Star Wars AU: Star Wars Episode 3.6. The Unsung War

A disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars. This story will loosely follow the canon and EU.

Timeline: Six month before Episode VI.

Point of Reference: 16:5:22 is the day of the Great Jedi Purge

3.6ABY is six standard months before Return of the Jedi

Summary: Princess Leia Organa's disappearance incurs panic within the Rebellions. While everybody said that the Princess dies in bright blue light, Luke Skywalker remains steadfast adamant that she is still alive. 3.6 ABY

On the other side of the galaxy a young Jedi team was ordered by the High Council to alter their course to Mustafar in order to investigate the disturbance in the Force. They were never being seen again. 38:6:8 GRS.

Who would thought it brought great hope and calamity for the same time.

XXX

In the galaxy long time ago, far, far away.

Twenty-two standard years after the death of High Chancellor Ethril Palpatine...

The galaxy is at peace after the revelation of the identity of Darth Sidious

Although Confederation of Independence System (CIS) no longer exists

The member systems trust in the Republic does not fix easily

The galaxy is still divided

Republic still half of its members

Most former CIS members declare independence from the Republic

Some rejoin the Republic

Others create themselves their own multi-organization system.

Except for regular conflicts and skirmishes, the galaxy is relatively at peace

Until great disturbance of the Force compel the High Counsel orders a team of Jedi to investigate...

XXX

Chapter 1: A Forgotten Reality

XXX

There are many unexplainable things in the galaxy, in the advert of the science of the modern age still fall short to decoding the universe mystery of the Force. The only things that are proven by the scientists are the unique existence of Midi-chlorians. These intelligent microscopic life-forms served as organelles within all living cells, existing in a symbiotic relationship with the beings they inhabited and comprising a collective consciousness among them. Present in all life, midi-chlorians were isomorphic on every planet that supported life. Midi-chlorians, in fact, were necessary for life to exist.

Then come the Jedi, a group of people who devote their entire lives to study the connection with this pervasive energy field known as the Force; Those who have a sufficient number in midi-chlorians could detect the Force, and this connection could be strengthened by quieting one's mind, allowing the midi-chlorians to 'speak' to their symbiont and communicate the will of the Force.

They usually meditated to 'hear' the 'wills' of the Force; alternatively, Ashla to be precise. When a disturbance in the Ashla was strong enough to detect by a Jedi High Counsel, immediate action must be made.

This is where Kyp and his master are here for.

There was tasked by the counsel to investigate the disturbance on Mustafar if possible, resolve it or ask the council on Corruscant.

As Kyp Duron and his master arrive, the scenery from space leaves much to be desired.

"Exiting hyperspace, all systems nominal" he announces.

Mustafar was a small vocalic planet located in the Mustafar system of the Outer Rim Territories, core-ward of Rutan, between the Hydian Way and the Ninth Quadrant. Once lush with green became a mortal hell after a catalytic battle between the Jedi and the Sith has torn apart an active super volcano engulfing 40 percent of its surface and consume all the seas.

It's a miracle the two tribes of Mustafarian still surviving to this day with only lava mining and trade, he mused.

"Master?" he asked.

"Yes Padawan?"

"Mustafar was almost destroyed 5 thousand standard years ago, their recent history during the Clone War even more so; are you sure we were welcome?"

She just smiles. He can't actually see her smiling, but he can feel with the bond. He really feels that was a legitimate question. Mustafar was the last major separatist droid factory, even though they rejoin the Republic at the aftermath of the war. It was solely on trading ground. Mustafarian is isolationist through and though. The very fact that the Jedi is partially responsible for their suffering would not be taken likely.

"It had been 5000 standard years, Padawan. For all their mortal life, Mustafar is unfailingly this volcanic hot temperature planet they live and knew. To be otherwise is unthinkable for them" Before Kyp wanted to question her more a 'ping' in his console alerts him of something urgent.

"Master, look!" He exclaimed urgently.

"On it, " she steers the ship toward the hollowed mountain surround by the sea of lava. The island has only one structure, a ruin of rock resemble of a gate or a hut of some sort.

She moves the ship near the ruin, the gravity control works brilliantly hovering before its land to a dead stop a few metres off the entry side.

