Hello readers, I am now posting Unknown Son 3. I suffered a major setback on this fic when my hard drive on my computer broke. I got a new one and am now starting from scratch. Enjoy the first chapter and as always REVIEW!!!! Note: In this first chapter in the flashback thing Mara is two years old.
The Unknown Son 3:
Chapter 1: Dark Pasts
16 Years Ago
A family sat down for dinner in the kitchen of their apartment. There were three, a mother, a father, and their two year old daughter Mara. This was the Jade family, normal, happy, and they were about to have their lives turned upside down. The man who was the father to Mara sat down and took a slab of meat from the middle of the table and plopped it on his plate, pouring himself a glass of blue milk he began to eat. Mara looked at her food tiredly; it was mashed potatoes, for she was only just teething.
Helena Jade, the mother put a helping of meat on her plate as well and poured enough sauce on it to cover only the surface. Just as she cut a piece off, jabbed it with a fork and was about to take the first bite a metallic rapping sounded at the door. She sighed and put her fork down, standing up she set off to answer it.
Her husband stopped her.
"I'll get it, just go ahead and eat." Her husband said. Helena smiled, thanked her husband and sat back down, she tucked a strand of her long red hair behind her ear and began to eat, half watching her husband near the door. When it opened the man found himself staring into the helmet of an Imperial storm trooper with a blaster aimed at his chest.
"Stand down." The trooper said.
"What the hell is going on here?!" Mr. Jade shouted as he was forced to kneel and put his hands behind his head, the barrel of the storm troopers blaster barely touching the back of his angled head. Helena stood up.
"What are you doing here? I demand a warrant; otherwise you get the hell out of my kitchen." Helena commanded as five other storm troopers entered, making the total tally six.
"Very well," The first one said, taking out a datapad. "We, storm troopers of the Galactic Empire come with a warrant signed by Emperor Palptaine himself to seize Mara Jade for the purpose of a new program the Emperor developed."
"What?!" Helena cried. "This is outrageous! You have no right to take my daughter!"
"Silence," A voice hissed from just in the shadows of the doorway that led outside of the apartment. A ghostly figure floated in, a man not much taller then Helena draped in a coal black cloak, and a hood covered his hideous face, deformed with furrows and creases that no amount of age could make. His skin had a gray glow and it the flesh on it looked as though it had melted then cooled. His hands were like spiders, his fingers long and huge talon like nails jutted out of them. From the light cast upon his face Helena saw a smile form. This man was the Emperor himself.
"I will do what I wish Mrs. Jade." He said coolly. "Your daughter is very valuable to me."
He looked to the trooper. "Take her." He said.
In a flash the white armored demon scooped up the little girl and was out the door.
"No!" Helena screamed as a storm trooper tried to quell her futile resistance. "Take me instead!"
"Very well," The Emperor said with a huge toothy smiled. "Take them both."
"You ugly bastard!" Cried Mr. Jade, he grabbed a sharp and silver steak knife and hurled it at the Emperor. It stopped, mere inches away from his robed chest, seemingly by magic. It floated there for a moment, then turned, the point of it facing toward Mr. Jade. The knife flew like a speeding bullet at the man, who at the last second bent one way. Troopers rushed to seize him but the Emperor waved them away. Helena watched as the old man extended his claw like hands, each finger tip began to spit blue/white lightning, pumping it into Mr. Jade.
The Emperor laughed as the man fell to the floor, withering and screaming. Helena stared in horror as her husband slowly died, his flesh turned black as burn marks formed. The smell of it filled the family's humble little kitchen. And then, with one last blood curdling shriek of pure agony Mr. Jade fell limp in died.
It was only then Helena cried out but was silenced by the fist of storm trooper crashing into the back of her head. She was unconscious, dead to the world, like her husband except for one thing, eventually she would open her eyes and wake up. His would be closed forever.
XxX
Sometime later (a night only, though it felt like weeks) Helena's senses returned. The first feeling that came over her was coldness, literally. Wherever she was it was as cold as the mountain peaks of Hoth. Slowly Helena regained other senses, her smell first. Wherever she was it smelled grime and waste. She had a metallic taste in her mouth, as though a metal plate had been attached to its roof. Her hearing came back, but she heard nothing. Then finally her sight, she opened her eyes to a dim light. She turned her head but found her arms and legs immovable. She realized where she was, strapped to a metal bed in a dim Imperial cell.
Then the door opened, she jumped and felt a shock issue from her ankle binders that kept her on the bed. This was a torture bed, and even though she was injured the Imperials hadn't been thoughtful enough to disengage the retraining shock function of the bed. She watched, careful not to move so much as to receive another shock, and saw a man in a white lab coat standing above her.
"Good, you're awake." He said. "You suffered a nasty blow to the head, we sedated you for a while to check for trauma. There was none but you might have a headache after a while."
"Thanks for your concern you son of a—"
"I see you are well enough to speak." The doctor observed, ignoring the comment she nearly made. "That is good, my master will wish to speak with you."
"Master? Oh, you mean the ugly guy?"
"Yes the ugly guy." The doctor replied, only to find himself being strangled by invisible hands as the Emperor happened to be standing in the doorway. He entered the room, still draped in those dark robes. He looked over Helena.
