SW System 5: Approaching the Inevitable (Patreon)

The Jedi Temple was tense, and Iggios could feel it easily. In fact, the entire Coruscant felt charged with an uneasy energy. It was obvious why; news of an assassination attempt on the life of a senator had broken only recently.

This was troubling regardless of one's political stance; if a democratically elected senator could be targeted for assassination, then nobody was truly safe even in the heart of the Republic. Moreover, the attempt would have succeeded had Padmé not been one paranoid woman.

The events that Iggios was intimately familiar with were finally in motion, and there was nothing he could have really done to prevent them. Claiming to have visions could only go so far, especially since the Jedi often treated such predictions with skepticism.

If Iggios remembered correctly, even Yoda had simply told Anakin to calm down and meditate after Anakin kept seeing people die in his visions. Granted, those visions were false, implanted by Sidious, and Anakin hadn’t been entirely truthful about them, but still, the Jedi's response was dismissive.

But now that Iggios was done making a young senator blush for his entertainment, he might as well visit his snippy friend. About a month after the war breaks out, she too would advance to Padawan status and be sent off to fight in a war.

Iggios was determined to ensure she was prepared. Even in the animated series, she had shown impressive skill as a fresh Padawan. It had become his mission to make her even better, and over the years spent training with her, he was confident he had succeeded.

She still insisted on using the reverse grip, though; a lesson that clearly needed more time to sink in. Iggios was sure Ahsoka eventually stopped relying on the reverse grip, or at least limited its usage later in her life.

It was sheed dumb luck that Iggios entered the Jedi Archives just as Obi-Wan was starting his search for the elusive planet Kamino. It gave Iggios more information about the timeline of events. The man looked like a clone of the one and only Ewan McGregor, seeing him brought back a lot of fun memories.

Poor Obi-Wan was being lectured by Jocasta Nu about the completeness of the archives. Every Jedi knew you don’t fuck with Jocasta Nu and her Archive.

As Iggios walked by, he noticed that the corner Obi-Wan was examining was part of the so-called Wild Space. Interestingly, it was positioned relatively close to the Rishi Maze, a satellite dwarf galaxy that orbited their own. For all Iggios knew, the gravitational anomaly Obi-Wan was observing could simply be a fluke. Given how poorly mapped even the nearest areas of Wild Space were, he could understand why the old archivist was understandably skeptical.

Suddenly, picking up some light reading felt less pressing. Obi-Wan was already pursuing the bounty hunter, which would eventually lead to his capture on Geonosis. Everything was already in motion, so Iggios quickly decided to move away from the Archives and visit Master Drallig. It might be a long time before he had the chance again.

The temple hummed with activity, especially the youngling training grounds where Master Drallig was instructing what appeared to be complete novices who had just constructed their lightsabers.

Iggios watched them for a while, observing each youngling's fighting tendencies. Some were reserved, clearly gravitating toward the more common forms six and three, while the more hyperactive ones would likely lean towards form four or even five in some cases.

Master Drallig noticed Iggios watching and called him over with a warm smile. Although it wasn’t unusual for Iggios to return here when not on missions, he rarely caught one of the first lightsaber combat lessons.

"Padawan Stritt, it's nice to see you back safe from guard duty," he greeted. "Are you here to challenge me again?" His smile remained steady. Despite Iggios' talents, Master Drallig had always come out on top in their duels.

"You could say that, Master Drallig. But watching you teach the same lesson you taught me five years ago has distracted me," Iggios replied as he approached the Battlemaster.

"Why not make it a training demonstration, then?" the elder Jedi suggested, with the younglings glancing curiously between their master and Iggios.

Iggios quickly grasped the intent behind Master Drallig's words; there was a reason he had come to admire the Battlemaster over the years.

"Shall we start with form one, then, Master?" Iggios inquired and ignited his lightsaber, adjusting it to the training setting. Cin Drallig smiled back, pleased that Iggios understood immediately.

"Very well. Younglings, watch closely. We will now demonstrate each lightsaber form," he announced, igniting his own lightsaber. The bright yellow of his weapon contrasted well with Iggios' silvery-gray blade.

Iggios got into the wide stance typical of Form one and attacked first. His strikes were linear and simple, lacking any true feints or traps; the form favored sweeping motions to keep foes at bay and basic parries.

"Form I, Shii-Cho. It is a foundation upon which you can build," Master Drallig explained as he performed a simple parry and swept his lightsaber in a wide arc, forcing Iggios back.

"It may not be the best dueling form, but it can be helpful when facing multiple opponents," Iggios added as he clashed his lightsaber with Master Drallig's. In unison, they moved through exchange after exchange before jumping back, their stances shifting.

Gone was the wide stance, replaced by a more guarded position, presenting their sides to an enemy with their lightsabers pointing forward.

"For Form II, Makashi. This dueling form focuses on finesse and effectiveness, centered purely around lightsaber combat," Master Drallig announced before lunging forward, attempting to stab Iggios.

