3rd person

Year 7956 of the Coruscant reckoning calendar...

Month three, the third centaxday...

The day everything changed.

That is, for the one formerly known as...

'The Weakest Jedi.'

Adi POV

My knee throbbed.

My ribs ached.

My eyelids faltered, threatening to throw me into slumber at any moment... yet rest eluded me.

Even with General Grievous safely secured within the Absolute's containment sector, I couldn't shake away a lingering feeling of uneasiness.

It was only natural, for one could never be certain that Grievous was finished. And yet, it was somehow different this time.

...

'Rise (y/n), and do so with pride. For today, you've accomplished that which no other has.'

In that moment, I'd been so proud... so much so that my pride had momentarily slipped out from under the mask.

...But beneath the mask, there was something else I'd been careful not to relinquish. 

Despite my pride in (y/n)'s victory, I was so discouraged. 

Over ten-thousand Jedi Knights wandered the galaxy... yet out of all of them, not one had managed to capture the droid general... including me.

What failures we were, enlisting the help of children to win our battles.  And to what end?

Exerting our absolute authority over weaker worlds?

Defending a corporation's borderline enslavement of a native population? Endorsing the slow poisoning of their planet?

Leading legions of conditioned soldiers to their deaths? Spreading destruction and famine across the stars... as unwitting angels of calamity?

It wasn't so simple to just leave the clone war, no... I wasn't that naive. 

Regardless, ignoring these newfound revelations was beneath me.

As I watched the galaxy pass me by, a single thought perforated my mind.

'...What does it mean to be a Jedi...?'

Burst POV

"Mmmmm." 

"Ugh..."

I arose from a deep sleep, my vision hazy as I peeled my dry eyelids apart.

After blinking a few times, I figured out where I was: slumped on one of the padded chairs aboard the bridge.

I took a few steps forward, yawning, and then stopped when I saw her.

General Gallia, standing before the blue typhoon of hyperspace. 

Everything came flooding back to me in an instant.

'brum-brum-brum-brum-brrrrRRRR!'

The nightmarish howl of my vibrochainsaw.

'Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew!'

The torrents of laser fire.

'Welcome back.'

General Gallia, bringing me back to a calm state of mind with a simple mind trick.

'Execute O̸̦͓̱͊-̷͍͙̭͕̇́̄d̸͋̄͜-̷͎̬̣̓̔ͅ-̸̖̫̊̃͑ͅ ̸̢̻͍̹̋]̷̩͒̋́̚[̷̘͛̆'

Execute... what?

Each time I tried to recall it... a fog flooded my skull, corrupting my thought process.

I gave myself a few good whacks on the forehead, but even that didn't help.

Surprisingly, the loud smacks didn't even rouse the general from her hypnosis.

"General." I addressed, making my presence known.

"Lieutenant..." she returned, still facing away.

"For the first time, I can honestly say that it's been an honor serving with you." I conceded, my brow furrowing. "...But I'm done. I can't do this anymore."

"Oh?" she exclaimed, finally turning to face me. "You're... ready for another post? Or..."

"No, I'm done being a soldier." I clarified, clenching my fist as I met her eyes directly. "I'll cooperate until we get back, but once the shuttle lands... I'm gone."

The vortex of space swirled behind her, highlighting her fierce blue gaze... and still I refused to back down.

"Then I'll make sure to give a report." she eventually declared, earning a nervous wince from me. "A report that Lieutenant Burst fought valiantly in the battle of Vurdon Ka, but tragically succumbed to his injuries during the journey home."

'...What?"

'What?!'

"...Really?" I croaked in disbelief.

"If that's your desire." she reaffirmed, her mighty stare fading to a saddened one.

Ahsoka POV

The news of Grievous's capture spread fast, and after an uneventful journey back to Coruscant, we found ourselves surrounded by a massive welcoming party as our shuttle touched down to the temple landing pad. Everyone wanted to get a glimpse of the droid general, as well as the one who defeated him. 

My master was especially eager to finally see General Grievous. So, naturally, he was angry when Master Kenobi tasked him with wrapping up their business on Alderaan. Skyguy wouldn't be in attendance, unfortunately. 

The landing ramp lowered, and I trailed Master Gallia as she was greeted by Master Windu. 

"Excellent work, Master Gallia." Master Windu praised, more pleased than I'd ever seen him. That meant that his frown had merely morphed into a neutral expression.

