Sorry for the wait everybody, did not want to post anything till I had some real meaty content to roll out. I’m hoping (but not absolutely promising) to finish the second half of the big climax next time, with one or two updates for the post battle epilogue stuff. Without further ado, the conclusion of Episode II continues:
Skywalker is shocked silent for a few moments, looking at Crayde with disbelief, muttering that there’s no way they could have done this. Draezin clarifies that its remarkable what one can salvage from a crash site on Tatooine; parts, weapons, and even a small sample of blood from an injured Jedi. He looks the clone over. “Its a crude one of course, no brain scan for complete reproduction, but I think it’ll do.” He takes step back, stares a hole through Anakin, and utters a single command.
“Go.” At that the Kenobi double activates not one, but two blue lightsabers and lunges towards Anakin.
Back on the streets, Phakerem’s forces strike first, with small bits of debris telekinetically thrown towards the Nellith and company, with most cut down and the others doing little damage. The initial soldiers on both sides clash in a storm of sabers and gauntlets as Mandalorian shocktroopers don’t hesitate in joining the fray. Very quickly the fighting shifts as Jedi on both sides Force jump to levels of varying height, transforming it into an outright three dimensional engagement.
Some distance away 81 asks Darelda if she’s sure about this plan. She tells the droid they’re in enemy sights either way, they might as well make themselves small targets of ships than big targets of soldiers. He nods and tells her to hold on tight as she clings tightly on his back. With forceful but precise movements HX begins to punch small holes in the side of the building to climb it, gradually carrying himself and Organa up.
Fighting close to each other, Nellith and Obi-Wan work together in perfect sync as both fight off Mandalorian shocktroopers. The former shows off better skill with a lightsaber than the latter, even demonstrating small but significant use of telekinesis in conjunction with the blade. During a small break from the fighting, the two spot Phakerem not too far away with her clones taking out several Jedi. After a beat the General’s eyes meet Ben’s and she quickly gestures to her forces to move in. Koryusa and Kenobi ready themselves, as the camera focuses in on the small sparks coming from her fingers.
All over Coruscant the larger battle rages on as Republic ships and troops begin landing on the planetary population centers en mass, with Coalition ships and mixed regiments of Mandalorians as well as clones scrambling to form defenses against them. His ship within the atmosphere but still far from the surface, Bail Organa orders massive bombardments and specific artillery attacks. The latter proves immediately effective against the still largely immobilized and ill placed planetary artillery.
Cut to Skywalker just barely dodging swings of the Kenobi clone’s blades and rolling away. The replicated Jedi adjusts his movements and starts to get in close. Nik is still trying to make sense of this. “Listen Ben, if there’s any part of you that’s like the man I know, you know this is wrong. Whatever they’ve tried to make you, you can fight it.” The clone responds with another attack, this time a horizontal and vertical swing of his two lightsabers, which comes within a hair of cutting Nik as he dodges to the ground.
This is only a momentary reprieve as the clone continues to stalk after him. Thinking quickly and still not on his feet Anakin attempts to pull the lightsabers from his enemy’s grip, yet the Kenobi creation holds on, using the Force himself to keep them in hand. The attempted disarming makes him more aggressive as he attempts to stab Skywalker outright with both blades as the latter desperately rolls away to avoid each thrust. Each move gets him closer and closer to the edge of the roof.
Cut to 81 continuing his ascent on the building, slowing down only when they begin to get fired on from the ground. Darelda will have none of that, holding onto the droid one armed while she uses the other to grab her blaster and fire at their attacker, hitting them after several attempts. The coast now clear, he resumes the climb.
Back below Phakerem and company are finally close to their prey. At first it appears she’s going to say something to them, but instead merely smiles and attacks. Before her forces can overwhelm him, Koryusa moves in with her defense, immediately taking out one of them before they can react. Ben remains focused on the General, his mood much more combative since their last battle on Alderaan; contrasting with her more controlled and confident manner. Not concerned about the odds still being two on one, Nellith engages both of the clone Jedi left, clearly anticipating many of their moves.
Its a different story for Skywalker who is forced back to the edge of the roof by the clone, both lightsabers pushing inching closer and closer. Crayde watches nearby clearly enjoying himself and awaiting the Jedi to either be cut to pieces or fall to his death. Now close enough the created Obi-Wan raises both sabers and readies his attack as Anakin looks back and forth between him and the distant ground below
Before the killing blow can be made, a blaster rings out a shot which the clone instinctively deflects with the blade in his right hand. Its a perfect distraction however as Anakin knocks the other saber out of his hand and while it flies in the air, pulls it to himself, turning the odds even. An infuriated Crayde looks to the source of the shot and sees a bit of Carima as she hides back behind the ship debris. Eye practically twitching, he grabs his own blaster and fiercely moves to deal with her. Some of his confidence back, Nik readies himself as he and the clone clash.
