Summary: AU. The Son of Galen Marek and his friends become the targets of an insidious plot that goes all the way back to the Clone Wars and beyond. Sequel to Marek's Rebellion. Full Summary Inside.
Summary (Full): AU. Kento Marek, the son of Galen Marek, and his friends Jacen, Jaina, and Anakin Solo along with Jedi Master K'Kruhk, Padawan Tahiri Velia, faithful droid R2-D2, and more, unknowingly become the targets of an insidious plot that goes all the way back to the Clone Wars and beyond amidst the looming threat of another Galactic War. Sequel to Marek's Rebellion.
Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any of its associated characters. I do own Kento Marek (Galen's son).
A/N: This is a slightly AU mostly in that the Yuuzhan Vong war never happened (in fact let's just say the Yuuzhan Vong don't even exist in this alternate universe). Because of that, Anakin Solo has no reason to sacrifice himself in battle so he's still alive. Also I made a boo-boo with Galen Marek's age in the last fic. I mistook the source note for Galen's death year on Wookieepedia as his age. Let's assume he was nineteen at the time of Force Unleashed. Oh and Chewbacca's still alive.
Now I know a large number of you who read this are diehard Star Wars fans and can probably quote line, page, chapter, and book of when certain events happened within the Star Wars universe and won't hesitate to correct me on certain things. I would like to politely remind everyone that this is fan fiction. We butcher canon on a regular basis here. While I appreciate your comments and reviews, I would like to simply ask that you read with an open mind and try to restrain yourself on correcting me on canon issues. (Corrections on the misspelling/punctuation of names/locations/objects etc however is more than welcome.)
A Long Time Ago In a Galaxy Far, Far Away…
STAR WARS
EVE OF SHADOWS
28 ABY. A time of peace and prosperity throughout the NEW
REPUBLIC. The Old Galactic Empire is long gone and the rule
of the SITH is no more, replaced by the benevolence of the JEDI.
However this time of prosperity seems to be on the decline as a
dark shadow begins to grow in the outer rim worlds. A mysterious
alliance of pirates and mercenaries threatens to end the decades
of peace and plunge the galaxy into war.
GALEN MAREK, the former founder and leader of the Rebellion,
now has a son, KENTO MAREK, a headstrong young Jedi Knight with
his father's great force talents, who remains unaware of the
destiny that waits for him and his friends.
On an unknown world, a massive battle waged against an army of soldiers clad in white armor and an even larger army of mechanical warriors. The white army fired blue colored blaster fire against the approaching forces. In the midst of the fray, two nineteen year old Jedi Knights approached the front line.
"They're BACK!" the girl wielding a violet colored lightsaber shouted.
"I knew we shouldn't have sent the ship back for supplies!" the boy replied wielding a green lightsaber.
"Well it wasn't my idea to send the ship back, Jacen!" the girl retorted.
"Yeah thank our glorious leader for that one." Jacen mumbled sarcastically.
"You're welcome Jacen." A third voice said behind them and there stood a twenty one year old Jedi Knight wielding a green lightsaber but with the blade held in a reversed grip. His hair was kept in a short buzz cut and was jet black. He wore the typical Jedi garb but with a white collar around the neck and white cuffs on the sleeves. (Jedi Adventurer's robe)
"I was being sarcastic Kento." Jacen replied.
"I noticed." Kento said as he leapt up onto a pile of debris as the white army ran past them.
"So what's the plan?" Jaina asked as Kento turned and smiled back at her.
"Watch this." He replied as he turned back and used the force to crush the foundations of large tower and send it toppling down in front of the enemy forces.
"Don't you think that's a bit of over kill?" Jacen asked with a look of shock and horror.
"Nah…why use the force if you can't use it to the best of your abilities?" Kento asked as suddenly everything around them froze in place. Blaster bolts were even suspended in mid-air.
"Ugh not again." Jaina moaned as instantly everything took on a bluish hue, revealing everything was a hologram. Kento even fell through the pile of rubble he was standing on. Finally the entire battlefield and both armies vanished revealing a large empty domed room. A door near the three opened and in walked a sixty nine year old Jedi Master Anakin Skywalker, formerly the feared Sith Lord known as Darth Vader. Anakin no longer looked like he did as Vader and he had a number of extensive cosmetic surgeries to thank for that, however he still had to have a breathing apparatus installed in his chest and a voice box installed near his throat to allow him to speak. He had modified the voice box, making it where it could emulate the voices of others at will as well as perfectly recreate his Vader voice, complete with breathing sound. Naturally, he used it to prank his own son on occasion in his own unique way of making up for lost time with Luke. He also chose to wear a brown wig to hide his disfigured scalp. He still easily towered over everyone except maybe a Wookie. (A/N: Imagine his appearance as a force ghost from the ORIGINAL Return of the Jedi. The Sebastian Shaw portrayal.)
