PROLOGUE
Part 4
The Sith quickly made his way to Qui-Gon and Thomas, his light saber drawn and aimed at cutting the medical officers head. Thomas hears the Siths speeder and turns around to see him, he cuts Thomas on his cheek but fails to kill him. Qui-Gon releases a ball of Force energy at the speeder, the vehicle and its rider spin uncontrollably in the air before falling to the ground and blowing up.
"Get up, now! Take the child away from here and do not turn back! " Qui-Gon as he grabs Thomas by the arm and brings him back to his feet. He then turns on his light saber and gets in his fighting stance.
"What do you mean? There's no way he could have survived that! " Suddenly the Sith exits the flames, most of his cloak burned off revealing most of his upper torso, it is also covered in black tattoos and dozens of scars all over his body.
"I must admit, I did not expect you two to survive this long, my master would be very disappointed in me, but there's still plenty of time to rectify that. " The Sith finally spoke, his voice raspy and sounds almost like some one yelling in a tunnel, a dark echo coming after every word spoken.
"Your master? "
"You dont need to worry yourself with that Jedi, because, hehe, niether of you will leaving this planet allive! " His eyes widened with a maniacal smirk running across his face, he turned on the second light saber on his hilt and lept into the air, he then fire a Force push from beneath his feet and landed in between them like a rocket, he then used another telekinetic blast to push the medical officer and Jedi away from each other.
Thomas rolled around the floor but quickly got his bearings, he grabbed his pistol and began firing at the Sith, none of his shots managed to hit him, he become frustrated when the Sith let of a small chuckle, clearly mocking at him.
Qui-Gon jumped behind the Sith kicking him in the head, the Sith turned his attention to Qui-Gon, they both stared each other down before leaping their blades clashing, they stayed that way for a moment before they started blazing around each other, Sith and Jedi attacking and each other without even flinching. Thomas began running deeper into the wood's realizing that he's only a burden.
Qui-Gon felt himself tiring quickly, his aging body could not keep up with the younger Sith who was clearly not even giving it his all. He tried to use more and more Force power to break through the Siths defense to no avail. Qui-Gon paused for a split second but the Sith only smirked and then began his barrage.
"Time to die, Jedi scum. "
The Sith began attacking Qui-Gon with all his physical and telekinetic power, Qui-Gon was a master, but his fightng style had only a few defensive movements, the Jedi found his heart racing and he could see that the Sith was just toying with him now, the Sith placed both his hands on his light saber and hit Qui-Gons, the impact was so massive it sent Qui-Gon flying through several trees. He hits the last one without breaking it.
"C-cant, pant, pant. " His last words before he fell unconscious, his body and spirit broken. The Sith took a moment to watch his enemy lie there completely destroyed, he relished in his victory before turning his attention to the fleeing medical officer. He used Force speed to hunt him down faster.
Thomas ran like a man possessed, not even looking back too see if he was being followed, he slowed down as his heart was racing and he needed to rest for a minute. He took his backpack off and looked to see if the baby was still safe, strangely the boy was asleep though it all, Thomas let out a small laugh and placed the backpack back in its place. That's when red light saber came crashing through the forest cutting down trees.
"Oh no....... " Thomas whispered to himself, realizing that Qui-Gon failed to beat the Sith, he fell on the ground and knelt below a nearby rock, it gave him enough shelter and a small vantage point to see where the Sith was coming from.
"Come out, come out where ever you are, little soldier, if you give me the boy I promise I wont hurt you... much. " He again made a smirk after the last word, he closed his eyes and began using the Force to senseThomas's position. Thomas once again took his back pack and started fiddling around with it just as he once again found himself in the air seemingly being choked by an invisible force.
"Wha-t did you d-o with Qu-i-Gon. " Thomas as he clenched his arms over his neck trying to ease the pain, but it wasn't working.
"Don't worry, hes alive, just barely, now the boy. " He used his left hand to make a small gesture, the backpack slips off Thomas's back and into the hands off, he opened the backpack to find a nasty surprise waiting for him. A grenade. Before the Sith could react, the explosive went off, the Sith fell on his back his body engulfed in flames and smoke.
"That's how us soldiers do things, you red skinned asshole. " Thomas ran back to the rock and found the boy still sleeping, he smiled to himself and placed the baby in his arms and returned to the beacon.
He returned to the clearing and checked the beacon, thankfully it was still functional, Thomas heard a rustle in the nearby bushes and found a wounded Qui-Gon slowly walking to him, his arm clutching his bleeding thigh.
"I am alright, but I would appreciate if you're squad could arrive soon. "
The shuttle did arrive, Kahlee and Anderson ran out and tended to Qui-Gons wounds, they carried him and the baby into the shuttle.
"Man, Tom you look like hammered shit. " Anderson patting Thomas on the back.
"Nice too see you too buddy. "
A red light saber came again cutting through the forest, this time no one noticed it until it passed byThomas's leg, cutting off just above the knee.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! " Thomas fell on the ground grabbing his wound with both hands, the injury was like some one had burned into his flesh, the end of his stump burning.
The Sith emerged from the forest his light saber drawn, he was heavily burned from the grenade, but his injuries did not seem to slow him down as he once again raced toward the soldiers, he managed to get close to Anderson just when a loud BOOM was heard. The Sith fell down on the ground, his head bleeding, Anderson turned to see Kahlee with her sniper rifle, the barrel still smoking from the fired bullet.
