Saga Final Reckoning (Order 66 Challenge Response)

Title: Final Reckoning
Author: AngelQueen
Summary: In the midst of the burning Jedi Temple, a Jedi Master meets her fate. For the Order 66 Challenge.
Characters: OCs, Anakin Skywalker
Keywords: Order 66, Jedi Master

--

The Temple was burning.

Senna Eberle kept her head low, trying not to breathe too deeply. She glanced over her shoulder, hearing the sounds of armored feet slapping rapidly against the marble floors. She gritted her teeth, her brown eyes flashing.

“Asha,” she said lowly to her apprentice, who was leading a group of about a dozen younglings while she herself brought up the rear. “We have nowhere else to go but up. Take the next set of stairs.”

Asha did not turn her tan-colored head to acknowledge Senna’s instructions, but she felt a small affirming vibration within the Force all the same. Abruptly, she turned right and began the climb up the chief spire of the Jedi Temple.

“Hurry, younglings,” Senna murmured to the children, hoping her calm-sounding voice would do something to soothe their terror. “Follow Asha. Quietly now.”

As they raced up the steps, Senna paused to look out a window overlooking the front entrance of the Temple. Her vision was completely blocked by the black clouds that were engulfing the lower levels.

It was in those moments, that she began to feel it.

The Force was screaming. It howled its pain and agony, scarring her soul with one deep mortal wound after another. Senna gasped aloud and slumped against the wall, her strength leaving her. Her other hand came up to clutch at her pounding chest as she sought to remain on her feet.

Death.

Her breath came in heaves as she struggled to keep the contents of her stomach down. Tears fought against her control, seeking to blur her vision and block out the horrors that were abounding in her world.

Master! Come quickly!

At first, Senna did not know whose voice was calling out within her mind, Asha’s or her own. Taking a deep, cleansing breath before she straightened up, Senna called on the Force to grant her extra speed and she continued upwards to where her apprentice and the younglings were waiting for her.

She found them at the Council chamber. Asha was ushering the children inside, urgently instructing them all to remain quiet. Once they were all inside, Senna slammed her hand on the controls, closing the door and activating the locking codes. Outside of the Council members, only the most senior Jedi Masters knew those codes. Their attackers would never get through.

She turned her gaze to Asha. The young woman was breathing deeply, trying to calm her own racing emotions. Senna could see two small tear tracks down her cheeks. Senna had no need to ask if her Padawan had felt the terrible grief through the Force. Therefore, she only inquired quietly, “Are the younglings aware?”

Asha bit her lip and shook her head, her green eyes lowered slightly. “Only one felt anything, and he said that it felt as though he had been kicked in the stomach. I did my best to keep them all distracted and told him not to think on it for now.”

Senna nodded and opened her mouth to reply, when she heard it again.

Footsteps. Many footsteps. Coming in their direction.

Automatically, she drew her lightsaber and activated it. The corridor was immediately bathed in a faint green glow, which then mingled with golden light as Asha followed her example and brought her own blue blade to bear.

There were no more than eight of them. Certainly few enough for her and Asha to take care of with little problem if they had been in a wide, open room. Unfortunately, they were in a long, narrow corridor, with little room to move around in. When the clones spotted them, they stopped.

“My lord,” the leader of the group called out, “Here are two more.”

For a moment, nothing happened. But then, out of the shadows at the far end of the corridor, a tall, hooded figure strode forward. The figure paused, seeming to consider them both. Then…

“Destroy them.”

“It will be done, my lord,” the leader said. Motioning to the others, they brought up their blasters and rushed towards them, opening fire.

Reflexively, Senna blocked their shots, Asha doing the same beside her. Clenching her jaw, Senna moved forward. She had to deal with the chief threat, and that was not the clones. The hooded figure was directing the invasion. Eliminating him was essential.

But it was difficult. Within the confines of the hallway, every move counted and there was no room for error. Senna finally leaped forward, decapitating the leading clone and then lunging to impale another while using the Force to knock a third so hard into the plate-glass that it shattered and he fell with a wailing scream.

Asha was still beside her, slashing through the arms of one trooper, cutting the legs out from under another, stabbing a third –

Then she was gone. The bond between the two women was cut off with a choked scream, leaving Senna’s mind itching to rebel against the sickening knowledge that invaded her very being. She fought down a sob and threw herself at the remaining clones.

Senna never had a chance to look upon the remains of her Padawan learner. Her momentum had taken her beyond the body and she stood only a few feet away from the hooded figure. She fought to control her grief and rage. This monster was destroying the only place any true Jedi could call home. He was slaughtering younglings for Force’s sake! She brought her wrathful gaze up to meet his –

Senna’s jaw dropped in shock. She knew those eyes. She knew that face.

“S-Skywalker?!” She sputtered, nearly losing her grip on her lightsaber in her surprise.

Anakin Skywalker. Once a delightful nine-year-old boy, then one of the most advanced Padawans within his age group, and one of the Republic’s greatest heroes.

But none of that was apparent now. Senna looked into his eyes and saw only a smoldering, unholy rage and bloodlust.

