Saga - Legends Star Wars: Order One

It was always raining on Kamino. The short miserable walk from the off ramp of the lambda shuttle to the entrance of the administrative facility left newly appointed Moff Ortasil drenched by the time he made it inside the building. Struggling to ignore the tight wet uniform clinging to his skin, Ortasil eyed his surroundings; overly bright and overly sterile, it seemed obvious that this end of the building was occupied only when off worlders payed a visit.

A door slid open. Of all the alien species Ortasil had been forced to encounter in his day, Kaminoans were by far the most unnerving. The frail yet towering physiques of these creatures seemed unreal to Ortasil, as if the creators of the clones were themselves the result of some unseen artificial conception. Or perhaps the cunning hidden behind their large calculating eyes hinted at the all to natural predatory origins of their race.

The thing that really disturbed Ortasil was the Kaminoan sense of politeness. "The Prime Minister will see you now" a female voice said in a sing song way, slightly bowing her long neck with a formality that only drew more attention to how she loomed over her guest. They walked together silently, the Kaminion lanking forward with a stiff spectre like poise, Ortasil with his arms wrapped around his chest and squinting into winding corridors bathed in much more light then his eyes were comfortable with.

Ortasil and the Kaminian reached the Prime Minister's office. Straightening himself, Ortasil strode past her and into the room."Minister Lama Su, Regional Moff Ortasil is here to see you" the female Kaminoan said. "Thank you, Taun We" said the Prime Minister. The Moff made no attempt to acknowledge her dismissal as he tried to settle into the pod shaped seating provided to him. Unmoved by Ortasil's discourtesy, Taun We bowed again and departed.

"Welcome Moff Ortasil, we are honored by your visit."

The room was quiet. Ortasil looked at Lama Su, who smiled back, politely waiting for the Moff to be the first to speak. More blasted manners Ortasil thought. What he'd give to do away with the subtle duplicities that hid behind the cordiality of statesmen. Their formalities frustrated him. The Prime Minister for example was making a point of being on his best behavior, but not once had the stupid amphibian offer Ortasil a towel. The Moff sullenly came to terms with the puddles of cold water sloshing in his boots.

Ortasil took a deep breath, but Lana Su changed his mind and spoke before Ortasil could. "That nasty business with the Jedi was most unfortunate." Ortasil leaned forward. He hadn't expected the kaminoan to be so direct.

"Unfortunate?" ortgy scoffed, "They were traitors."

Lama Su was still smiling. "Of course: of course they were. It's just disheartening to see the Republic's generals betray it so near to the culmination of this war."

“You’ve met Jedi, have you not?" Ozy asked dryly.

"Of course, a Jedi commissioned the grand army. Another reason why I'm proud preliminary reports suggest our troopers dutifully eliminated them with 97.2% efficiency."

More silence. "Moff Ortasil, I understand that the treachery of the Jedi has called many things into question, but Kamino's loyalty is not one of them. Our men followed their orders without hesitation."

Ortasil did his best to ignore the water dripping from his black dyed hair. "The loyalty of your men is not in question, minister. Frankly it is your blatant war profiteering that has drawn my attention."

Lama Su tilted his head quizzically. "I am confused. Are you not here to increase production?"Hesitation had crept into the minister's voice. This crack in the Kaminoan's facade made Ortasil smile."No, cloner, I am not. I am here to make sure the credits in my treasury are not being squandered. Experts from Spartii Industries will oversee your methods until I can determine how they might be improved."

Lama Su's smile disappeared. "That hardly seems necessary, Moff Ortasil. If our prices need to be renegotiated, I am sure the Supreme Chancellor would have brought this to my attention directly."

"The Emperor" Ortasill said pointedly, “does not have time to micromanage every system in the outer rim. That is why he has appointed the moffs to govern in his stead. In all honesty, minister, limiting our source of manpower to one location has never seemed wise to me. I haven't forgotten how your planet had the gall to increase its fees when the war looked most bleak. That cannot be allowed to happen again. Those fees postponed the construction of several crucial star destroyers needed on the front.