"That's it?" Kyp asks in disbelief, disappoint at their first mission together after a one month hiatus is to investigate this worthless, dull ruins on the hot, mortal's hell of a planet. Why can the council give them some excited mission for once? Master Kenobi instructed him to do the same boring Force technique he's had completed in two weeks. Repeat the same routine for a month. Honestly! How hard can it be to master the Force Defend? He can't see how can it be useful in this time and age? Dark Jedi are rare and the Sith had extinct for almost twenty standard years.

"Look can be deceiving my young Padawan, you should know better, " she chastise, her smile betrays the harsh words. In all seven standard months he knew her, she never this expressive when on a mission. Married life really does suit her.

"This mission come from the High Counsil, a disturbance in the Force was too great to ignore" she loosens the safety belt, she opens the helmet to reveal her favourite twin sideways braided brunette. "So..."

"So it's a mission fit for a Consular"

"Yes. Alright, this is how we approach this. I'll go there alone; you'll stay in this fighter doing aerial Recon"

"But master, the disturbance makes the old man wary. Isn't it wise if we go together? "

"Don't let Obi-wan catch you calling him old" she giggled "We don't know its exact location yet. The disturbance has stopped now, it may happen again. This is an old Jedi Enclave before the great Mustafar calamity. This is the first place to look when that strange disturbance took place. Hopefully, this is the right place. If it's not, why waste more time? I need you to fly close around this island. Reach it with the force to feel any trace of the disturbance. Can you do that?"

"Master, I can't pilot and feeling at the same time. I need to meditate" no matter how talented Kyp Durron is, he's not skill enough to deliberately 'scans' the area without meditating. At ten standard years old Padawan is still new to this Padawan 'stuff' and the job entails. A logical statement as he has just begun his Padawan-hood four standard months ago.

"Here, " she touches something on the screen. Geometry map of Mustafar with green dot appears on his screen. A circle, then appears, followed by a green arrow circling the said circle line. "I've programme the flight path, you just concentrate on scanning the area."

It's quite ingenious really, why he didn't think of that? "Oh..." he said sheepishly, he clearly needs to familiarize himself with this new contraption more. "May the Force is with you Master"

"And yours too, Kyp. Now hold your breath" After a moment, she opens the cockpit. The views from the canopy become thick metallic armour as its curve thin visual display screen no longer needed. Insufficient pressure in the air is common in Type 2 atmosphere. Without sufficient skill in environment alteration, he can't hope to follow his master without the breather.

She Force leaps to the entrance. He watches as the brunette's light brown long skirt fluttering as the young Consular's feet touch down. Enter into the mountain without once looking back to her Padawan. Trusting Kyp Durron knows what to do.

XXX

"Release landing clamp" Lando Calrissian voice was spoken dry, monotonous to Leia's ears. Chewbacca's usual zesty 'a job well done' roar are notably absent as of late. The answer was quite simple, the job was not done. Their one and only chance to intercept the crate containing a Carbonite Han Solo from Bobba Fett was ended in failure.

Princess Leia Organa walk out from her seat as she hurried along to disembark from the Millennium Falcon, His ship. It saddens her heart every time his ship was captained by another person. Calrissian and Chewbacca act as if this mooring as routine as it seem on board Home One.

Mon Mothma's office is a perfect example of Spartan. Racks fill with only important plans and military logistic, documents and ledger multiple acquisitions and others she can't find herself to care at the moment.

"Princess Leia?" any questions die as Mon look into Leia's grim eyes "Would you care to sit?" she offer instead, she was about to leave her desk seemingly to sit on the sofa.

"No, I won't stay long" the princess replay was shot and seemingly rude. Monthma who used to friendly and polite words from Leia is getting worried.

"Sit, I make some tea" She wastes no time to wait the Princess's reply as she brews her favourite tea. Leia is obviously distraught, she considers Leia a friend. For all their struggles and history together, the princess is a kindred spirit to her harsh life. Kriff, she even knew her parents! Leia sad, almost broken looks awfully familiar to her late friend Padmé, who had the same look a standard week before her death worried Mon greatly.

Leia accepts the tea and took a sip, and then put it back on the table. She awaits the impending questions Mon have yet to ask. "Are you-" Fine? Okay? No, she obviously not "How was yours rescue going?"