Iggios parried the attack and mounted an immediate counterattack.

"It lacks significant protection against blaster fire, but this form is your best bet if you find yourself in a lightsaber duel," Iggios added as their demonstration continued, their movements more elegant than they were during their clashes using Form I.

They moved through each lightsaber form, showcasing them for the starry-eyed younglings. If Iggios was being honest, he found it oddly satisfying to have these kids look up to him. Some of Master Trebor's patience had clearly rubbed off on him; he didn't remember being able to effectively instruct rowdy kids before, resulting in him staying there much longer than he anticipated. They were good kids and would be fine—until Anakin started his march on the Jedi Temple, at least. Not that Iggios planned on letting that happen.

By the time he and Master Drallig were midway through demonstrating Form V, Master Yoda and Obi-Wan arrived to see what the commotion was about, but they soon went on their way. It seemed Obi-Wan would be heading to Kamino soon.

The transition from the Shien variant to the Djem So variant was clean and much more comfortable for Iggios, primarily because Djem So was more combat-oriented than Shien. However, Iggios struggled with Form V's reliance on two-handed strikes. His lightsaber was specially designed for single-handed use, forcing him to adjust many of the strikes to fit his specific style, a necessity for most techniques apart from Makashi. Form II was already centered around single-handed fencing.

Iggios’ modified form was contrasting enough with Master Drallig’s that even some of the younglings noticed it.

Unfortunately for him, during the Form V presentation, Iggios was hit for the first time, solidifying his loss.

"Sixty-four in my favor, young Padawan," Cin Drallig remarked, prompting a sigh from Iggios. If this were a real fight, he would be missing most of his arm right now.

"So it would seem, Master... and here I thought I might have better luck this time," He grinned.

"You sound like young Initiate Tano right now," the calm Battlemaster replied, causing Iggios to pout slightly.

"I'm not that bad... am I?" he questioned. Yet the numbers didn’t lie; Ahsoka had challenged him over eighty times, only to lose every single time only to try again with bravado. "I guess you have a point... I’ll stick to dueling Master Trebor. At least I happen to win against him from time to time," Iggios conceded, although winning against Master Trebor was nowhere near as significant as finally defeating Cin Drallig. The Battlemaster was undoubtedly powerful.

The score against Master Trebor was more balanced: twenty-three for Iggios and thirty-five for Master Trebor, with most of Iggios' wins coming in the last year. A diplomat he may be, but his Master wasn’t a weakling; he just preferred to battle with words over lightsabers.

However, it painted a rather grim picture. While his Master was definitely an outlier, he still managed to achieve the rank of Master. How many Jedi Masters could Iggios defeat in a simple practice duel? Not to mention in a real duel.

Iggios relied on overwhelming offense, weaving the Force into every strike of his swordsmanship. He may or may have attempted to recreate a fighting style similar to that used in the Force Unleashed games. And although he wasn't completely successful, it was possible for him to empower his lightsaber with a Force ability. Now, if only he could get his hands on Force Lightning or an equivalent.

———

Master Yoda entered the High Council chambers after finishing his instruction of the younglings, as he often did. He found one of his colleagues inside.

"Your Padawan, I have seen, hrmm," Yoda said with a fond smile. "Duelling Master Drallig he was."

"Iggios goes back there quite often. There are things I simply cannot teach him," Coleman Trebor replied easily, holding no ill will towards his apprentice nor towards Master Drallig. "Was he finally able to best Master Drallig?" the tall reptilian asked with genuine curiosity, believing such a feat was possible.

"Lost, he had. Keeping score, I believe they are." the ancient Grandmaster chuckled.

"And Iggios is still at zero. I wish I could say the same about our mock duels..." Trebor frowned slightly. "He has come a long way. I even managed to teach him to use diplomacy first, but he still scares me sometimes,” the Jedi admitted. Such dedication to raw combat had not been seen in the Jedi Order for decades, if not longer.

"I can only hope he continues to seek my advice once he completes the knighthood trials." He sighed deeply.

"Need you, he still does," Yoda pointed out.

"Does he? Master, over the last year, he has won eighteen mock duels against me... I have won seven," Trebor admitted, looking into the Coruscant sky, distracted. "He is ready to forego the knighthood trials, at least in terms of raw skill."

"Raw skill, not enough to become a knight, it is," Yoda observed. However, it seemed that having Master Trebor teach the young man was a good choice in the end. "Matured, he may have. Believe him ready, do you, hrmm?" Yoda asked, unsure if his long-time friend had an answer.

"I— honestly, I do not know, Master," the taller Jedi sighed, finally turning his gaze away from the Coruscant sky and slowly sitting down in his armchair.