"You my dear are in a predicament." Lord Sidious said softly.
"Don't call me dear." Helena spat.
"I took your daughter because she is sensitive to the Force." The Emperor continued.
"The Force? I thought that was just some myth."
"Yes many other do also," The Emperor said. "and as well they should. For there are now only those who know nothing of the Force, little and believe it to be a myth not worth studying, or those who do remember it, those who do also remember who used it, the Jedi. And the Jedi betrayed the galaxy, and so no one is tempted to study the Force. Therefore no one can be a real threat to me."
"I hate history, get to the point." Helena snapped.
"I admire your courage, not many would speak so freely to me." The Emperor commented. "I wish to train your daughter as an elite Force using assassin, one of a handful that will be part of a group called the Emperor's Hands. Fortunately for you Miss Jade your daughter inherited her Force sensitivity from you. Therefore you are sensitive to the Force which is why you are still alive. However it will be much easier to train your daughter since she hasn't much of a will. It is so easy to raise a servant whose will is your own if you start from early childhood. To the point; I could train you as another one of my Hands if you would be willing. I haven't the patience to break your will."
"And just why would I join you willingly?"
"An excellent question, but I have an answer. I give you a chance to watch over your daughter's development. Never will you come in contact with her, but I suppose the ability to even see her is better than nothing at all. Otherwise you die and your daughter loses both parents."
That decision came easily. Her maternal instincts said to stay alive so that she one day might be able to kill this man and protect her daughter. And so she said yes.
Present Time
Of course it had not turned out the way she planned. Her intent to watch over her daughter was devoured by her craving for power once she had the first taste of the dark side. She didn't realize then how easily she played into the Emperor's hands. He had wanted to turn her to an agent of evil in the first place; he never intended to kill her even if she refused to join. He succeeded. When her training was complete she fashioned a new name for herself, Kallisto, but the identity she once had never really left her nor did her concern and love for her daughter. But she was too consumed by the dark side to pay much attention.
Kallisto sat on the cold bench of a cell in the Imperial palace. She was kept here, and not in a Coruscanti prison because she might have been valuable, plus she was dangerous as hell and the palace's prison had super high security. Kallisto looked down at the only possession she had that she had been allowed to keep, a simply ring. It was a mere gold band with a violet stone sunken into it at the top. This ring was given to her by her mother and one day she had intended to pass it onto her own daughter. But that day may never come, Mara refused to see her and perhaps she never would. Kallisto wanted her to, but she accepted that may never come to pass.
XxX
In little more then a matter of two or three months things had changed on Coruscant, well in the galaxy really. Vader's Galactic Empire was no longer the supreme power in the Universe, those loyal to the late Emperor Palpatine had not quelled at the loss of Kallisto (whom they thought was dead) they had strengthened ten fold. They now referred to themselves as The Loyalists of the Galactic Empire or The Loyalists for short. They had revealed themselves a while ago by attacking and destroying a fleet of three Victory class star destroyers who were assigned to oversee the transport of a weapon Vader was having moved, they did this with one Imperial class star destroyer. True one Imperial class was perfectly equal to three victory classes but it was the time in which the small battle took place that was so mind boggling. Ten minutes, only ten.
Admiral Piett and Admiral Daala had both been assigned to search for the Loyalists. Ravan thought that Daala would be serving under Alecto as Vader offered, but alas Alecto returned to the smuggling business on Cato Neimoidia, except within the first week the Loyalists found her, she managed to escape and went to a much bigger back up base on a planet, the location was classified. One could only assume the Loyalists wanted to pump Alecto for information since she was Kallisto's second in command.
Also Mara had given up a military position offered to her by Vader and chose to return to being the Emperor's Hand, and Vader's only one. Though Ravan knew better, Vader had suggested Mara take the position, it hadn't exactly been voluntary. This was probably because Vader wanted to keep an eye on Mara's activates as he didn't trust her. Since it had been Kallisto's true intent to kill him and Mara had been working along side her he assumed to the two had been collaborating and since Kallisto could not Mara was to finish the job. This was completely ridiculous as Mara completely and entirely trusted Ravan now since he freed her from the Emperor's commands sent to her through the screeching voice inside her head.
Ravan himself had been called in by Vader who wanted to see him for some reason. Ravan had a guess but he was not certain. He entered Vader's throne room which had been refurbished after Leia's hurricane had swept through it (not literally). Leia herself had been cremated and her ashes had simply been dumped into an incinerator. Ravan ascended the stairs to Vader's throne and bowed before the chair and desk. There was only silence for a moment, except for the rattling breathing of Vader, Mara had dubbed him "iron lung" and called him that behind his back. Speaking of Mara, she was due to return to Coruscant today from an assassination mission Vader had sent her on.
"Rise my son." Vader commanded. Ravan stood up.
"Why did you call me here father?" He asked.
"You know I assigned the search for the Loyalists to Admiral Piett and Daala?"
"Yes."
"Piett is a capable man but he requires help. I haven't the patience to help; I want you to board the Executor and aid in the search however you can."