"Uh, guys…THE BATTLE OF CHRISTOPHSIS DID NOT END WITH A BUILDING BEING TOPPLED ONTO THE ENEMY!" Anakin shouted in annoyance, before taking a moment to calm himself.
"Sorry grandpa." "Sorry master." The trio replied dejectedly.
"Kento this is the fourth time that you have used a Holographic training session to try and show off your skills. I admire your connection with the force but it is NOT a weapon." Anakin said to Kento who sighed in frustration.
"But master what is the point of using the force to win a battle if we can't use it to do things like stop the enemy's advance?" Kento asked Anakin sighed.
"Think about this my young apprentice…what if there were people in that building? Those that weren't killed or injured when the building fell were almost certainly killed in the crossfire between the Clone army and the Separatists." Anakin said as Kento realized his mistake.
"Oh."Kento said as the guilt of all those potential lives lost started weighing down on his shoulders.
"You still have much to learn my young apprentice…but I have faith in you." Anakin said as he helped Kento onto his feet.
"My dad's going to kill me again isn't he?" Kento asked as Anakin gave a chuckle.
"No not really…it was just a hologram, and I think that the burden of those lost lives will keep you from doing that again…albeit a bunch of holographic lives." Anakin replied as he led the three out of the holographic training center and into the hallways of the Yavin IV Jedi Academy. It had been twenty four years since the Battle of Endor which saw the end of the feared Galactic Empire. Kento Bail Marek, the son of the legendary Galen Marek, the former founder and leader of the Rebel Alliance, is Twenty one years old, and like his father at his age he wields the force as if it were second nature to him. He also inherited some of his mother, Juno Eclipse-Marek's, skill with a starfighter. He, Jacen, and Jaina Solo had become fast friends while they were still in training, the trio bonding over their similar backgrounds and interests, Kento's father being the founder and leader of the Rebellion, and Jacen and Jaina's parents and uncle being major heroes at the same time. Kento had been trained, at the request of his father, by Anakin Skywalker and had since passed the Jedi Trials along with Jacen and Jaina. Similarly Jacen had been trained by his uncle Luke while Jaina had received most of her training by her aunt Mara Jade, making it where all three had been trained by someone named Skywalker. Kento also got along well with Anakin Solo for similar reasons, only Anakin was being trained by Kento's father, Galen.
"Kento something's bothering me…" Jacen asked his best friend after his grandfather had walked off, "…why is it that grandpa still calls you his apprentice?"
"Old habits I guess…I mean he still has moments where he has to have someone keep him from force choking some of the insubordinate officers…though nine times out of ten they usually deserve it." Kento replied as the two shrugged.
"Hey Kento!" a voice down the hall behind them called. They turned to see a young sixteen year old Jedi boy running up to them.
"Hey, Anakin!" Kento greeted as he and the teenager high fived.
"Hey bro, you out of class already?" Jaina asked as she ruffled her younger brother's hair.
"Yeah pretty much…you know how Master Marek gets periodically." Anakin said as Kento rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, force pawning for noobs 101." Kento snickered as the other three laughed, "So what did he break this time?"
"What else? PROXY." Anakin replied.
"How much punishment can that Holodroid of yours take?" Jaina asked with an amused expression.
"A lot considering that I used to rip his head off with the force for a hobby when I was younger." Kento replied.
"I'm still wondering, since your dad's been declared or considered dead at least twice in his life how he keeps coming back for more?" Jacen asked as Kento shrugged.
"I'd say he's got Master K'Kruhk's amount of luck…he's invincible." Kento said as he and the other three shrugged in unison.
"So…we now have time to kill, so what do we do?" Anakin asked.
"We could go to our secret hideaway like we used to do when we were all Padawans…except Anakin who was only a toddler at the time." Kento suggested.
"Are you sure it's still there?" Jaina asked.
"I hope so…I just hope the path is still the same. I'd hate to get lost." Jacen asked as Anakin furrowed his brow.
"What are you guys talking about?" He asked confused.
"I think it's about time we let you in on our little secret…" Kento said as the other two nodded, "…about the Secret Order of the Azure Angel."
"The what?" Anakin asked.
"The Secret Order of the Azure Angel…Kento, Jacen, and I founded it years ago when we were Padawans." Jaina explained.
"How does one join this, supposedly secret order?" Anakin asked curiously.
"We'll show you how but not here…follow us." Jacen said as the four walked off, unaware that they had been over heard by a certain R2 unit and a human woman with blond hair and bare feet.
