Prequel:

"Question your judgment, we do not. Understanding is what we seek," Yoda spoke to Shaak Ti while expressing his own confusion as well as the confusion of the other Jedi. What she was proposing was something that the woman herself opposed not so long ago when they brought Anakin into the order

The Togruta knew that what she was proposing was unorthodox but that didn't stop her decision.

"I know. But he sees through a unique perspective. His skills also speak for themselves. Whether it be among the Zeison Sha or the Makukai, he stands above most of his peers. The Force is strong within him as well, Master Yoda," Shaak Ti continued to plead her case

~ a few days prior ~

She had gotten into some conflict with a few pirates near Kashyyyk. She had thought that she had finished them all off but one managed to escape to the nearby planet. She had pursued him but realized too late that this was a trap. Although she came out victorious, it was not without serious injuries.

The Jedi crawled several kilometers before she collapsed in the forest of the dangerous planet. When she awoke, she was no longer out in the wilds of the forest but inside of a treehouse instead. The house was simple in decorations, if not a bit large. It was also filled with the belts, claws, and teeth of various creatures.

Shaak Ti tried to sit up but when she did, she grunted in pain. Her grunts must have alerted whoever brought her there since she heard footsteps approaching.

The person that approached her was not who she was expecting. She thought her savior would be a large furball with muscles and a bowcaster that she would barely be able to communicate with.

'A Na'vi? On Kashyyyk?'

Her savior turned out to be a member of the Na'vi race. These guys were native to a planet in the Unknown Regions much like the Chiss. Most would not even be able to recognize them but it was said that they had originated from

As he approached, Shaak Ti didn't put up her guard. He was not only her savior but he also left her lightsaber within arm's reach. If he truly wished to do her harm, there were many ways he could have gone about it.

"I must thank you for saving my life," Shaak Ti said with her hands cupped together. "Can I ask for thy name?"

"Kavuk," the Na'vi replied while setting down his bow on a stand before walking next to Shaak Ti to check on her injuries.

Although he had saved her from the dangers of the forest, the Jedi's body was still severely injured. So when he began to change her bandages, Shaak Ti didn't resist. He was truly just being her savior.

And while he was checking her out, she was doing the same to him.

'Hmm. He is brimming with the Force. Although not at the level of a powerful Jedi, I can still feel it coming off of him. He must have trained then.'

"Kavuk. Do you mind me asking if you have learned to use the Force or if you have a teacher?"

He shook his head in response as he continued to change her bandages.

"Both of my parents trained me before they passed. My mother taught me the ways of the Makukai while my father was a member of the Zeison Sha."

Shaak Ti could sense his fluctuating emotions when he mentioned his parents' death.

'The pain must still bother him. Still, to be trained in both the ways of the Zeison Sha and the Makukai is extraordinary.'

The general tenets of the Matukai included keeping the body clean and strong, purifying themselves through physical activity, focusing on the Force through exercise and ceremony, and avoiding the taint of the dark side.

Another Matukai teaching emphasized the flexibility of spirit that avoided becoming flustered or upset in order to maintain a stress-free and relaxed state. The purpose of this teaching was to allow the body to focus the Force with greater efficiency. Matukai philosophy encouraged the use of meditative martial arts, physical exercises, and somatic rituals in hopes of developing an inherently weak connection to the Force into something stronger.

The Zeison Sha were vastly different. Instead of focusing on enhancing their physical abilities, they mastered the use of telekinesis. Their average members' skill with it was so great, that they surpassed most Jedi Knights and even some masters. The truly best members of their organization could battle over 10 Jedi at once with their telekinesis alone.

Shaak Ti looked over Kavuk's body as she studied how he was molded due to the Makokai training method. He was not as frail-looking as most Jedi but instead looked like a warrior that had trained since birth.

Shaak Ti began formulating a plan in her mind. She could tell that Kavuk was still pretty young and wanted to take him on as her apprentice. The order had been telling her that she needed to get one since she had reached the rank of Master, but she had been feeling reluctant. With someone like Kavuk, she could make an exception.