"We... the mission was a failure"

"Tell me what happen"

"What is there to tell? We Fail." The princess of Alderaan yells. She swipes a drop of falling tears that her hold for a long time.

"Princess-, Leia, you already when to this..."

"Bobba Fett"

"... Bobba Fett took him"

"Yes. Jabba the Hutt"

"Your last report said you're on Tatooine. What happen after that?"

Princess Leia Organa tell her everything. She told her that Fett is on Gall, making the unexpecting jump after arriving above Tatooine less than a minute. Of how they meet Rouge Squadron on Gall's moon named Kile to confirm location of Fett's Slave 1

"There was two Star Destroyer was on the planet?" Mothma asked in disbelieve.

"Yes"

"And you fought them!"

"The attack was merely a diversion" Princess Leia assures.

She then tells Mothma of how Rogues retreated in a mock hyperspace jump; Wes Janson's mal-programmed R2 seizes control of his X-wing and attempts to shoot Skywalker down. After avoiding it, Skywalker manages to shoot Janson's R2. Rogues then examine Janson's R2 on and realize it was mal-programmed by an agent. Falcon, having sustained too much damage and seeing that Slave I takes off, retreats. Eventually Skywalker and Wedge Antilles find that Janson's droid had been programmed by their technician.

"We have a spy?"

"Not anymore, she more like an assassin" She correcting Mothma. "Commander Antilles manage to kill her. We then traced the assassin's bank record and found that she was paid by Vader".

"Darth Vader?"

"The one and only, that was why I send Luke Skywalker to Tatooine, I asked Mr. Skywalker to go to follow Fett on Tatooine, I also secretly hire Mr. Rendar to follow and protect him."

"Rendar?" Mothma confused.

"A mercenary who found out the Fett's location on Gall"

"You hired a mercenary to protect a Jedi?" Mothma said incredulously.

"Jedi was not infallible; they can be killed just as easily as anyone else"

"Oh, Leia, if only you knew. I'm not saying they can't be killed, I mean it would not take a group of mercenary or assassins to kill them. The thought of that a Jedi of any rank need a protection of mercenary from the mercenary and assassin was considered moronic in my age"

"I mean no disrespect Madam Mon; after Vader killed our Jedi several years ago Jedi Skywalker is our only hope to revive the Order"

Mon sigh, the revival of the Order is a wonderful thought. Even though she jibes with Leia reasoning, she can't help to think it was premature. The Jedi Order is to maintain the peace; to do that there must be at peace first.

The princess emptied her cup quickly, her report (more like a story) must have made her very thirsty. Mothma moves to refill Leia's cup only to be showered with a blinding bright blue light.

After a moment of blindness, Mothma can't find the princess anywhere.

XXX

If there were a thing call hell for mortal worlds, then Kestrel will be it. It's not because of hot boil temperature on Mustafar, nor the acidic compound found in a Dantooine's asteroid field, melting even the hardest Quadanium alloy.

A true hell made by mortals. During the era Galactic Republic, a spice mine of Kessel is a prison design to hold the prisoner and educate inmates on how to re-enter society upon release. But that past was long gone. Kessel of today becomes a prison planet run by the Imperials to force criminals, slaves and political enemies. The atmosphere is so thin; its system is the home of Maw Cluster is an unstable and mostly un-navigable cluster of black holes located near the Kessel. Thus, only a complete idiot would dare to trespass. If in rare chances the 'complete idiot' does come. Several massive communication satellites in orbit were built to maintain control over the prisons, to permit passage through the system, and to coordinate ship landings. If anyone crazy enough to mount a rescue, one of these satellites was guarded with a Victory-class Star Destroyer, two Acclamator-class Star Destroyers, two Tartan-class patrol cruisers, and multiple squadrons of TIE fighters, TIE interceptors, TIE/SA bombers, and a single squadron of elite TIE defenders. This is all to create the impregnable prison, it give a clear message for the inmate. Escape is impossible. In short, come in the flesh; out in body bags, vaporise into a thin air (no pun intended).

The entire inmates come involuntarily, all except for one for Vima-Da-Boda. Once you're in, they are no way out for you. Only the city dweller and Imperials can leave the Kessel alive. Then why Vima-Da-Boda was so eager to throw her freedom away? The answer is simple. She is a sinner.

