101. Immortal

“For a long time, I think I looked at Jedi with a sense of awe. They were masters in diplomacy, healing, and all manner of knowledge, to say nothing of their skills and leadership in battle. A few even skirted the line between dark and light, as I did. To hold such power at the tips of their fingers and yet use it so judiciously, so sparingly… That, to me, was the true mark of a good person…”

Giving ground was one of the hardest things for the young wolf-dog to do, but if he wanted to live to see another day, it had to be done. The line was holding, but flesh could fail and even a strong will could shatter. Against the unfeeling, unflinching droids of the Separatists, the native Loyalists were beginning to falter. Even backed by several companies, when the army in front of them showed no sign of stopping, many soldiers sank into despair and ran. Jace couldn't blame them even if he'd wanted to; the oncoming ranks of droids were of far greater concern to him.

Though he was stationed on a ridge overlooking the loyalist line, his position was far from secret. The only thing that had kept him from being blown to pieces several times that day was the rock beneath him. This planet's terrain seemed uniquely suited to absorbing or deflecting blaster fire. So far, it had been a deterrent to the Separatists, as the Loyalists had prepared strings of fortifications surrounding their vital bases, cities and space ports. but strong defenses and heavy firepower could only hold up to swarming enemies for so long. One by one, the outer ring of fortifications fell, and soon the forward air bases were coming under indirect fire from Separatist cannons. The only reserve regiment of clones had been divided amongst these crucial bases as a last ditch effort to stem the tide, but with little success. Wherever one base held the line, its neighbor seemed to weaken by comparison; they either surrendered or were quickly overwhelmed. A few of the outer bases still held on, but already they were running out of ammunition and were calling for reinforcements or evacuation.

As Jace pumped the trigger on his rifle, he mused that even the rank-and-file clones should have known better. There were no reinforcements to be had, and what few transports the Republic had managed to scrape together would almost certainly be used to evacuate the upper echelon and their families. If there was still room available, they might try to pull out the clones, but already that was doubtful. In all likelihood, the entire Loyalist line laid out before him would be dead or captured within the hour.

Over the din of the battle, he heard one of the clone commanders call out, "Fall back! Fall back!"

Then, as if on cue, a Republican gunship roared overhead and a single figure leapt out to land amidst the startled clones and Loyalists. It was impossible not to recognize the obi and tunic of a Jedi. The wolverine's green lightsaber hissed to life. "Hold your positions!" he shouted. "Hold your positions!"

For a few moments, he stood on the rampart, deflecting laser bolts and sending them streaking back toward the droids. Then, he thrust his lightsaber forward as a fencer would his blade, and roared, "Charge!"

Without another word, he leapt over the ramparts and rushed straight at the droids. At first, their fire slackened, as though they couldn't believe what they were seeing any more than their Loyalist counterparts. Then, their firing re-doubled, but for once it was not directed at the Loyalist lines, and it was just the break that they needed. First in ones and twos, then in sections, and in short order the entire line was up and running, shouting and screaming and firing. The droids, which had been programmed to focus on any Jedi that came into their sights, could not turn their guns to the Loyalists before they were cut down. And soon, what started in one section of the line spread to others, and before long the entire Republican line was running headlong at the Separatists.

Soon to be out-ranged and not wanting to be left behind, Jace scrambled down the rock outcropping and took off after the advancing Loyalists and their clone advisors. When he thought he was close enough, he called out that he was coming up behind them. He slipped into the line of advancing Loyalists that were now walking slowly and deliberately forward as they fired. To Jace, it was a wonder that none of them had been killed yet, but he quickly realized that though the droids were well-armed and well-armored, they had a fatal flaw: Without real-time commands from their ranks, they were all but paralyzed when the right thing caught their attention.

The Jedi that had galvanized the floundering defenders stood in the midst of the droid army, his lightsaber carving a path through the army. It seemed that no one and nothing could stop him from continuing all the way through them to the command ship in the back. The clones and their Loyalist counterparts pressed on, clambering over the shattered hulks of battle droids.

Jace's section of the line soon took on a faster pace, and as they pressed forward toward the edge of the droid ranks, several dozen of them suddenly turned their guns on Jace's section. Most were quickly dispatched, but as Jace switched targets, his rifle jammed. Cursing, he slung it aside and drew his sidearm as he heard the droid buzz, "Target acquired." Before he could bring his pistol to bear, the wolverine was suddenly in front of him, deflecting the incoming blaster blots back at the droids. In a matter of seconds, he had carved a path 30 yards deep in the droid line, and rushed ahead again to keep the fire on him.

As the Loyalists and clones continued on, Jace dropped behind, patting himself to be sure he was really alright. Watch the rag-tag army route the best the Separatists could throw at them, he reflected that perhaps he was not as needed as he liked to think, and quietly trudged back to his ship. The clones stationed as a rear guard all but ignored him.

Whether awed by the Loyalists charge, the prowess of their Jedi general, or simply fearing their own demise, the Separatists yielded the planet shortly after their assault crumbled.

"... There was no way I should have come out of there alive, but I did, and it was all because of one man with a lightsaber. After all that, I was convinced that a Jedi could never die. I wish that I had been right."

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This is easily my worst prompt response so far, but I suppose that's what happens when you rush things... Oh well. 4 down, 296 to go. Thanks for keeping up with me, guys!