Over the next few weeks, Shaak Ti remained on Kashyyyk while she recovered. During this time, she grew closer and closer to Kavuk.

Just like she had thought, he was still pretty young. He was only 12 years old but looked like a full-grown adult in most other species. He was also brave and strong-willed, if not a little arrogant. But Shaak Ti was positive that she could iron that out or at least reduce it with him under her care.

After 2 weeks, Shaak Ti was able to move around without any difficulty. Once she was capable of doing this, she joined Kavuk on his hunts. It was on these, that she was able to see his combat skills. And just like she had thought, they were near the level of a recently promoted Knight.

But more importantly, she was able to see how soft the boy's heart was. When Kavuk hunted, he would only kill what was necessary and made sure to pray for each of the creatures he killed.

When she questioned him about it, his response was,

"My mother taught me the ways of her people. She says that all life was originally connected through Eywa but has been broken off. My mother says we are supposed to give our prayers in thanks to Eywa for keeping us alive. But I don't.

When we die, we are giving each life a chance to return to her. I am offering my prayers in hope that they do not lose their way."

Surprised that he wasn't thanking his people's goddess but asking for favors during each of his prayers, Shaak Ti began to like Kavuk more and more.

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While Shaak Ti was evaluating Kavuk, he was doing the same to her.

'Cold, loner, strict, humble, kind, and a weird sense of humor.'

The Jedi seemed weird to him. She reminded him a lot of his parents but she was also very different. It was like she was constantly judging him but she rarely spoke out about his actions.

Only when he was truly in danger did Shaak Ti speak up and try to stop him or provided assistance. Such as when he was surrounded by a pack of 10 Katarns.

Through these three weeks, they bonded with one another. The duo went from strangers to friends. And it was at the end of these three weeks that the Jedi ship came to pick up Shaak Ti.

The Jedi was about to walk onto the ship before she turned around.

"Kavuk. How about you follow me and become a Padawan? While you are skilled, you need some refinement. I can help you with that and am also in need of a Padawan. It can be a win-win scenario."

Kavuk was stunned. He thought about what she was offering. He looked at his surroundings and remembered what his mother wanted for him.

Kavuk nodded before following Shaak Ti onto the ship. This was the Na'vi's first step on his path of being a Jedi.

Chapter 1:

Kavuk looked down at Anakin and Obi-Wan riding around on a Reek with the senator. He smiled thinking about how stupid the both of them looked.

'Ah!'

Kavuk looked behind him to see Aayla looking at him in disapproval. In one of her hands was his tail which she was not holding gently.

"Step back! We can't be discovered before Master Windu makes his move," the blue Twi'lek reprimanded him. Kavuk nodded and stepped back into the shadows of the corridor, not before taking one more glance at the trio on the Reek.

"Tell me again, why are we all waiting to rescue the pair and leaving the capture of Dooku to Master Windu alone. Wouldn't it make more sense for some of us to go and help them?" the Na'vi asked his much smaller companion. Being a Na'vi, he stood at 3.1 meters tall while his partner was only 1.7 meters tall.

Aayla wanted to say something back but she couldn't respond. She also thought it was strange that they were not focusing on capturing the leader, which was the crux of their plan. But she was simply a Jedi Knight. She couldn't disobey orders from the High Council.

Kavuk wanted to complain to his friend but knew better. Even if she questioned what the Council had ordered of them, she would obey their orders in the end.

Kavuk gently pushed Aayla's head to the side to lighten the heavy atmosphere he accidentally created.

"No need to mope. Looks like we are up now."

Aayla looked forward and saw that Master Windu had ignited his lightsaber and placed it in front of Dooku's throat. She nodded at Kavuk before taking off her cloak and walking forward into the light. Kavuk smiled and did the same.

Two beautiful, blue beings stood in the light. One was a female Twi'lek with flawless blue skin and curves that would drive most men wild while the other was a light blue, male Na'vi.

When they got out, they saw the other 210 Jedi had also emerged with their lightsabers drawn. Many of the Jedi were already involved in combat as they began to cut down droids or Geonosians that tried to fire at them.