"I'm flattered..." she remarked, before moving off to the side. "But you're talking to the wrong person."

Momentarily bewildered, Master Windu's gaze darted to me, his eyes widening. 

"Padawan Tano...! You've done your republic a great service-" he began.

I immediately shook my head, and he frowned once more, puzzled...

...Then, beside me, someone stepped out of the shadows.

(y/n) POV

When I descended into the light, I fully realized the immenseness of the crowd surrounding the temple.

The gathering was formal, serious. There were no cheers, no screams of joy, but I felt the awe in their stares.

Only then did I truly feel the weight of my victory on my shoulders. 

For a moment, the terrible pain in my gut completely slipped my mind.

"Tap."

"Tap."

"Tap."

With each step down the landing ramp, my spirits climbed higher. 

"You...?" Master Windu questioned, squinting at me as I reached the end of the ramp.

In response, I gave him a half-smirk and a light bow, and then walked past him. 

I joined Ahsoka and my master at the front of the crowd. Shortly after, a group of temple guards intercepted Grievous aboard the shuttle and escorted him through the horde. 

A deep sorrow hung over the droid general, his back crooked, his head bowed...

But the hatred in his eyes as he stared down the crowd of Jedi was as potent as ever.

Adi POV

The separatist commander was no longer in my hands, we'd done our part in escorting him home. 

Regardless, I decided to trail my old master as he accompanied the escort to the temple detention cells. Standard protocol implied that none but the convoy should follow the prisoner, but the day was anything but standard.

Dozens and dozens of curious knights and padawans followed suit, marching alongside the guards.

My old master wore a frown; he'd donned it the moment (y/n) emerged from the shuttle.

I knew his scowl all too well, I knew the waves that rose out of his seasoned skin as his brow furrowed.

As he opened his mouth, I froze. 

"I was wrong." he stated, looking me in the eyes.

"What, Master?" I sputtered. 

"I was wrong about him." he repeated bluntly, his eyes darting over to (y/n) momentarily. "Padawan (l/n), it seems I misjudged you."

"Master." (y/n) acknowledged, bregrudginly nodding.

"You've brought us one step closer to ending the clone war." Master Windu proclaimed, turning away. "I do hope you'll help us until the end."

With that, my old master moved farther ahead, leaving me to ponder the words he'd left me with. They were few, but heavy.

(y/n) POV

As the convoy journeyed through the center of the Great Hall, we neared the colossal pillars that formed most of the temple's structural integrity. Along the walk, Ahsoka met up with Master Kenobi, who seemed to be in good spirits.

My master had been staring at the floor for more than a few minutes. 

"It looked like it hurt him to praise me." I snorted, miffed at the earlier interaction. 

She chuckled, but her laugh was too nervous... too unsure to be my master.

"He was wrong." Master Gallia stated solemnly, as if one of the laws of the universe had shattered. "My master was wrong. And... now that I've confirmed that, I can't help but wonder what else he was wrong about..."

Up ahead, the shackled droid general suddenly spoke for the first time in a while.

"Mace Windu." he spat, his back straightening as he surveyed the pillars. "I was looking forward to collecting your lightsaber one day."

"General Grievous. A murderer, a coward... and now, a prisoner." the Jedi Master mocked in response.

"I welcome most of those labels, but you were wrong about one of them." Grievous coughed, his head bowed. "I was never a coward. Up until now, I was merely the only one I could rely on."

"That..." Master Windu began, his tone cold. "Is merely your roundabout way of confessing that yes, you are indeed a coward."

"Hehehe!" Grievous scoffed, his chest plates shuddering. "You really think yourself different from me... colonizer?"

"Naturally." the Jedi Master affirmed.

At that... Grievous raised his head, his gaze glinting orange.

"Then don't move." he ordered ominously.

Danger!

As the cyborg's glare sharpened... I could've sworn the orange in his eyes intensified.

.......No! It did intensify. Before long, a blazing light eclipsed the droid general's pupils.

'What is he...?!' I panicked, unsure of what was happening.

"Stay back!" Master Kenobi ordered, on guard.

"I AM GRIEVOUS, LAST OF THE KALEE!" the warrior roared, addressing the crowd. "In time, I came to fear your force, your spirit. Now, bear witness to mine..."