"But I know he is both powerful and much wiser than when I first took him as an apprentice. He seems to have developed quite the ability to inspire people. Just earlier today, he turned the nervous new Pantoran Senator into someone filled with resolve," he commented. "I do not believe he is dangerous to the Order, but I cannot speak for those who may become his enemies." Trebor assessed his Padawan.

Iggios was not easy to anger; while it was easy to annoy him, genuinely angering him was quite the feat. There was darkness within the boy, yes, but all those missions around politicians—the worst of the worst—had molded Iggios into someone with remarkable patience and control. That darkness had only surfaced once during the three years they spent together.

"Even in his worst state of mind, he defended others first. That is not a sign of falling to the Dark Side," he commented, although the power Iggios had used in that moment was certainly on the darker end of the Force spectrum.

"It felt like he could control that darkness of his, at least to some degree. It was used to end the fight quickly, not to inflict pain," he explained, uncertain of what that could mean.

"Killed a bounty hunter, he had. Used Dark Side to protect others, he did," Yoda nodded, not as disturbed as the tall Jedi expected.

"Troublesome situation, that may be, yes. One of the few that could temper him like this, you are. Good job, you did." Yoda said eventually, not sure how to categorize the young man.

Jedi sometimes had to kill, that much was true, and to use the Dark Side to do so had caused many to fall throughout the millennia. Could it be that this Padawan managed to tap into the darkness while remaining in the light, like some ancient Jedi?

Even then, the number who could do so without falling was scarce, and Yoda couldn't even recall any from memory.

"After averted, the crisis is. Personally test him, I will. See that darkness for myself, I must, hrmm." Yoda decided on the safe approach.

He recalled many old Jedi from over the centuries. Many had used the Force in unique ways. He was most likely the only Jedi who would be able to understand the young man.

"Need you to protect the senators, I do. With the younglings and Master Drallig, Young Iggios can train in the meantime, hrmm," he concluded, making the taller Jedi nod, clearly relieved.

Trebor had felt as though he might be failing his student, but Master Yoda's praise alleviated most of those feelings.

———

For the next few days, Iggios tried to act as normally as possible, and it seemed he was successful. Nobody appeared to notice how tense he felt. The approaching war, which only he knew about, was gnawing at him.

To distract himself, he decided to focus on sharpening his skills with the Jedi Battlemaster, while also making some time for Ahsoka. She seemed happy to see Iggios again, until she lost their sparring match once more.

"You really need to stop using that reverse grip, Snips. You could have had me there..." Iggios commented with a smile, noting her improvement.

However, that didn't stop her from pouting like a child.

"I'll get you next time, Iggy," she muttered under her breath, her competitive spirit as strong as ever.

"I'm sure you will one day," he replied as he helped her up. Huh, she was only slightly shorter than Iggios now. Kids grow fast, who knew?

It had been nearly two weeks since Obi-Wan presumably went to Kamino, and Master Trebor, along with many other Jedi, was set to leave for Geonosis any day now.

Not long after the sparring session, Master Trebor found Iggios enjoying a post-training snack. The wise Master Jedi looked solemn, but more contemplative than anything else.

"Master...? Did something happen?" Iggios asked, trying to sound surprised by his Master's demeanor.

"Yes," was the simple answer. The reptilian man paused for a moment. "Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi has been captured on the planet Geonosis. Young Skywalker tried to save him, but he got captured as well… along with Senator Amidala" he explained. So far, the events matched Iggios' memories perfectly.

"Master Windu is putting together a force of Jedi to rescue them," the Jedi Master continued. So far, all was as expected.

"Do you want me to go with you? To watch your back?" Iggios asked with a slight smile, hopeful that this time, Coleman Trebor might survive the battle.

"Indeed. We do not expect a fight, but in case there is one, I would prefer to have you by my side," the older Jedi nodded.

"Any time, Master. When do we leave?" Iggios asked, a mix of hesitation and curiosity in his voice. The curiosity ultimately won out, it always did.

"The rescue force will leave from the Jedi Temple tomorrow morning. Travel to Geonosis should take a few hours at most," Master Trebor answered.

It seemed that the Jedi would be using some of the fastest ships available. Geonosis was not nearby by Galactic standards; an average hyperdrive would typically take one or two days to reach it.

"I'd better get ready then, Master," Iggios said, standing up and stretching his arms. The fate of the Jedi was about to start unraveling, and Iggios hoped with all his heart that he could alter at least something about this war.

For the prophecy to be fulfilled, Anakin most likely had to fall, but that didn’t mean he would allow the younglings to be killed or the Jedi to be completely destroyed. Perhaps the prophecy could be subverted altogether.

The only way to achieve that would probably be to grow powerful enough to contest Palpatine, something that felt insurmountable. If he couldn't even beat Cin Drallig in a duel, what chance did he stand against a fallen Anakin? Even less against Sidious.

"For fucks' sake, System... you'd better still be around when I need you," he murmured, trying to calm his racing heart in his quarters. "You'd better awaken soon. I've already wasted years without you..."