Later in the Jedi Council Chambers…
The Council sat in the circular room with a hologram of Leia Organa-Solo in the center. The room was located at the top of the main temple. There were transparasteel windows on each wall allowing the natural light to stream through as well as provide a nice view of the forests and surrounding temples. It was partially designed to replicate the Jedi Council Chambers of the old Jedi Temple on Coruscant.
From Left to right the Jedi Council members were as follows: K'Kruhk, Kyle Katarn, Tionne Solusar and her husband Kam, Galen Marek, Anakin Skywalker Sr., Luke Skywalker and his wife Mara-Jade Skywalker (Though at the moment she was absent), Kyp Durron, Jaden Korr (Human male, blond haired), Rahm Kota, and Maris Brood. Leia, the Republic's Chief of State, was present via hologram in the center of the room. At the moment they were discussing a rising political problem within the New Republic…
"The Senate is stalemated on the issue…if the rumors of this cult of Sith worshipers are true and they do indeed have an army, it may lead to an all out war." Leia said through the hologram.
"The dark side is growing…" the forty nine year old Galen said nervously, "…Fortunately we know that it isn't Palpatine or his Empire, but what I don't understand is why the pirates of all people are helping this mysterious cult. I thought they were all splinter groups."
"They usually are. Now they're acting as one, that's what's concerning." Kyle replied.
"Only once before have the pirates acted as single faction and that was during the Galactic Civil War under Zann." Anakin said, earning a confused look from Jaden Korr.
"Who?" He asked curiously.
"Tyber Zann and the Zann Consortium." Luke, the Grand Master of the Order, said with a sigh.
"Where's PROXY when you need him to squeal on all the data he has on certain people?" Rahm asked as the doors opened and in walked Mara-Jade followed closely by PROXY.
"You rang?" the red headed Ex-Emperor's hand asked as she took her seat next to her husband.
"Fashionably late as always, Mrs. Skywalker." Galen prodded with a smirk.
"Aren't I always?" Jade replied with a playful smirk as she took her seat next to her husband.
"PROXY what data do you have on one Tyber Zann?" Anakin asked the Holodroid. Instantly the droid activated his holo-emitters and took the form of a silver long-haired man in his late twenties and with a tattered brown flight jacket and black pants.
"Tyber Zann, born on Anaxes thirty-four years before Yavin, was a high profile criminal figure who controlled a criminal empire known as the Zann Consortium. Zann and his forces played a prominent role during the Galactic Civil War. His corruptive influence allowed him to establish operations on various worlds including Kamino, Felucia, Ryloth, and even Corellia to name a few. After the Second Battle of Kuat he and the Zann Consortium disappeared from the public eye and haven't been seen or heard of since." PROXY/Zann explained.
"Didn't he also have some sort of Sith help?" Kam asked.
"Tyber Zann did have the aid of a Dathomiri Nightsister named Silri. The Consortium also was known for having hired the bounty hunters Bossk and IG-88 during the Galactic Civil War…Zann was almost never without the aid of his Talortai friend Urai Fen." PROXY/Zann added.
"Ok so that brings the Bounty Hunter's guild and the Nightsisters of Dathomir into play too." Jaden sighed.
"Indeed…but what more could Zann seek to gain from a war? He already bankrupt Emperor Palpatine during the Battle of Kuat, and that pretty much allows him anything or everything he wants." Maris asked.
"Unless…" Galen said in thought, "…unless he's not the one in charge. Perhaps he's not even involved and someone else could be pulling the strings."
"I wonder what Zann wanted with a Nightsister, it certainly wasn't as a slave." Tionne thought.
"Hmm…" Anakin said as his Vader voice accidently switched on, "…I recall, oh sorry…(Normal voice) I recall that shortly after the Battle of Yavin, that the Emperor received word from Jabba the Hutt that he had a "strange and mysterious artifact for him"…but when Imperial troops got there they found only Zann, two dead Hutts, and no artifact."
"You don't think it was a Sith artifact do you?" Rahm asked.
"Oh I don't think it was a Sith artifact…I know it was a Sith Holocron." Anakin replied as everyone's hearts sank.
"Oh yeah…shortly after the battle of Endor, there was reports of a raid on the Emperor's vaults on Coruscant by a pirate faction but there wasn't anything that was reported as missing." Mara said with a sigh.
"News of a Sith Holocron being stolen might've caused a panic." Luke added.
"But what use would Zann have with a Sith Holocron?" Kyp asked.
"From what I understand of Zann's personality, he was probably hoping that the Holocron would lead to some form of wealth." Kyle said as Anakin and Mara nodded in agreement.
"I doubt that he even knew what the artifact was other than it was Sith." Galen suggested.
"Let's come back to the issue of Zann and this mysterious artifact, let's focus on the possible Sith Cult that threatens the Republic here and now." Luke suggested as the others shrugged and nodded.
