Chapter 337 - Undercurrents Of The War

Two days later, Thrawn was transferred to a prison in Coruscant. During transportation, the convoy was attacked. There were no survivors, and the Chiss disappeared. However, that left both Republic and Separatist baffled, since neither of them were responsible for the attack. With a little pressure from high places, the matter was quickly forgotten.

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"Where am I?"

Thrawn sounded more curious than anything as the blindfold was taken off of him. He blinked, and saw someone wearing a blood-red armor in front of him, carrying an electrostaff. He raised an eyebrow. That was a Senate Guard.

"Where you are, my dear friend, does not matter. What will be made of you should be your main concern."

A hooded figure emerged from the darkness, chuckling. Thrawn had already guessed who it was, and was both shocked and impressed.

"Who would have thought that the one controlling everything was none other than the incorruptible chancellor of the Galactic Republic. So, what are you? A Jedi? A Sith? Or something else?"

Chancellor Palpatine smiled knowingly, sending shivers down Thrawn's spine. Black shadows appeared in his mind, craving for blood and death. After what seemed like an eternity, he was left sweating profusely, his composed demeanor nowhere to be seen. He had faced a little of what clones went through every night, and it was too much for him.

"You... What do you want from me?"

"Kakakaka... Your submission, General Thrawn. The Clone Wars are coming to an end. Soon, a new ruler shall lead this galaxy. Republic and Separatist are nothing but children fighting in a playground. Only with an iron fist can one truly command all. The time for the Galactic Empire is approaching. Kakaka!"

The Chiss felt his blood boil in excitement. He knew he was being partially controlled and influenced by Chancellor Palpatine - who he now was sure was a Sith - but that was also the opportunity he had been searching for his entire life. A chance to be an important piece on the writing of history. His name would be remembered, forever.

"So, are you with me? Are you willing to become my general?"

"Your words will be my commands, my lord."

"Good, good... Our time is approaching, my general. We will do great things. Kakakakaka..."

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Count Dooku woke from his meditation frowning. The Force was unusually clouded these days.

He knew Darth Sidious's plans and aspirations from the start, which was why he was responsible for setting up and starting the war. However, things were getting way out of hand. He feared his master might be thinking about disposing of him.

One thing was certain, however. The Republic was walking towards it's downfall, and he would be there to witness it. And, with it, the time of the hateful Jedi Order was coming to an end. Soon, Sith would rule the galaxy, what they should have been doing for millions of years.

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In a falling apart deposit in Coruscant, Ventress turned off her lightsaber. Around her, twenty or thirty outlaws had made the mistake of thinking she was an easy prey. They all laid dead, most of them in pieces.

It was at that moment that she felt a strong disturbance in the Force. She could feel the dark side calling her, becoming stronger by the minute. However, instead of the smile usually would appear, a frown took her face.

There was too much she didn't know, and no one she could trust. Once more she was alone in the galaxy, betrayed by those she trusted.

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"Uhmm... Wrong, something is..."

"But what? I've never seen the Force this foggy before."

"Into the future pry, we must not. Dangerous it is. Uhmm... Very dangerous, indeed."

"We must prepare for whatever is coming."

"Prepare to the unknown, impossible is. Trust ourselves, we will have to."

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Darth Maul and his companion, Savage Oppress, were observing their lackeys move crates full of contraband around when they felt the surge on the Force. A grotesque smile touched both of their lips.

"Soon the galaxy will be engulfed in chaos, brother. Then, and only then, it will be our time to rule the underworld. Kakakaka..."

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On the other side of Coruscant, Ahsoka Tano roamed around aimlessly. After the treacherous Bariss Offee tried to blame her for the Jedi Temple bombing, she was shocked by the lack of trust her fellow Jedis had in her. Even her master, Anakin Skywalker, thought she was the culprit.

Like Ragout, she was part of the new generation of Jedis, trained and raised amidst war. She placed a lot of importance on trust and camaraderie, which she learned from the clones. And, if the Jedi Order didn't trust her, she didn't know if she could trust them.

Devastated, she left the Jedi Order, searching for her own path, to become something else. Something better. She too felt the waves on the Force, but that wasn't her problem anymore.

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Ragout spun his lightsaber, and cut off the front legs of a Crab-droid, crippling it. After that, he used the Force to pull three B1 units forward, which immediately were shot by Dab. Then, as he advanced, carving a path through the seppies, Hell Squad followed closely, always in sync with him. After so many battles, they knew each other's thoughts and tactics inside-out, and were able to work together without even the need of saying anything.

Suddenly, the Togruta stopped, and put his hands on his head, seemingly in pain. Dageer looked at Brain before gesturing with his head. Together, they stood in front of the Jedi, making a wall to protect him while they waited for whatever was happening to end.

It didn't take too long. Ragout deflected two lasers to the side, and hid behind the remains of a fallen building. Dageer followed him, while Hell Squad continued clearing the surroundings.

"What did you feel, general?"

"I-I... I saw the future... I think."

Dageer raised an eyebrow. Even for a Jedi, peeking into the future out of nowhere seemed a bit unrealistic.

"Good future or bad future?"

"I don't know. I saw flashes... Death... A shadow, a laugh. A hand clad in black armor wielding a red lightsaber. I felt... Pain, betrayal. But also... A child's laugh. Happiness, but after much sadness and destruction. And..."

The clone was stunned. Some of the things his general saw were too similar to the nightmares clones had. Uncomfortably similar.

"And?"

"I saw master. His face... He was worried, but also relieved. I am not sure what all that means. But we have to do something."

Dageer was silent for a few seconds, and just stared at the Jedi. He seemed genuinely shocked. Most probably seeing the future had unsettled him. Well, it would unsettle anyone.

"We will worry about the future when it comes, general."

Ragout looked at him, and nodded. As always, the clone was right. Whatever everything he saw meant, they would discover later. Besides, the future isn't set on stone. It might not even happen.

"All right, Dageer. But let's finish this quickly. I need to go back to meditate on it."

He could feel the commander putting a grin on his face as he spoke. After that, Dageer got up, already firing at the droids, and speaking on his comlink.

"Listen up, lads! I'm tired, so let's wrap this up, and kick the seppies back to their sh.i.p.s!"

"Uhaaa!"