“Master Eberle,” he acknowledged coldly. His expression did nothing to conceal his malice and fury.

“What are you doing,” she demanded, horrified at what she saw before her. “Anakin, what have you done?!”

“I am carrying out the orders of the Supreme Chancellor. The Jedi chose to rebel against the rightful authority of the Senate. Now they must pay the price,” he growled. A blue blade suddenly appeared in his hand and he swept forward.

Senna knew her end was upon her. She was proficient enough with the lightsaber, but she had not the natural talent that her master and many others had. The talent had made Anakin Skywalker famous over the course of the war.

His quick movements threw her on the defensive. Having to evade both Anakin’s vicious blows and the bodies that littered the corridor, Senna found her attention divided. Within moments, she was driven back to the broken window.

Managing to push him back for a brief moment, her eyes met his once again. Breathing deeply, Senna shouted at him, “What Jedi would rebel against the Republic? We are all sworn to serve it, to protect it! The only Jedi who have done such as you have are those who sought to follow the ways of the Sith! Is that what you are now, Anakin? You have betrayed us all! You have -”

What else she might have said, she knew not. She only saw the explosively murderous expression in his eyes and a brief flick of his hand before she was airborne.

The harsh winds whipped and tore at her robes and her plaited brown hair. Her vision was obscured once again by the thick, stinking smoke. The Force wrapped itself around her, alternately screaming its outrage and seeping into her very being, sheltering her in its embrace.

Master…

Senna was never able to clearly recall hitting the ground.

 

Waaaaaa!

 

MasterSareBabe: *pats MSB on the shoulder and hands over a tissue* There, there... I hope you liked it even if it made you cry!

AQ

 

Brilliant! Haunting! I'm so overwhelmed by the quality of these Order 66 Challenge fics!

Well done!

 

Yay, finally an action-packed one.

 

This challenge is almost as gut wrenching and heartbreaking as the Purge challenge! Lovely!

 

How very chilling. After ROTS I've been wondering what was going through the minds of the
Masters and Padawans when they saw Darth Vader for the first time. The fear and the feelings of
betrayal must have been overwhelming. Great job AQ!

 

Arwyn: *smiles* Thank you! And I agree with you about all the other responses! They were all outstandingly written!

Ish: Thank you, Ish! I struggled to do my best with the action section of the story, but you know that I am no expert in that particular area.

VaderLVR64: *nods* I quite agree! I've read quite a few of the other challenge responses and practically all of them have brought me to tears!

JMR: That was a part of the inspiration for this response, actually. By that point, Anakin was one of the most famous Jedi in the Order and was probably recognized by everyone. Even the younglings knew who he was! So I began to wonder just how one of the more senior Masters (not necessarily a Council member) would react at discovering that it was Anakin who was leading the massacre of the Jedi Temple. And as for Senna herself, I'm trying to work out a story involving her from several years earlier and there is much more to her than meets the eye... Thanks for responding, JMR!

AQ

 

Great job, AQ! Very beautifully done

 

The Force was screaming. It howled its pain and agony, scarring her soul with one deep mortal wound after another. Senna gasped aloud and leaned briefly against the wall, her other hand coming up to clutch at her chest. ...ooch. I am not surprised that Senna had to struggle to avoid vomiting with the anguish. We saw how Yoda reacted to the deaths from halfway across the Galaxy.

Liked the touch that Jedi have different preferences for combat, rather than being happy with a long narrow corridor (which would suit defenders with guns) they'd rather have the extra room to manoeuvre.

Also liked that we didn't see Asha die, we only felt the consequences through Senna's bond.

Typical Vader as seen in RotS, he didn't want to hear the truth so he struck out. At least Senna had the few seconds or minutes of her fall for the Force to embrace her and prepare her to become one with it.

 

Oh, wow...

 

Wow. I loved the imagery in this story. Nicely done!

 

I liked it alot but he had a blue lighstaber not red.

 

LP: *huggles* Thank you!

_JM_: I'm glad you liked several of the smaller nusiances that I inserted throughout the piece. Senna's struggle to avoid vomiting, her preference for having an open space to fight in, rather than an enclosed corridor, and Vader's response to having the cold truth shoved in his face. As for Senna's fall, well, some of that may become clearer if I ever get her backstory up and going. Thanks for reviewing!

ZekksGoddess: *hands ZG a tissue* Here you are dear. And although I've often found it to be a cold comfort, remember this: There is no death, there is the Force. *smiles rather sheepishly*

Rime: I'm glad you enjoyed the imagery!

Obi-Wan-shawa: Thank you for pointing out the descrepency of the color of Anakin's lightsaber! I'm always glad to fix things like that! Thank you so much for pointing it out!

AQ

 

I fixed a few things and updated it! Enjoy!

AQ

 

I would just like to thank those who nominated Final Reckoning for the Summer Fanfiction Awards! I was deeply touched and honored to see this little story on the list of stories nominated. Again, thank you all so much!

AQ

 

I like Order 66 fanfictions.

Good job!

 

Thank you, Kudzu!

AQ

 

Just reopening this thread should anyone want to reply...