Star Wars: Of Wraiths and Razor Crests, Part 1

Destinies Untold is going to be a series of Star Wars stories separate from the main storyline in Vergence.

Rishi, 5 years after the Battle of Endor

“Okay. Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. A Jedi and a—”

“I’ve heard it a million times, Gerrin,” Jador groaned, running a hand over his face. “Please, just for once, spare us your terrible jokes.”

“You didn’t even let me finish!” Gerrin protested, his tiny teeth showing over his bulbous chin. “A Jedi and an X-wing pilot walk into a… no, wait. A Jedi and a—”

“Stuff it,” snapped Zadan, the third member of Jador’s party. Wearing a vocoder due to his species’ lack of vocal chords, the Anomid’s voice came as a sharp, mechanical rasp that drew the attention of anyone who heard it. At the very least, it was enough for Gerrin to quiet down and return to his plate of Drutash grubs.

Jador sighed as he shook his head, glancing around the mostly quiet cantina. While Rishi had been a necessary stop, it was still much too close to Hutt Space for his liking. While the three of them did not have that large a bounty on their heads individually, as a package it was enough to entice any bounty hunter looking to make a quick credit. It didn’t help that Rishi was somewhat of a haven for unsavory characters ranging from smugglers to pirates to mercenaries. If there was ever a place in the galaxy for a bounty hunter to start looking for someone like Jador, it was here.

Tapping his fingers nervously on the table, Jador glanced back at Gerrin. “Are you about done already?” he asked impatiently.

“What’s the rush?” the Keteerian replied, slurping a worm into his mouth.

“We shouldn’t linger on any planet for too long. The Hutts probably have people looking everywhere for us. We should keep moving if we want to shake them off our tail.”

“It might be too late for that,” Zadan intoned dryly.

Jador felt the color leave his face. “Why do you say that?”

The Anomid made a single gesture with his head and Jador quickly looked over his shoulder to see an armored figure step into the cantina. They were covered head to toe in brown and silver durasteel armor, a helmet distinguished by a T-shaped visor covering their face. After taking a quick scan of the establishment, they began to make their way over to the bar, where a Snivvian tender was waiting to serve him.

“A Mandalorian,” Jador breathed, turning back to the others. “You don’t see much of them lately.”

“That’s not just any Mandalorian,” Zadan hissed, lowering the volume of his vocoder enough so that only the other two could hear him. “That’s the Mandalorian.” 

“Can’t say I’m familiar with him.”

“He works for the Bounty Hunters’ Guild; specifically the house on Nevarro. I don’t think he’s ever let a bounty get away from him. He is relentless and ruthless; never a good combination.”

“You think he’s after us?” Jador asked.

“Rishi’s a pretty crowded place,” said Gerrin. “There’s bound to be someone else here with a bounty on their head. Just relax and act cool and maybe he won’t notice us.”

“Wishful thinking never ends well,” muttered Zadan. “I say we just leave now.”

“No, that would look too suspicious. He would surely notice us.”

“What’s he doing now?” Jador asked Zadan, who had a clear view of the Mandalorian.

“He’s just sitting at the bar with his drink,” the Anomid replied. “I don’t know how he plans to drink that without taking off that bucket of his.”

Jador drew in his breath, putting a hand on his knee to keep it from shaking too much. “What’s a Mandalorian doing all the way out here anyway? I thought their sector was liberated after the Empire collapsed.”

“It was, but the clans are in disarray. The Imperial occupation of Mandalore doubled the number of splinter factions, and they each have a different idea of how Mandalore should be ruled. Unless they can put aside their differences and reconcile, it’s just an endless cycle of chaotic infighting from here on out.”

“How do you know so much about Mandalorian politics anyway?” Gerrin asked.

“I’ve worked with a few Mandos in my time. None of them were like him though.”

“Have you worked with him before?” Jador asked.

Zadan hastily shook his head. “No, thank stars. But I have worked with Ran and he told me….”

He trailed off and Jador watched as his pupils dilated, causing his own heart to begin skipping every other beat.

“He’s getting up from his stool,” Zadan said, his voice lower than a whisper.

“And?” Jador hissed back.

“And he’s walking over to us.”

As soon as the Anomid had spoken these words, Jador heard the sound of boots softly hitting against the wooden planks of the floor and the hairs on the back of his neck stood up as he felt the presence of someone standing behind him. An arm then reached over his shoulder and dropped three puck-shaped devices onto the table between the three patrons, switching them on one by one. As Jador, Gerrin, and Zadan all stared at the small holographic representations of their faces, a cold voice spoke from behind Jador.

“I can bring you in warm… or I can bring you in cold.”

Jador barely had time to process those words when Gerrin suddenly sprang into action. He pulled his chair back so fast that it fell to the floor, drew his blaster so fast that it sent his plate of worms flying off the table, and yet none of these movements were fast enough for him to avoid being shot square in the chest from a single blaster bolt fired from the Mandalorian’s blaster pistol, which he had somehow managed to draw in all that time.

Zadan was the next to move, leaping out of his own seat and unsheathing a vibroblade from a scabbard on his back. Jador heard the first notes of what might have been a battle cry until he felt the heat of another blaster bolt whiz past his head and fly straight between the Anomid’s eyes.

Before Zadan’s body had even hit the floor, Jador could already feel the barrel of the Mandalorian’s blaster pressing against his temple. Swallowing hard, he slowly and deliberately held his hands up, making sure they were as far away from his holstered blaster as possible.

“Warm,” he croaked. “I choose warm.”

“Smart,” was all the Mandalorian said.

OF WRAITHS AND RAZOR CRESTS

PART I

Nevarro

“It’s a shame you had to kill Zadan Isp. I hear the Crymorah had a pretty hefty price for him alive.”

Greef Karga glanced up at the Mandalorian sitting across from him as he counted the bounty hunter’s payout. He knew it was futile trying to gauge one’s expression when they hid their face with a mask all the time, but even with those Greef was usually able to get a read on their body language after working with them long enough. But not with Mando, as he had taken to calling this one. There was no getting a read on Mando, ever after all the years they had spent working together.

“Still,” Greef went on. “All’s well that ends well. I’m sure Raaxus the Hutt will be pleased to add Jador to his collection of carbonite-frozen freaks.”

As he said this, he slid the stack of credits over to Mando, who accepted them without a word. After counting them himself and storing them away, the Mandalorian lifted his masked face to look at Greef again.

“Do you have any other jobs?”

Greef chuckled. “Eager to get back to work, are we?” He considered for a moment before reaching into his pouch and putting a new puck on the table between them. He activated it and the image of a heavily scarred man materialized.

“This is one that I’ve been sitting on for a while. Doctor Cornelius Evazan, wanted in over twelve systems on various accounts of medical malpractice and all sorts of twisted experiments. He was reported to have died on Necropolis nine years ago but word’s gotten around that he’s still alive and kicking.”

“Do you have any leads on him?” the Mandalorian asked.

“Nothing solid, I’m afraid. He’s been spotted all over the galaxy. I can give you a list of locations and their time stamps, but that’s all I’ve got.”

“I’ll take it.” Mando grabbed the puck off the table as he got up from his seat. Without another word, he headed for the door and was out of the common house before Greef even had a chance to stop him if he wanted to.

Not much for goodbyes, that one is. Greef shook his head. But if he gets the job done, then who am I to complain?

Wielu

It should have been a normal shore leave. Originally, it had been just that, but some genius had decided along the way that it would provide a good opportunity to perform some undercover work while still, perhaps paradoxically, enjoying some much needed rest and recreation. They had gotten some intelligence on an abandoned Imperial outpost located on the planet they would be visiting, so surely it wouldn’t have hurt to check it out.  

Only it did hurt. Because apparently their information on the outpost was either outdated or a deliberate misdirection, because as it turned out the base was still swarming with stormtroopers. They had made it as far as the main control center when the white-armored soldiers began marching into the corridor behind them, opening fire with E-11 blaster rifles. Catching them unawares, the stromtroopers had managed to score a few hits before their targets managed to find cover and started firing back, leading them to the predicament they were in now.

Yes, it should have been a normal shore leave. But when it came to Wraith Squadron, “normal” tended to launch itself out of the airlock.

Huddled behind a terminal station that was serving as cover, Face Loran—the self-proclaimed “genius” who had come up with said undercover mission—looked over to the Devaronian medic and his human patient that he was protecting.

“How is he, Eleven?” Face asked over the sound of blaster fire.

“I’m great, thanks for asking,” replied Elassar Targon.

“I’m talking about Kell, laserbrain.”

“A few minor abrasions, but he’ll be fine.”

Kell Tainer, the man in question, managed to lift his arm long enough to give a weak thumbs-up.

Face gave a single nod before emerging from behind his cover to squeeze out a few more blaster shots, taking down two more stormtroopers in the process. He took the opportunity to scan the area for the other Wraiths, seeing no sign of them. Most likely they were taking cover as well, adding to the crossfire whenever he wasn’t looking. At least, he hoped that was the case. It was better than considering the alternative.

Another stormtrooper suddenly appeared from around the corner and Face quickly ducked to avoid their blaster shot. As he did, he caught Elassar staring at him and looked over at the medic.

“You know,” the Devaronian said. “This was a very stupid idea.”

Face scowled. “I know.”

“I mean, sneaking into an abandoned Imperial outpost without at least triple-checking our information is one thing—”

“I know.”

“—and going in without at least pretending to be stealthy or quiet is another—”

“I know.”

“—and don’t get me started on that whole thing with the cameras—”

“Eleven, if you shut up, I promise to pay for your funeral.”

Elassar seemed to give the idea some thought. “Well, that’s considerate of you, at least….”

Ignoring him, Face reached for his comlink and called into it. “Wraiths! Please tell me you’re alive, even if it means you’re just huddled behind cover doing nothing.”

“Eight here,” same the mechanical voice of Piggy. “Two's working on slicing into the computers to get the turrets online.”

