Forgotten Memories, The story of a forbidden love

[Cluge of the Grey]

Forgotten Memories

A Fan Fiction by Completely Cluge

Five Months before the events of Episode III

Chapter 1

Janice looked at the holo-emmiter, dumbfounded. The battle for Mygeeto hadn't gone as well as planned. Mygeeto was the 7th planet in its sector, a perfect place for General Grievous to stake out. An orbital battle had begun, fighting for the planet's airspace.

Grievous' garrison of killing machines on the surface could be eliminated from the sky, so that's always the primary objective. Apparently, the CIS General had a hoard of reinforcement frigate, Capital and support ships, each with several squadrons of fighters.

“It's as if he's invincible,” she thought.

She game the order to recede their remaining forces as the alarm blared: “Structural integrity dropping, hull breach, imminent.” Janice rushed to the Comm and yelled: “All hands abandon ship!” A Clone took her arm.

“That means you, too, General! Come on!”

Janice was shoved in an emergency turbo-lift that lead from the Bridge to the Hangar. It stopped before she realized it had started and dumped her out. The Hangar was organized chaos, Clones all lined up to board their designated Gunships, while the battle raged on outside. The Jedi sprinted to her ship and jumped in the open cockpit.

“P-9, get us out of here!”

A whistle and a beep hardly made her ears when two giant explosions broke out. “The Shield!” she heard a clone cry out before being sucked out into space. Janice sealed the Cockpit and threw the throttle lever, flinging the ship out of the Hangar. A shard of metal struck the J.S.F.2, shaking Janice's world. “P-9, land us on the nearest hospitable planet.” Another shale hit her in the head, knocking her out. P-9 obeyed, taking the fighter away from the exploding ship, past three gaseous planets, over a gigantic asteroid belt past a reddish planet then landed on the south-eastern area of the western continent of a planet the natives call, Earth.

((This is only the first chapter, more coming soon))

[Cluge of the Grey]

Chapter 2


Joshua was monitoring the Heavens vigilantly for shooting stars, So far his results were pretty bleak. Just then a flare flashed his telescope, blinding him for a moment. He set it down and gazed up at the shooting star. But it didn't dissipate, it grew, as if it was coming closer. It was coming closer! Josh nimbly jumped off the porch and vaulted over the fence to his backyard. When he turned around to look for it, the glow was gone.

“Weird,” he thought, “hey, is it getting darker?”

Josh looked up to see a huge mass coming down at him. He rolled out from under it just as it landed. “Landed?” Josh took ponderous steps towards it and realized it was a starfighter, and someone was inside! He rushed to the shed in his yard and took a crowbar. Josh wedged it in what looked like a window gap and applied his weight. The lid-looking thing opened and he picked up the body checking for injuries. Only a bang on the head, but nothing else noticeable. “Beep-boop,” said something on the ship's nose. Before he could make out what it was, it rocketed from the Hull, and landed next to Josh, beeping wildly.

“Greetings, I am Joshua of Earth,” he said giving a Vulcan salute. The droid-thing continued beeping, seeming angry at hi, Josh looked down at the body he was holding. Human, female, attractive and unconscious. He set her head on the ground and removed his shoe, placing it near her nose.

She jerked up instantly, yelling: “P-9, what is that repulsive odor?”

Josh put away his shoe and found himself on the ground with a glowing sword at this throat, heat like an open fire emanating from it.

“Who are you, and where am I?”

“Um, Earth, the 3rd planet from the sun, home of the Human population?”

“Well, Earth,--”

Joshua chuckled. “No, no, no. My name's Joshua. The planet's name is Earth. And you are...?”

She stood up and kept the blade pointed at his throat. “Janice, Jedi General of the Grand Army of the Republic. Are you a scout for the C.I.S.?”

“C.I.S.? Republic? What are you talking about?”

“The Clone War. The war that's in the whole galaxy. Any of this sound familiar?”

“No, sorry. Wait, here? In this sector?”