Sure you do. Ravan almost said out loud. He didn't understand why Vader would hide his true intentions in some meaningless mission. Yes Admiral Piett was entirely capable of searching and locating the Loyalist's base, true Ravan could possibly somehow provide a minuet bit of help but this was not the real reason Vader was sending him to the Executor which was currently in orbit around Coruscant along with Piett's fleet. Daala was off somewhere with Vice Admiral Pellaeon. Anyway Vader only wanted him on that ship to keep him away from Mara. He strongly disapproved of Ravan's… feelings toward her. To make it worse Mara was warming up to him and the two had become what one might call friends, as friendly as two Sith can really be.
"Very good, that means we have nothing more to discuss. Go."
So Ravan did. He left his father's throne room bound for the area of the entire landing floor where his new ship was. He reached it; this was an odd looking ship. It was new, just a month ago Vader had pushed this type of ship onto the production line, they had been very expensive, and fortunately only three were made, one for Vader himself, the next for Ravan, and the last for Mara. It had the general shape of a TIE Advanced X-1 fighter, except it was as big as a Lambda Class shuttle with no wings. It was a new model of TIE fighters, except it war more of an assault shuttle thus its name was the Advanced Sith Assault TIE or ASAT.
The reasons for the ASAT's size were that first of all it housed a life support system and hyperdrive, as well as quarters that could occupy two, and was complete with a well sized cargo bay and a cold food storage box. The main reason for its size was because it housed a cloaking device, plus it was made to accommodate pilots for long missions. From far away one might mistake it for an actual TIE fighter, except for the fact a ramp stuck out just behind and under its bubble cockpit. Ravan headed toward the ramp but stopped as another ASAT dropped from the sky and landed near his. It was Mara, perfect timing.
Ravan watched rather intently as the ramp of the ship lowered and a figure in a black pilot suit stepped down it. A helmet covered her head, when she reached to bottom of the ramp she grabbed it and pulled it off, releasing a mess of red hair that sprawled out over her shoulders and down her back, she tossed the helmet back up the ramp, then she looked to Ravan and smiled.
"Hello farm boy, you my welcoming party?" She asked.
"Not exactly," Ravan said bitterly. "My father ordered me onto the Executor."
"Funny, the iron lung is calling me into his throne room."
"Didn't you just get back from a mission?"
"To kill a pathetic merchant, yeah, I debriefed Vader on my way back, like an hour ago. There isn't really a reason he should be calling me in. Whatever though. I have to take this suit off."
"I have to go."
"Sorry that I couldn't be around any longer."
"I think that's the point of it."
"Bye then."
"Bye." Ravan said and walked up the ramp of his ship as Mara started out for the palace, slowly.
Executor Bridge
As always when someone stepped onto the Executor to take command with higher authority then Admiral Piett he always seemed to be a little more… boring, perhaps it was because he felt less powerful. Ravan stepped onto the bridge and Piett sank into robot work mode, turning around to greet the Sith Lord. He bowed.
"Lord Ravan, it is an honor to have you back on this ship." Admiral Piett said.
"It's nice to be back." Ravan lied. "Now I am here for business, what have you got for me?"
"Nothing that you will like milord, in truth," Piett replied handing Ravan a datapad with a report on its screen. Those were always so boring, detailed to the tiniest bit, every part of anything was described, grass, vehicles, armor, food, you name it. Ravan looked them over briefly but didn't actually read anything. "The Loyalists are now attacking our weapon transport convoys. They always seem to send one Imperial Class star destroyer."
"Have you tightened the guard on weapon convoys?"
"As best as we can. We've triple classified everything to do with them and established new classified routes, but the only actual physical guards we could spare were three Tartan Patrol Cruisers for every three ships."
"That is nowhere near enough to protect them against a fully armed Imperial Class star destroyer admiral."
"We realize that milord but it is all we have to spare, every other part of the Imperial fleet is diverting their attention to guarding key planets, or searching for the Loyalists."
"Admiral Daala has nothing yet?"
"She has hundreds of leads milord, but it will take time to follow them through."
"I only want her following up on fully concrete leads." Ravan said.
"It is Emperor Vader's decision, he want all efforts diverted to finding and neutralizing The Loyalists."
"We better make sure we are well prepared for any sort of attack."
"With all due respect milord Lord Vader himself designed new guard protocols and as far as I am aware every single unit of our army is following them to the letter." Piett said, rather crossly.
"Well we need to find The Loyalists then, that's what I am here for. I think the answer lies in the attacks on weapon cargo transports. We need a plan."
"To the briefing room then milord?"
"You bet. Although I think we should contact my father. I think Mara Jade's covert expertise will be of great value to us in this situation."
"Are you saying you want me to request Vader post Mara on this ship as well?"
"You bet Admiral, and make it convincing. That's a direct order."
Yeah, I know what you're thinking this is long. Indeed it is… so long that you must have found something to REVIEW about in it, eh? SUPER MEGA MUST READ NOTE!!!: As I said I am doing an Alias fan fiction as well. I have never done two at a time however I am now; therefore updates will not be very frequent for either. I'm going to make sure I am at least a few chapters ahead in my typing on each fic, this might help make updates more frequent.