Make sure to read the last 3 stories before this. The order is:

1. Parellel Dimension

2. PD: Darkness Rising

3. PD: Return to the Order

Disclaimer: I do not own any of Star Wars, the right of ownership of Star Wars belong to Lucasfilm and I guess Disney too. The only thing I own is the characters you do not notice and the plot.

Year: 10 BBY

Chapter 1: Shaken Zane

Since the beginning of the war with Darth Vader and his Empire, it is now going on its 5th year, making this war longer than the Clone Wars and therefore the longest galactic scale conflict since the Ruusan Reformation. Even at this stage, it is hard to tell who is winning and who is losing.

Even through it hard to decide rather the Jedi Order and the Republic comes out on top or the Order of the Sith and the Empire will come up on top, both sides are determine to win and beat the opposing. The Jedi and Republic are fighting to remain the peace that they have while the Sith and Empire tries to take that peace away and gain control of the galaxy.

Both sides have won and lose battles of the course of the war and to some of the Jedi they do not see it coming to an end anytime soon. Neither sides are giving up easy.

Still even through with all the war and battles going on, there are still time for personal lives. Jedi Master Mark Alan Zane and Jedi Knight Rachelle Hunter have been in love with each other since they announce their feelings for each other on Naboo back in 14 BBY a year into the war. There feelings for each other have increased a lot. No ought both of them can swear that their lover give them a heart attack when they went on mission when the other is no on that mission.

Right now Jedi Master Mark Alan Zane is watching his former Padawan and lover working on a Speeder that was damage because Darth Vader sends an assassin against Amelia as she was on the planet. The whole engine burned out due to a perfect shoot to the engine compartment. Still, his mother wants the vehicle fixed. A Zane never waste stuff was her only answer when Rachelle asked why she wouldn't buy a new one.

Then Rachelle decided that she will do the work. She was at the Jedi Temple when it happens and Mark was away on a mission for the war. He just got back a couple hours ago. The 3rd Legion manages to deal a lot of damage to a fleet Imperial Ships that was trying to attack Corellia by going through the Deep Core.

What surprised Mark is they try to travel through the Deep Core in Hyperspace. There is not a lot of Hyperlanes through the Deep Core of the galaxy and it is extremely dangerous to travel through. Seem like Darth Vader wanted to take out some of the companies that make ships for the Republic to weaken them.

It was an unexpected attack, but it was almost a smart move on Darth Vader's part. The Republic knows his major base is somewhere within the Outer Rim. So they were more focus on attacks coming in from the Mid Rim not from behind in the Deep Core. Still the Corellian Military was able to hold off the Empire until the Grand Army of the Republic shows up. That is a mistake that they would not repeat. That battle was easy.

Also at the same time Obi-wan was sent to Bakura to fight in a battle where the Empire tired to take over. The might of the Bakuran Military combine with the Galactic Republic was enough to push the attack away.

That is how the war has been going on, seem look more attacks happening at once. At all of them, there were no sign of Darth Vader in any one of them. This got Mark curious. Since 15 and 14 BBY he haven't been on the field of battle that much. Instead of him there was purple Twi'lek named Darth Solaris, which seem as bad as Darth Vader in his way of battling and killing people.

Thinking of Darth Solaris made Mark looks down at his wrist on his right hand which got slightly scarred back in 12 BBY when he battled against Darth Solaris. If he did not move he would have lost his hand. The scar is almost all gone. After his duel, later that year Rachelle dueled her for about 2 hours straight and she almost lost a whole arm, nearly got stabbed in the chest and almost lost a half of a leg with her. She is vicious.

"Hey, Mark can you hand me that wrench?" ask Rachelle as her hand point from underneath the speeder to a wrench that was by Mark's feet. Mark picks it up and holds it out for her. Before she can grab a hold of it, Mark put his feet on the Hover-creepers and slides it out.

"Now, now Rachelle, I haven't seen you in weeks because of a battle at Corellia and the only thing you want me to do is to grab you some stupid tool. Force, that just hurt my feelings." say Mark in a mock hurt tone as he twirl the shiny sliver looking wrench in his right hand.

Rachelle laughs a bit as she got up and hugs him. Rachelle places a light kiss on his lips. "I see everything went well? Any problems?" ask Rachelle. "Oh, Darth Solaris was there. Some how she manages to get to the planet before they activate the planetary shields. She was trying to kill Senator Iblis. Apparently one of his staff was a spy working for the Empire." say Mark before capturing his lover's lips once more.

"Is he okay?" ask Rachelle. She got to know Garm Bel Iblis during the time when Mark was planning on bringing down the former Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic Palpatine. Through out he was not the major person in the planning; he did manage to gather some evidence.

"Yes, a bit shaken up. He told me he was relieved when he saw me storming in with the Clone Troopers. All his guards were killed by Imperial Troops and Darth Solaris was nearing him. Still I arrive a bit too late, they manage to kill his wife. Captain Kia and I manage to get into the building and just as we got there, we saw Maxus Zane killing one of his children. The scene even made Captain Kia sick, and he was breed for war and to experience the sickness that comes with war! I swear I almost let go of the Jedi Order. I chased him down on the hall. I manage to stop myself when I was about the slash him up." say Mark remembering the moment well.