Aayla pulled out and ignited both of her lightsabers while Kavuk pulled out his own. Instead of being a lightsaber like most Jedi had, Kavuk's blade was made of metal with runes along the sides of the blade that would occasionally glow under the sunlight.

As soon as they appeared, the duo moved at lightning speed.

Aayla went higher into the stands to take out battle droids that were closest to them while Kavuk jumped into the arena.

When he landed there were already dozens of broken droids and 2 dead Jedi. But they were not his priority.

Rushing through the crowd, Kavuk blocked the various shots that came toward him and cut down any droid that got in his way. He soon arrived in front of the Reek, causing Anakin to stop before he ran the Jedi Knight over.

"Kenobi. Skywalker. I believe this makes 4 times for Kenobi losing his sword and 8 times for young Skywalker. I say. You both really need to be more careful," Kavuk teased them while blocking blaster fire before tossing them each a lightsaber he had brought for them

The duo cut the chains off their wrists before hopping off of the Reek along with the Senator.

"Ah. Senator Amidala. Good to see you on the battlefield. I thought all politicians knew how to do was talk for hours without really saying anything."

The young senator shot twice past Kavuk's head. The Jedi Knight turned around to see two battle droids with burn marks on their heads.

"Master Anurai. Nice to see you again as well. Perhaps we can talk about my political position and how senators behave at a later date. We are in the middle of some aggressive negotiations at the moment," Padme smiled at him before jumping off of the Reek and into Skywalker's arms. Several blaster bolts flew past where the senator just was.

Kavuk nodded before running off. Since he had finished his mission, he could now roam free.

Unlike other Jedi, Kavuk felt like it was natural for him to be on the battlefield. He moved from spot to block while blocking bolts of fire before cutting down droid after droid. Wherever he went, it was a whirlwind of blades and blue blurs. The Jedi was so engrossed in his battle that he failed to realize what was going on around him.

While Kavuk was thriving, most of the Jedi were dying. Of the 212 Jedi that initially arrived, they were already brought down to 78 in less than 5 minutes.

"Kavuk!" Aayla called out from the distance

Kavuk stopped his battle and looked around. He noticed that he was surrounded on all sides by droids. Just as he was about to try and fight his way out, he turned to see that the rest of the Jedi were in the center of the arena. At least what remained of them.

The Jedi Knights and Masters that had arrived at the arena confidently were now shells of their former selves. They had been brought down to 30 members including the two Jedi that they had just saved.

Seeing that the situation had gone south, Kavuk sheathed his sword to his back before walking back to the group of Jedi with his hands up. The droids all had their blasters trained on him but none of them fired.

When he arrived back at the group of Jedi, Kavuk stood next to his master and best friend.

"Master. Aayla. Glad to see that both of you are fine," Kavuk said while trying to think of how they would get out of the situation.

Seeing that he was still so calm, Shaak Ti wanted to smile. Even after 8 years of being her Padawan, he had still yet to change.

Dooku walked up to stand before speaking loudly to Mace Windu who was leading them.

"You have seen the power of the CIS. You have been wilted down to these few survivors. Now I shall give you all the option. Join me, or die."

Mace Windu ignited his lightsaber in response.

"We will never join you. You have let the Dark Side cloud your judgment."

"The same as your pride does to you," Dooku countered

The droids aimed their blasters at the Jedi while the Jedi ignited their lightsabers, ready to make one last stand. Even in such a dangerous situation, Kavuk still had a small smile on his face.

"Always so eager for a battle. It makes me worried about the Padawan that you will take on one day," Shaak Ti lightly teased him.

"You know that I am not one to take on a Padawan, Master. I would definitely teach them all the wrong things. They might even turn up worse that Skywalker and myself."

After joking with one another, the pair changed their attention back to the battlefield. Just as the droids were about to open fire and the Jedi were ready to rush out, a loud explosion and flashes of light could be seen.

Descending from above, several aircraft lowered themselves into the arena while opening fire on the droids. Men in white armor were shooting out the sides of the dropships that were approaching. Many of the Jedi looked confused until they saw Master Yoda.