“Yes. If I can't stop Grievous from leaving in one week, the War will come here. Let me explain...”

((OK, just keep reading, it gets better trust me.))

[Cluge of the Grey]

Chapter 3

“Could you please remover your weapon first?” Josh asked, the heat from the glowing sword was getting to him. Janice gave an embarrassed smile, and the sword submerged back into the hilt. Josh felt his neck. Besides it being warm, he was unscathed. He got to his feet, nearly tripping over the droid, which beeped mischievously. Janice gave the droid a stern look.

“P-9, go to the ship and assess the damage.”

P-9 didn't whistle pr beep a reply, but it obeyed, and clambered into its hole, and began to probe the ship's computer.

“Sorry about that, Josh, he's usually very detached.”

Josh stood and brushed himself off. “It's no problem. So, who is Grievous?”

“He's the General for the C.I.S., second only to Count Dooku.”

“Dooku? Sounds like play-doh. Why would Grievous be here?”

“No one knows. But he wouldn't come here without reason.” P-9 made several beeps at Janice, who let out an exasperated sigh.

“What?”

Janice massaged her temples with her thumb and forefinger. “My astromech droid has informed me the communicator is out, Hyper-drive's fried, and my mp3 player's shot. Do you have access to a repair dock?”

Josh pointed his thumb behind him. “Tool shed.”

Janice pointed it out to Astro ((As Josh now calls him)) and said, “Scan for any useful materials.” Astro again shot out of the pod and wheeled over to the shed, emitting an eerie blue glow. He returned beeping and whistling. Janice chuckled.

“He said he couldn't fathom how any of it could be useful, but there is a hyper drive motivator around. Where, P-9?”

Astro extracted a small arm, and pointed to Josh's car.

“Whoa! You want my ride's heart? That's the ultimate in American engineering!” Janice's stern look turned to Josh.

“A small price to pay to end the war.”

Josh sighed. “O.K., all right. I'll give it to you one condition. You take me with you.” Janice instinctively shook her head. “It's too dangerous, and there's no way I can fit you in.”

Josh pointed at the cockpit. “I can see a space for storage and captives right there. But if you want to walk there, it's your choice.” A few moments passed by silently as the two stared into the other's eyes. Janice gave in.

“If I didn't know better, I'd say you used to be a smuggler. Your powers of persuasion are uncanny. Install that motivator, P-9, and clear the cargo hold. We have a guest.” As P-9 scuttled off to do his task, Janice tossed Josh a retractable vibro-blade.

“Familiar with these?”

Josh had taken melee combat training as a teen, so he was fluent in many fighting forms. He assumed a Na-ju ready stance. Janice flicked on her lightsaber, assuming and unfamiliar stance.

“Begin.”


((Fight in the next chapta, read on!))

[Cluge of the Grey]

Chapter 4

“Um, wouldn't your sword mutilate mine?” Josh asked, eying Janice's blade of blue energy. Janice stifled a laugh.

“Your vibro-blade is coated with a special mixture of dura-steel and a new material called tritanium. It'll block lasers, even lightsabers.” With that said, Janice gave a flourish to her blade, leaving an eerie hissing sound as it fried the oxygen it sliced through. “Hot dogs get fried,” Josh thought, the words of his mentor echoed in his head.

“Very funny,” Janice said stiffly.

Josh looked at her, amazed.

“Your mind is too easy to read.”

“What else can you do?” thought Josh. He found out when and invisible force hit him in the gut, knocking the wind out of him. Josh found himself on the grass twenty feet from where he was.

“I can do that and more,” said Janice's voice in his head. Josh got up to his feet and snatched his sword up, resuming his Na-ju ready stance. She was gone.

“Not quite,” Janice's voice said again.