The clash on the surface continues with the General finally speaking to Ben, mockingly saying as she battles that he should be happy given that the galaxy will have Knights to protect it once again. Emotions only somewhat restrained he angrily asks how many sentient lives the Coalition will enslave, how many twisted creations will they make before Phakerem and her like are satisfied. She iterates that they’ve done what the Mandalorian’s have always done in turning the weak into the strong.
As they battle she continues, pointing out the clones are what the warriors of the Force should be, what they were always meant to be. Obi-Wan doesn’t hide his disgust, saying all the Coalition’s done is corrupt the innocent. Nearly striking him with her gauntlet, she corrects him that they exist to fix everything wrong with the galaxy; “the people, the state…” She gestures to several of Kenobi’s dead allies, “…even Jedi.”
From her spot, Darelda watches aghast as she sees various Jedi cut down in the fighting, eventually unable to keep watching and turning away. As she holds her head in hand, though unsaid, its clear from her face this battle has changed something in her.
Circumstances have changed for Nellith who finds herself encircled by now half a dozen clones with lightsabers in hand. She glances around and sees no allies close, including Obi-Wan some distance away now. Seeing how wholly surrounded she is, Korusya knows there’s only one option. With a deep breath she closes her eyes and holds up her lightsaber above her head with one hand. While her foes initially hesitate, they soon move in for the kill.
Right when they are within striking distance, a sudden flash of blue lightning comes from her hand striking all of them and throwing the entire group to the ground. Quick cut to her eyes which show a slight discoloration not there before. The following wide shot shows the clones not quite recovering, abundantly not ready for this display of the Force. It gets the attention of Ben and Phakerem, both shocked by what they just witnessed. She gives him the briefest of contemptuous looks before running towards Nellith to deal with the Jedi herself, Kenobi quickly following.
The clone is still giving Anakin a fight, even as both men are armed. That and the worry about what’s happened to Carima keeps him in a stalemate against the created Obi-Wan, neither man giving up any ground. When he takes his attention briefly away to see what in the debris Draezin just fired at, he nearly loses his hand from a close swing, leaving his wrist somewhat grazed. Instinctively, he jumps back to regroup.
This is unnoticed by Carima who carefully shuffles from one destroyed pile to another, doing everything to avoid Draezin’s sight. When Nivir spots him, back turned she readies her sidearm to hit him, only for his blaster shot to hit the pile of debris near her, causing some of it to fall over and almost crushing her. She soon hears his footsteps coming towards her and Carima makes a run for it.
Hearing Crayde in the distance shout at her (with sadistic anticipation) to show herself as “Skywalker deserves a show before he goes!”, proves to be to much for Nik. Eyes furious at the clone now charging towards him and fist clenched, the enraged and frustrated Jedi screams “Stop!” To his complete shock his enemy does just that, confusedly halting, just out of lightsaber range. This baffles Anakin at first, before he quickly comprehends what’s going on.
Peace coming back to him he relucantly deactivates his lightsaber, waves his free hand, and calmly states “You don’t want to fight me.” The clone doesn’t nod, but does seemingly understand. Skywalker follows with commands that the Jedi are not their enemy, that he should deactivate his weapon, and put it down. Its seemingly effective, yet before the replicated Ben can go through with the latter order, he hesitates. Within a few seconds, the clone’s hands start shaking and Anakin sees the man’s eyes begin to twitch.
Nik repeats the command, though its clear something has gone wrong with the created Obi-Wan, who stressfully holds the side of his head and is seemingly at war with himself in the act of giving up the lightsaber. Skywalker takes this chance to get close, but the other man holds up his weapon in defense, some part of him still in attack mode. Falling to his knees, the clone struggles to compose himself and for the first time looks up, not with murderous determination or confusion, but desperation and madness. Anakin anxiously moves away and checks on the Jedi in the streets.
Cut to Phakerem catching up with Nellith who upon seeing the infamous Mandalorian quickly engages her. The two meet each ferocious strike with their own ferocious strike, as gauntlet and lightsaber hit one another hard. The general gets out a quick remark on her making for a better clone than Kenobi, with Koruysa remaining silent. Ben himself then arrives just as the previously electrocuted clone Jedi begin to recover in the background.
Already realizing they’ll soon be surrounded once more, Nellith moves herself away, and readies her lightning again, only for Obi-Wan to tell her no. She looks at the younger Jedi defiant, and he implores her that the Dark Side can’t win this. She roars that they don’t have a choice, as there’s no other way. “Its this and we live, or nothing and we die.” Even as Phakerem and clones start to come forward, he yells there has to be another way. She is unconvinced. “Like what?”
Kenobi gets his answer as he looks above and sees Anakin’s skyscraper in the distance. On that building, Skywalker is in fact looking in his general direction and immediately we see the Force connection between the two reestablished, as Nik says quietly to himself and his mentor: “Mind trick Ben, the mind trick.” With a slow turn back towards Phakerem and her clones, Obi-Wan quietly understands.