Soon the glow gleamed from the rest of his body, gradually darkening into a reddish hue. As the eerie light flooded through the Great Hall, it faded into the the fury of a dying star.

All around me, panicked yells erupted from the crowd.

"We have to get out of here!"

"Aaaaahhhhhhhh!"

"Run!!!"

"No, SHOW ME YOUR COURAGE!" Grievous cackled rabidly, watching the distraught stumble over the calm. "BURN, JEDI SLIME! HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE!"

I had to run. I had to... because somehow... I knew...

He was going to explode.

Terror had overtaken the temple, everyone scrambling... even the brave Master Kenobi had taken a few steps back.

Among the chaos, a lone Jedi remained rooted.

Master Windu, true to his word.

Even as Grievous neared detonation, the Jedi Champion calmly surveyed the area, looking for something. Or someone.

"YODA!" he roared, spotting the grand master hobbling through the mob as fast as possible. "IT'S SOMETHING IN HIS BLOODSTREAM!"

"Clack!"

Master Yoda closed his eyes, his cane clattering to the floor...

With a quickness that clashed with his age, he seized Grievous with the unseen hands of the force.

Just as the grand master sprung into action, Master Windu pulled back his palm, channeling his internal energy and directing it at the closest temple wall.

"CRASH!" "CRASH!" "CRASH!" "CRASH!" "CRASH!"

Wall after wall smashed open, reduced to rubble as the master drilled a pathway straight to open air.

Meanwhile, Grievous was levitating, held in a suspended state by Master Yoda. 

The ancient master frowned, the crevices in his weathered skin deepening alongside his focus. 

Through his concentration, he was... searching for something...? Probing the droid general's energy to find... what? 

Grievous's eyes, head, and chest glowed brighter.

Was there still time to run...?!

Suddenly, Master Yoda's eyes snapped open - he'd found it. 

He flourished his palms - like a weaver unraveling string from cloth - and slowly... the blazing brilliance began to separate from Grievous. 

Bit by bit, Master Yoda purged the light from its source, as if exorcising a malicious spirit.

Eventually, the last spark of radiance disappeared from Grievous's chest, completely stolen by Yoda. 

But the crimson light burned ever brighter, now staining the temple red.

We were out of time. 

Danger!

The disembodied light flashed.

"NO!" I shouted desperately, my stomach lurching. 

With seconds to spare, the Grand Master Yoda ejected the light through the hole in the wall, throwing a blazing comet into the sky...

Burst POV

With the temple in a rare state of unruliness, slipping away had been as easy as bullying a protocol droid.

I... wanted to say goodbye to the commander, to General Skywalker, to everyone... 

I wanted to thank Fives, Echo, and everyone in the 501st personally...

I wanted to dig up all of Slip's old things, and finally give him a place to rest...

 But all that would've just drawn unwanted attention, speaking of which...

"Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap."

As I stealthily escaped temple grounds, a batallion of troopers of the Coruscant Guard appeared out of nowhere.

"Finally captured the head clanker-"

"Didn't see him-"

"What happens-"

I hid behind a pillar, but they were quickly approaching my position.

No...! I shouldn't have hid, I should've just acted natural, why didn't I-

"BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!"

Skyward, a fiery blast detonated over the Jedi Temple.

"What the hell?!" The batallion's commander yelled in pure shock.

The troopers were gone in a flash, rushing to assist in the sudden crisis.

I was stunned myself, as well as concerned for my allies. 

...No, my former allies...

Of course I wanted to check on them, but whatever happened, one clone wasn't going to make a difference.

If anything, this was the best chance I was ever going to get to slip away. 

'Blowing up the Jedi Temple?!' I thought to myself, aghast. 'Some crazy bastard.'

Ahsoka POV

It all happened so fast, I didn't even have time to panic...

But when the dust settled, the outcome was clear.

Grievous's last ditch effort had failed, foiled personally by the order's greatest masters.

"RRRGGGGGGHHHHH! RRRRRGGGGHHHHH! DIE!" Grievous screeched, choking on his own fury.

Fuming at his loss, he wrestled against his restraints like a feral creature, to no avail.

"He was searched and scanned for any kind of weapons." a temple guard declared shamefully. "My apologies. I will take the blame for this oversight."

"No, you did your duty." Master Windu asserted.

"Nanodroids." Master Yoda commented, leaning on his cane. "A rare sight, this is. Imperceptible to most scanners."