Josh looked up and brought his blade up to block the one coming down at him from the sky. Janice landed in front of him, lightsaber moving like nothing he'd ever seen. He had an advantage over her though. Her blade was made of light whereas his wasn't. Parry, block, jab, flurry. Josh's mind ran like a machine, analyzing executing. Janice's blade sped toward his head sizzling the air it sliced through. Josh bent his knees to lower himself and avoid the blade. The maneuver had thrown her off balance, and she crashed into the grass on her face. She fumbled for her weapon, but Josh kicked it away from her reach. He put his foot on her back to pin her down.

While placing his blade gently in the back of her neck, Josh said: “It is my observation that you have lost.”

“I guess so. Are you going to let me up?” Josh removed his foot and retracted his vibro-blade. Janice got to one knee and Josh offered her his hand. She took it and pulled herself up. “Thank you,” Janice said. There was a moment of awkward silence before Janice let go. “We should check how P-9 is doing,” she said. They walked across the yard over to the ship, where the droid was beeping incessantly.

“P-9 says the motivator will engage Hyper-space after we're out of the planet's orbit.

Josh nodded. “Let's go,” he said.

((Watch it gets better))

[Cluge of the Grey]

Chapter 5

Josh clambered into the cramped space behind the pilot's seat.

“Not very roomy, is it?” Josh said.

“It is the cell. It's not supposed to be comfy,” Janice said chuckling. “Now sit still, or you'll hurt yourself.”

Josh held the Shotgun from his room in his lap. He'd insisted on bringing it. With the Clone War going on, he wanted to be prepared. Janice fired up the engines and the craft shot from the ground at a speed that made Josh's stomach queasy. With another lurch, the ship left the atmosphere and engaged Hyper-drive. Somewhere between the rattling and shaking, Josh fell asleep.

He awoke to hearing Janice say, “You snore. Loudly.”

Light streamed into the dark cell. “Are we there yet?”

Janice pulled him out of his cramped state. “Welcome to Coruscant, heart of the Republic, and home of the Jedi.” Josh looked out in awe. Massive skyscrapers, hover shipping lanes as far as the eye could seem and an infinite abyss below.

“Come the Council has requested an audience with us.”

“With us?” Josh thought.

“P-9, see if the ship's Hyper-drive needs maintenance, then enter scan mode.” P-9 beeped and went to work. Josh and Janice took an air taxi to the Jedi Temple, and Janice led Josh to the Council Chamber.

“Tell the truth and watch your thoughts,” she said at the door. Josh nodded and walked in, Janice close behind. He suddenly felt uncomfortable, on edge. “Welcome, Janice. And welcome, Cluge. It has been a while,” said a dark-skinned, heavily built man with no hair.

“Uh, my name's Joshua, not Cluge.”

The bald man sighed.

“Fear this, did we. His memory return, it did not,” said a smaller, and older green man.

“What are you saying, 'memory return'?”

“Twenty years ago, you were a student here, named Cluge Cellenoth. You were also my padawan,” the bald man said. In Josh's mind, something clicked. He looked around, naming the Masters he saw. Gallia, Mindu, Yoda and... Windu.

“Master Windu?”

The Master gave a slight smile. “Yes. Good to have you back.”

“What happened?”

“The planet you were enlisting had a large population of Yslarmi. The can block your Force-sensitivity and your memories.”

“So, I can... use the Force?”

“Once you've lost the effects of the Yslarmi, yes. Which reminds me. I have something for you.” He produced a steel tube almost two feet long with leather grips at each end.

“What is it?”

Windu gave it to him. “Your lightsaber.” Josh pushed the red button and saw the brilliant blue energy emerge.

((You're probably wondering why thes 'chapeters' are so short. It's a school project, and I'm only allowed 3 pages.))

[Cluge of the Grey]

((MORTAL KOMBAT!!))

Chapter 6

Josh was escorted by Janice to the sparring room, where the younglings were finishing their practice. Janice had said a spar might loosen up his mind. When the last of the Bear Clan filed out of the room, the doors shut, encasing the two.

