Christophis
The night air on Christophis was thick with the distant hum of droid transports and the low, tense murmurs of clone troopers awaiting the call to move. The city's blue-green crystal towers cast eerie reflections across the shattered streets.
Jace Shan stood at the center of the command squad, the violet blade of his saber hissing to life in the shadows. His eyes swept the field ahead, where the droid forces were massing — drawn forward by Anakin and Ahsoka's aggressive push.
He exhaled slowly, voice steady. "Alright, listen up! The moment the clankers overextend, we hit them hard and fast. Cody — have your men ready on my mark."
Commander Cody nodded, already issuing silent hand signals to the waiting clones.
Jace moved among the troops, pausing every few steps, laying a gloved hand briefly on a shoulder here, tapping the edge of a helmet there — reinforcing their focus with the subtle pulse of his battle meditation.
"Remember," he called out, his voice cutting through the night like a vibroblade, "the droids don't think. But you do. Stay sharp, stay alive."
The clones straightened under his words, bolstered not just by the Force, but by the confidence in his tone. Even Obi-Wan, standing a few paces back, allowed himself the smallest nod of approval.
Good, Jace thought, letting his mind reach out across the field once more. He could feel the morale like a current beneath his fingers — steady, strong, unbreakable.
The Ambush Begins
The first wave of droids pushed into the kill zone — blaster bolts lighting up the streets as Anakin and Ahsoka led the charge from the front. The droids' attention snapped fully toward the two Jedi.
Jace's eyes narrowed.
"Now," he ordered.
The clone squads surged forward from cover, blasters blazing, cutting into the droid flank. Jace moved at their center, his purple blade carving an aggressive path through the front lines.
Unlike Obi-Wan's graceful, defensive style, Jace fought with power and momentum, heavy strikes designed to batter through defenses and keep the enemy off balance. Every swing of his saber was deliberate, decisive — one step ahead of the droids' slow reactions.
He vaulted over a pile of rubble, landing hard in the middle of a squad of B1s, saber sweeping low to cut their legs out from under them. Without hesitation, he whipped the blade upward, cleaving through the chest plates of two more.
"Come on, tin cans," he snarled, lips curling into a grin as he pressed forward. "Surely you can do better than that."
A pair of droidekas rolled onto the field, shields flaring as they deployed with a mechanical whirr.
Jace planted his feet, saber raised high. The clones behind him hesitated for a heartbeat, but his voice snapped like a whip:
"Focus fire on their shields! NOW!"
The clones unleashed a concentrated barrage as Jace sprinted directly toward the nearest droideka. With a sudden leap, he flipped clean over its shield bubble — twisting midair, saber reversed in his grip — and plunged the blade straight down into its power core.
The machine sparked violently as it collapsed beneath him.
Jace landed in a crouch, rolled smoothly to the side, and drove his saber through the emitter of the second droideka, the violet glow searing against metal.
Cody's voice crackled through the comm: "Droidekas down! Pushing forward!"
Jace flicked the droid oil off his saber with a sharp spin and turned, eyes scanning for the next threat. His meditation flowed outward again, reinforcing the clones' focus. In that moment, no fear touched their hearts.
Anakin & Ahsoka, the Wildcards
From the front line, Anakin and Ahsoka were holding strong — a blur of blue and green blades.
Jace caught sight of Ahsoka vaulting onto a tank, slicing clean through its cannon mount. Anakin followed up with a Force push that sent the wreckage crashing into a second line of droids.
Jace keyed his comm to their frequency. "Hey, Skyguy, remind me again which one of you's the Padawan?"
Ahsoka's voice snapped back, sharp as her saber: "Watch it, Purple! You're not the only one who knows how to make an entrance."
Jace smirked. "Fair enough, Snips."
The Flank Collapses
With the trap sprung and the droid ranks collapsing under the coordinated assault, Jace moved to regroup with Obi-Wan at the rear command post.
Obi-Wan watched his Padawan approach, noting the fierce energy still radiating off him.
"Well executed," the Master offered, nodding. "Though perhaps… a little flashy."
Jace shrugged, deactivating his saber with a satisfied snap. "Flashy works, Master. Especially when it scares the scrap out of the enemy."
Obi-Wan's lips twitched, just barely. "You sound more like Skywalker every day."
Jace chuckled, resting one hand on his hip. "Please, Master. That's just rude."
(Next: The hologram message from Jabba the Hutt — and Jace's reaction to the coming rescue mission.)