Project Ares

Ares vs Orion

Daro – deep within the Imperial facility

After destroying the shield generator, Blue Team was soon engaged by at least a 100 stormtroopers outfitted with rifles and electric batons. But they were easily dispatched by Echo holding up his portable shield and Hardcase going to town with his minigun while taking cover behind the older ARC trooper.

In the meantime, Jesse and Fives had snuck around through the ventilation shafts and flanked the stormtroopers bringing up the rear. Throwing smoke cannisters, the ARC troopers enabled their newly equipped thermal vision before systematically cutting through the TK trooper ranks. After taking out an entire company of stormtroopers, a video announcement was made through the base's internal comms stations.

It was Palpatine, and he was telling Blue Team to come face him in his throne room. Attaching the co-ordinates, the elite team stormed through the base, decimating any resistance they faced. But just before entering the final stretch, Chief saw something; a door with the name Project Orion on it. Taking the clone troopers with him, the soldiers left Anakin to go deal with the knock-off spartan program.

In the meantime, Skywalker continued to go deal with the man responsible for all of this. Marching through the door, Anakin looked up to see Darth Sidious sitting in his throne, looking down on the Jedi Knight. Suddenly, Kenobi dropped in behind him from the ventilation shaft, the bearded general had traced Shaak's Force signature to this room and wasn't surprised to find Palpatine at the end of the trail. "It's over Palpatine, your armies have fallen and you are outnumbered."

"My boy, you have yet to even grasp the full nature of your predicament." Sidious spoke with his slimy voice, resulting in both Anakin and Obi-wan observing the rest of the room. Noticing his master's eyes glued to the corner of the room, Anakin turned his gaze to see both Ahsoka and Shaak Ti bloodied and broken in the corner of the room. Their clothes mostly ripped and torn, the only thing keeping their dignity being their undergarments. Palpatine had not just defeated them, he had humiliated them and put the two females on display for the pair to see.

Feeling the rage build up inside of Anakin, Obi-wan placed a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Anakin, don't give in to your emotions. That's what he wants, that's how he's going to try and turn you again."

Taking a deep breath, Skywalker calmed down, the hate simmering just beneath the surface but still retaining control. Suddenly a blur sped across the room, the only detail the Jedi could pick up being a glint of silver reflecting the few lights in the dark room. Concluding that this was the monster that defeated Shaak, Kenobi ignited his saber, followed by Skywalker.

Out of nowhere, two crimson blades flew towards the pair in a haze of black and red. As the two Jedi fiercely engaged the inquisitor, Obi-wan soon found himself purely defending while Anakin was doing most of the work. But it wasn't enough, as a massive wave of Force lightning erupted from the Sith warrior, Kenobi was sent flying backwards while Anakin blocked the onslaught with his saber. Worn out and exhausted, Obi-wan tried to get back up but was soon knocked out by another wave of lightning.

Using the Force, Anakin pulled his master's lightsaber from his unconscious body and ignited the second blade. As the duel progressed back and forth across the room, the two were evenly matched. The inquisitor channeling as much dark side and Anakin was channeling light. With an aggressive flick of his wrists, Skywalker knocked both the inquisitor's lightsabers out of his hand. Kicking his legs out from underneath him, Anakin demanded to know who he was. Hearing an evil laugh from the back of the room, Palpatine came back into view.

"He is everything you failed to become, my replacement for you should you ever have turned against me. My new apprentice... Starkiller." The Emperor said with a sadistic grin, showing his golden teeth. Before Anakin could even process what was happening, Starkiller produced his silver claws on each hand and stabbed the Jedi in the legs. Twisting the blades and bringing Anakin crashing to the ground, the Sith warrior pulled one of his sabers back to his hand. Raising the blade to kill the Chosen One, Starkiller was moments away from securing Palpatine his long-awaited victory when...