"But that is the past. As long as you obey the Empire and follow my directives to the letter your services will be properly rewarded." Pleased with himself, Ortasil left the room before the Kaminoan could react.

~~~~~

Do Moffs have this level of authority?" An emergency meeting had been called as soon as Ortasil returned to his ship. Granting Sparti free reign over the cloning facility was unacceptable. They were Kamino's chief industrial competitor, and were now to be given direct access to secrets the kaminoans had carefully guarded for centuries. Everyone knew the rigid conformity beat into each clone trooper would be the ideal template for Spaarti's flash memory process.

"Unfortunately yes" Halle Burtoni, chief ambassador and first ever Kaminoan member of the Senate was holding herself up with a cane. A muted holorecording of Palpatine's Declaration of A New Order issued eight standard hours ago played on a loop to her side. “The regional governors were granted extraordinary powers well before today. After reviewing the new Imperial Charter, I have determined their authority can no longer be legally contended."

The Prime Minister leaned back in his pod. "We are still in good standing with Palpatine. Why not petition him to intervene?" "Our new Emperor likely approves of Ortasil's plan. Palpatine has been quietly staffing all top levels of the bureaucracy with humans since the beginning of this conflict. What's more, it appears that the Cransaoc leadership of Spartii Creations was recently sidelined by a recently arrived group of human migrants. The Verpine have been visited by human 'advisors' as well. Reliance on speciest leadership now seems to be state policy."

"Perhaps that is why the Jedi revolted." Taun We had spoken out of turn. Luckily no one in the room was in the mood to chastice her. Lama Su simply turned in her direction and sighed. "Their reasons do not matter my dear. Even if a few of their order survive, they will never forgive the decimation our clones wrought upon their ranks." Lama Su's long neck sagged.

Burtoni rapped her cane."There's more, sir Prime Minister. Last night Advanced Recon Commando Eight Four Seven Niner Five returned to us with information that can only be described as startling.” Burtoni's withered hands motioned to Taun We. The graceful Kaminoan handed Lama Su a datapad filled with a stream of energy readings centered on a massive object of unknown spheroid design. The Prime Minister perked up. "Is that a metal moon?"

"That's no moon. That is the beginnings of a battle station.

"8-4-7-9-5 gave a full report before I had him liquidated. He had been conducting unsanctioned flight training exercises in and around Geonosis before stumbling onto joint Vulture Droid-Tie Fighter patrols in the nearby asteroid fields. From there Trooper 8-4-7-9-5 monitored their movements until they arrived at what he believed to be a massive Separatist installation. Analyses of the coded transmissions coming from it reveal that it is actually a nascent Imperial Project."

Lama Su was stunned. "Something even in this stage of its development could not have sprung up in a day. The Empire doesn't have the manpower necessary to even consider committing to such an undertaking without our expertise. Unless..."

Ambassador Burtoni finished the thought. "Unless the Empire is using Spaarti to quick-clone expendable laborers."

"Laborers that can be made mentally stable by the theft of our training regimen. This is an outrage! Our armies may have been bred to be the Chancellor's slaves, but we weren't. Palpatine is a fool if he thinks-"
“Excuse me milord” Taun We interjected.

“Be silent!” Lama Su barked. Taun We momentarily recoiled at the demand, but with courage she spoke up again.

"Excuse me, milord, but our armies were bred to serve THE OFFICE OF THE CHANCELLOR. Palpatine abolished that position when he declared himself Emperor.”
Lama Su pursed his lips. “An interesting thought, but irrelevant unless Palpatine has violated his constitution."

Burtoni’s eyes widened. “That constitution has been replaced by the Charter.”

"If Palpatine has abandoned the old Constitution…”

"He is no longer protected by it."

The three Kaminoans looked down at the holorecording still playing on a loop below them. The cackling old man who had fashioned himself master of all now seemed so foolish. His deformed image sputtered out, replaced by a face shared by billions of identical soldiers stationed across the galaxy. Their loyalty was unquestionable, and now to be forever uprooted by the utterance of a simple phrase.

"Execute Order One"
----------------------------------------------------------


Master Shaak Ti fell dead. Remaining calm while other Jedi gave into panic, her majestic running battle with the 501st had spiralled away from the Temple and deep into the lower levels of Coruscant. Lord Vader had found her playing a deadly game of cat and mouse with the outclassed squads sent to execute her. The narrow pathways and densely packed squalor she sped through gave Shaakti ample means to sidestep the brute force being thrown her way. Lord Vader could sense the cold precision guiding her attacks. He could also sense the compassion for nearby civilians that barred Shaakti from wreaking total havok on her pursuers.