“Turrets?” Face echoed. “This place has turrets.”

“Yes. I suggest you get down as low as you can because this could get—”

The rest of the Gamorrean’s speech was drowned out by the whir and whine of turrets deploying from compartments in the ceiling. Face heard the stormtroopers react in alarm before screaming as the guns fired upon them. The Imperial soldiers started to exchange fire with the automated guns, and a burst of sparks above Face told him that they succeeded in destroying at least one turret. The crossfire continued for another few minutes before things all of a sudden got very quiet. The turrets made another whining sound as they powered down, and Face could no longer hear the sound of marching boots or any other sort of movement.

Slowly and carefully, he emerged from behind his cover to see the corridor littered with the bodies of dead stormtroopers, with no live ones in sight. From behind the terminal adjacent to the one he had been using as cover, Piggy poked his head out, followed by Shalla Nelprin and a young blue-skinned woman. Idra Daloo was one of the newer additions to Wraith Squadron, a Wroonian slicer who had nearly been kicked out of the Academy for allegedly slicing into simulation computers to catch a classmate for cheating. Regardless of the morality behind her actions, she was clearly good at slicing and the Wraiths had been in need of a good slicer after losing three of them during the hunt for Zsinj over the last couple of years.

As Piggy and his group walked over to join Face, Elassar, and the injured Kell, Piggy handed Face a small cylindrical object.

“What’s this?” Face asked.

“All of the data we were able to extract from the computers,” Piggy explained. “No idea if there’s anything good on it; it was kind of hard to analyze it while we were being shot at.”

“We can check it out once we’re back at the base,” Face said. Speaking into his comlink again, he said, “Seven, this is Leader. We’re done here; be ready to pick us up at the entrance.”

“Copy, Leader,” responded Dia Passik. “Do I want to know what the holdup was?”

“Well, you can come over and look at the dead stormtroopers to get a good idea.”

“I thought the base was supposed to be abandoned.”

“Yeah.” Face grimaced as he surveyed the unsightly scene in front of him. “Clearly, someone didn’t tell them that.”

*  *  *

Back at the Wraiths’ base (it was supposed to have been their vacation home but clearly that hadn’t worked out), the assembled members of Wraith Squadron were gathered around to listen to Face’s report on his team’s mission as well as whatever information was on the code cylinder that they had managed to extract from the outpost’s computer.

“Most of the data is heavily encrypted,” said Idra Daloo, the team’s new slicer. “It will take me a while to decipher all of it, if even that. What I have been able to decode so far tells something about a person by the name of Evazan.”

Several of the Wraiths shifted uncomfortably at the sound of this name.

“Evazan?” repeated Kell Tainer, a bacta patch taped to his forehead. “I’ve heard of him. He’s a nasty piece of work.”

Face nodded in agreement. “Both Wedge and General Cracken have told me about him. One of his more notorious ‘creations’ are the Decraniated.”

“The what now?” Elassar asked, his face taking on a lighter shade of gray than normal. 

“The Decraniated. People who have been stripped of their individuality and made to be as subservient as droids. Heck, even some droids have more freedom than they do. At least some droids like Squeaky have personality. But the Decraniated are emotionless slates.”

“And why would the Empire need or want someone responsible for something like that?” asked Tyria Sarkin, the Wraiths’ designated infiltrator. Face probably should have brought her along to sneak into the Imperial outpost. Then again, he didn’t think an infiltrator would have been necessary for a base that was supposed to have been abandoned.

“The data does not say why Evazan was working with the Empire,” said Idra. “Nor does it say anything about the Decraniated. It could have been for something completely unrelated.”

“I shudder to think what,” opined Lad Tezalt, the team’s Duros sniper.

Face got up from where he was sitting. “Let’s send this information to Cracken and see if he can give us any leads on where Evazan could be. If there’s an Imperial warlord out there making use of his services, then they need to be stopped as soon as possible.”

None of the other Wraiths voiced any disagreement, although Kell did raise his hand to ask, “Does this mean vacation is over?”

“I don’t think it ever really started,” Face said dryly.

*  *  *

Save for the quiet hum of the engines, the Razor Crest was as silent as it ever was. Just as Din Djarin preferred it.

Navigating the gunship away from Nevarro, the Mandalorian bounty hunter plotted a course for the nearest planet on the list Greef Karga had provided him. Located in the Anoat sector, Bespin didn’t exactly seem like the type of planet someone with Dr. Evazan’s reputation would visit. Cloud City was hardly a festering hive for scum and villainy and a single whiff of criminal activity would get him arrested by the Wing Guard. Still, if Greef Karga’s sources were legitimate, then it was good a place as any to start, if only to get a good lead on the rogue doctor.

As he let the navigational computer do its work, Din could not help but reflect on the conversation he had overheard from Jador and his companions back on Rishi. He had heard them talk about Mandalore and its liberation from the Empire, and about how the disparate Mandalorian clans were fighting over control of the planet. None of this aligned with what he had been told by the Tribe that had raised him. According to them, the Empire had scorched Mandalore to a cinder, rendering it uninhabitable. That was why the Mandalorians were spread out across the galaxy, hiding in coverts on planets such as Nevarro. Was this simply Imperial or even Republic propaganda that Jador and his friends had been spouting?

Din had considered visiting the covert on Nevarro before leaving, to speak with the Armorer that led the Tribe and present her with this information. But he had thought better of it. Besides, what did three rogue smugglers knew about Mandalorian history? It would have been foolish to take anything they had said to heart. There was only one Way of the Mandalore, and that was all that mattered.

Once the computer had finished plotting a course to Bespin, Din Djarin pulled the hyperdrive lever and the stars stretched into thin lines of white.

Star Wars: Vergence III, Epilogue

 EPILOGUE

Thirty-four years ago

“Do you like music, Ben?”

The little boy said nothing as Snoke plucked the strings of his drumheller harp, its melodious sounds ringing through the twisted gardens of Amaxine Station. His scared dark eyes were taking in the twisted exotic plants that made up the garden, looking unsure if he should be amazed or terrified by them.

Continuing to play his instrument, Snoke said, “I have always been fascinated by it. Each song, each piece, gives you a glimpse into its creator’s mind, into their soul. If you want to get a read of a sapient being, all you need to do is just turn to their work and simply… listen.”

He closed his eyes as he plucked a few more strings, savoring the sound they made when pulled in successive order.

“Shrii ka rai ka rai.” Snoke paused in his singing to reflect on the words. He then looked over at Ben, who was staring at him with wide eyes.

“Are you scared, Ben?”

The boy shook his head defiantly, though his face said otherwise.

“It’s okay to be scared. Even I can be scared sometimes.”

“What’s going to happen to me?” the boy asked, the first words he had spoken since he had been brought here.

“I am going to take care of you,” Snoke replied.

“What about my family?”

“Your family doesn’t want you anymore. That is why you are here.”

Ben continued to look scared and confused. Snoke had been prepared for this; he knew this was going to be a long process, one that would take years, perhaps even decades. But he was willing to be patient, for he knew it would all be worth it.

Not wanting to give the boy time to think things through more than he already had, Snoke said, “Would you like me to play you a song, Ben?”

“What song?” Ben asked him tentatively.

“Any song. Your favorite, perhaps.”

Ben frowned, chewing his lip in contemplation. Finally, he said, “There’s one song that Mommy would sing for me. I really like it.”

So eloquent for a child, Snoke thought to himself. “Could you sing some of it for me?”

Ben hesitated for another moment. Then, he started to sing to the best of his ability. It was not long before Snoke was plucking the strings of his harp, singing along to the melodic notes.

“Mirrorbright, shines the moon, its glow as soft as an ember. When the moon is mirrorbright, take this time to remember….”

Now

“Well, I told him. I don’t think he took it well, but considering I’m still alive, that’s better than I was expecting.”

Sal Orbego’s holographic image, projecting from a Neimoidian mechno-chair, followed Malvis as the crime lord walked through his garden. Hands behinds his back, Malvis absently touched one of the twisted exotic plants that dominated the garden as he spoke.

“Are the bounties for the other heirs still up?”

“Ah, I checked just now and, uh, yes. Yes, they are.” Malvis heard the tell-tale tapping of fingers on a datapad, a nervous tic of Orbego’s that he had long become accustomed to. “Do you… want me to address that?”

Malvis sighed as he shook his head. “The damage has already been done, I’m afraid. Drakmos has already eliminated Baron Tagge, and once he’s started a ‘project’ it is impossible for him to stop.”

“Er… correct me if I’m wrong, but I thought it was Queen Jool who was responsible for Tagge’s death.”

“Jool had Tagge killed for Drakmos,” Malvis corrected him. “She wants to get into the Cabal’s good graces, if not as a member than at least as a trusted ally.”

“I see.” Orbego cleared his throat. “In that case, if Drakmos does continue to act out of line by eliminating the Dowager’s heirs… what then? He’ll eventually get to Senator Valrisa and if he wins the election for Chief of State, then—”

“Then chaos will ensue,” Malvis finished for him. “Chaos that we cannot control. Senator Valrisa is crucial to our plans, and if he is killed before or even after he is elected Chief of State….”

“Then everything will fall apart. Yeah, I figured as much.” Orbego let out a heavy sigh. “So, what are we going to do about him?”

Malvis considered for a moment. “If Drakmos wants to play with fire, then let him,” he finally said. “We will send our agents to protect Senator Valrisa while he focuses on the remaining heirs. If he ends up defying me, then he will pay the price.”

“Sounds good.” A tap of fingers betrayed Orbego’s true feelings on the matter. “There’s also been some… rumors about the First Order. Apparently something went down at Naboo and—”

“It’s a non-issue,” Malvis said firmly.

He could tell that Orbego wanted to press the matter further. But instead, the Pa’lowick simply said, “Very well. I will start moving operatives to Coruscant.”