He remembers running down a dead end hall hot on the tail of Maxus Zane who was laughing and taunting him that it seems like he was a failure. That he could not prevented him from getting revenge on those who was a part of Palpatine's murder. Mark remembering using the Force and slams him into the end of the hallway and his Lightsaber ignited. He swings it, but at the last moment he got control of his anger and hatred and slashes the wall near Maxus's head.

Also Maxus called him a coward for not finish him off when he got the chance. He just walks away as Maxus threaten to kill everyone he holds dear. Mark ignores him and went to find the Senator.

"You mean you have a brush with the Dark Side?" ask Rachelle after she got done listening to Mark telling her the events that he walked in on. "Yes, right there and than I couldn't stop thinking how much people suffer from him. I wanted him dead. It one thing to kill an adult than it is a child. I am not saying that killing an adult is okay, but that is just low." say Mark as he sits on a tool box looking down at his hands.

"Mark, do not get yourself down about him, wasn't it you say that sometimes the best makes mistakes. Remember back in 15 BBY when you let your overconfidence get to you and Leia was taken by Vader. That was a mistake. The thing about mistakes is, as long as you realized them and try to fix them. You did not kill him in your anger and hatred you stop before hand. That what makes you a Jedi. Even Jedi Masters brushes the Dark Side." say Rachelle notice that Mark seem a bit disturb about it.

She knows Maxus have been a thorn in Mark's side for a long time. He even tried to kill her. That made Mark mad. It was on a mission to Bakura. They had received word that there have been a lot of assassination attempts being made there on a bunch of people. Which is surprising for Bakura since not even some of the lowest scumbags would not dare to do anything criminal like on the planet. When they got there, Rachelle was overpowered and was almost given poison that would not only make her body temperature rise to a fatal level but literally boil her body from the inside out. It is a very nasty poison that was developed by the Hutts and the Empire working together on. When Mark found her, he literally blows the walls down, with the aid of the Force. It nearly scared Maxus Zane badly. Mark used the Force to throw Maxus out of the building.

That was the day, that she had proof that it is very hard to poison Bakurans. Everyone besides the victims, Maxus and Mark was wearing a gas mask. The whole place was coated with the airborne poison. When Mark saved her, she notice there was bunch of Clones laying dead due to the poison.

Mark sighs as he pinches his noise. "The thing is I haven't come that close to the Dark Side for a very long time. Not since I was a Jedi Knight." say Mark lightly as he shakes his head.

"Don't worry, one of these days, he will get his fair share of dues." say Rachelle. There were times she wants to throw the Jedi Code into the wind and just kill Maxus Zane off right away. She bet a lot of Jedi are like that with Maxus Zane. She knows that most of the High Council does not like Maxus Zane. Matter of fact it seems like the name Maxus a very foul word not only to the Galactic Republic but also the Jedi Order.

"It feels like we keep letting him get away. He always seems to be defenseless at the time of capture. He knows I would not actually kill him if he does not fight back or if he is my prisoner. Even through, I gave the Clones orders to shoot him whenever they get the chance." say Mark lightly.

Rachelle just hugs Mark as he stated these things. It seems like to her that Maxus Zane is being more active in the war. More often than not, he seems to work alone on a scale of terrorism. Besides Darth Vader, Maxus Zane seems to be the most wanted man in the galaxy. He is deadly even to a Jedi. Since the beginning of the war, he manages to kill a few Jedi.

"What your so called father does is nothing on you. It is not your mission to see him stopped. Anyone with enough caution could take him down. What you need to worry about is the Sith Lords. They are more dangerous." say Rachelle lightly as Mark hugs her back.

"Very true." say Mark with a slight nod. Rachelle went back to working on the Speeder as Mark hands her the wrench she asked earlier ago for. For the rest of the day, Mark helps her with the Speeder.

On Korriban the Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Vader killed the person who reported to him by using the Force to explode him up. He got word that the Galactic Republic outsmarted him and that Darth Solaris had failed her mission to kill the Corellian Senator. He knew if something happen to the Corellian Senator, than his spy would have became the next Senator.

Normally he would blame Darth Solaris for the failure until he have heard that Master Zane have stopped her. Ever since Master Zane had fully recovered from that coma that Darth Vader unwisely commands his troop to cause the attack that did it, he have been a very big thorn.

The worst part is it seem like since there confliction on Naboo, Master Zane seem to have gotten more powerful. He also realized through the Force and from Maxus Zane that he have an attachment to a certain Jedi Knight.

Darth Vader stands up from his throne and walk past the bloody mess that was one of his soldiers. He knows his true problem exists with Master Zane. If he put Master Zane out of business, than he could take down the Republic and the Jedi Order. Now with this new development, it might be able to come in some use.

