“Gallifrey already determined,” said the Doctor, “that you lot aren’t behind the current Grouping Crisis.”
“No, but we CAN take advantage of the chronal surges!” replied the lead Sontaran.
“So can Cybermen, apparently. Someone stole a chronal net from them.”
“The Cybermen stole the idea of the chronal net from us!” The Doctor couldn’t help but laugh.
“So, the Cybermen did a bit of espionage on the mightiest army in the-!” Her laughter was cut short as she felt an invisible hand clenching its fingers around her throat, cutting off her air!
“It would be wise, Doctor, not to choke on your aspirations!” joked the lead Sontaran as he held his hand in a choking motion. He then flicked his wrist and the Doctor collapsed to the ground, her breathing returning to normal after a few coughs.
“…F-Force…sensitivity!” she gasped. “You…you can…use the Force!”
“Indeed, Doctor! Since I am feeling uncharacteristically charitable, I shall give you the privilege of knowing my name and the name of my apprentice! I am General Stragg of the 27th Sontaran Army! Stragg the Night-breaker! But you can simply call me Darth Noctis! Lieutenant! Give the Doctor your name!”
“I am Skarr, second-in-command of the 27th Sontaran Army,” introduced the second-in-command. “Skarr the Bone-cruncher. Best known as Darth Fractus!”
“Sontaran Sith!” hissed the Doctor.
“Precisely, Doctor. But what good are impressive powers if they can’t be shared?” asked Stragg.
“That’s not the modern Sith way,” remarked the Doctor. “Haven’t you heard of the Rule of Two? Skarr’s gonna have to kill you before he takes on an apprentice!”
“That ridiculous rule,” replied Skarr, “was only implemented because Darth Bane could not properly check the ambition of the Sith when they were equal in number to the Jedi, thus proving the original Sith’s weakness and predilection to infighting. Sontarans have no such weakness. We know when to check our ambition for the greater good.”
“Easy, my apprentice,” directed Stragg. “You must remember that, in this time, the Rule of Two was only to enact Bane’s plan of revenge. …A revenge that will fail in due course.”
“Stragg, there’s more to this than you wanting to swing a lightsaber and throw lightning,” said the Doctor. “You chose Kamino because of its cloning techniques. But why? Sontaran cloning techniques outpace the Kaminoans’.”
“Nothing wrong with wanting to learn how previous cloning geniuses did it in their heyday,” replied Stragg. “Besides, every Sontaran that has studied the Clone Wars has always wanted to test their might against the Grand Arm of the Republic! Their courage was told in song and legend, and I see now that they do not give the Clones enough credit! Also…I wanted to test myself against heroes like Skywalker and Kenobi before time blunted them!”
“Alternatively, you could just walk away and return to your time. Leave the sacking of Tipoca to someone else.”
“History was very vague on what causes the fall of Kamino,” remarked Stragg.
“…Not as vague as you think, Stragg. I’m sorry to say that its fall will come from one man. …Just not here and now. Stragg, help me to preserve history and leave this time!”
“Not a chance, Doctor! The Clone Wars offer too many opportunities to ignore outright! I won’t be so cowardly as to turn away from it!” Stragg reignited his lightsaber and raised it. “TO GLORIOUS BATTLE! CHARGE!” Skarr ignited his own lightsaber as the Sontarans charged. The Clones opened fire with Anakin and Obi-Wan deflecting Sontaran fire with their own blue lightsabers.
When the battle began, the Doctor and Tysar returned to speak with Zelda as she covered her ears over the noise! “What kind of weapons are they?!” asked the Hylian Princess.
“Weapons uglier than swords or crossbows, I can assure you,” replied the Doctor. “We have to drive the Sontarans off of Kamino!”
“Doctor, what were those swords of light?!” asked Tysar.
“Lightsabers,” replied the Doctor. “The signature weapons of the Jedi and their splinter Sith. The Jedi, those that study the light side of a mystic energy called the Force, are usually identified with blue or green lightsabers while the Sith use red or crimson lightsabers to represent their studies of the darker aspects of the Force. The Jedi preach restraint while the Sith preach unleashing their full potential, but dogmatism infects both sides, leading to their eventual fall, first the Jedi, then the Sith utterly, leading to a reset for the Force at the battle of Exegol.”
“When is that battle supposed to happen?” asked Zelda.