With that, Orbego’s hologram fizzled away and Malvis was left alone in his garden. Sighing quietly to himself, he made his way over to a clearing in the center of the garden. Waiting for him there was a drumheller harp that had not been touched in quite some time. After situating the disused instrument, Malvis pulled some of the Centrasser strings with his long bony fingers and released them, creating a melodious sound that filled his ears.

A smile touched Malvis’s dry lips, reaching his blue eyes, as he proceeded to play the instrument, quietly singing to himself as memories of a simpler time flooded his mind.

“Mirrorbright, shines the moon, its glow as soft as an ember. When the moon is mirrorbright, take this time to remember….”

TO BE CONTINUED

Star Wars: Vergence III, Chapter Seventeen

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

The Finalizer

It was not often that General Hux found himself being caught off-guard or taken by surprise by something or someone. But today was going to be one of those rare days.

Standing at his holoprojector, surrounded by life-sized images of his contemporaries on the Supreme Council, Hux stared incredulously at the massive projection of Kylo Ren’s masked face. Glancing around, he could see that he was not the only one who had been left in a state of surprise, although of course Generals Pryde and Parnadee were better trained in masking their emotions.

After a long, torturous bout of silence, it was General Pryde who dared to finally speak first. “Lord Ren. We were expecting the Supreme Leader.”

“I figured you would,” Kylo Ren coolly replied. “Unfortunately, the Supreme Leader is incapacitated at the moment. We encountered Resistance forces at Naboo and they made an attempt on the Supreme Leader’s life. Although he survived the attack, he has been left grievously injured. As such, he has named me his Executor and has placed me in temporary control of the First Order while he recovers. All of your reports and grievances shall go through me for the time being.”

The members of the Supreme Council looked amongst themselves with mixed expressions. While they were all familiar with Kylo Ren and his Knights, they had never exactly seen them as anything more than the Supreme Leader’s personal squad of executioners, tasked with performing dirty work that was either beneath those in the First Order’s ranks or outside their area of expertise. Certainly, in Hux’s opinion, Kylo Ren was no Darth Vader. No one feared the Knight of Ren the same way their predecessors had feared the Dark Lord of the Sith… at least not for the same reasons. True, some were wary of being around Ren but that was more due to his unpredictable and violent nature, not because of any command position he held. The fact that Snoke had apparently named Kylo Ren his temporary regent was a… questionable decision to say the least. Still, who were they to question the Supreme Leader’s wisdom?

Clearing his throat, General Pryde said, “Very well. For what purpose have you gathered us, then?”

“The encounter with the Resistance at Naboo has made it clear that they are not to be underestimated,” Kylo Ren explained. “The Supreme Leader wants you to focus your efforts towards eliminating them as a threat.”

“I thought our focus was supposed to be on seizing the Alliance’s territory,” said General Quinn.

Kylo Ren snapped his masked face at the outspoken general. “That was before Naboo,” he said icily. “This is now. Besides, the Alliance is putting up little to no struggle in response to the seizure of the Dominus and Ojoster sectors. They are already preoccupied with eating each other alive.”

“That could easily change once the new Chief of State, whoever they are, comes to power,” pointed out General Parnadee.

“That shouldn’t be a concern,” said Pryde. “The selected nominees are either too weak to put up a fight or have Imperial sympathies. For all we know, they could end up helping our cause rather than impede it.”

“Indeed,” Kylo Ren said, rather sharply Hux had to note. “I want you to send your spies across the galaxy. Root out any planet the Resistance could be operating on so that we may crush them. Once they are out of the picture, nothing will stand in the way of the First Order.”

Hux had to admit that he did not find much issue with this plan. After what had happened at Mon Cala, he was eager to prove the First Order’s might. Perhaps Snoke had been holding back and was now ready to unleash his wrath across the galaxy. He would not complain if that was the case.

“We do have leads on where the Resistance could be operating,” said General Engell. “Some of the systems we have suspected as potential locations are even within our sectors.”

“Good,” Kylo Ren replied. “Start there. Sweep every charted star system, regardless of whether it is inhabited or not. Leave no stone unturned. The time for restraint has ended. Soon, the galaxy will know the true might of the First Order. And nothing will stand in our way.” 

Kijimi

“He’s where?!”

Dax jolted in his cot at the sound of Argus Ordo’s incredulous exclamation. After a long day of training and workout, he had finally been given an opportunity to rest his aching muscles. He had been about to fall asleep when he heard Argus’s voice and he looked over to see the old Mandalorian standing in front of an equally old holoprojector. The image of a Rybet fizzled in and out before Argus Ordo, its audio mired with static.

“The Errant Venture,” Dax heard the Rybet say. “I know, I was pretty surprised myself. It took me a while to recognize him, since he’s wearing a new set of armor. But I recognized his daughter and she’s always hanging around him, along with the rest of their posse. I don’t think it could be anyone else, unless she’s gotten herself a boyfriend who’s twice her age or something.”

Argus Ordo’s hands rolled into fists and Dax thought he was going to smash the holoprojector with them. “Where are they?” the old man growled.

“We’re in hyperspace at the moment. From what I’ve heard, we’re en route to the Talavos system, though we might be making a stop at Takodana along the way. I’m getting a lot of conflicting information; a lot of people on this ship don’t like me much and don’t really wanna talk to me. I don’t understand why, but—”

“Enough!” Argus snapped. “We’re already on our way.”

“Okay, but what about my—”

Argus cut the amphibian off by switching off the holoprojector. He then turned around and stormed over to Dax, grabbing his helmet from a nearby table and putting it on. “Get up, boy. It’s time.”

“You’re already done training me?” Dax asked.

“I’m not going to waste any more time with you to pass on an opportunity like this. You’ll have your chance to kill Kadar, and if you fail, then you will die and I will do the deed for you.”

Dax scowled as he got out of his cot and stretched. “I really hope this will all pay off.”

“Do you want to kill him or not?” Argus snapped.

“Of course I do.” Dax tried to ignore how those words sounded less sincere than he had intended them to. “But I don’t see why I needed to be dragged all the way to Kijimi to spend a day with a grouchy old man who can’t be arsed to—”

He saw Argus’s fist a mere half-second before it collided with his face. Knocked off-balance, he stumbled back towards his cot and had to grab onto the railing to keep himself from falling into it. As Dax wiped blood from his mouth, Argus turned around and began striding towards the door.

“You can follow, but I won’t wait for you,” was all the old Mandalorian said as he stepped out into the cold Kijimi dawn.

Dax glowered after him before spitting out a glob of blood from his mouth. He then quickly gathered his gear, put them on, and headed out the door, walking as fast as he could to catch up with the Mandalorian. 

Ord Talavos

It was only thanks to the power of diplomatic immunity that Sal Orbego had the confidence to walk into the den of Drakmos the Despised and tell him, “You are really set on making my life miserable, aren’t you?”

The dragon-like crime boss picked his sharp teeth with his claw as he cast his gaze down at the small Pa’lowick. Two Tiss’shar guards standing on either side of his throne visibly tensed and raised their blasters but did not yet point them at Orbego.

“Whatever are you referring to?” Drakmos asked with faux innocence.

Orbego rolled his eyes as he produced a datapad. “Oh, gee, I don’t know. Maybe something along the lines of an assassination attempt on the Senator of Naboo?!”

“You cannot prove that I had anything to do with that,” Drakmos protested.

“Oh, you mean besides the fact that he was getting married to one of the Dowager’s children, whom you had just posted a bounty on for half a million credits? Along with literally all of the Dowager’s surviving children?”

Drakmos sneered, baring his fangs. “I should not be held responsible for amateur bounty hunters making mistakes.”

“Even if it’s the bounty hunter that you yourself personally hired for this very job?” Orbego nearly shrieked, his voice high enough to shatter windows. “And before you say anything, I had agents of my own operating on Naboo. They saw the local newsfeeds. They saw Remar Almor’s face plastered everywhere. And I know it was him you hired because guess what? It is literally my job to know pretty much everything you and the other Cabal members do.”

Drakmos’s yellow eyes narrowed into thin slits as he glared at the Pa’lowick. “Is it?” he asked quietly.

“Um, yeah? What, were you born yesterday? It’s always been my job. How else do you think Malvis keeps everyone in line? An organization of opportunistic crime lords is doomed to fail unless someone is keeping tabs on everyone.”

“Is that right?” Drakmos snorted. “Are those Malvis’s words or does he keep you around for business advice?”

Orbego huffed, stomping a thin leg against the floor. “It doesn’t matter! Point is, you acted out of line and now we’re all paying the consequences. A senator’s life has just been threatened, everyone’s talking about it, and all eyes are on us. Needless to say, Malvis isn’t happy. And when he’s not happy, nobody is happy.”

“You presume I even care about what Malvis or any of the others think,” Drakmos growled. “If he wants to remove me from the Cabal for my ‘transgressions,’ then so be it. But he knows that he cannot afford to lose my affiliation. To cast me out would be to create a rival that even he cannot contest with.” 

Orbego tapped his fingers on his datapad, licking the pair of lips at the end of his long proboscis. “Right,” he muttered. “Well, fortunately for you, Malvis isn’t willing to go that far yet. He’s letting you off with a warning… for now. He strongly advises you to not do something like this again.”

“Is that all?” Drakmos gestured vaguely to nothing in particular. “What of the bounties? Does he want me to take those down?”

“I believe it would be in our best interests that you do so, yes.”

“His best interests, you mean. And perhaps yours. But not mine. What if I want to keep them up?”

Orbego narrowed his eyes. “Then we would have a repeat of Naboo. And we don’t want that.”

“You mean Malvis doesn’t.” Drakmos leaned forward in his throne, flashing his teeth. “’We.’ You keep using that word. ‘We’ want this. ‘We’ want that. Do you have no individuality, Pa’lowick? Or do you just regurgitate everything Malvis feeds you?”

Orbego thinned his lips as he glared at the draconian crime lord. “You will take down the bounties,” he managed to say as evenly as possible, “and business will resume as usual.”