“These are the rules. No Force, guns or lightsabers. Melee only. The Match will end when one of us is on the floor for five seconds,” Janice said, “Ready, begin.”

Josh assumed the Morpheus stance and Janice charged him. She threw a punch to his gut and he cupped a hand in its way, accepting it. He planted his right heel and spun on it, then lifted his left leg and plowed his bare foot into the side of her head, which sent her spinning.

He jumped and brought his knees to his chest ready to hit her again. She got up sooner than he expected and grabbed his feet, spinning him around like and Olympic disc thrower. She threw him up into the roof, thirty feet from the floor. Josh poised himself in a crouched position as one does after jumping off a large rock, legs spread, on hand on the “ground,” other balancing. Josh stayed up for three seconds, then launched himself back down, two fists aimed at her head.

She cupped both of her hands to accept the blow, and when they connected all the glass in the room broke and the floor's tiling shattered where she stood. She moved her head back, and slammed it into his, sending him out of the window. Josh's arms flailed around for anything and an antenna found his palm. Centrifugal force spun him around a few times and Josh let go, flying right into Janice.

The rolled around a few times before she planted her feet into Josh's gut, and kicked. Josh saw the floor coming to his head and he put his hands out to it, leaving him in a handstand. Josh pushed the floor away and landed on his feet. Janice was back up again, charging. She threw punch after punch, and Josh blocked them.

Both were tiring, and they knew it. Janice, in a last attempt to stop him, launched her left foot at him, but it was too slow, and Josh took it and twisted it, again she was on the floor. A loud beep sounded and the match ended, Droids entered, complaining about the mess when Janice patted Josh on the shoulder.

“Remember anything new?”

“I remember how much it hurts to get head-butted,” he said, rubbing his head. “But, yes. I remember how I can kick some major butt!”

Janice chuckled. “Come on, I'll buy you a drink.” Josh was dragged off before he could argue.

[Cluge of the Grey]

Chapter 7

After changing into some more comfortable robes, Janice lead Josh, or Cluge, as we'll have to call him now, through the streets of Coruscant, and finally arrived at a diner owned by Dexter Jettster. Cluge ordered a soft drink, and Janice ordered some Juma juice.

Cluge leaned over to Janice and whispered, “In all the excitement, I forgot that I must relieve myself.” Janice looked confused.

“I gotta leak.” She still didn't understand. “Whiz, make a leak, drain the main vein?” She shook her head, dumbfounded.

“Don't you people ever pee here?” Janice laughed and pointed to the back.

“Men's is on the left.”

Cluge left for the bathroom, and Janice got busy. She put two tablets in Cluge's drink, which dissolved instantly. Then she went to Dex. “Tell Cluge I'm 'leaking,' he'll understand.” She went to the back of the diner, past the Men's and Women's rooms, and entered the back alley.

She looked up, down, left and right. Seeing no one was there, Janice pulled out her holo-comm and dialed a number she never wrote down, one that was committed to memory. An image appeared on the rustic device, that of a man whose vocation was death. The image of Count Dooku. Hist stance suggested the subtle prowess he had.

“I obliged taking your call, what is it?” he said, his hierarchy showing in his voice.

“I found him Lord Tyrannus.”

The C.I.S. Leader turned to face her. “Are you sure this is Windu's padawan?”

Janice nodded. “I sparred with him, he definitely learned Vapaad from Windu.”

A white eyebrow raised on Dooku's head. “Out of curiosity, did he beat you?”

She stiffened. “Yes... but I held myself back. I hadn't called upon the Force, and in a fight to the death, I would've killed him.”

He stared her down, but she held her ground. “Notice that neither did he. Be careful, and do not underestimate him. Here are your orders. Train him in the Force, and with a sabre. I will want him ready for pickup in four months. Out.”

Janice slumped against the wall. She hadn't held herself back and did call upon the Force for guidance. Now she would train him with the sabre, so she could learn Vapaad from him. Janice composed herself, and walked inside. Cluge was giggling hysterically.

