A/N: AU Force Unleashed. In my version, Galen (aka Starkiller) had friend he'd known since birth on Kashyyyk before Vader came, a girl named Nina whose parents were both Jedi as well. She and Galen were separated, hence why only he was taken by Vader. The two later meet when Vader sends him to kill her on his way to kill Shaak Ti. Also, I did the math and figured that Galen is about 18 or 19. In here, he's 19 and Nina is 18.

By the way, I am also working on another story but have writers-block on it which is why I chose to actually start writing this story. Working on two stories at once sometimes helps me get out of writers-block. Just saying in case people ask.

On another note, this story had been posted before (chapters 1-7) but I deleted it when I had writers block that lasted for a long time and because a couple of people sent me very nasty and rude messages about there not being an update. Since you can only take so much of that before you get fed up, I deleted the story to work on it without having to worry about those messages. I'm through the writers block now so the story will continue :)

Summary: Galen has little memory of his life before he became known as Starkiller, every trace of his childhood hidden by Vader. But everything changes when he receives an assignment to kill a young Jedi named Nina Cortal. Unknown to Vader, Nina had grown up with Galen on Kashyyyk. With the Dark Side threatening to consume him, Nina becomes the one thing keeping the dark at bay. But is she able to save him from the pull of the Dark Side and free him from the chains of his master?

Rating: M for violence, mild language, and sexual content in the future.

Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Star Wars.

-Nina-

"Hurry, Nina!" seven-year-old Galen yelled, grabbing his friend by the arm and pulling her to her feet.

Nina, only six-years-old, had tears streaming down her cheeks as she scrambled to her feet, both from the pain of her knees being shredded by falling on some rocks and by fear of what was happening.

Only minutes ago the Empire had landed on Kashyyyk, killing anything that opposed them. She and Galen had been playing when they arrived and were now running for their lives, trying to find their parents, sensing that something was terribly wrong before they even heard the blaster-fire. Both she and Galen were being raised to become Jedi, each having Jedi for parents. While they were both very young, they knew that whatever they were feeling was the Dark Side. They knew when Galen's father was but Nina had no clue where her parents were. It was near noon and so they should be farther north, well past where her friend's father was.

Holding on tightly to Galen's hand, she ran with him to find his dad, long blond hair falling free of her ponytail when the ribbon become caught on a branch. Her legs hurt and her lungs burned, begging her to stop running.

"Galen, I'm tired," she complained but made no effort to stop running, too afraid that she'd be killed.

"We're almost there," Galen assured her, gripping her hand tighter to the point where it hurt. It was very comforting.

They'd known each other since they were babies, their parents having stuck together after Order 66. He'd always protected her, kept her safe. There was no doubt in the girls mind that he wouldn't keep her safe now.

Nearing the hut where Galen and his father lived, they both came to a sudden halt. Something was wrong. The place that once felt welcoming now emitted fear and hate. In her eyes, Nina saw black wisps surrounding the home. At first, seeing these sort of wisps had scared her, but her mother had assured her that it was merely the Force showing her whether something was good or evil and that it was shown differently for everyone. For Nina, gold wisps indicated good and black wisps evil. These ones were the blackest she'd ever seen and she moved closer to Galen in fear, her hands holding his arm like a lifeline. Galen was apparently seeing something similar as he began shaking and lead her to a tree so that they could hide.

Prying her hands from his arm, he declared, "I'll go help my Dad."

"No!" Nina said loudly and Galen clamped his hand over her mouth.

"He's my Dad, I have to help." When Nina shook her head frantically, he added, "I'll be right back, just hide."

He didn't give her a chance to reply before he ran off to help his father.

Not knowing what to do, Nina cautiously peeked out from behind the tree, watching as Galen got closer to the hut. When he disappeared from sight, she found herself growing more nervous by the second. Why hadn't she gone with him? What was going on in there. To her left, she saw storm troopers running towards the hut and began to panic. They were going to kill him! She had to do something. Looking around, she found a rock and was about to scream and throw it at one of the troopers when, for the second time, a hand clamped over her mouth. Another hand grabbed her hand that held the rock.

Immediately she started kicking, afraid that she'd been found. She had been, but not by the Empire. Holding her tightly, her father dragged her away from the tree while her mother urged her to be quiet. Nina kept kicking and fighting. Not because she didn't know who had grabbed her – she was well aware now that it was her parents – but because the were taking her from Galen. She screamed against her fathers hand as he lifted her off the ground. Screamed that she couldn't leave her friend. He was her world. How could she live without him? Did she even know how to?

"I'm sorry, sweetie," her mother apologized, sensing why her daughter fought to get away. "It's too dangerous, we can't save him and save ourselves too. I'm so sorry."

No! Nina wouldn't hear it. Her screams grew when she heard the sound of blasters in the distance coming from the hut.

Biting her fathers hand and forcing him to uncover her mouth, Nina screamed at the top of her lungs, "Galen!"

"No!"

Bolting upright in bed, eighteen-year-old Nina reached for one of her two lightsabers and activated the green blade. It took the young Jedi several seconds to remember that she was in her makeshift home in the Outer Rim and in bed. With that realization, she fell back on the mattress, deactivating her lightsaber and returning its place on the nightstand while running a hand through her sweat soaked blond hair. She hated that nightmare, reliving the event all over again. Damn that nightmare and damn her past. All she wanted to do was forget that day and forget Galen. But she couldn't. Galen had been her best friend and her protector and she'd left him behind.

