-7 Antivehicle Cannons, countless speeder bikes, and a whole legion of clone troopers bred for war. It seemed like more than enough, to me at least. My master's demeanor said otherwise. I hadn't spoken to her since the temple, since which she'd been utterly swamped with her duties. 

'Should probably check up on that wrist.'

Regardless, the legion set up a blockade surrounding the temple. The Antivehicle turrets were locked into place, trenches were dug, and we began the agonizing process of waiting. During one of my breaks, I found myself watching Slip and Burst play holochess. 

"Aha! I win again." Burst exclaimed as one of his grotesque creatures defeated Slipstream's last piece. 

"Shit. I'm not very good at this." Slipstream bemoaned. 

"C'mon, Slip. You're supposed to be the smart one, right?" I taunted in jest. 

"Well, only at certain things I guess. Check this out." he rebutted, playing it off. Slip then held up his scanner from earlier, pointing to the screen. All I could make it out were a series of connected blue lines, almost like a series of tree roots multiplying as they burrowed deeper into the earth.

"Um... what's that supposed to be?" I asked quizzically

"Not the brightest lightsaber, eh?" Slip commented, getting me back. "I mapped out the catacombs, at least every part we were in." he elucidated casually. 

"You remembered all of it?" I remarked, impressed.

"Right? I'm glad you're here, commander. This guy makes me feel like I'm defective, but no, he's just that good." Burst laughed, stowing away the holochess board. Slipstream snorted as if Burst's utterance was utterly ludicrous. 

"You? Defective?! Pfft, now that's funny. Speaking of which, any word on the promotion?" 

"They told me they'd get back to me soon." Burst responded, now serious.

"Why are you so doubtful? Everyone else knows you'll get it." Slip claimed, mildly ridiculing his (technically) superior. Burst merely shrugged. 

"Care to let me in on the secret?" I chimed in, curious. Slipstream looked to me, his eyes gleaming.

"Ooh, can I tell him? Can I tell him, Burst?" 

"We're not supposed to talk about it." Burst muttered, embarrassed.

"Pssh, fine. Sorry, commander. You'll find out soon enough." Slipstream assured me, his arms drooping due to disappointment. 

3rd Person

https://youtu.be/OdbqAQwKNDY

With Jedha City occupied, the city was in disarray. Whether a resident took refuge to in their home, the local church, or attempted to use the strife as a chance to make some easy credits, the singular struggles of individuals were lost in the chaos.

Deep within the heart of the city, two shadows convened in a secluded alleyway. 

"I wasn't sure if you would arrive." Chirrut professed.

"I did think against it." Hela admitted, shedding her disguise. The guardian and the believer sized each other up, tension perforating the air. 

"Tell me..." Hela started, her hand seemingly reaching for her silver dagger. Only... when she drew a weapon from her holster, it wasn't a dagger. It was a blaster, a blaster that was now aimed directly at Chirrut's forehead.

"Convince me you're not behind the invasion." Hela finished, her voice perfectly calm.

"I disclosed all my convictions. Inviting outsiders to pillage the temple... does that not go squarely against them?" Chirrut pleaded, attempting to reason. 

"How can I be sure you were telling the truth then?" Hela sputtered, her hand now shaking. 

"Firstly, why would I invite you here otherwise? Surely a separatist agent wouldn't gift-wrap you their corpse? I just want to talk, and I think it's pretty clear I no longer suspect you." Chirrut went on.

"Point taken." Hela dropped the blaster with a sigh. "You willingly showed the Jedi the catacombs, and aided in their escape after they discovered the truth... as did I. You doubted the secret passageways, but so did I. None of this... none of this makes any sense. At the very least, I don't think you're behind it specifically."

"What makes you think anyone is behind it?" Chirrut inquired.

"Fair point. But... Ventress, that's her name right? She seemed to have intimate knowledge of the caverns. Maybe? Maybe not?" Hela rambled.

"Hela, we should work together to get to the bottom of this." Chirrut suggested.

"I still don't know... the Guardians routinely prevented us from entering the temple! But... the facts don't lie. I believe the force has made it so... I will trust you. For now."

"However much I disagree with your view of the force, I believe it is a genuine conviction." Chirrut stated, extending a hand.

"Same to you." Hela requited, completing the handshake. 

Hela POV

"No. Leave this to the republic."