Vima remembered how she got here. More important, why she here.

[Flashback]

Vima-Da-Boda was the great-great-great-granddaughter of Vima Sunrider; daughter of legendary Jedi Master of ancient times Nomi Sunrider, and served the Force for over a century. Later in her life, she broke the sacred Jedi code and had a daughter. She could give Neema away, but thought her daughter in the ways of the Jedi behind the Council's back.

The Force-sensitivity passed through Vima to her daughter, Neema, and Vima began to train her daughter in the ways of the Jedi. As with many young pupils, Neema grew frustrated by the slow pace of her Jedi education, and sought alternative training. Neema's impatience and lack of knowledge in the ways of the Force opened her to the dark side. The dark side consumed Neema, and she left her.

Years later, Vima received a telepathic plea from her daughter, who had become the wife of an Ottethan warlord. She rushed to the dungeon to her daughter's aid, but was too late: Neema had been fed to the rancors of Ottethan. Giving in to her rage, Vima sliced the warlord in half with her Lightsaber. Her desire for vengeance quenched, in that moment Vima realized she was succumbing to the dark side herself.

Over time, her ability to sense and use the Force slowly faded away. Jedi Healer didn't find anything wrong with her, it doesn't matter, she knew like she knew her own name. It is because she was a sinner; this is the Force judgment of her.

So she leaves everything behind, she become a beggar. She crawls to the streets of Nar Shadaa; she wastes her vermin live away to the planet full of scum and criminal. She stood by begging for scrap when the galaxy at war. She felt unworthy to join the ranks of the Jedi and soldier to defend the Republic. They are better off without her.

So wallow in her self-pity the fate of Jedi until the meet a stranger, a human of late twenty. He was accompanied by a Wookie; she got a vision of him. Vima quickly tells the man of Mako Spince's betrayal, of his joining a cause and becoming a General and his willingness to give up the smuggler's life for the woman he loved. He brushed her off, calls her crazy and walks away.

Vima was surprised; she was surprised not because the man calls her crazy. She was surprised because her connection with the Force is returning. She has lost to the Force a long time ago, to suddenly become connected; there must something going on.

Far sight was a skill was easily associated with a Seer. The ability to foresee the possible future was a gift and a curse for many Jedi. Even with this gift, she still fails to her daughter's fate. She was far away from feel worthy to be a Jedi, but for a long time since her brushed to the dark side; Vima reaches the Force willingly, what greet was a warm welcome like an old friend feels of freedom and euphoria beyond any descriptions, quenching the thirst that she never knew.

And then it comes, demanding her present elsewhere. She had tried to redeem herself. Finally the Force has shown her the way.

It might be a long shot, but it's worth a try.

[End Flashback]

The prisoner food at Kessel spice mine leave much to be desired; it was not clean or fit for the consumption of civilities people. Vima realises that their intention. 'We were no longer people in the eyes of the Emperor' She ate half of the food offering it to the child "Here, eat this, Vima not hungry"

"But"

"Eat; I have the power to sustain me until diner"

"Can the power do that?" the boy asks, she waits until he finishes the portion of her meal before Vima answer.

"Yes, if you learn quite enough. You will have more of its use beside what had I taught you"

The boy's eyes lit up like a cookie store. The prospect of more knowledge of the Force intrigues him more than anything else. Though in retrospect, this is the only pleasure he has. People often wonder why ten standard years old boys doing here. Does anyone care he was thrown in this hell hole for treasons against the Empire? It's all because his parent thrown a peaceful protest against Empire action.

In the end, the boy's parents were killed, his brother was taken away to Force knows where? Vima was all he had left in this spice tunnel. She acts as his guardian and trains him the way of the Force. But he doesn't know that, she always calls it 'the power' to call the Force.

"What happen," she ask, the boy sudden wan face alarmed the old woman.

"My stomach hurt"

"It is a regular stomach-" he was engulfed with the bluish light before vanishing in the thin air.

"Child? Kyp?"

XXX

For more information, please read the manual guide. I will update it as it goes. Beware of the spoiler, though.

Q: Wait! There was two Kyp and Leia

A: Correct, that's why this chapter titled 'A Forgotten Realities'