Shaakti's compassion was an easy thing to exploit. Ripping congested platforms from their foundations and firing randomly into crowds whenever the Jedi Master temporarily slipped away was enough to make Shaakti turn and face the newest member of the Sith head on. The Togruta fought valiently but was eventually cut down like all the rest.

Shaakti hadn't been the most difficult adversary to put down during the 28 violence filled hours since Vader's new master issued Order 66. That distinction had gone to the red headed Jedi Knight trying to herd young padawans onto a starship operated by the Agriculture Corps. Gira pled for mercy when Vader approached him with his weapon drawn. If Vader let the children go Gira swore he'd submit to Sith rule.

Vader gave no response. The desperation that then swelled in Gira's eyes reminded Vader of how he felt when he first foresaw Padme's death. It was obvious both men were capable of doing terrible things for the sake of those they loved. Gira swung wildly at Vader. Unfortunately for Gira, his ferocity burned out when the clones shot down the escaping starship. With the Padawans dead Gira had no reason to protect himself.

Shaakti had been the final straggler. Lord Vader had obeyed his master: every last Jedi at the Temple had been slain mercilessly.Palpatine would no doubt want to bask in Vader's success, but that could wait for a later time. There was something far more important Vader needed to attend to.

A LAAT circled overhead. It touched down, offloading a group of clones wearing distinctive blue striped armor. Their captain stood at attention. "New orders, General Skywalker." "Not now, Rex." Vader punched a few numbers into his wrist comms."Take me to these coordinates."


"Negatory, sir, that district is on lock down. You've been ordered to report to Admiral Palleon on the double." Vader resisted the urge to snap at his subordinate. Like many other clones with a sense of individuality, Rex's mind had fallen into a stupor since Order 66, as though his personality had been sapped alongside his free will. It seemed Captain Rex had reverted to the rigid military discipline Skywalker had taught him to skirt during the past three years of conflict.

"Do not give me commands. I operate under the sole authority of the Supreme Chancellor." Rex exchanged looks with his fellow clones. "General, Former Chancellor Palpatine was deposed earlier this evening.

"What?!"

"His removal from office has...confused the chain of command. You are to regroup with Admiral Palle-Ack!" Rex and the others were hoisted into the air by a force choke.

Vader was fuming. "You will take me to the coordinates I gave you, trooper." It was hard for Rex to talk while he clawed at his own neck. "...Please..Cooperate. Good Soldiers follow orders Good soldiers follow

His neck snapped. So too did the neck of the LAAT's pilate. Vader left the bodies with those of their brothers. More treachery? Vader turned on the Transport's holonet receiver. Smoke could be seen rising from the Chancellor’s chambers, and worse, from the Senate Building. In minutes he arrived at his destination. More blue striped clones stood in his way. "The Senate Residences are a restricted area, milord." After cutting the soldiers down, Vader entered the Residences.

His heart dropped. The bodies of clones and Naboo Security Forces were everywhere. Captain Panaka had died in the hallway, as had quite a few police droids judging by all the scrap littering the floor. Padme's room was in shambles; it was obvious from the scorch marks on the walls that a firefight had taken place there as well. Mixed in with the dead were the blue (and red?!) cloaks of the Senate Guard.

All the pain and hate that had been giving Vader strength was now tearing into him, making it hard to breath. "Where is she?" he asked the familiar figure lurking in the shadows. The Emperor stepped forward. "She is under my protection." "Can I see her?" Darth Sidious spelled out his words carefully. "Not. Yet."

A wave of frustration collapsed one of the apartment’s walls. Annoyed by the outburst, Darth Sidious ground his teeth. The New Order Sith had been carefully preparing for almost two thousand years hadn't lasted a day. His enforcer was equally unstable.

The sorry excuse for a Sith paced about. "Nothing makes sense anymore! Everyone's betrayed me: the Clones, the Jedi...you" The Dark Lord of the Sith eyed his new apprentice with seething contempt. "You betrayed my trust from the start. You used me!" What was left of Anakin Skywalker strode forward in a rage. His fury was no match for the force lightning that threw Skywalker against the blasterbolt pocked wall.

"It is your emotions that betray you, my apprentice" Sidious hissed. Gone was the aura of triumph that had filled the Sith Lord after Master Windu was struck down. Now his emotions were as tumultuous as the gullible fool convulsing beneath him. "I have commanded all remaining Separatist forces to converge on the source of this rebellion." Anakin wailed, the full impact of Sidious' double dealings finally crushing his spirit. He was hit by another volley of lightning. "You and I shall personally see to the success of this final task, Lord Vader, or your wife...will die."

 

CHAPTER 2