"Do we have any leads as to where this cult is headquartered?" Jaden asked.
"We have reason to believe that they have a base established on the outer rim backwater planet of Rattatak." Leia replied as Anakin, K'Kruhk, and Rahm all leaned forward instantly.
"Where did you say they were headquartered?" Anakin asked.
"Rattatak, why?" Leia replied, confused, as Anakin sighed heavily and leaned back.
"Ventress." He muttered silently.
"Who?" Luke asked.
"Asajj Ventress, a Sith Apprentice under Count Dooku during the Clone Wars. She's native to Rattatak. She disappeared after the battle of Boz Pity. Obi-Wan kept saying that she had changed after that battle but I never believed him…I still don't." Anakin replied. As he did, he started rubbing at a faintly visible scar over his right eye.
"She was the one who gave you that scar wasn't she boy?" Rahm asked as Anakin gave him a frustrated glare, his emotions piquing.
"Father! Emotions!" Luke said as he felt his father's anger rising but the elder Skywalker calmed himself.
"(Sigh) Thank you Luke…it's just, she was the only true Sith other than Dooku and Palpatine to ever best me, or deal a wound to me for that matter." Anakin replied.
"You think Ventress is still alive?" K'Kruhk asked.
"Possibly…there are no records or evidence to suggest that she's either dead or alive they only mention that she disappeared." Tionne replied.
"This is a troubling situation indeed. Ventress, Zann, a possible army of Sith, it's all suggesting one thing on the horizon…War." Galen said with a sigh.
"It looks that way doesn't it?" Rahm asked with a cough.
"You really should have someone look at that cough Master Kota." Galen suggested as Rahm shook his head.
"No it just goes with the territory boy…as you get older your body starts to fall apart. Literally in Anakin's case I guess." Rahm said with a smirk as Anakin rolled his eyes.
"That was one time Rahm…and it was because R2 had rigged my arm to fall off as a cruel birthday prank." Anakin replied.
"Yeah but you got to admit that it was funnier than watching a Womp rat on Spice." Mara said as everyone but K'Kruhk, Anakin, and Luke glared at her in confusion…The other three just guffawed.
"See they know what I mean!" Mara said as those who didn't get it shook their heads.
"Anyway…we should probably send a Jedi team to investigate this 'crisis." Jaden suggested as everyone nodded.
"So…who do we send?" Anakin asked.
"What about the Solo twins?" Kyp asked absently.
"Jacen and Jaina? Why them?" Kyle asked.
"Because they tend to work perfectly in tandem, and 'Sticks' is quite a pilot." Kyp replied.
"Yeah but wherever Jaina goes…Kento is sure to follow." Maris said as she glared at Galen.
"I mean no disrespect towards the boy, but Kento is just far too reckless for this kind of mission. He has a gift, an undeniable gift that grants him easy mastery of the force. Now, had he the calm mind of Master K'Kruhk he would probably be Grand Master right now. But his restraint on using his powers to an excess is almost non-existent." Anakin said as Galen nodded.
"He's like me when I was your apprentice, master." Galen said with a sigh.
"And that's what frightens me…you were trained as a Sith, Galen, and had no compunction against, say, bringing down a building on a few Stormtroopers instead of sneaking around them…Kento on the other hand has been trained as a Jedi but thinks like a Sith in terms of using the force." Anakin replied.
"He seems to listen to you master K'Kruhk, perhaps you could keep him calm." Galen said to the Whiphid Jedi Master.
"I shall try. Kento and I share a unique bond. We meditate often together and usually whenever we do, he appears to be at peace, both physically and mentally." K'Kruhk replied.
"I recall that his namesake, your father, Galen, was a good friend of K'Kruhk's during the Clone Wars." Rahm said as the Whiphid nodded.
"Yes the elder Kento was a good man and a good healer too." K'Kruhk replied.
"Perhaps that's why he's so close to you, you knew his grandfather." Luke said as Leia cleared her throat.
"I hate to interrupt but there is a matter of assembling a Jedi team?" Leia said with her arms crossed.
"Oh, sorry Leia. So we send Jacen, Jaina, and we may as well send Kento. Anyone else?" Luke said as K'Kruhk raised his hand.
"I would like to go as an advisor, if anything to try and keep young Marek at peace." The Whiphid replied.
"Ok then, who else?" Luke asked as everyone remained silent.
"It sounds like we have our Jedi Team…that's if they agree to go." Tionne said as a few of them nodded.
"Ok then…this council is in recess until the three have been summoned." Luke said as Leia's hologram vanished and the council erupted into scattered conversation.
End Chapter 1
I had to add K'Kruhk, because he's "Freakin Sweet!"
Please R&R.