Anderson carried Thomas onto the shuttle, he was still screaming in pain and nearly unconscious, he grabbed Anderson by the collar and whispered in his ear.
"Get us to Hackett, don't tell anyone what happened and listen to the Jedi, do you understand me?! "
Anderson just nodded and watched his friend fall asleep. Thomas found himself back on Earth, with his wife Martha on a picknick, it was the day he proposed to her. She gasped in excitement and gently said. "Yes. " And kissed him on the lips.
He wakes up on a hospital bed, surrounded by several medical life support machines around him. His vision was still blurry but he could see that he was still on a ship, the equipment was not from a civilian hospital but military. His vision cleared up when some one entered the room. He immediately recognized the man as admiral Hackett.
"Good to see you're alright Tom, you've been out cold for a week now. "
"Thank you sir, wait? I've been out for a week?! What about the kid?! "
"Don't worry son, the boys safe and were keeping him a secret, you're friend, Qui-Gon told me about what happened down there... I'm sorry Thomas, we.... could save your leg in time. " He voice was low almost like a whisper.
Thomas slowly put his legs on the floor and saw that his right leg had been replaced by a robotic one. Hewasn't shocked, he heard about the cutting power of the light saber, still he couldn't believe that his leg was gone.
"Take me to the kid, we need to talk about what to do with him. "
"Of course, but you'll need this. " Hackett handed him a very simple wooden cane, nothing fancy but it did the job well. Hackett grabbed Thomas by his left arm while Thomas learned to handle himself with his cane on the right.
They both walked down a long hallway until they entered a room, it was the admirals own sleeping quarters, but they were not alone. Kahlee, Anderson, Qui-Gon and the baby were all there along with a small figure who was also hooded, he was sitting on a levitating chair. Thomas sat himself down on the only available seat smiled at his squad mates, he felt like crap but didn't want to worry them anymore.
"It is good to that you're still with us my friend. " Qui-Gon broke silence and smiled at the medical officer, hewasn't in such great shape either will bandages over his palms and face.
"Before we start, Tom I would like to introduce to Grandmaster of the Jedi Order, Yoda. "
The small figure took of his cloak, he was a green alien, to Thomas he looked like a small goblin from old fairy tales, he was very old by the looks of it but also there was something very powerful about him.
"Good too meet you it is, young master Wayne. " Tom made just made a large smile on his face and nodded at the master.
"Now Tom, you asked me to keep this boy a secret, Ive trusted you this far and I even got the Grandmaster of the Jedi here, but no we you have to tell us why all the secrecy. " Hackett went back to his trademark cool attitude.
"Sigh, there is a politician back on Earth called Donnell Udina, hes a power hungry tyrant who has been backstabbing his way to the top, I know that he would stop at nothing to get his hands on this boy and just use him as a tool to gain more political power. If Udina goes any further he might become head of the Alliance, we cannot let that happen. "
"But know you should that this boy powerful in the Force he is. "
What?! " Thomas just sat there shocked, he knew things had just gotten harder.
"Indeed and considering the Councils policy of locking up every Force user in camps on distant worlds, I recommend that they boy go with us, back to Coruscant. "
"No! I mean, sigh, I know that you two mean well, but I can't let this boy go, I made a vow to his father that I would take care of him and I will. "
"Don't be stupid Tom! I know Udina too and he wont stop as soon as they hear he's alive-" Thomas interrupted him.
"Then we say he died, well say that he died and since there are already rumors of my wife being pregnant, I could just take him with me and adopt him. "
"Vidothians are not only Force powerful, they can bend the elements, their strength 20 times that of any race, their intellect unparalleled, you cannot leave this boy unchecked. "
"I wont! I might not look it but Il train him, Il make sure he has the knowledge, skills and equipment to protect himself, Il keep him inline and I will make sure nothing happens to him, but if something ever does.... "
"Welcome he will be in the Jedi Order. " Everyone looked at Yoda with shock, they didn't expect him to show such kindness to a complete stranger.
"But know this young master Wayne, your boy travel he will need too, for if his power left unchecked it is, destroy us it will. At the age of 14, travel to Coruscant he will and his Jedi training begin it will. "
"Why 14? "
"That is the time when the true Vidothian in him released will be and he must be ready by then, in these 14 years, teach to him you must the arts of battle, strategy and politics, a great darkness is coming and much training he must have before he leaves. "
"I don't know what to say. " Tom chuckled.
"No need to say anything, I look forward to seeing the boy, until then many preparations will need to be made. " He approaches Thomas with his flying chair and hands him instructions. "Follow these you will and I contact we shall stay, thank you for welcoming us on board your ship. "
Yoda and Qui-Gon quietly left the ship, leaving the soldiers all alone with the baby.
"I know its a lot to ask for, but I hope I can count on you guys to keep this a secret. "
"Were going to do more than that, were going to help you, if this kids going to be a handful like Yoda said, then you're going to need all the help you can get. " Said Anderson while placing his hand on Thomas'sshoulder.
Thomas nodded at his friend and walked to the baby, he picked him up and put his finger near the baby's mouth, the child grabbed him gently and smiled at him.
"You're going to have to name him. " Said Kahlee.
"What do you guys think about the name.... Bruce? "
To be continued in Book 1: Clone Wars
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