"You did surprise me, General." Master Windu commented slyly, speaking to Grievous. "Unfortunately, you didn't get the reaction you wanted from me."

"RRRRGGGHHHHHH!" Grievous growled.

"This temple will never fall, so long as I live." the Jedi Master proclaimed confidently. "You'd do well to bring an army next time."

(y/n) POV

When I awoke the next day, Grievous had already been transferred to a maximum security Coruscant prison. There was no scheduled trial. As long as the war persisted, the droid general was a bargaining chip.  

Aside from some minor construction - to repair the walls Master Windu had annihilated the day prior - the temple looked the same as ever. 

As I wandered the vast temple, I strode past the teeming crowds of countless Jedi. Though, despite their numbers... the mass of masters, padawans, and younglings somehow seemed less endless than usual.

There were no whispers this time... which struck me as odd. 

Even if my persecution was finally over, I'd expected to hear murmurs of awe... of respect. 

But there were none. No stares either. 

Now, I was just another wanderer... an ordinary Jedi trainee walking the halls.

As I wandered, I started to wonder...

'Were there ever whispers in the first place?'

'All this time, was it all in my head?'

I clenched my fist.

'Was it...?' I pondered further.

There were those who doubted me, absolutely. Master Windu for one, along with a whole host of other council members... 

Even my old clan came to mind, Garo in particular had always been pretty frank with me about his doubts. 

And, of course... Ahsoka. 

...But were their doubts unfounded? No, I couldn't honestly say they were.

My story wasn't unique. Plenty of younglings failed their trials, and were quietly reassigned without issue. 

Not everyone was cut out to be a Jedi. 

I alone refused to admit defeat.

Sure, Master Windu's abrasive demeanor was infuriating, and Ahsoka's betrayal had stung. 

But could I really call that persecution? ...No, that's not what it was. 

More than anything... my struggle was against myself.

It always had been.

Ahsoka POV

As I made my way to the temple hangar - to help Anakin maintain the Twilight - my thoughts lingered on recent events, as well as events far in the past.

'The Weakest Jedi...'

A silly, stupid nickname, so unserious that no adult would have ever come up with it. Immature younglings, however...

While rare, bullying on temple grounds wasn't unheard of. 

Still, that's not how (y/n)'s moniker was born.

I first heard it after the gathering, as we were heading back to Coruscant.

Huyang - an ancient Architect droid professor - was aiding our clan in contructing our lightsabers, when...

'I'm the weakest Jedi, aren't I..?' (y/n) asked solemnly.

'Of all time, perhaps.' Huyang concurred.

(y/n) laughed as he said it, but I knew how much it hurt him to say.

And yet, he continued to say it, over and over, so much so that it stuck. 

The Weakest Jedi...

'Well, he's certainly not anymore.' I thought to myself, chuckling. 'But really, I don't know if he ever was to begin with.'

Regardless, back then...

When I found him, curled up in the frigid caves of Ilum... I was terrified.

More than that, I hated myself.

I hated myself for having what he didn't. 

And... I hated myself for being too scared to be honest with him. For cheering him on when deep down, I really thought it was hopeless.

Well, considering that Grievous was now incarcerated, I guess it wasn't.

'So I was wrong in the end.' I smiled to myself.

When I gave the council my opinion on (y/n), that was just another instance of me being too afraid to confront him directly.

...Even then, I knew it was wrong of me. 

In the moment, I was willing to accept being wrong... if that meant (y/n) was safe.

(y/n) POV

Other than the occasional compliment, my day went by as normal.

I ran, practiced my forms, ran again...

Paid Master Sinube a visit in the archives...

Took the repulsor train out to CoCo town...

Joined my master for a grueling back day at Durasteel Strength...

Had dinner with Ahsoka and Barriss at Dex's Diner, per Master Kenobi's recommendation...

For a while, I was closer to the sky than I'd ever been... 

Yet hour by hour, that soaring sensation of triumph glided back to land, replaced by a desire.

Not a voracious hunger, or a mad obsession... but a simple void that yearned to be filled.

Sure, I won, but once wasn't enough. 

I needed to win again...

Keep training... keep failing... keep progressing... until I got where I wanted to be.

The path in front of me was clear.

The path...

Back on Mortis...!

'Stay in the middle of the path.' the stranger had urged, his face obscured.

The 'stranger' was right. Despite my recent achievement, I had to keep chasing my dream.