“And from then on, it was pork and beans. Then the ugly bird flew over us, and landed on my head, challenging me to a game of chess. We used sticks and leaves for pieces, and I beat him up!” He then broke out into a smile when he saw Janice. “Hey, it's HotStuff! How you doing, HotStuff?”

Janice made a note that one tablet would've been plenty. She paid the bill, commenting, “Guess it was too strong for him.” She left Dexter thinking how Cluge couldn't hold his Sprite.

With a very giddy Cluge leaning against Janice for support, they returned to the Temple. Janice took him to her room, since his was given away a long time ago. The effects of the drug were wearing off, leaving Cluge with a massive headache. He was sitting in a chair, rubbing his head.

“I have to ask,” Janice said, “when you were drunk, you called me HotStuff. What does that mean?”

Cluge stopped massaging his head. “On my planet, it's a term of... extreme... endearment,” he said, blushing.

Janice knew the drug doubled as a truth serum, so he wasn't lying. “Go on.”

“HotStuff roughly translates as... pleasing to the eyes. When one on my planet sees another of the opposite gender they are... attracted to, HotStuff is one of the many terms that come to mind.”

Janice smiled. “This could be fun,” she thought. “So, you're saying you're attracted to me?” she said with a smile.

“Well, yes... I mean, um, you are attractive, so any guy in their right mind would be attracted to you.:

Janice was enjoying this. “Sleep. You need the energy, tomorrow we train you.” That night she wondered. “Why should I bring him to Master? He's cute, and a good boost to the ego.”

(( I have more written out, I just haven't trasnferred into the compy yet.))

[Cluge of the Grey]

((New chapter!))

Chapter 8


In the months that followed, Cluge was trained by Master Windu when he wasn't off-planet, but when he was, which was not the case nowadays, with The Clone Wars, Janice volunteered to fill his place.

After the third month, he had progressed far enough to keep his lightsaber, which Windu took back the day Cluge talked to him with the Council. It felt like putting on an old shirt you've lost, which reminded him how to handle the energy blade.

Cluge and Janice sparred often, and at almost every one, the two would exit panting, sweating and laughing.

One day, Windu saw them together standing side by side after a duel, Janice's left arm draped over his neck, and his arm over hers. Later he talked it over with Yoda.

“My padawan has formed an... attachment to Janice Lockheart. How deep it goes, I can only speculate.”

Yoda thought for a minute. “Runs your speculation, how deep?”

“I fear, if we don't interfere, the worst.”

Yoda fidgeted with his Gimer stick. “Murky the future is. My foresight, ebbing, it is.” Yoda sighed. “Blinded to the future, I have been. Their relationship, I cannot foresee. The work of the Sith, this is.”

It was Windu's turn to sigh. “What do we do now?”

A shrill voice on the comm sounded. “Hostiles in Coruscant airspace! All units to Briefing room!”

Yoda looked apologetically at Windu. “Report to the Briefing room, we will,” he said, answering his question.


Cluge sat in his chair next to Janice. They were just assigned to protect Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, who, the War Council thought, was the main objective for the C.I.S.

After the briefing, they were led to a private airspeeder, and flown to Palpatine's office. Once there, the two Jedi informed the Supreme Chancellor of the situation, and took up defensible positions.


It took and eternity of silence before anything happened. Janice was impatient, Palpatine was nervous, and Cluge was wary. He remembered everything depended on him and Janice to keep their bounty safe.

Thump.

Thump!

Someone was banging down the door. When it finally gave way, and eerie mist swirled in.

THUMP!

In walked a hideous creature of flesh and metal.

“How do you do?” said General Grievous, two lightsabers extended.

((It's takin me a whil cause i'm a little layzi.))

[Cluge of the Grey]

((I noticed no one has been reading this, but I'm gonna keep uploading anyway.))