For a long time she blamed her parents for leaving him, then blamed herself once she learned that they didn't go after him too because Vader was in the hut. If she only she'd somehow stopped him from going in there… She shook her head. No, there wasn't anything she could have done. Galen would have tried to help his father no matter what she said. That was just who he was. She couldn't have saved him.

There was no way to know whether or not he had survived or not, but Nina couldn't believe that he was alive. They were best friends; he would have contacted her with the encrypted code he'd memorized that connected him to her mothers communicator. They'd heard nothing from him and she was left to believe the worst had happened to him.

And what could be worse than death?

-Galen-

Galen's back hurt from the abused he'd taken from Paratus, the Jedi he'd recently killed. That Jedi was as insane as they came but was one hell of a fighter, both with a lightsaber and the Force. All he wanted to do right now was rest, let his wounds heal and his aches dissipate. But he couldn't. He had to await further orders from Vader and he wasn't foolish enough to not be there when Vader contacted him.

In a room on his ship, he sat on the floor, deciding that meditating would at least put his mind at ease for a while. He didn't even know why he meditated. Vader certainly never took the time to help him calm his mind. It had simply been something he'd known how to do. He figured he'd learned it during his childhood before he became Vader's apprentice. If only he could remember his childhood. There were bits and pieces of memories that stood out in his mind. One thing being his name. Vader was under the impression that he did not remember and thought his name was Starkiller but Galen knew it wasn't, though he dared not tell his master that. He also remembered the foreign feelings of peace and happiness, and a strange yet comforting smell of flowers and berries… he couldn't place that smell if his life depended on it. But the scent in his mind was always accompanied by the blurry image of someone. It was a little girl, he could tell that much, but her face, hair color, everything was a blur that he couldn't remember. Either way, the faded memory was comforting and calming and he would take what he could get.

As he sat in the center of the room, he levitated his lightsaber as he meditated, carefully taking it apart. It had taken him a long time to concentrate enough to perform the action without breaking the weapon and putting it back together had been even more challenging. Unfortunately, as he was just about to finish, he was interrupted by the telltale breathing of his master who now stood before him. The lightsaber fell in pieces in front of him and he scrambled to pick them up but abandoned the task and bowed his head instead.

"My Master, Kazdan Paratus is dead," Galen informed him.

Vader gave a slight nod. "Then there are but two more tests."

"I'm ready now!" Galen insisted, looking up at his master. His heart briefly stopped, worried that he'd be punished speaking out like that.

"No," Vader replied, sounding as though he were scolding a child. "You defeated an old man and an outcast. You must face a true Jedi Master."

Irritated, the apprentice asked, "Who?"

Ignoring or not noticing the young mans irritation, Vader replied, "Master Shaak Ti, one of the last of the Jedi Council. You will need the full power of the dark side to defeat her. But, before you go after her, there is another Jedi you must dispose of," Vader added. "Nina Cortal, a very powerful, albeit young, Jedi Knight. Her parents were Jedi and proved to be most taxing on the Empire. Since their death she has continued doing their work, aiding those who resist the Empire and fight the Emperor. She has killed all whom we have sent to destroy her. You must kill her. Her death will greatly weaken the moral of those who oppose the Empire."

Why did the name Nina Cortal sound so familiar? Ignoring the familiarity of the name, he said, "Yes, my Master."

The image of Vader blinked out, replaced by a very "dizzy" PROXY. Jumping to his feet, Galen caught his friend before he could fall over.

"You all right, PROXY?" Galen asked, steadying the droid.

"Yes, Master," he replied, holding his head as he steadied himself.

"Think you can tell me what you know about Nina Cortal?"

PROXY grumbled something about needing a minute to let his system cool down and Galen nodded. The two walked up to the cockpit where Juno sat, waiting for a destination.

"Do we have a destination?" she asked, looking from him to PROXY.

"In a minute we might," he replied. "You cooled down yet, PROXY?"

"Yes, Master. Was it Nina Cortal you wished to know about?"

Galen merely nodded.

In a matter of seconds, the image of the banged up droid flickered into what was definitely the most beautiful woman Galen had ever seen. He wasn't blind. On other assignments he had seen some very attractive women but this woman blew them all out of the water. She was very young, probably not a day older than him, and had long blond hair that was in a ponytail and, while much darker than Juno's, was very light in color and had gorgeous dark green eyes. Her outfit reminded him of something a mercenary would wear; semi-tight black cargo pants, a black V-neck shirt (whether it was long-sleeved, short-sleeved, or what was a mystery), and a long coat that reached her knees complete with a hood that would cast a shadow over her face. She also wore a utility belt, holding her two lightsabers.

When Nina/PROXY spoke, it was the most soothing voice he'd ever heard. "Jedi Knight Nina Cortal grew up in the Outer Rim with her parents, Varik and Zara Cortal, also Jedi Knights…"

As she went on, Galen found himself strangely drawn to her even though it was just an image PROXY was project and an artificial voice. Something about her…that voice…was so familiar but for the life of him he couldn't remember.

As the droid finished giving him the details of the young Jedi's files, Galen forced himself to push any sense of familiarity he felt about her out of him mind and told Juno to head to the planet she was most recently seen on.

But no matter how hard he tried to forget that familiarity, he couldn't help but feel that he'd seen her before.