"Board, you must. Awaiting us the battlefield is," the little green alien spoke in broken basic to his fellow Jedi.

The Jedi hurried to board the LAATs. Kavuk boarded the same ship as his master while blocking several blaster bolts coming his way. Soon, dust filled the arena as the gunships took off into the air.

Kavuk looked out the side of the gunship in amazement. The coliseum they were in was surrounded on all sides by men in white armor, similar to the ones that had rescued them and were riding with them. Even more of the soldiers were storming in the same direction as their ships were traveling in.

"Who are you guys?" Kavuk asked the nearest man in white

"Hello, Master Jedi. I am CT-6877, Sir. We are a clone army commissioned to assist the Republic in keeping the peace as their military force, Sir," the clone responded

Kavuk nodded. This answered one question but left so many more that needed to be answered. But just as Kavuk was about to ask for more information, the ship landed on the deserts of the planet.

The Jedi and clones on the ship quickly hopped off to get ready for battle. As soon as they were off the LAAT took to the sky once again.

"Kavuk. Make sure you don't do anything reckless. This is a battlefield far larger than anything you have experienced before," Shaak Ti advised her student. But when he didn't respond to her, she turned around to reprimand him. Much to her surprise, he was not there.

"Where did he go?!?!" Shaak Ti asked the nearest clone

"Ma'am. Jedi Kavuk remained on the LAAT when it took off," CT-6877 replied to Shaak Ti

The Jedi Master looked into the air and saw that the LAAT had already traveled very far. She could only shake her head and focus on the battle.

'May the Force be with you. During this battle and when you shall feel my wrath after it.'

In the ship, Kavuk was standing right behind the pilots, his hands on the headrests of their seats.

"I have a risky mission for us. Tell me if you guys think this is a good idea," Kavuk said before beginning to explain his plan.

"Our forces still need to mobilize and get organized. It will also be a little rough since the Jedi haven't led armies in a long time. To bring some of that burden off of them, I want us to be a distraction. We fly over their enemy lines and hold up as many of them as we can for as long as we can."

The pilots looked at one another before the co-pilot turned to look at Kavuk.

"It will be risky, Sir. They have Spider and Hailfire droids down there. If they land a single blow, we will be going down in the middle of enemy territory at best, killed immediately at worst. While we clones can die here, it will be a great loss for you to die as well. We suggest not going through with this plan or at least dropping you off and letting us undertake this mission ourselves."

Kavuk nodded at their suggestion. He knew their words made partial sense.

"Refused. Either Eywa takes all of us today or she shall have none of us. Close the bay doors. Tell the gunners their main focus is on the Hailfire droids. Co-pilot, try and fire as many attacks on their transports as you can. Let them think that is our goal. Pilot... try to keep us alive."

"Yes, Sir," the clones responded before pressing a few buttons on the console before the doors on the side of the ship closed.

Kavuk held onto one of the railings above. They were in the deep end now.

The LAAT flew over the battlefield, immediately attracting the attention of the CIS forces. Most of the Republic ships were pushing along the front lines with the Jedi or going around the long way to reach the escape ships. None of them were stupid enough to travel directly over the CIS forces.

Dozens of Spider and Hailfire droids opened fire on the ship causing the pilot to bob and weave in order to dodge the many beams and rockets. Although the co-pilot and gunners tried their best to get rid of as many rockets as possible, there was only so much that they could do. Most of the work fell onto the pilot.

Explosion after explosion rang out around their ship. Either through the Force or Eywa or just the skill of the crew, the LAAT was able to make it through the barrage with only a few scrapes.

Because of their distraction, the Republic forces were able to push further and faster than they had anticipated which led to the destruction of 203 of the 286 Hardcell-class transports and 47 of the 60 Core Ships.

This would be a massive loss to the CIS since each of the core ships had enough droids to threaten a planet while the transports had hundreds of Hailfire droids on each of them. Unknown to the Republic and the CIS, this battle would change many future battles of the war that had just begun.