Chapter 9

Janice pointed her blade at Grievous. “We're doing better than you'll be if you don't leave, she said trying to dissuade the mechanical monster

Palpatine stood up in his chair. “I am Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, sovereign ruler of the Republic, appointed by majority vote of the Senate, and resolved to end the War. By this authority, I command you to desist this attack before I tell the Jedi to turn you into scrap metal.”

Cluge held out his hilt tighter. Grievous perturbed him greatly.

“Request not granted,” Grievous said, “I have come to procure you, old man. As for the Jedi, they will make good exercise.”

With mechanical precision, Grievous' blades clashed into Cluge and Janice's, the blow jarring the Jedi's arms, and they made an attack of their own, Janice's blade went for his head, and Cluge's for his feet. Grievous' legs and head contracted making him float in between the two blades until they passed. When his feet landed, he began to attack them with form I and VII maneuvers. Quick, precise and deadly.

“He's too strong, too fast!” Cluge thought.

“Use the Force, feel, don't think! Use your instincts, stretch out with your feelings,” Janice spoke into his mind.

As he applied the Force to his movements, his attacks and defense quickened, and Cluge and Janice fought as one. Grievous began to see the shift in control, and forced a lock.

Three stood there for a second, each Jedi putting their weight on both his blades. A click was heard, and in an eyeblink, Grievous' arms split into four, and the two new ones reached under his cloak, and pulled out two more lightsabers.

The battle reached a new level of fury, as blue, purple, green and red lights shone with the clashes of the blades. A dull thud was heard, and the lights went out. All colors of a Manaan rainbow lit up the room as the fight raged. Palpatine had to crawl under his desk to avoid being singed by the sparks.

After many flurries, parries and blocks, the combatants got into another lock. The Jedi were panting, and Grievous was wheezing.

Suddenly, a green gas shot out of his mask, filling the room with a sulfur-like smell. Cluge and Janice tried to fight the poison, but it was too much, too fast. They were on the floor, unconscious.

Grievous deactivated his sabers, and signaled for I.G. 101 and 102 to enter. His Magna-Guards came and picked up the Jedi, their sabers fell out of their hands, and Grievous examined them. He liked the Female's; it was small and thin, so he pocketed it. The Male's was longer, and thicker. He didn't really like it, but he took it anyway. With two arms, he scooped up the drug-induced unconscious Chancellor, and walked back to his shuttle.

“It is a good day,” he said.


Chapter 10

Cold. Hard. Bright. Cluge squinted as he opened his eyes to allow them to the harsh light. When he could see, he found his head throbbing, and his sides screaming in pain. Cluge relaxed, acknowledged the pain, and let it flow away.

Cluge took in his surroundings. It looked like a Star Cruiser's observation lounge. “How's I--,” he thought, then it all flashed back. Grievous, the duel, being captured. “Janice!” he thought, “Where's she?” He did a quick check on his gear. Everything was there, save his lightsaber.

“I was beginning to wonder if you were ever going to wake.” The speaker walked out of the shadows, dressed in a black robe. The voice was strangely familiar, but too distorted to pinpoint. “Looking for this?” it said, withdrawing Cluge's saber.

“Who are you?” Cluge asked the robed one, whose themed color seemed to make him invisible when compared to the wall. In a sweeping motion, he threw back his hood, and a face he knew all too well was inside. “Janice-- what--?”

She scowled. “Janice is deceased, a mask I wear to fool the Jedi. I am Darth Deceptus. And I offer you a choice. Join me, and we'll command an army to overthrow the Republic and the Sith Empire will be rebuilt over its smoldering ruins!”

Cluge had to lean against a wall to keep himself upright form the overwhelming shock. “Janice... how could you? The Jedi trusted you, I trusted you!”

“The Jedi are fools, and are easily deceived. Now I ask again, for the last time, Will you join me?” Cluge looked up at her face. Its peachy flesh tone seemed drained, leaving it deathly pale. Her blond hair had gone to a platinum color. Even in her fallen state, she was striking.

Doubts crept into his mind. Maybe, he could rule with her. They would always be together, and-- No!