“55 years from now,” said the Doctor. “The Sontarans presence will alter history too drastically!”
“So how do we get rid of them?” asked Tysar. “Sontarans follow no commands but their own!”
“I need some place to think,” muttered the Doctor.
Back with Obi-Wan and Anakin, the two were dueling the two Force-sensitive Sontarans. While, as a rule, Sontaran muscles weren’t designed for agility like most humanoid races thanks to the immense gravity of their home planet of Sontar, Stragg and Skarr were proving to be just as acrobatic as any Jedi, locking Obi-Wan and Anakin in a stalemate. “I must admit, General,” Obi-Wan remarked to Stragg, “I’m not sure how you intend to share your power because Sith, in general, DON’T share power.”
“Neither do you Jedi,” remarked Stragg. “But imagine the midichlorians you tap into being cloned!”
“You can’t clone midichlorians!” protested Anakin.
“Who’s to say the attempt won’t be made in this galaxy?” asked Skarr.
The Doctor was in a protected room, thinking. “How could Sith powers propagate throughout the Sontaran Empire?” she pondered. …Then she remembered her first adventure in this galaxy, a bit further into its future. “…With their cloning techniques, the Sontarans would make Project Necromancer a success.”
“Project Necromancer?” asked Palpatine’s voice, startling the Doctor.
“Didn’t know you were there, your Excellency,” she said mockingly once she caught her breath. “…This room is shielded from all forms of communication? No sound can enter or exit this room?”
“Yes, of course,” replied Palpatine.
“Good. Then here’s a bit of advice. Hold off on Order 66 until you’ve got Anakin fully in your grasp.”
“I’m sure I don’t-.”
“Palpatine, I’m a time traveler. Your history is known to me, especially when you murdered Plagueis in his sleep.” Palpatine pinned the Doctor to the wall and ignited his lightsaber, holding the blade near her throat.
“Tell anyone-!” he snarled.
“It won’t do me any good, Sidious!” hissed the Doctor. “I try telling the Jedi that you’re the Sith Lord they’re looking for, and the history of this galaxy is undone!” Palpatine looked into the Doctor’s eyes, then chuckled.
“Your own laws prevent you from altering history,” he guessed. He switched off his lightsaber.
“Sadly, yes. Much as I want to prevent it, your empire needs to rise, and General Order 66 needs to be carried out. …But Anakin is not yet ready to replace Dooku. …Oh well, enough about events of your future, let’s focus on the present. The Sontarans’ cloning techniques are far superior to Kamino’s. I’ll bet you any credits that they’ll try and clone the midichlorians in their commanders and turn this world into their cloning factory dedicated to making Sontaran Sith.”
“Then we must prevent that, because, as of now, this is a Republic protected world.”
“Can’t the inhibitor chips in the Clones do something?” asked the Doctor.
“There was never a contingency based on this event,” replied Palpatine. The Doctor then snapped her fingers in a eureka moment!
“Can additions be made to the orders on the inhibitor chips?!” she asked.
“Temporary ones, yes,” replied Palpatine.
“Excellent! I need Zelda down here! She’s got the head for command!”
The Sontarans were slowly pushing the Clones back as Stragg and Skarr continued to duel Obi-Wan and Anakin. The two Jedi were tiring. “Anakin, I know this isn’t your favorite,” said Obi-Wan, “but-!”
“We can’t retreat!” argued Anakin. “The Sontarans will swarm the city!” His communicator went off.
“Master!” came Ahsoka’s voice.
“Little busy here, Snips!” retorted Anakin.
“Master, the Doctor’s found a place we can lead the Sontarans to!” explained Ahsoka.
“…That makes the situation different,” decided Anakin. “EVERYONE! FALL BACK!” He, Obi-Wan, and Rex covered the retreat.
“COWARDS!” bellowed Skarr.
“…No, this is a strategic withdrawal,” said Stragg. “They’re leading us somewhere. …And that thrice-damned Doctor is behind all this, I’m sure. …We shall pursue!”
“Sir?” asked Skarr.
“We shall spring the Doctor’s trap early, my apprentice,” explained Stragg. “Even when she was a man, she couldn’t think clearly when her plans were accelerated.” He turned to his men. “Pursue them! SONTAR HA!”
“SONTAR HA! SONTAR HA! SONTAR HA!” chanted the Sontarans as they marched into Tipoca City.