Without waiting for a response from Drakmos, the Pa’lowick pivoted on his thin legs and began walking swiftly towards the door. Drakmos watched him leave and it was not until after Orbego had finally left that his Tiss’shar guards lowered their weapons.

“I was this close to gutting him,” a voice growled from the shadows. Drakmos glanced in time to see a cloaked Chistori emerge from the shadows of his throne room, walking over to the spot where Orbego had just been. “We could have just come up with a believable alibi and Malvis would just found some other patsy to do his dirty work.”

“A tempting idea,” Drakmos admitted. “But a risky one. Malvis would easily piece things together and have even more reason to remove me. Not that that would have been a bad thing; I would have welcomed the challenge.”

The Chistori glanced at him, flaring her nostrils. “Are you going to take down the bounties?”

Drakmos smirked. “I would… but that wouldn’t be fair to the other people I’ve already reached out to.”

As if in cue, a tiny red light in the ceiling started to blink in and out, accompanied by a beeping sound. Drakmos pressed a hidden switch in the armrest of his throne and the overhead holoprojector turned on, creating the life-sized image of an armored Twi’lek woman in front of him.

“Despised One,” the Twi’lek said curtly. “I present to you an offering.”

She stepped aside to reveal two humans—one male, one female—tied up and sitting on their knees as other armored figures held their weapons at their heads.

“Lord Jol Tritum and Lady Fala Tritum of House Mecetti. Heirs of the Dowager Valrisa.”

Drakmos tapped his claws together. “Impressive work, Viira,” he rumbled. “Was it difficult capturing such high-profile figures?”

Viira smirked. “It would have been… had it not been for the fact that they made a deal with the Veiled Sorority to steal from one of their rival houses.”

Drakmos nodded sagely. “Indeed, indeed. This is why you should never put your faith in pirates.” He gestured with a claw. “Kill them.”

With a nod from Viira, the surrounding pirates opened fire and the two Tapani nobles dropped dead onto the floor. A satisfied Viira then looked back to Drakmos.

“I trust that we have proven ourselves as worthy allies?”

“You have certainly demonstrated your effectiveness,” Drakmos replied. “Come to Ord Talavos and we can discuss matters further.”

The Twi’lek nodded once and the holographic display dissipated into nothingness. Folding his claws over his stomach, Drakmos looked back over to his Chistori assassin.

“We are already at the halfway point. I don’t think I could stop now even if I wanted to.”

The Chistori snorted, shaking her head. “You’re playing a dangerous game, Despised One.”

Drakmos grinned, putting his many sharpened teeth on display. “Which will make victory all the sweeter, my friend.”

Star Wars: Vergence III, Chapter Sixteen

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

 Theed Palace, Naboo

“Well, this is a right mess you’ve found yourselves with.”

“Yes, Booster. Thank you for the reminder,” Leia sighed as she paced around the throne room of Theed Palace. 

While the throne itself remained empty due to the incarceration of Queen Reneme, the surrounding seats had been filled by the deputies of the ministers and advisors that the Queen of Naboo had executed, having taken on the duties of their predecessors. Of course, without a Queen for them to advise, their only duty at the moment was to maintain order until a new Queen could be elected… however long that took. In the meantime, the Lieutenant-Governor of Theed—a woman from House Korden—had become the closest thing Naboo currently had to a leader, driving talks with Leia as they tried to figure out where to go from here. With Naboo’s Queen incarcerated and its senator incapacitated, Leia did not blame the Naboo Council one bit for being lost. 

After what she had witnessed aboard the Supremacy, she was beginning to feel a bit lost herself. Honestly, she felt that Booster Terrik was being rather generous with his description of the predicament she had found herself in.

“I think we can all agree that we can forget about reaching out to the Galactic Alliance for help,” Lieutenant Governor Korden was saying, bringing Leia’s attention back to the here and now. “They are in no better situation than we are when it comes to vacancies in power.”

“I can assure you that the Resistance is more than capable of providing you with the support you need,” Leia assured the other woman.

The Captain of the Guard Vara Wendik raised a dark eyebrow at her. “What exactly is it you are ‘resisting?’”

“At first, it was Darth Taral and his followers, since the Alliance was refusing to deal with him themselves,” Leia said solemnly. “Now, however… it has become clear to me that the First Order has been the true threat all along. It was the power behind Taral, is most likely the power behind the Malvis Cabal, and I would not be surprised if it’s been manipulating the Alliance from within in order to have them turn a blind eye to its activities while tearing itself apart from within.”

“Do you have a plan on how you are going to bring down this First Order?” asked Korden.

“Not yet. Not until we have acquired enough intelligence on both the Order and the Cabal to figure out how they operate.”

“Well, I’ve got you covered on the latter part,” said Booster Terrik, large arms folded over his barreled chest. “Right before we got called here, we had a lead on one of the Cabal’s big players. Calls himself Drakmos the Despised and we believe he’s operating on Ord Talavos, in the Tashtor sector.”

“Then I suggest you follow up on that lead as soon as possible,” Leia said.

“What if the First Order comes back with reinforcements?”

“I have already called for reinforcements of our own. An old friend of mine should be bringing them here shortly.”

Booster nodded curtly and turned to leave only to stop to aim a cocked eyebrow at Korden and the other advisors. “You sure you won’t need my help here?”

Leia smiled wryly. “Don’t worry, I’ve got things handled here. Besides, this is more my area of expertise than it is yours.”

“You know me too well, Your Highness.”

“More like I know your type well. I’ve been married to a smuggler for nearly forty years, after all.”

*  *  *

“Zarin, I believe it’s about time we talk.”

Zarin Kal continued walking towards the hangar bay where the other Renegades were waiting for him, pretending that he had not heard Toah Jarsan call out to him. He knew it was useless to put on such a facade, seeing as how they both had the Force, and he could already sense Toah’s frustration at being given the cold shoulder in such a way.

“I can’t say this is very Jedi of you,” Toah muttered as he managed to catch up with the Kiffar and walk alongside him.

“That’s because I’m not a Jedi,” Zarin curtly replied. “Not anymore.”

“Yes, I believe you’ve said as much by now. But I want more of an explanation. No one’s seen you since the attack on Ossus. Many of us even thought you were dead.”

“In a sense, I was,” Zarin said quietly.

Toah sighed, turning his head away to hide his exasperation. “I’m really not in the mood for vague, cryptic allusions. Just tell it to me straight. I promise I won’t judge you.”

Zarin said nothing at first, walking on with his dark eyes fixated on nothing in particular. Finally, he came to a stop and turned around to focus his cool gaze on Toah.

“You know about Odan Murk, yes?”

“I’ve heard that he was one of Darth Taral’s Sith infiltrators, if that’s what you’re referring to,” Toah replied.

Zarin nodded. “I saw him kill Master Nakil and… I lost it. To have someone that I had respected and trusted for so long turn out to be a Sith drove me to the edge. I chased him into the woods and I… I gave into the dark side. I let my feelings control me and I… and I killed him. That was when the Sith attacked and they captured me.”

Toah raised an eyebrow. “And they turned you?”

“Not until after the Battle of Mandalore. They brought me and Natia to a planet in Sith space where they gave us… these.” Zarin gestured to the tribal tattoos that marked his face and body. “I followed them only for a year or so until I met Valrisa and her crew. That was when I turned my back on both the Sith and the Jedi, and I haven’t looked back since.”

“And the Sith? Are they still out there?”

Zarin hesitated. “That I am not sure about. Before I met Valrisa, they had sent me to track down this artifact that she had found. There were also these two Givin—one of them a former Sith himself—and they used the artifact to do… something to the Sith. I’m not sure what, but I didn’t exactly stick around to find out. I’m pretty sure it killed them.”

“Pretty sure?” Toah echoed ironically. “When it comes to Sith, ‘pretty sure’ is never good enough. Vorath should be proof of that by now.”

“Evidently,” Zarin said wryly. “In any case, I haven’t felt the desire to return to the Jedi any more than I want to return to the Sith. This path I’m following right now… it’s the one that feels right for me, at least for now.”

“If the Force guides you so, then who am I to argue with it?” Toah rested a hand on Zarin’s shoulder. “Thank you. That’s all I wanted to hear.”

“You’re not going to try to bring me back to the Order?”

Toah shook his head. “It’s not my place to do so. In my opinion, it’s not anyone’s place but yours.”

Zarin smiled, the first genuine smile he had offered anyone in a long time. “Thank you, Toah. It’s good to know someone who understands you.”

“Believe me, I know that feeling.” Taking his hand off the Kiffar’s shoulder, Toah stepped back to regard him one last time. “It was good to see you again.”

“That it was,” Zarin replied. “May the Force be with you, Toah Jarsan.”

“And with you, old friend.”

With that, the two men went their separate ways, returning to the separate paths they had already been walking down.

*  *  *

“Took you long enough,” Typha remarked as Zarin Kal stepped into the Renegade’s main hold. “I think Kyla was just about ready to take off without you.”

“Sorry, I got held up,” the Kiffar replied. He sat at the holodeck table across from Typha and Valrisa. Kadar and Vessin were sitting nearby, cleaning their weapons and armor, while the rest of the crew were in the cockpit, preparing the ship for takeoff.

“So,” Zarin said after a moment. “Where are we headed next?”

“Ord Talavos,” Valrisa said, her tone grim. “Booster has a lead on one of the Cabal’s leaders and Remar’s confirmed that they’re operating on Ord Talavos.”

“You sound excited,” Zarin remarked.

“You know what happened there,” Valrisa said sharply. “You killed Hahgalor Mos, another one of the Cabal’s head honchos, and now we’ve all got bounties on our heads. There’s no way we’ll be able to show our faces there.”

“Then that’ll give us a good excuse to stay on the ship and let the others handle things.”

Valrisa scoffed and shook her head but said nothing further, instead glaring at the empty space of the main hold. Zarin glanced at Typha, who was eying her partner with a wary look of concern.