These were the words uttered by Adi Gallia when asked by the many sects if they could participate in the upcoming conflict. Needless to say, she ruffled the feathers of many. A Jedi's word was absolute, however. 

I for one was slightly upset by her judgement. Though... thinking back to how we displayed ourselves in front of the master, I couldn't exactly blame her. Maybe we were nothing more than a liability. 

"Priest Donnall, I've been thinking..." I trailed off, sharing my thoughts to my trusted leader.

"Yes? What is it?" the elder asked, stroking his wispy white beard,

 "I'm... I'm sorry for how shamefully I've conducted myself in front of you. Within the temple, I realized how hateful we've become. I'm sorry for ignoring your pleas for peace."

"That's... unexpected coming from you." Donnall exclaimed, surprised.

Ventress POV

Hundreds of meters below the surface, within the heart of the catacombs, I called upon my one form of guidance. Spanning throughout the spherical chamber were the largest crystals I'd ever seen, shining beacons of the force.

"Master, I'm afraid the republic has become aware of our operation on Jedha." I hissed with a mixture of anger and shame.

"What terrible news. Asajj, you disappoint me." a holographic Darth Tyranus remarked. Though his voice boomed with power, the count still carried himself with grace. "Explain."

"A pair of Jedi were sent to investigate. I tried to hide our presence, but they were too clever." I elaborated, bowing to my master's transparent projection.

"Skywalker and Kenobi perhaps?" the Count pried, now captivated.

"No master, I've never encountered this particular pair. I do believe them to be master and apprentice, however."

"Ah." Dooku said, disinterested.

"Master, they have me surrounded on all sides. The operation is nearly complete, but I have no escape route." I informed the Count frantically.

"What of it? I believe you can handle it yourself." Dooku chastised.

"Master, please. I can handle the Jedi and their mindless drones, but a little... help would make things that much smoother." I begged.

"Are you suggesting I dispatch... Grievous? That is... unexpected." Dooku questioned, intrigued.

"Tch. Yes, master." I begrudgingly admitted.

"Very well. I await your victory, my apprentice." Dooku stated with the hint of a smile, ending the interaction. 

My master was stern, but beneath that tough exterior was a man who truly cared for me. He was a man looking to change the galaxy for the better, a true idealist. He'd taught me all about the flaws of the Jedi... the Jedi that had abandoned my former master on Rattatak all those years ago.

(y/n) POV

 Three days. Three days had passed with no sign of any activity outside the temple. Everyone was becoming increasingly anxious, but per my master's orders, we would continue to hold. Ventress would have to show herself eventually.

"Kssh!"

"Kssh!" 

The green and blue beams of light crackled as Master Gallia and I lightly sparred at the front lines.

"Master, can you show me some more form II?" I implored, my thoughts still dwelling on our encounter with the assassin.

"..." 

My master didn't react at all to the proposition. 

"Kssh!"

"Kssh!"

"Master?" I asked again.

"What? Oh, form II? Very well, padawan." she answered, shaking away whatever mental distraction was weighing her down. 

"Makashi is the most dignified form of them all. Conventionally, it involves a singular grip." she started, altering her grip so that she was now one-handed. "What it lacks in power, it makes up for in speed and skill."

Master Gallia then fired off a few half-swings and jabs. Weak, but fast. In fact, I was overwhelmed in an instant. After a bit more instruction and demonstration, I felt ready to show some of my acquired knowledge.

"My turn." I asserted, to which my master nodded and switched back to her two-handed form V stance. 

"Ksh! Ksh! Ksh!" 

Master Gallia warded off the delicate flicks of my wrist, but I sensed a weakness in her pushback.

"Master, is your wrist holding up?" I asked, concerned. Her face contorted.

"Yes, padawan. I've recovered." she assured me sternly.

"Are you sure? It looks to me you might have sprained it, maybe you should take a break from form V?" I suggested, trying to be helpful. Then she snapped.

"I told you, I've recovered! I am a master of form V, and I will continue to practice it as I please." she angrily noted.

"But..." I tried to interject.

"I am the master, and you are the padawan. Don't forget that, (y/n)." she finished, ending the dialogue and shutting off her lightsaber.

Defeated, I wandered away. What had I said? Where had it all gone wrong?

Author's Note

Next week shit hits the fan