Cluge stood on his feet and released his hold on the wall. He knew what must be done. He twitched his hand, and his lightsaber flew to it. Janice stared in shock, but quickly recovered. “I love you, Janice, but I cannot allow this to continue.” And he meant it. He did love her, but she was being corrupted by this Sith called Deceptus.

“Then you will die. Pity, you would've been a good apprentice.” A red blade blasted out of her right sleeve, and a blue from her left.

“Two?” A sneer crept onto Deceptus' face. Cluge flicked on his blade and braced himself. He saw Deceptus tense, ready to pounce.

Clap! Clap! Clap! The sound came from a hidden figure on the balcony. Cluge and Deceptus looked up to see Count Dooku, clapping. “This is delicious. A Jedi in love! With a Sith no less! What ha the galaxy come to these days?”

Cluge adjusted his blade to fit both Deceptus and Dooku in his view. Dooku continued. “I wonder, did the Sith love the Jedi back? Obviously not, considering their positions. This would make an interesting tale for your archives called, 'Love and Betrayal.' Not that you'll be alive long enough to document it.” A bolt of lightning shot out of Dooku's hand and knocked Cluge into a wall. For a moment, Cluge thought he saw a pained look on Deceptus' face.

Chapter 11

Warm. Soft. But still bright. Cluge opened his eyes and found himself on a cot in the infirmary of the Temple. He was wrapped in a blanket, and bacta patches were spotted on his skin. Master Windu was talking to Master Yoda, and Master Obi-Wan was talking to Skywalker. The stopped to look at Cluge.

“Where's Janice?” Cluge asked. Windu explained that Deceptus was under their scope for a while, and how Obi-Wan and Anakin killed Dooku, then rescued his unconscious form from Grievous. “So, what now?”

“To endure such grueling events, strong you have become,” said Yoda, “but over, your struggle is not. Desolate and aloof, you must be to heal your body, and calm your mind. Your solitude, grant you time, it will, to build a lightsaber to replace the one you lost.”

“I will reside in the Room of a Thousand Fountains. I've always found... peace there.” With a few farewells, and a lightsaber kit from Windu, Cluge was bandaged, and transported to the Room, whose lush vegetative beauty always took his breath away.

A routine was quickly formed. Cluge slept in a cave behind a waterfall, the sound of water lulling him to sleep. He'd wake up, have a breakfast of fruit, and then, he worked on his lightsaber until he grew hungry. After satisfying his hunger with a fried fish from the river, he'd bathe and swim in the lake he slept by. The water caressed his skin, washing away and worries he collected during the day. After his swim, he laid out on the sand, and let the sun dry him. Dinner was a simple meal of fruit and fish, then he went back to his cave, and slept.

Cluge continued to follow this routine, oblivious of the outside world, for two months, when his lightsaber was finished. Its hilt a pearly white color, and it had runes etched into the side. He clipped it to his belt, said goodbye to his make-shift home, and trotted out of the sanctuary.

What was once a desolate and sickly looking teenager, was now a robust, tanned, strong and healthy man. Master Windu was waiting outside.

“I see you've finished your lightsaber. May I?” Cluge handed it to him. Windu pressed the activator and a silver blade emerged. “Impressive. You worked hard, and both the hilt and blade are beautiful. But I did not come here to examine your handiwork. I've received reports of a Sith near the remains of the planet Byss, matching the description of Deceptus. I'm sending you there to see if she is the Sith behind this.” Windu turned off the blade and gave it back to Cluge.

“Cluge. I know about you feelings for Janice. Don't let them cloud your judgment.”

“Yes, master. I will return in a month.” Cluge took off ten minutes later, in Janice's old ship. Astro was actually glad to see him. “Let's go, Astro. Mom and Dad need to talk.”Chapter 12

“Bleet, blort!” P-9 said over the intercom.

“What do you mean, 'derelict system'?”

“Bloot!”