"To Kamino we must go."
-Jedi Master Yoda to the crew of the Sundered Heart


​

The Separatist Navy was committing suicide. Its fleets recklessly engaged the Republic’s armada, quickly creating a vast ring of twisted metal around Kamino. Countless T–series tactical droids deactivated themselves rather than contribute to the folly. The planet boasted the best air defense system in the galaxy, and even with the element of surprise the CIS had no hope of conquering it.

With all the burning Dreadnoughts and round Core ships falling into orbit a few smaller vessels were bound to slip through the strained defenses. Magnadroids and B2s soon aimlessly swarmed pockets of Tipoca City, albeit without making any significant advances. Other cities fared worse, but mostly due to chance collisions with debris. Despite their numbers the Separatists were not trying to win. They were nothing more than a diversion for one downward careening shuttle.

Lama Su impatiently listened to the military chatter being spewed around him. He was no soldier, but as Prime Minister Lama Su was obligated to stay on the surface and observe first-hand how the clones conducted the battle without Jedi or detained officers like Ortasil giving them orders. How little they needed others telling them what to do made Lama Su anxious.

Lama Su looked out the window of the command center. Below him was a hanger mostly emptied of its sleek ARC-170s. Beyond the hanger's blast shields was a blanket of rain that totally obscured the battle going on above them. More Republic Cruisers were on their way; until they arrived Lama Su would have to find something to entertain himself

Clones began to comment on the ETA shuttle headed their way. The Republic Identification Codes it broadcasted were up to date so it was allowed to make an emergency landing inside the hanger. A few guards were sent to escort its passengers to safety.

The shuttle's bay doors took a few moments to open. Two hooded figures slowly emerged from it. Lama Su body stiffened. They looked like Jedi. Clones began to hurriedly enter and exit the command center.

The hoods were removed. The younger man seemed to be wracked by fever. The haggard old fiend with him was like no Jedi Lama Su had ever encountered. A taunting smile flashed across his wrinkled face when he and Lama Su locked eyes. Was that Palpatine? Impossible.

Suddenly the two figures were slashing at the clones in the hanger. They moved with preternatural speed as though propelled by a dark vortex of anger. Lama Su turned away from the carnage. He motioned to one of the newly arrived clones.

"Do you have Fett's genetic sample?"

"Yes, my lord."

"Give it to me. Send the cadets to defend the DNA room. That will buy us some time. If their position is overrun before reinforcements arrive I order you to initiate the auto destruct sequence."

"It will be done my lord."

"Good. Taun We, come with me." Blast doors began to seal themselves. The crisscrossing corridors the Kaminoans hurried down were bathed in grey emergency lights. "Is the bunker ready to detach?" The muffle explosions outside sounded closer now. Taun We wondered if they were being caused by missile bombardments or the arrival of more invaders.

"I am speaking to you, Taun We."

"Forgive me, the bunker will launch-"

Taun We lost her footing, then shrieking she skitted backwards as though something unseen was using its teeth to drag her away. Lama Su knew he couldn't save his assistant from force users so without a moment to lose Lama Su dived under the nearest blast door, abandoning her.

Not far behind, Darth Sidious enjoyed lopping off Taun We's head. He cackled when 'Vader' looked away appalled. Skywalker had lost the strength of will that had allowed him to stomach such atrocities.Without will-power Skywalker was no Sith, only another thrall.

Sidious' apprentice got to work carving the blast doors open with his lightsaber. After a obstacle or two they reached a large rotunda. In one direction Sidious could sense Lama Su running for his life. In the other...a presence the Dark Lord had not expected.

Sidious stopped his pursuit. Lama Su would escape, and with him the genetic sample would sink past Sidious' reach. No genetic sample meant no biological weapon to eliminate the rebel threat once and for all . Sidious let himself feel frustrated. He would need that anger for the battle to come.

"I had not expected you to come here, Master Yoda" Sidious jeered, "especially not to defend those who helped me burn your temple to the ground."

"Pawns they were. Pawns we all were." Yoda looked disappointingly at Anakin. The fallen Jedi shrunk from his gaze.

"Ah, have you noticed my new apprentice, Yoda? He is nothing like that weakling, Dooku. In time Lord Vader will be stronger than the both of us."

"Hmmm." Anakin refused to make eye contact with the diminutive Jedi. There was great self loathing in the boy's heart but no seeds of redemption.

"Such terrible pain I see in you, Skywalker. At fault for this I partly am. You to be trained I should never have allowed."

Sidious laughed. A single tear rolled down Anakin's cheek.

Yoda's expression of pity had been twisted into a insult. Yoda scowled and casted aside his cane. "Another opponent he shall face. Delay no more, Emperor. No-one left to fight for you there is."