“You two weren’t arguing before I got here, were you?” he asked.

“No,” Typha sighed. “Val’s just upset about this whole Charge Matrica thing.”

“Oh. Right.” Zarin shifted his gaze back to Valrisa. “How did your talk with your sister go?”

“About as well as I could have expected,” Valrisa muttered. “Which was not well at all. She gave me some vague names and locations for the other siblings, but that was pretty much it. Oh, and some veiled threats towards my own personal safety. As if my entire life was already dedicated to constantly looking over my shoulder….”

“I think you should just give up on this whole thing,” Typha said, resting a hand on Valrisa’s shoulder. “Between Tagge getting assassinated and now this whole mess on Naboo, your mother’s other children do nothing but cause problems for themselves and other people. I think it would be best to just avoid them and lay low while they kill themselves and each other.”

Valrisa sighed, slumping lower in her seat. “Yeah. You’re probably right. I was hoping it would give us some insight on the Cabal’s activities, but… obviously that wasn’t the case.”

“Well, if all goes to plan at Ord Talavos, maybe we won’t need to worry about the Cabal for much longer.” Typha squeezed her partner’s shoulder. “Just… try to keep your head up, okay? We’ll get through this.”

Valrisa offered her Pantoran girlfriend a weak smile but Zarin could sense the wariness lying beneath it. He couldn’t blame her for having a pessimistic outlook. After everything that had happened the past several weeks—nay, the past couple of years—one would have had to be incredibly naive to think that anything could go right. But that was not an excuse for giving up; certainly not at this stage. As Typha said, they would get through this.

It was just a matter of if they would get through this alive or not.

*  *  *

The Millennium Falcon

After sixteen years, it was good to finally be in a familiar place.

The main hold of the Millennium Falcon appeared to be unchanged from the last time Luke had been aboard the old Corellian freighter. While he was not at all surprised given Han’s stubborn nature, he could not help but reflect on the irony of it all given that one of the first things he had heard about the Falcon was all of the modifications Han had made to it. Clearly his old friend had reached a point where he had decided that the Falcon did not need any more modifications and was good enough as it was.

Luke smiled to himself as he shook his head, sitting crossed-legged on the floor of the main hold, in the same spot where he had first used his lightsaber—his father’s lightsaber—against a training remote droid. He found it comforting to know that not much had changed in the years that had passed since his “death.” He still wasn’t sure if that was even the proper thing to call it seeing as how he was clearly not dead anymore. He also knew that he had not come back as a Force ghost the same way Obi-Wan Kenobi or Master Yoda had, considering he was still able to interact with the physical world and feel everything around him, both through physical touch and through the Force.

Closing his eyes, Luke allowed his mind to clear itself, giving himself into the Force as he prepare to enter a meditative trance….

“I am sorry, son.”

Luke’s eyes snapped open at the sound of his father’s voice. He knew that it was not Kane, as the clone was back at Theed Palace to have his injuries tended to. Even then, the presence he felt in the Force was far stronger than any he had felt before; a sensation he had only ever associated with his father in the few times he had communicated with him through the Force after Endor.

“I tried to stop him,” the voice of Anakin Skywalker continued. “Tried to turn him away from the path he was headed. I thought I had gotten through to him, but… clearly I was wrong.”

“What are you talking about?” Luke asked.

“Your nephew. My grandson. Ben. Snoke has twisted his mind too far; I’m afraid there is no hope in bringing him back to the light.”

“I was able to bring you back,” Luke said.

“Yes, but his situation is different from mine. Similar, yet different. Before Palpatine turned me to the dark side, I had been shown love and light for half my life. Ben, on the other hand, has virtually no memories of his childhood under his parents’ care. He has only known Snoke. Nearly his entire life has been consumed by darkness.”

Luke shook his head. “I still refuse to believe that he can’t be redeemed. There has to be a way.”

“Maybe there is. But it will have to be up to you and your sister to find it. I have done all that I can.”

“Thank you, father. That is more than I could ever ask for.”

“Don’t mention it,” Anakin replied. Already Luke could sense him drifting away. “Oh, and by the way… it’s good to have you back.”

It was not until after his father’s spirit had departed that the thought crossed Luke’s mind to ask how he had been brought back from the dead and why he had no recollection of ever actually being one with the Force, united with the spirits of his father, Obi-Wan, and Yoda. But by then, it was already too late. Once again, Luke was alone in the main hold of the Millennium Falcon, left with nothing but his own thoughts to keep himself company.

*  *  *

Theed Palace, Naboo

“How are you feeling?”

Finn glanced at Rey, looking slightly taken aback by the question. The two of them were wandering through the halls of Theed Palace, waiting for General Organa to finish deliberating with the Royal Advisory Council and give them their next tasks. Toah had gone off to speak with Zarin Kal while Han and Chewbacca had decided to hit up a local cantina for some refreshments. Neither of them had any idea where Luke Skywalker or the mysterious clone of his father had gone, though Rey was confident that Leia was keeping them safe somewhere.

After a moment, Finn finally answered her. “I’ve been better but I’m getting by. You?”

“Same,” Rey replied. “I just thought I should ask after… after what you’ve told me back on the Supremacy.”

“Yeah.” Finn nodded and looked away, avoiding eye contact with her. “Yeah, I’m… I’m getting through it. It’s a never-ending struggle, but….”

He trailed off, leaving the rest unspoken. Rey decided that it would be best to leave it that way and instead changed the trajectory of the conversation. 

“You know, all my life I had never seen so much green in the galaxy,” she said, casting her gaze out a nearby window to the gardens that surrounded the palace. “And now, in the span of less than a year, I’ve been to more planets than I could have ever dreamed.”

“Were you born on Jakku?” Finn asked.

Rey shook her head. “No. At least, I don’t think I was. My earliest memories were being on a spaceship with my parents. I don’t remember what we were doing or where we were going… I just remember us all being together, and that was all that mattered.”

“And they left you on Jakku?”

“I’m not exactly sure what happened or why it happened. I’ve been suppressing the memories since I was six years old….”

Finn stopped to fully turn around and face her. “You want to find your parents.” He said the words as a factual statement rather than a question, and it was Rey’s turn to look down and avoid his gaze. “That’s what this is all about, isn’t it?” he continued. “You don’t really care about being a Jedi or fighting for the Resistance. You just want to find them.”

“Of course I care about the Jedi and the Resistance!” Rey retorted, a bit too defensively for her liking.

“Do you, though? I’ve seen how you act around Toah; how you don’t really listen to what he says and just do what your instinct tells you. That’s not a criticism, by the way,” Finn clarified when Rey opened her mouth to issue another retort. “In fact, I admire that about you. I would do the same thing if I were in your shoes.”

Rey raised an eyebrow at him. “You admire me?”

Finn’s face darkened with a blush. “No, no. I meant that I admire that trait about you, not that I… not to say that—”

Suddenly, Rey raised a hand to quiet him as she caught movement in the corner of her eye. Hovering her hand over her lightsaber, she looked over to see the same multi-armed droid that she and Toah had seen earlier. It was approaching her and Finn slowly, its primary arms raised as if in a calming motion.

“My apologies for intruding,” the droid started to say. “I was merely—”

“You.” Rey walked over to the droid, keeping her hand on her lightsaber hilt but not removing it from her belt yet. “Who are you? What are you doing here in the palace?”

“My designation is OneOne-FourDee. I am merely performing my routine protocols—”

“I’ve spoken with the Captain of the Guard and he said that medical droids aren’t authorized to move outside the infirmary.”

“You misunderstand,” 11-4D replied. “I am not here on behalf of the Royal House of Naboo but on that of House Pallopides. The Queen herself has given me a special assignment.”

“Well, the Queen has been taken into custody, so I’m not sure your presence here is going to be taken positively.”

The droid tilted its head, its photoreceptors blinking. “Has she? Interesting. Well, in any case, it does not matter much now. I have already completed my directive.”

“And what directive is that?” Rey asked.

Suddenly, 11-4D extended one of its many appendages and grabbed Rey’s hand. She felt a tiny needle prick the tip of her finger before immediately retracting. As the droid started to withdraw, she grabbed the droid by its shoulder and ignited her lightsaber, holding it up to 11-4D’s neck.

“What did you just do?” she demanded.

“I was fulfilling my directive,” the droid said simply.

“What directive involves poking people with needles?”

“Not just any people,” 11-4D said. “You, specifically. Your name is Rey, correct?”

Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “How do you know my name?”

“Because I know who you are. I know who your parents are.”

As she slowly, unconsciously lowered her weapon arm from the droid’s neck, all Rey could do was gape at her own reflection in 11-4D’s optical sensors.

“And I know where to find them.”

Star Wars: Vergence III, Chapter Fifteen

 CHAPTER FIFTEEN

The Errant Venture

“I am getting way too old for this,” Booster Terrik growled to himself, sitting on the bridge of the Errant Venture as he watched X-wing fighters clash with TIE fighters in the skies of Naboo.

“Hey, you signed up for this,” said the holographic form of Talon Karrde standing beside him. “Besides, what were we going to do? Just ignore the call?”

“We could’ve,” Booster grunted. “We were in the middle of a mission.”

“But this takes priority, wouldn’t you agree?”

“I guess so. Still, if it hadn’t been for me knowing that my daughter and grandkids would never forgive me….”

“And your son-in-law,” Talon reminded him.

“As if I care what he thinks.”

“Well, he is a member of the Jedi Council and they’re the ones who sent out the call, so….”

“Yeah, yeah.” Booster waved a flippant hand. “Now keep quiet now, will ya? I’ve got a battle to coordinate.”

As Talon Karrde’s image fizzled out, a Togruta crew member turned his head from his station. “Boss! We’ve got an incomin’ call!”

“Not from the First Order, I hope,” Booster muttered.

“Nope. It’s from an approaching Corellian freighter, call sign Renegade.”