The faceplate of Darth Vader helmet separates as he looks at his reflection of his heavily scarred and burnt face. Most of the scars came from his battle with Master Zane during their battle on Mustafar at the end of the year 20 BBY. It got more burnt up due to the battle with Dooku on Serenno. The fire that he had sent on him had somehow come through his helmet which was damage during the fight to with Dooku and burn his face.

As he was pacing, Darth Vader summon a cleaning droid to clean up the blasted remains of the person who send him the message. No need to let filth and unnecessary stink in his throne room.

The current Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic is sitting in her apartment on Coruscant watching her twins doing some studies. Padme has been busy for the year due to the fact that she decides to run for Supreme Chancellor once more. Regardless if she wins or loses, after her time as Chancellor is over, she is retiring from politics.

Mainly the only reason why she is going up in the reelection this year is for the fact to help with the war. Since 15 BBY those years have been hard with the war. She hasn't been back to Naboo as much as she liked.

"Mom! I am done!" shout Leia as she rushes in with paper of math homework. Padme smiles as she takes the paper from Leia and looks over the paper and looks up the answers in a Holobook. "Very good, but what about your Science and reading." say Padme.

"I think I might did bad on my science, but my reading I did good!" say Leia as she hands to more papers for her mother to look at. Leia was right; her science work was a bit off. Padme who would need a Holobook to check all the answers could have seen that some of the answers were wrong for science.

"Okay, you can go play now. Is Luke studying?" say Padme. "Yes, he has a bit of a trouble, I think we need to get C-3P0 in there to teach again." say Leia. Since the children is in a situation that they cannot attend normal schools. Padme had Anakin programmed C-3P0 to teach.

She had to wait for him to get back from a mission. During that time she found how dreadful Maria is as a teacher. She is a great mother, but as a teacher she will make a youngling be more to the standards of teaching. Padme, herself, her could teach but she is not a teaching type of person. On the top of her head she cannot remember half of the things that she is checking.

"By the way where is C-3P0?" ask Padme realizing that she haven seen the golden droid. "I think he is um… What did he call it? He is napping I think." say Leia cannot remember what the golden droid told her. Padme nods her head in understanding. C-3P0 must shut himself down for the night.

Rachelle who haven't been on a mission for little bit over a couple months have taken a personal training of Leia to prepare he to take the trials to prove that she is ready to become a Padawan. It seem that Leia have the same connection to Rachelle as Mara has for Mark. She has a feeling that Leia might become Rachelle's Padawan.

As a mother she really does not want to see her daughter in danger but at the same time, she would love to see her daughter achieve the best she can be within the Jedi Order. Still she knows that Leia will be in great hands with Rachelle and most of the time, Rachelle works with Mark. So that is an added protection.

Speaking of Mark, he was right about how the war was going to be. It did became much worst than it was during the first two years. Her thoughts were interrupted by Leia once more.

"Mom, when are we going to have supper? I am hungry." say Leia. "Remember Uncle Mark and Rachelle is coming over. When they get here we will have. No go play with Mara." say Padme lightly as she waves her 9 year old daughter off. "Wait Uncle Mark and Master Rachelle are coming!" say Leia.

That is something that most Jedi had begun calling Rachelle. They have sense the love for Mark and Rachelle and believe that they will be getting together, so instead of addressing Rachelle as Master Hunter they address her as Master Rachelle. Personally she thinks Master Rachelle sound better than Master Hunter.

Padme nods and Leia runs off to play with Mara as Padme went back to work as she look over some of her notes for what she plan on doing for the Republic. She has managed to get most corruption out of the way, but with the war and Darth Vader that has become a harder task to do so. He has been using spies a lot lately and tries to bribe a lot of Senators. She hates to admit it, but some of it was working. The war itself is taking her main focus off the issue too, because she wants to see it ends.

Her term as Chancellor she really wanted to bring peace. No, as soon as she took office, it blazed in confliction that leads up to one of the longest wars that the galaxy has seen in awhile. This war is putting the Clone Wars to shame in length greatly. The first two years of the war was not as bad, but after them it came bad.

She hopes that they will be able to bring Darth Vader down and his so called Empire, so that she can encourage peace once more. This war has been stressful for her. It amazes her that she haven't got any gray hair as of yet. Still all she could do is wish and hope that this war ends very soon. She does not know how much more she can take.

I figure since I started the last chapter out not so peaceful, I decided to start this out peaceful. Mainly it gives some insight of what has happen in the war since 14 BBY.

I also thought it would be wise to have Maxus Zane seem to push Mark to his limits. Come on, how many people you will see that will like to see someone who murder children and enjoy get away with their own life. I bet if that was you and your kids or someone's kids that you are close to, you would want to make them suffer. This is very similar to what Mark is feeling. Garm is consider one of his friends, even through he does not seem to have a big part in the series so far. It just goes to prove to you that even a Jedi like Mark could still have a brush to the Dark Side.

Yes, the reason why Amelia and Garm was attacked was due to them helping Mark and the Jedi Order to rid the galaxy of Palpatine. So you got to figure that Maxus Zane would be behind such acts. I know you are most likely wondering when I will kill of our terrorist "friend" off. I could give you a hint, it is either in this story or the next couple stories.

Until next time, enjoy!