Yoda was right. Vader was gone; in his place was a cowed child. An apprentice like that would only get in the way. Sidious scowled at Anakin, then at Yoda. "So be it...Jedi."

The two Masters leapt at each other. Yoda had the initial advantage. "Misjudged you have, the nature of the Dark Side. Chaos, not control it brings." Darth Sidious responded with a howl. Sparks flew as their fury -one righteous, one perverse- thoughtlessly drove them deeper into the facility.


Anakin didn't watch them go. His eyes remained glued to the floor. He didn't want to look at the man who'd come to kill him.

“Obi Wan”

"Oh, Anakin, What have you done?" Obi Wan stepped into view. His face was resolute but also rueful and grief stricken.

"What I had to, master."

"Betray the Republic? Join the Sith? Look around you, Anakin. Palpatine has lost control. There’s no reason to follow him anymore!"

"I need him, Obi Wan!"

"Why Anakin? Why?! You were like my brother!"

Anakin glared at his former master. A shiver ran through Obi Wan's spine when he saw the sickly yellow hue of Anakin's irises.

"Stop Anakin! It’s not too late. I can sense your suffering. You don’t want this."

"I don’t have a choice."

"No! You always have a choice!"

Anakin charged at Obiwan with everything he had. Blue blade struck blue blade. Obiwan spun to the side, and assumed Form III. A defensive stance would be needed while Anakin's pent up rage burned itself out.

Meanwhile Yoda pressed his attack. "At an end your rule is, and not short enough it was." Sidious leered at Yoda. "I am not defeated yet." He drunk in the fumes of Anakin's unspent fury. Perhaps his apprentice would be a worthy asset after all. "Your arrogance blinds you, master Yoda." Sidious chuckled. "As does your compassion."

Cadets ran up firing at both of them. Sidious deflected the bolts at the cadets while Yoda dodged. Yoda had a decision to make. He could either retreat and allow Sidious to escape, or he could battle his way through a throng of indoctrinated children.

Yoda chose neither. He made himself calm, then levitated the candidates off the ground and lobbed them into a storage room. Using the force Yoda sealed the storage room's door.

In the meantime Sidious had hidden himself somewhere in the shadows. Yoda followed his malevolent aura into a large chamber. Yoda remembered that this was the Clone hatchery. Without warning force lightning illuminated the room.

Sidious loomed over the baby tanks. "Behold power, Yoda." Sidious lowered his spindly fingers and in an instant thousands upon thousands of innocents began to boil.

Yoda reeled. "POWER!!!" A wound had just been carved into the living force, and Darth Sidious was growing intoxicated on it. One clone tank shattered, then another and another. A panel exploded by Sidious' ear, throwing him off balance and sending him hurtling towards the ground.

A cadet had initiated the auto destruct sequence. Obi Wan and Anakin scrambled to the roof, exchanging blows as they jumped up broken pillars. Sidious fired bursts of energy that broke through ceilings and walls. Before long all four of them were outside. For once the rain had stopped. The blanket of clouds over the planet had dissipated, revealing the great war still raging in the sky.

Yet again Anakin struggled to breath. The stench of murder on Sidious reminded him of what had happened to the temple younglings. Kenobi stepped back, grateful for the respite. Anakin had never wanted to destroy the Jedi. He had wanted to save his wife, but looking at what Palpatine had become made Anakin realize no help would come from such a monster.

Anakin staggered, and sensing a non lethal means to end their duel Obi Wan quickly sliced off Anakin's organic hand. The Chosen One collapsed. Anakin could have fought through the agony and gotten up, but he didn't. Instead he watched Sidious be repeatedly stabbed through the gut.

Everything went quiet. A legion of Republic Cruisers emerged out of hyperspace and summarily smashed their CIS foes. Darth Sidious crumpled to the floor, then with great difficulty began to crawl towards his apprentice. Sidious wanted to make sure his last words were heard.
"You have failed me, Skywalker. *Cough* When the children are born your daughter shall be the first to die."

The world was loud again, filled with deafening explosions and rippling terror.

"I HATE YOU!!" Anakin screamed.

Obi Wan silenced the Sith Lord before he could make matters worse. Yoda closed his eyes grateful.

Obiwan looked down at his former padawan. He tried to remember him as he once was. “I didn’t know. I’m so sorry.” Anakin started to sob.

Numerous Star Destroyers entered the atmosphere. The somberness in the air let Obi Wan know why they had come.

"What now, Master Yoda?"

"The Sith are no more. Accomplished our mission we have. " Yoda exuded a sense of relief. "There is no death-"

Filled with serenity by Yoda's example, Obi Wan deactivated his lightsaber.

"-Only The Force."

Jedi and Sith alike disappeared in a blaze of laser fire.

 

I have two more chapters ready to go but it looks like you guys don't like it.

 

I do! Although I'm fervently hoping you haven't in fact, just killled off Obi-wan and Yoda (and the Traitor, too)...