This got the old smuggler to sit up straighter in his seat. “Put ‘em through.”

The Togruta officer did so and within moments the image of a Mirialan woman appeared before Booster.

“Well, if it isn’t Kyla Kishanti,” Booster harrumphed, folding his large arms over his chest. “I didn’t think I’d see you again after you crossed me back on Socorro.”

Kyla responded with a mirthless smile. “Hey, Boost’. Nice seeing you, too. I would love to chat, but my crew and I have got somewhere to be. Do you think you can have some of your fighters escort us to that Super Star Destroyer?”

“What do you hope to achieve by doing that?”

“We’ve got a clearance code to one of the hangar bays. Once on board, we can try and rescue General Organa and her team.”

Booster shook his head. “That’s a suicide mission and you know it.”

“If we had some backup, it might reduce our chances of death, however minimal.”

Again, Booster shook his head. But at the same time, he knew that Leia Organa Solo and her team were in need of rescuing; it was why they had come here, after all. While he didn’t think Kyla’s plan was much of one, it was certainly better than his lack of one. He had simply brought the Errant Venture and her supplement of fighters to keep the Supremacy distracted long enough for the rest of the Resistance to arrive. If Kyla and her crew wanted to be part of that distraction, then more power to her.

Turning away from the Mirialan smuggler’s hologram, Booster radioed one of the squadrons that was out battling with the First Order’s forces. “Twin Suns Leader, this is Booster. I’ve got a YT-1930 transport that needs escorting to that Star Destroyer. Think you and your Jedi boys can handle that?”

“If we can’t, then we can’t handle anything,” replied the smooth voice of Kyp Durron. “All wings, form on me.”

As the X-wing fighters moved to provide cover for the Renegade, Kyla offered a more genuine smile to Booster. “Thanks, Boost. I owe you one.”

“You owe me several at this point,” the old smuggler growled. “Now get going.”

Kyla’s image winked out and Booster Terrik returned his attention to the battle that was unfolding before him.

*  *  *

“This is crazy this is crazy this is crazy we’re all gonna die we’re all gonna—”

“Shut up, Bedo!” Kyla snapped as she flew the Renegade into the Supremacy’s hangar bay, guns ablaze. 

While the clearance code had gotten them past the hangar bay’s outer defenses, it had not stopped the stormtroopers stationed within from opening fire on the Corellian freighter as soon as it was through the magnetic field. As Wiskin picked the soldiers off with the mounted turret, Kyla lowered the ramp to deposit Valrisa, Kadar, Vessin, Zarin, Typha, Remar, and Sharbrook. The five Renegades and their two new allies charged in with blasters ablaze; while Kyla was not all too keen with adding Remar and Sharbrook to their membership, she had to admit it was good to have a Wookiee on their side as Sharbrook barreled into the path of several stormtroopers and knocked them down while shooting down more with his bowcaster. 

Two X-wing fighters that had been tailing the Renegade on the way to the Supremacy followed in shortly thereafter, dispensing two Jedi Knights from its cockpits. Kyla did not know either of their names but she was nonetheless thankful for their help as they deflected blaster fire with their lightsabers and used the Force to help clear a path to the detention blocks for the Renegades that were on foot.

While Kyla and Wiskin continued to provide cover fire, Valrisa and her group made their way out of the hangar bay and towards the control center for the detention blocks. At this point, she was trusting the Force to guide her to wherever Leia and her team were being held, as she doubt there would be much time to search each and every level on the massive Star Destroyer. While Kadar and Vessin handled the stormtroopers that were standing guard at the control center, Valrisa charged towards the main station and shot down the two officers stationed there. Pushing their bodies aside, she used the clearance code that Boss Binks had given them to access the main computer and bring up the roster of prisoners and their designated cell. Thankfully, it did not take long for her to find the ones she was looking for.

“I’ve got them!” she called out to the others. “General Organa is on Level 32, Captain Solo and the others on Level 33.”

“Let’s not waste any time then,” said Zarin as he headed for one of the turbolifts. Kadar and Vessin followed him, leaving Valrisa, Typha, Remar, and Sharbrook to take the other lift. 

As the doors closed in front of her, Valrisa found herself silently praying to the Force that it would be with them all the way through… and that they would all get out of this in one piece.  

*  *  *

“How is he?” Leia asked.

“Still alive, but barely,” Luke replied, crouched over the body of Kane Skywalker. The three of them had been taken back to the cell Luke had been in originally, which was barely large enough for more than two people. Luke wasn’t sure why they hadn’t been separated, unless the Praetorian Guards simply hadn’t been given the order to or didn’t the point in doing so. Besides, the fact that they were all unarmed and their connection to the Force was partially deafened meant that they were powerless to even try and escape.

Sitting down on one of the bunks, Leia sighed as she rubbed a hand over her forehead. “My son is gone, isn’t he?” she murmured.

“No one’s ever really gone,” Luke answered softly.

“But he’s had so many chances to come back to us and he’s rejected every one of them. Even with Snoke dead, he’s now under Darth Vorath’s control. I don’t see how we’ll be able to bring him back.”

“We’ll find a way,” Luke reassured her. “We always do.”

Leia smiled sadly at her brother. “You sound so sure.”

“I guess being back from the dead gives a boost to one’s optimism.”

“I still don’t understand how you’re back. Not that I’m complaining, mind you.”

“Neither do I,” Luke admitted. “I have a suspicion though that whatever brought me back also brought back Darth Vorath. Perhaps it has to do with us dying around the same time….”

“If that is the case, then hopefully we can defeat Vorath without killing you as well.”

Luke nodded but said nothing further on the subject, returning his attention to the wounded Kane. “If I could get in touch with the Force, I could be able to put him into a healing trance….”

He trailed off as a loud explosion sounded off in the distance. He looked up to meet Leia’s eyes as the sound was quickly followed by another of its kind, then another.

“Is that coming from on board the ship or outside?” Luke wondered aloud.

“It sounds like…” Leia started to say as another explosion went off, louder than the ones preceding it. “It sounds like it’s coming from inside the ship.”

No sooner had she spoken these words that a red lightsaber blade suddenly pierced through the side of the door. It sliced downward, cutting through the door’s control lock and causing it to slide open. Standing there was a tan-skinned man in dark Jedi robes, the golden markings across his face distinguishing him as a member of the Kiffar people.

“Did somebody order a rescue?”

“Wait,” Luke said. “It’s Zarin Kal, right? Master Plun Kil’s apprentice?”

“I would love to catch up with you, Master Skywalker, but we need to get going.” Zarin nodded to the unconscious Kane. “Are you going to need help with that?”

“Yes, please,” Leia said and she helped Luke lift the clone of their father onto his feet and into Zarin’s steadying grasp. “We also need to rescue Han and the others—”

“Already on it,” Zarin said. A blaster shot came whizzing at his head from down the corridor and he deflected it with his lightsaber. “Come on. Let’s go before my buddies blow up the hangar bay.”

*  *  *

“It’s not like we don’t appreciate the rescue,” Toah Jarsan said. “But did you guys have a plan for getting out?”

Valrisa fired her blaster at the stormtroopers that were clustered at the end of the hallway. She and her team were pressed against one side of the corridor while the people they had rescued—Han Solo, Chewbacca, Toah Jarsan, Rey, and Finn—were pressed against the other. Remar had been able to locate the place where the First Order had been keeping the prisoners’ weapons, giving Han, Chewie, and Finn their blasters back and the two Jedi their lightsabers. Even so, they were now being overwhelmed by the stormtroopers and no matter how many they shot down, more simply appeared to take their place.

“This is bringing back bad memories,” Han Solo muttered as he shot down a stormtrooper with his blaster pistol.

Chewbacca growled something and the former smuggler glared at his partner.

“No, we are not going through the garbage chute. Once was bad enough—”

He was cut off by a blaster bolt searing past him and hitting the wall right by his shoulder. Pulling back, Han looked over to the Renegades with a grim expression.

“Got any bright ideas?”

“We’ve got two Jedi, don’t we?” Remar retorted. “Two Jedi and two Wookiees. I don’t see how they can’t just barrel through these guys.”

“I’m not sure that would be wise,” Toah muttered, deflecting a bolt with his lightsaber.

“It has to be better than this,” contested Rey. She looked over to Chewbacca and Sharbrook. “Can you two do something?”

The two Wookiees exchanged a glance and then an assenting roar. They then drew away from their hiding spots and, standing shoulder-to-shoulder, began to charge towards the stormtroopers, firing their bowcasters in unison.

“Let’s provide cover fire!” Remar shouted as he went after them, followed closely by the others as they fired their blasters. 

With no room to fall back, the stormtroopers could do nothing but allow themselves to be mowed down by their oncoming attackers. Once a path was cleared, the Renegades and their rescuees made their way to the turbolift and headed back down to the control center.

When they arrived, they emerged to find that Zarin and the two Mandalorians had already returned with Luke and Leia, along with a man who wore armor resembling that of Darth Vader, supported by Zarin and Kadar. As Han handed Leia her blaster, he came over to Luke and slapped him on the shoulder.

“Glad to have you back with us, kid.”

Luke nodded in response, but was interrupted by Kadar before he could say anything. “Let’s get out of here alive before we commence any reunions.”

Without wasting any further time, they began to head back for the hangar bay, even as behind them the turbolifts opened to dispense more stormtroopers. Toah and Rey took up the rear, using their lightsabers to deflect any blaster bolts that came from their pursuers. When they made it back to the hangar bay, they found that the entire place had been lit on fire, with the bodies of stormtroopers littering the floor. The Renegade still hung there in place, swiveling its turret to take on any more opposition that came its way. Its ramp was already lowered and the large group of escapees hastily made their way over to the Corellian freighter. Luke, Toah, Rey, and Zarin used the Force to propel everyone onto the ship before jumping onto the ramp themselves. 