Sure, I tasted victory for the first time, but my final destination was still nowhere in sight.

I'd only just gotten to the starting line. 

The path would be long and arduous. Where it ended, I had no idea.

I still had to become a Jedi... but after that...? 

'I guess we'll see.' I thought to myself.

Burst POV

This time, when I entered the streets of the underworld, it was different.

For the first time in my short life, I was alone.

No home. No job. No credits.

No barracks to feed me, no barracks for me to sleep in.

Nobody to give me orders.

As I was faced with the teeming crowds of citizens, and overwhelmed by flashing lights and putrid air quality, I briefly forgot where I was... who I was.

'Where do I go?'

'Who do I talk to?'

'What now?'

After a few hours, I realized how hungry I was.

If not for a group of young Coruscanti, I don't know when I would have eaten. 

They gave me a meal, free of charge, which I thanked them for. 

What interested me was what they were doing: painting.

Specifically, they were graffiti artists, comprised of several different species.

Their backgrounds informed their art, whether it was a starfighter flying through a vibrant wormhole, an ancient wookie warrior surrounded with muted colors, or a tapestry depicting the galaxy's most famous delicacies. 

Every wall they touched was a little more lively afterward... a little more warm.

Their talent was something I respected deeply... but it was something I didn't have.

Maybe by design.

I continued stumbling aimlessly through the grimy streets, this time with a full stomach. 

After bumping into a drunken Bith, I spotted a flash of white in the corner of my eye.

...It was one of those filthy war-effort posters, plastered to the side of a pawn shop. 

'UNITE' was at the top, in big, bold letters. Below the word were three clone troopers, clad in ivory armor... the 'boys in white' as we were known. 

...As they were known.

As the plastered Bith staggered to his feet, he made eye contact with me. He then promptly fell over again, startled.

After pulling himself together for a second time, he hurried away.

'Was it my face?' I wondered, my mood dampened.

At some point, I came across a shady alley dweller dealing death sticks.

He ran when he saw my face, dropping a few bags of granulated powder. 

'Might as well.' I thought, distant.

After walking into the darkest alley I could find, I lit up a stick.

As I exhaled a cloud of vivid vapor, my heightened awareness picked up on the sound of someone breathing.

It came from around the corner.

"Hello?" I called out, curious.

The breathing halted abruptly.

Then, it came back... in the form of a violent coughing fit.

"What do you want?!" a female voice demanded nervously.

"Nothing. I'm just having a smoke, and so are you by the sound of it." I stated calmly. 

"Oh, sorry." she apologized, sounding relieved. "I thought you might be a bounty hunter."

"You should be more careful." I advised sarcastically. "For all you know, I still could be one."

"Ha! As if." she snorted. "Hey... what's your name?"

Suddenly, she peeked around the corner...

And froze when she saw my face.

"Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap!"

And then she was gone.

By evening, I was hungry again, and after struggling with it for a long while... I made a decision.

To go back.

As I lumbered into my area of the barracks, I suddenly spotted the general and the commander.

"Where's Burst?" (y/n) asked, concerned. "I thought he'd be getting some rest, but the boys say they haven't seen him since we got back."

"He's-" General Gallia began, evidently preparing to cover me.

"He's here." I interjected, revealing myself to the general's shock. "I just... had to think some things over."

"Great!" the kid remarked cheerfully. "I was going to do a small workout here, in the barracks gym. Want to come with?" 

"Appreciate it, kid." I stated. "But I think I need to get some shut eye."

"Thought so." the commander grinned, saluting me. "See you later, Burst."

"Yeah. You too." I commented, deadpan.

General Gallia raised an eyebrow, shooting me a sympathetic look, and I returned a half-hearted smile before waving goodbye.

I trudged into my quarters, sliding the grimy helmet off of my sweaty skin.

I crashed onto my bed and closed my eyes, drowning myself in darkness.

When I eventually sat up, reluctantly opening my eyes, my gaze wandered to my arsenal of a wall...

Sniper blaster rifles... blaster pistols... automatic blaster rifles...

My lip quivered.

Vibroknives... Vibroswords... Vibrosaws...

I blinked several times.

Thermal detonators... ion grenades... proximity mines...

................................................................................................................................................................

Finally, my gaze surrendered, fleeing to the floor.

I sat there, hunched over through the night, until sleep finally captured me.