“I know the layout: asteroid field where a planet once was, but she has to be here!”

Cluge looked out the cockpit window for the hundredth time. All there was out there was rocks and haze. Haze? He leaned forward for a better view. A blurry shape Cluge couldn't make out.

“Astro, scan area 1701-32-924 for heat emissions of any kind and temperature. Be subtle.”

A few seconds later, P-9 beeped wildly.

“Just as I thought. Bring the ion cannon online and blast the blur until it changes.”

Blue energy shot away from the J.S.F.2, and struck an invisible mass. After a few rounds, the blur shimmered and P-9 showed an image of what it was. The Invisible Hand II; the successor to Grievous' flagship. Its size was an omen of death.

“Wee-ow!” wailed P-9, who saw an ion burst bigger than Cluge's fighter.

“Evasive man--”

White and loud.

Black and quiet.

Cluge opened his eyes and found himself back on the observation lounge from his past. Deceptus stood twenty feet away, holding his old lightsaber.

“I've waited months for this, You were the only thing that kept me going. I always thought to myself, 'I must hold out until he comes for me. And when he does, I will make him suffer for my pain.' When you said you loved me, I came to realize that I love you, too. And every night since then, thoughts of you kept me awake, my conscience I never knew I had, beating me, badgering, compelling, and deploring me to do something. Now I will silence the voices in my head by removing the cause.”

She ignited her sabers, and ran towards Cluge, who drew his silver blade into a block. Each corner of the room lit up with blue, red and silver light as the duelists put their weight on the other.

“Deceptus, killing me won't calm your mind. It's not calling for vengeance, but forgiveness.”

Deceptus engaged in a dizzying array of combos, but Cluge kept defensive, and did not waver.

“My mind is also disturbed. Your past actions give me grief. I have come to settle my mind, too. By saving you.”


Chapter 13

Cluge then went offensive, using Form VII maneuvers, which focuses pm using strength to evoke a hole in the opponent's defense, then rebuff him with linked melee and Force combo attacks.

Janice saw the change, and engaged in a strong defensive style, Form III. Cluge brought his sabre in an overhead strike, and Janice took the opening to slam a Force ball into his gut.

Cluge had been hit before, blaster fire, kicks and recently, lightning. But this felt like trying to stop a hovertram with his gut. He flew back, and hit a wall, then the floor, breathless.

“Windu and I taught you everything you know, but not everything I know.” Janice raised her hand, and blue lightning exploded from it.

Cluge instinctively built a wall in his mind, and the energy danced on an invisible force field. Cluge stood up, and the lightning dissipated.

“I learned enough. Janice, stop this. You are not Deceptus, that is your pseudonym of your past self. When we met, you changed. A single flame of light was born in your heart, and it scares you. Don;t fear it. That light is a part of you/”

Janice's face tightened, softened, then tightened again. “You talk much. I need to shut you up before you make sense.”

Another Force blast hit Cluge, but he didn't hit a wall. He flew through a grate, and started falling. Cold air rushed past him, so it had to be a vent shaft. A column of air hit him, and he slowed and tumbled out of the shaft.

Cluge looked around. He was in a hangar, a very big one, at that.

“Bleet! Bleet!”

“Astro?”

“Bloot!”

“Behind me--?” A crack resounded in his skull. Cluge's body did a front flip, and he landed on his back. Cluge opened his eyes to see Janice's sabers crossed at his throat.

“Finally, I will be at peace. Goodbye, Cluge,” She smirked. “I love you,” she said sarcastically.

“Bleet!” Cluge's eyes widened.

“Super Nova!?” He looked out the force fields, and saw the star of Byss. It's past flare was growing for an implosion. “Janice. It's going to implode. If the explosion is large enough, the sudden anti-gravity will create a black hole, destroying everything in a lightyear's radius.”

“All right. I'll you to die, then.” Her hilt was the last thing Cluge saw.

[Cluge of the Grey]

All I have for now, so plz post and tell me its crap.