As soon as they were all on board, the ramp raised up and the Renegade shot out of the hangar bay. At the same time, the two Jedi that had accompanied them returned to their fighters and took off, closely following the Renegade as it returned to the fray of the battle between the Errant Venture and the Supremacy. As she stepped into the cockpit along with Leia, Han, and Toah, Valrisa saw that several Naboo starfighters had joined in on the fight, yellow N-1 starfighters flying alongside X-wings as they shot down TIE fighters.

“Did Queen Reneme have a change of heart?” Leia asked skeptically.

“More like a change of power,” Valrisa replied. “I can explain once we’re through this.”

“Well, there’s a surprise there,” said Han, nodding to the crimson Star Destroyer that was exchanging fire with the Supremacy. “I didn’t expect old Booster of all people to come to our rescue.”

Bringing a hand to the comm, Kyla Kishanti said, “Renegade to Errant Venture. We have rescued the Princess. Repeat: We have rescued the Princess.”

“That didn’t take long,” responded the gruff voice of Booster Terrik. “Are you sure it’s her and not some decoy?”

“I can assure you, Captain Terrik, that it is really me,” Leia spoke up. “And if you don’t believe me, then maybe you can put Mirax on and I will tell her about the comment you had made about my daughter and dancing girl outfits.”

There was silence at first before Booster’s voice came back through the comm, much more quieter this time. “Yeah, it’s you. Come on aboard then.”

As the Renegade began to make its way towards the Errant Venture, Valrisa looked out the viewport and saw that the Supremacy was starting to move. However, rather than moving to attack the red Star Destroyer, it instead appeared to be moving away from the Errant Venture, as if it was trying to leave.

“Are they… are they retreating?” Valrisa asked.

“The TIEs do seem to be letting up,” Bedo said from his station.

“You would think they would want to double their efforts, now that we’ve escaped,” Leia remarked.

“Unless they wanted us to,” Toah pointed out.

Kyla scoffed. “That’s ridiculous. Why would they have let us escaped?”

“I dunno, it was an awfully easy escape,” Han said. “I mean, I’ve had worse anyway.”

Valrisa glanced at Leia and saw that the Resistance general was staring pensively at the Supremacy as it slowly made its retreat, heading up into Naboo’s sky. She wasn’t sure if anyone else had heard it, but she could have sworn she heard the former Princess of Alderaan utter a single word under her breath.

“Ben.”

*  *  *

“The rebels have escaped with the prisoners, Executor. Shall we take pursuit?”

“No, Captain,” Kylo Ren coolly replied to Captain Yago’s holographic image. “Let them go. We are done here on Naboo.”

Yago narrowed his eyes. “But, Executor, the Supreme Leader had explicit orders that we were to remain here on Naboo for the foreseeable future.”

“His orders have changed,” Kylo Ren said sharply. “Set a course for the Mustafar system. Once there, I will arrange a meeting with the Supreme Council and brief them on the situation.”

“Surely we can crush the Resistance here before then, Executor? After all, they only have a derelict Imperial Star Destroyer and some starfighters; no match for us in any scenario.”

“Reinforcements are surely on their way. We will deal with them at a later day. That is my final word.”

Yago raised an eyebrow. “The Supreme Leader’s final word, surely.”

With a snarl, Kylo Ren slammed his fist on the throne’s armrest and the captain’s image dissipated, leaving the Executor of the First Order alone in the red-curtained throne room, save for the young boy standing beside him.

“Whatever happened to ‘crush them all?’” Darth Vorath asked wryly.

“Silence,” Kylo Ren growled.

“You let them escape, didn’t you?”

The Knight of Ren snapped his head to look at the boy, his dark eyes filled with fury. “I said silence!”

“If you hope to reach your true potential, you must sever all attachments to your previous life. Thus is the path of all Lords of the Sith.”

“Understand this,” Kylo Ren said quietly, leaning forward in his throne to glare at Vorath. “I will not be your pawn. I did not kill my master to trade him for a new one.”

“Why did you kill him, then?”

“Because I had finally realized that he had just been using me this whole time. That everything he had told me had been a lie. That everything I had done for most of my life had been done simply to please him, even though he rarely ever expressed his satisfaction. I killed him so that I could finally be Kylo Ren, Master of the Knights of Ren. Not Kylo Ren, servant of the Supreme Leader.”

Vorath frowned. “I still fail to see how that explains you sparing your family and letting them escape.”

“Perhaps it is time for me to keep secrets of my own, rather than be the one in the dark.”

Vorath was silent for a moment, continuing to stare at Kylo Ren skeptically. “Why Mustafar?” he finally asked.

“I left something behind there,” Kylo replied. “Something that is a part of my identity.”

“Still hiding behind a mask, I take it?”

Rather than lash out as Vorath was expecting, Kylo Ren instead simply gave a mirthless smile as he leaned back in his seat.

“Is it hiding when your mask shows the galaxy all they need to know?”

To this, Darth Vorath had nothing to say and the ancient Dark Lord of the Sith remained silent as the Supremacy made its way out of Naboo’s orbit before jumping into hyperspace.

Star Wars: Vergence III, Chapter Fourteen

 CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Naboo

This was all too easy in Valrisa’s honest opinion.

She and the other Renegades (plus Remar and Sharbrook) had been following Boss Binks through the halls of the palace for some time now, all without encountering a single Royal Guard or handmaiden. She knew they were there; she could sense them, as could Zarin. Yet somehow the Gungan elder had managed to evade them all in the route he was taking them through. It had to be the sheerest, purest form of dumb luck, although Valrisa knew some of her former teachers would tell her that there was no such thing as luck.

Whether it was luck or the will of the Force, they eventually reached their destination: the Queen’s throne room. However, as soon as they stepped in, they saw that the throne itself, as well as the surrounding seats, were completely vacant.

“Fierfek,” she heard Kadar swear. “She must have retired to her personal chambers.”

“Yeah, I’m not exactly in the mood for breaking into a lady’s bedroom,” said Bedo. “If you guys want to, more power to you, but….”

The Ortolan trailed off as Boss Binks kept on walking, making his way towards the empty throne. Upon reaching it, he pressed a control panel on one of the armrests which opened a compartment. He reached inside and grabbed something from it before returning to the Renegades. He then held out what appeared to be some sort of datacard to Valrisa.

“Take dis up to big bombad ship,” said Boss Binks. “Dis will make them let you in.”

“How… how did you know that was in there?” Valrisa asked.

The old Gungan merely smiled at her. “Dare isn’t much time. Yousa should be goen now.”

“This is too easy,” Remar muttered. “This has to be some sort of trick.”

“You are partially correct there, bounty hunter.”

Everyone turned to see another door to the throne room open, revealing Queen Reneme and a squad of Royal Guards. The maroon-garbed officers rushed in and drew their blasters, pointing them at the intruders, while Reneme gracefully made her way to her throne.

“I should have known you would try and circumvent this occupation,” the young monarch said. “Ever since you became Boss of Otoh Gunga, you’ve had a remarkable history of being supportive of not just the New Republic but especially Princess Leia. It shouldn’t have surprised me that you would go through such lengths to rescue her.”

While the Renegades raised their own weapons in defense, Boss Binks merely regarded the Queen with a calm, even expression. “Meesa owe it to her family for all the wrongs meesa have done. It was because of meesa that da Empire came to power in da first place.”

Queen Reneme scoffed. “Unfortunately for you, your actions here will not prevent the Empire’s restoration to power. The necessary steps have already been made. Both you and your Princess’ precious Resistance will be helpless to stop it.”

Slowly sitting down in her throne, Reneme cast her gaze to the lead officer, a dark-skinned woman. “Arrest them, Captain Wendik. Including Boss Binks.”

The captain frowned, neither lowering her weapon nor carrying out her orders. “Will that not stir controversy with the Gungan society, milady?”

“We have been at odds with them before,” Reneme said dismissively. “Now do as I say.”

Still Wendik did not move, nor did any of her fellow officers. Valrisa could see the apprehension on their faces; none of them looked as if they wanted to follow the Queen’s orders but they also did not seem keen on disobeying them, fearful of the repercussions they would incur.

When a moment passed by without any action being taken, all warmth vanished from the Queen’s expression and her gaze immediately went cold. “Did you not hear what I said?” she snapped. “I said arrest them!”

Captain Wendik swallowed hard. Although her eyes were still fixated on Valrisa and the others, her words were directed towards the Queen. “My father,” she said quietly. “He fought in the war against the Empire. He was a pilot, just like his father.”

Reneme glowered at her, baring her teeth. “Now is not the time for this. Arrest them!”

“He flew at Endor,” Wendik continued, undeterred. “Right alongside the likes of Wedge Antilles and Lando Calrissian. I hadn’t even been born yet when his fighter was blown up during a strafing run on the Executor. He died trying to take down a Super Star Destroyer… and now one is hovering over my very home.”

“Enough of this,” Reneme hissed. She directed her attention to another officer, a tan-skinned man. “Lieutenant, arrest them while I—”

Without warning, Captain Wendik spun on her heel and aimed her blaster at the Queen. The other officers, after a fleeting moment of confusion, quickly followed suit, surrounding Reneme.

“Your Royal Highness,” Captain Wendik said coolly, “you are the one under arrest. By executing the members of the Royal Advisory Council, you have assumed absolute power over the planet of Naboo, a violation of Section Eleven, subsection Thirty-Eight of the Royal Constitution of Naboo.”

Reneme sneered at her. “The constitution has been rewritten before.”

“Yes, but only with the approval of the Advisory Council. Without them or their approval, you have no power.”

“I am the Queen of Naboo! I have unlimited power!”

“You only wish,” Wendik replied before pulling the trigger of her blaster. A blue stun bolt shot out and struck Reneme square in the chest, knocking her out cold. The other officers immediately moved in to apprehend her while Wendik turned around to face the Renegades, who were all staring with gobsmacked expressions (save for Boss Binks, who was unfazed by the turn of events).

