Hey fans...surprise! Here's a new photo novel series airing on the Photonovelempire.blogspot.com!
On Coruscant, the head quarters of the Republic. Death and chaos has irrupted.
At the Jedi Temple, the 501st Clone Legion has sacked the home of the Jedi, the men and women who the clones swore to fight and die with careless of their deaths.
As a patrol of clones searches for more Jedi, the commanding officer comes upon two mutilated bodies.
"They're dead," the clone growled, "both of them..."
"...the burnt flesh are still bubbling, the Jedi is close."
"Now I understand why we're after these guys. Hypocrites."
"Well you're right about one thing," the clone stated through the helmet,
"The Jedi is very close..."
"He's right here."
In a flash the clone shoots down the commanding officer...
Before the second could react, the soldier fires another shot into the clone's chest!
The Clone shares a moment of reckoning with his dead brothers. He never thought he'd see the day he would have to kill his own brothers.
The Clone removed his helmet from his face, a face that had been cloned numerous times. One in a million and yet, a million in one. He was like all his brothers and yet, he was different. He had the Force. Trained as a Jedi after being trained as a Clone, Deven fought the Clone War on almost every front as both soldier and noble warrior. But nothing prepared him for what is happening now.
Meeting at the rendezvous point within the dark halls of the temple, Deven speculated how his arrival would be greeted.
The last hopes for the Jedi Order's survival were all present in one room. Deven wasn't sure if it would be their undoing, or the Order's saving.
"How many were able to bring down?" Mon Calamari Jedi Bant Erin queried, her bulbous head wrinkling with worry,
"Only two, but the patrol was drawn away from a much larger group because of a couple of dead clones."
"He must be sent out again." Seenu Denali grumbled,
"We apologize, Deven," Yena Shavar stated, "but it is because your a clone we must continue this strategy."
"Wampa fodder!" Zogar growled, "we should aproach this differently and trust our instincts instead of a clone's! How do we know he's not screwing us like the rest of 'em?!"
"Zogar's right," Zatt agreed, "It is because of the Clones and that hooded figure leading them that I lost my hands. I am a liability, perhaps we can use it to our advantage."
"We will not use the future of the Jedi as bait." Gaina Mlackar responded firmly, "Mast Minch is the oldest of us and has dealt with many dark Jedi in the past, let him advise us."
"Young I was," Minch reminded, "a fool I was. My past...of no use it is to this present."
"The mind of a Clone we need to survive. Their instincts and use of strategy, our safe haven it is."
"How approach this, would you?" Minch questioned Deven,
"Don't any of of us understand? This place, this temple is our home, and we're doing nothing to stop it. Do we forsake our fallen brothers by bickering and arguing or do we fight to the death to reclaim what we built?"
"But how?" Fadar Trebor questioned, "The clone army is too many, led by a powerful Dark Jedi."
"We break up into teams," Tannernan Petrus responded, "Go room to room, hall to hall and slowly but surely take back the temple!"
"Nonsense, we continue what we have been doing!" Reegur Monarhk answered,
"Are you kidding, Reegur?!" the raging Jedi growled, "We should attack the source: the Dark Force-user! We kill him for killing our own!"
"But Zogar, that wreaks of revenge: the way of the Dark Side!" Gaina warned, Zogar was persistant,
"Gaina, they killed our friends...our family! We are guardians of peace and justice, and true justice would be to kill 'em all!"
"Zogar is right!" Seenu proclaimed,
The Jedi all around Deven began to quarrel over strategy. The clone then realized that the Order was gone a long time ago. Then a blaster shot went off...
The 501st Legion found them.
"Leave no survivors! Shoot to kill!" Captain Rex shouted over the blaster fire,
"No!" cried Denali as he was tagged just as Yena drew her light saber!
Following the three deaths, Bant Erin is also gunned down, and the bodies only multiply.
"Compromised we are!" Minch sobbed, "Surrender we do, stop the killing!" just as Bant's corpse collapses onto the small Jedi Master.
"For the Jedi!" Zogar growled brandishing his crimson light saber!
Zogar's outcry is followed by Yena's death.
As the blasters fly and light sabers twirl, Deven ducks for cover. He is not going to die, no matter what he must survive. For the Jedi.
"Traitors!" the young Tannernan cried out, just as a streak of blood red light tore into his flesh!
Then there seemed to be a moment of eerie silence, Deven's ears rang but the noise seemed to be nonexistent. His emotions seemed clouded, but then instincts kicked in.
Deven leaped to his feet and shot down another one of his beloved kin. But he was too late, Tannernan was dead.
But Deven wasn't, Zogar and Minch they weren't. As long as the Jedi were around there was a kindle of hope.
Zogar is dead.
Rex then twirled at his next target: his brother!
The two brothers were at a standstill. Rex tightened his grip with unstoppable determination, Deven swallowing his darkened emotions.
"Put the gun down, Deven," Rex commanded, "don't make me destroy you."
"There is no death...only the Force." Deven responded,
"You gotta be kidding me, Deven." Rex sighed, "These people you're dying for: they're the traitors."
"You, and your men murdered them in cold blood, they did nothing!" Deven countered,
"Don't you see what they've done to you? They've brainwashed you!" Rex exclaimed, "Deven...they killed our dad, they attempted to kill the Chancellor. We are the saviors! But...if you are so convinced, then so be it..."
"You're not my brother!"
Rex growled in disappointment, but these are tough times. Tough times call for hard decisions. But killing Jedi Master Guardian Minch won't be one of those decisions.
"Extinguish the light you may," Minch sobbed, "but the dark cannot long survive without it."
"Crazy hermit."
Just then, a dark figure flowed into the tomb of the dead.
"You have done well, Captain." the grim voice bellowed,
"Just like old times, Anakin." Rex smiled under the helmet, the figures bright orange eyes shot back at Rex violently,
"That name.....is no longer of any meaning to me. I am Darth Vader!" the Sith Lord growled,
"...Yes...sir."
Deven was almost sure that he was dead...
But he wasn't. It was his destiny not to be.
He felt the Force command him. He picked up his fallen Jedi's weapon, obeying his passion. Vader is his target.
TO BE CONTINUED!
