Assassin (A Star Wars Fan-Fiction) Book 4

Chapter Sixteen

Rahm was entering Kamino's atmosphere when he saw the first canon fire. Still miles away from the cluster of three facilities, it wasn't hard for the jedi to notice the largest plasma canon make a full one-hundred eighty degree turn and aim for the building nearest to it. Four other smaller canons to it's sides followed the bigger one's lead and spun to face in the same direction. With a peeked brow and his curiosity rising, Rahm pressed the buttons on his ship's communications device and spoke quickly.

"Kamino Facility 13, this is Master Rahm Kota, please respond."

Static. He tried again.

"Facility 13, please respond."

Static. He tried once more.

"This is Master Rahm Kota requesting permission to land."

Before he could make a decision whether or not he'd keep trying to contact someone in command or just land the starfighter by force, the static was joined by the sudden burst of the plasma canon, followed by the smaller canons firing in reply. The first powerful blast tackled the cloning facility's nearest support beam like a fiery blue thunderbolt. It created a steaming crater in the side of the thick, metal pole, and sent a spiderweb of cracks shooting out along the edges of the blackened impact point.

A panic rose inside of the general and it became difficult for him to focus flying when the building began to split as the damaged support gave way. Even from within his ship, the sound of the facility ripping in two seemed to slam through the air. It was as if a hot knife had cut the belly of a beast. The exposure of the cloning establishment's insides was an open wound, with infection-like beings spilling out into the ocean and crashing against the water below. His breath caught in his throat as he zoomed by and saw the underdeveloped faces that all looked the same: clones gone rogue.

But what made Rahm almost crash into the facility himself was when his eyes fell to the woman hanging from the edge of the carnage, one hand dripping with blood at her side and the other gripping a bent metal pipe, hundreds of feet above the concrete-like water surface below.

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"Denali!"

The rush of water came from the multitude of pipes gathered at the center of the Kaminoan laboratory, shattered on impact by the collapsing walls around it. It was the rush of water that knocked Denali off her feet and sent her towards the edge, sliding for the end. By dumb luck, her good hand somehow managed to catch the stick of iron jutting out from beneath the tilted incubation room floor.

But she wasn't out of the woods yet. Already weakened by the weeks in her cell and being tormented by her brother, along with her opposite hand being completely crushed, Denali's body wasn't ready for this kind of trauma. Her body mass had shrunken over the past few days, taking most of her muscle mass with it. With each passing second, she became closer and closer to meeting her death.

Obi-Wan and Anakin had enough time to grab hold of something a little more sturdy. When everything went sideways, the Jedi master managed to grab a cabinet door handle, while the ex-Jedi was gripping the edge of a control panel to the right of Kalani's bacta tank.

Although it was difficult, Obi-Wan tried to get down to his wife as quickly as possible, grabbing onto different objects to keep himself from falling while making his way from the innermost part of the room to the gaping hole in the wall on the left. His movements were frantic, but he reached the jagged edge regardless and stretched one hand to his wife, while the other held onto the chunk of the ceiling that had fallen and stabbed into the floor.

"Hold on!" Obi-Wan yelled.

"No! I was planning on letting go! Nice way to ruin the fun!"

Anakin wanted to help as well, he knew that Denali would've been guaranteed survival if he and Obi-Wan were both at her rescue. But as he started to work his way across the wreckage to help his friends, the force began to whisper his name, calling him away from Denali and Obi-Wan in a different direction entirely. It urged him, pulled him, shoved him in a way only the force could.

The force was pushing him towards Kalani.

This was his chance. With Obi-Wan distracted, Anakin could eliminate the fetus without a fight. He could make it look like an accident if he wanted, too. With one little push in the right direction, he could knock the bacta tank out of place and send it falling into the ocean waves below. Even better, he could act like he was trying to save the baby, then "accidentally lose his grip". With the parents of the child being occupied, there was no line of defense between the infant and himself. It was almost too easy.

Slowly, cautiously, Anakin began his climb towards the bacta tanks, mentally preparing himself for what he'd have to do next. This wasn't a cruel act, if anything, it was absolutely necessary. This child practically oozed with dark power; there was no possible way it would prove him otherwise. It would be a mercy to Denali and Obi-Wan as well. Anakin would have rather had them be furious and never speak to him again than have them watch their child grow and become a monster. Better to perish as an innocent than live as a villain. In moments, his hand grazed the control panel attached to the baby's tank.

"Now is not the time for sarcasm!" Obi-Wan closed his eyes and reached out through the force, digging deep into the source of energy to try and lift Denali towards him. Denali closed her eyes as well, hoping to make herself lighter for him to carry. But it was in that moment, when both parents connected with that deep power, that they felt Anakin's intentions. 

"Anakin, no!" Denali begged. Her grip on the metal rod was failing her, but she didn't care. "Obi! Save her! Save Kalani!" Her voice was desperate and strained and tears began to form in the corners of her eyes, but there was nothing she wanted more in the universe than her children's survival. 

The look on her husband's face was one of pure pain and heartbreak. He couldn't. He couldn't choose between her and their baby. After months of living without Denali, struggling to stay sane when the only thing he had worth living for was gone. There was no way.

"No! Hold on! We still have time!" Obi-Wan's voice broke and he tried to reach farther, tried to dig in deep to the force like he'd done before, but his focus was broken. He couldn't fight the dread and desperation dripping through the cracks in his heart. His hand quivered, but the force had abandoned him.

Anakin pressed the buttons on the bacta tank's control panel and the tank detached from the floor. In one hard burst of energy, he kicked at the side of the machine, causing it to pop out of place and lean at an awkward angle. All he needed was one last kick to send it crashing into the watery abyss below.

Obi-Wan was torn. 

"Obi," Denali whispered. Her tears were falling now, and she knew what she had to do. She knew he wouldn't be able to make this decision, not after he'd lost so much before. After losing her once already. They needed each other, they were soulmates. Denali and Obi-Wan were the dynamic duo everyone was rooting for. Ever since they met, they were destined to be together; they both knew that. Together, they were unstoppable. She was his light; he was her support. Neither one could live without the other.

Their misty eyes met one final time. She smiled one last smile.

"I love you."

She let go.

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Okay everyone, I know I've already killed off Denali once before, but this time its for real. In order to keep the story moving, the Jedi need to fall and Sidious needs an apprentice, and neither can really take effect until Denali is gone for good. But on Denali's behalf, I hope you've all enjoyed her character at least a little. I know she wasn't the toughest person at some parts, but I've tried to keep her heart in the right place throughout this journey. And stick around, because my next few chapters are going to be fighting chapters between four guys. It might take a little longer since action isn't as easy to write as talking, but it'll be worth it. Thank you all for your support and I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

~Madness