“A word of advice,” Kadar muttered. “Maybe don’t elect teenagers to serve as your head of government.”

Wendik smiled thinly. “I’ll pass the word along. Now then, don’t you have a Princess to rescue?”

Valrisa opened her mouth to offer her thanks when her eyes happened to move to the window behind the Queen’s throne. Although it was difficult to see past the Super Star Destroyer looming over Theed, she was still able to detect a brightly colored ship slowly coming down from the sky, its crimson color scheme a sharp contrast from the dark hull of the Super Star Destroyer.

“Uh, guys?” she said. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but… Star Destroyers don’t usually come in red, do they?”

Everyone followed her gaze and gawked at the sight they were all beholding. Bedo was the one to break the silence by letting out a quiet squeal.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited and scared in my entire life.”

The Supremacy

“I hope you’ve got a plan for getting us out of here, kid, because I’m out of ideas.”

Han Solo leaned against the wall of the dark cell he and Toah Jarsan were in, looking down at the Jedi Knight. Toah was sitting cross-legged on the floor, his eyebrows knitted in concentration as he tried to use the Force or whatever it was Jedi did when they were in that cross-legged stance. Han had seen Luke do it plenty of times and, more often than not, they led to him pulling off some miraculous trick that helped them save the day.

Then again, Toah wasn’t Luke. He had been trained by Luke, Han knew that much, but ever since the kid had become a Jedi Knight he had always been difficult for Han to get a read on. Even more so after he had defeated Darth Vorath and gone off on his own. When Toah had returned to join the Resistance, after having been missing for sixteen years, he had come off as… lost. As if he wasn’t sure of his place in the galaxy.  

Han honestly couldn’t blame him for that. Especially since he himself had been faced with that dilemma more times than he would like to admit….

After an excruciating long time, Toah opened his eyes and sighed. “I can barely feel the Force. I think this cell has some sort of dampening effect.”

“Guess these guys came prepared to deal with Jedi,” Han muttered. “I just hope Leia and Chewie are okay. And the new kids as well.”

Toah nodded slowly, though his mind seemed to be elsewhere as his eyes fixated on the door. At first Han thought he was trying to will the door open with his mind until the Jedi spoke.

“Han, I have a confession to make.”

Han’s eyebrows shot up, caught off guard by the statement. “That sounds serious. What about?”

“Do you remember when we encountered your… when we encountered Danielle Kieran, back at Ord Mantell?”

Han shifted his feet awkwardly and looked away, avoiding eye contact with the Jedi. “How could I forget?”

“That wasn’t the first time I had met her.”

This got Han to look back at Toah, his eyebrows raised. “You know, I had a feeling you two knew each other,” he muttered. “Just based on your body language.”

Toah nodded solemnly. “I had first met her during my apprenticeship to Master Skywalker, a year before the clone Emperor emerged. We… we developed a close connection during that time, one I had never really formed with anyone before. When we met again a few years later, after I had been knighted….”

Han closed his eyes and sighed. “Stop. I already know where this is going.”

“You do?” Toah sounded genuinely surprised and Han could tell he was staring at him.

“I might not have that Force stuff you Jedi have, but deep down….” Han pinched the bridge of his nose. “That whole time on Ord Mantell, I knew something was off about the whole thing. Not just with you and Dani but with… her as well. And I just know that Leia knew about this the whole time, because when I told her about Dani….”

He paused to take a deep breath. Then, he opened his eyes and slowly looked back at Toah, who was still staring at him intently.

“Why?” he grunted. “Why are you bringing this up now, of all times?”

“Just in case we don’t make it out of this alive,” Toah replied. “I don’t think I would be able to rest easy holding onto that little secret.”

“I probably would have been fine,” Han muttered. He directed his attention back to the sealed door. “So, got any other bright ideas?”

Toah did not answer him, and when Han looked back, he saw a grim expression had fallen onto the Jedi’s face.

“What is it?”

“Vorath,” was all Toah uttered. And in Han’s opinion, it was the most sufficient answer he could have given.

*  *  *

“Is this truly the man you want to subject yourself to, Ben Solo?” Darth Vorath spoke from the mouth of Varon Sendor as he lunged at Snoke. The Supreme Leader scowled as he flicked a hand to banish the former Sith Lord away with the Force, only for Varon to land gracefully on his feet. “A mere pretender to the throne?”

“I am no pretender!” Snoke roared. “I am the rightful ruler of the First Order! My power is absolute!”

“If that is the case, then why did you wait until I was dead before assuming control?” Vorath asked through Lysira Naris, cutting down one of Snoke’s Praetorian Guards as they lunged at her with a pair of vibro-arbir blades. “Even then, you waited fourteen years before absorbing the Imperial Remnant into your Order.”

“I do not need to explain my actions to you.” Snoke unleashed another barrage of lightning at Lysira, which she deflected with her lightsaber. “You are nothing to me.”

“The feeling is mutual.” While Lysira withstood Snoke’s attack and Varon dealt with the remaining Praetorian Guards, Vorath’s third host body—that of their son Kalon—slowly paced around the chamber, ignoring the speechless gazes of Luke and Leia as he made his way over to the stoic Kylo Ren.

“I realize your master has poisoned your mind against the Sith,” Vorath said. “But do you not realize you have walked the path of one? Your story is nearly the same as that of your grandfather’s, just as I had designed. I wanted my own Vader, one unrestrained by the hindrances of a mechanical suit.

“Had I not perished, you would have long since surpassed me by now. My Sith Empire would have been yours! The galaxy in your grasps! All would bow in servitude to the true Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Caedus!”

Kylo Ren stared blankly as the boy spread his hands, grinning widely.

“You can bring an end to all of this now! Strike down your master in one swift blow and everything will be yours!”

“Ben,” Leia spoke up quietly from where she and Luke were standing, away from the turmoil unfolding between Snoke and the Dark Lord. “Don’t listen to him. You don’t belong here. You belong with us.”

“Oh, yes,” Vorath said mockingly. “You belong with the people who abandoned you—”

“We didn’t abandon you!” Leia cried to Kylo. “They took you from us! We thought you were dead!”

“Lies. The favorite tool of the Jedi, even when their lies create the very enemies they fear.” The boy whom Vorath controlled shook his head. “Perhaps I should tell you how I fell to darkness as a result of the Jedi Order’s ARGH!”

The ancient Dark Lord let out a cry of pain just as a Praetorian Guard slashed at Varon with a long vibro-voulge, delivering a long, deep cut across the son of Vorath’s chest. As Varon fell to his knees, Vorath’s control over him and Lysira momentarily broke. Disoriented by both this and her husband’s mortal wound, Lysira’s defense faltered and she was immediately overwhelmed by Snoke’s barrage of lightning. As her screams filled the chamber, the Praetorian Guard drove the blade of his vibro-voulge straight through Varon. Moments later, Lysira’s screams ceased and Snoke cast her body aside, letting her join that of her husband’s.

“And just like that,” Snoke said with a mocking grin, “two heirs to the legacy of Darth Vorath have been finished. All that remains of that legacy now….”

He pointed a bony finger at Vorath’s sole remaining vessel.

“…is you.”

Whether the fear in the boy’s eyes were his own or that of Vorath’s, no one present in the chamber could determine. Desperately, he turned to face Kylo Ren.

“This is your chance, Ben Solo! Take the mantle of Dark Lord of the Sith or forever be a slave! You must choose!”

“Indeed,” Snoke said calmly. “Strike the boy down, Kylo Ren. Prove your allegiance to me.”

“He is but a pretender! All of his power is in fact mine! I built the empire that he now controls. I was the one who laid the foundations for the First Order!”

Snoke sneered. “Revising history will not save you. Finish him, my boy, and bring this farce to an end.”

Kylo Ren stared down at Kalon Sendor, his face still vacant of emotion. “I know what I have to do,” he said coldly.

“Ben,” Leia whispered as Luke wrapped an arm around her. “Don’t do this….”

Silently, Kylo Ren extended a hand and lifted the child up with the Force, suspending him in the space that separated the Knight of Ren and the Supreme Leader. Snoke watched him with cold blue eyes, a cruel smile twisting onto his face.

“Do it,” the Supreme Leader commanded.

Activating his lightsaber, Kylo Ren cast the boy aside and swung his blade at Snoke, cutting through the Supreme Leader’s golden robe and the rotting skin beneath. The bisected halves of Snoke dropped to the floor like dead weight.

Everything in the chamber went silent. The remaining Praetorian Guards stood there in shocked silence, unsure of how to react. Before any of them could make a move, Kalon Sendor got back onto his feet and raised his arms.

“The Supreme Leader is dead,” Darth Vorath declared. “Long live the Supreme Leader!”

The guards exchanged hidden glances with each other before dropping to their knees and bowing their heads in reverence to their new ruler. Kylo Ren paid them no heed as he directed his attention to Luke and Leia for the first time since he had arrived.

Speaking to the Praetorian Guards, the Knight of Ren said, “Take them to the detention center. I will deal with them later.”

“Ben, don’t do this,” Leia pleaded. “It’s not too late for you to come back.”

“Oh, but it already is,” cackled Darth Vorath. “It is too late for all of you.”

As the Praetorian Guards moved to apprehend Luke and Leia, Kylo Ren moved to the Supreme Leader’s vacant throne and pressed a control panel on one of the armrests to access the comm.

“Captain Yago, this is Kylo Ren. The Supreme Leader has been gravely wounded and has put me in temporary command as Executor of the First Order. I want you to relocate the Supremacy to the Mustafar system and—”

“Ah, a slight problem with that, Executor,” Captain Yago replied. “Resistance forces have just dropped out of hyperspace in Naboo’s orbit and are descending upon us now. How would you like us to handle them?”

Kylo Ren was silent for a moment, his eyes briefly glazing over as he stared at nothing in particular. He quickly recomposed himself and spoke with chilling resolve.

“Crush them. Crush them all.”