A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away….
STAR WARS
EPISODE VII
THE DARK JEDI
It is a time of prosperity for the NEW REPUBLIC. With the death of Emperor Palpatine, the Galactic Empire has all but disappeared from the known galaxy.
Luke Skywalker has restored the JEDI ORDER and teaches the ways of the Force to his students, including his niece and nephew Jacen and Jaina.
Despite their defeat, the former Galactic Empire seeks answers on an Outer Rim planet called DROMUND KAAS, said to house an ancient Sith Temple...
1
Dromund Kaas. The planet lay tucked away in the Esstran sector of the Outer Rim Territories, far from Empire and Republic forces alike. Its surface roiled as thunderstorms swept across the surface, blistering the ground with jolts of lightning.
A small fleet of Star Destroyers approached, their hulls worn and blasted. Their engines labored as they hovered above the planet, and the lead ship's commander cleared his throat.
There was something about this planet, something that beckoned and abhorred him. It called to him yet shunned him.
"Ensign Jakin, prepare my shuttle for departure," he said briskly.
"Yes, Admiral Hult." As the admiral turned, the ensign caught him. "Sir, are you certain there is anything of value here?"
"You should not be here," whispered a harsh voice.
Hult hesitated. In his heart, he wished to turn his 'fleet' around and take their chances against the New Republic. But in his mind, he knew there was no turning back. "We have spent the last fifteen years searching for this planet, Ensign. If the Emperor deemed Dromund Kaas important enough in his journals, then it is important enough for us." As for why the Emperor never visited Dromund Kaas more than once, that was a question Hult dared not answer.
The shuttle departed, loaded with troopers and scouts and Admiral Hult all outfitted in black armor. As it descended the planet's atmosphere, the thunderstorms coiled around and smothered it.
"Sir!" called the pilot. "We are losing our sensors, we won't be able to detect anything until we hit something! Recommend we return to the Dominus!"
Admiral nearly agreed, but his confidence bolstered. "Steady on! Steady—"
The shuttle lurched, throwing everyone off-balance. The hum of the engines rose to a dull roar. "Something has us, some kind of tractor beam!"
"We detected no such technology here," said Admiral Hult, scrambling to the pilot's chair. "There were no ships in sight as well. Increase power to engines!"
The pilot shook his head. "We are at maximum safe levels, sir! I can't explain it, but we are caught in a tractor beam!"
The shuttle hull groaned and creaked, and the troopers' helmet visors cracked. "Abandon ship!" cried Hult into the comm unit. "All hands, abandon—"
His last words were swallowed up as everyone's armors imploded, crushing their wearers. The shuttle shuddered and erratically touched down in the valley below.
A figure stood on a cliff below the storm, sighing as the debris floated off into deep space. She stepped down from the cliff face and entered a canyon lush with wildlife, only to hear another shuttle's engines overhead. She reached out to grasp the second shuttle, but it was too late.
"You should not be here," she hissed, but another voice spoke louder.
"Please help me!"
The figure dashed through the jungle of Dromund Kaas, jumping over streams and across rusted metal platforms, her short violet cape billowing in her wake. The eye of the storm sat above a great ruin, before which the second shuttle had landed and its crew disembarked. The fools were dressed in white armor, while the few unarmored wore uniforms of black and gray. They approached the great stone doors of the ruin armed with rifles and detonator packs, and the figure clenched her jaw.
"The Empire and the Republic?" whispered the figure, then shook herself. There was more to do than gawk at strangers. She reached forth and called a bolt of lightning, and then watched as it disintegrated several trespassers. Try as she might, her focus had been off the door for too long.
The doors opened slowly, scratching against the stone floor of the ruin, and a howling scream pierced the air. Light, pure and deadly, poured from the doorway, forcing the figure to cover her eyes.
"You there, halt!" barked a lone trooper near her. "I-Identify yourself!"
Her eyes still closed, the figure raised her hands, and then twitched one finger.
"Identification Number FN-2187," said the trooper in a dull tone. "Assigned to Imperial-I Class Star Destroyer Sunburst under Captain Liril Abson, under orders to secure landing zone on Dromund Kaas."
The figure twitched her finger again.
"Under Imperial Order 315-66C, we are investigating a possible resource as indicated in datalogs created by Emperor Palpatine."
The figure opened one eye. The trooper's armor was faded, worn and in need of repair, and he held his blaster in trembling hands. "Do you… like it here, FN-2187?" she asked quietly, lowering her hands.
"I… What?" FN-2187 tilted his head. "I've never been here before…"
"I have," said she. "What do you think of this planet?"
The trooper took a quick glance around. "I don't think I like it here. But it's more open than the Sunburst."
"If you don't want to spend the rest of your life here," said the woman, blue eyes glaring, "then you must let me get to that temple."
FN-2187 looked over his shoulder. "Is that what that is? But I'm under orders, I can't let you stop us from… wait, someone's emerging from the temple."
"Change of plans," said the woman, "I need you to call for a shuttle. Do you have that kind of authority?"
"There's a shuttle right there."
"I need a different one, because if Bonbei discovers me, this galaxy is doomed."
FN-2187 looked at her, then looked down at her hip. "Is that a lightsaber?"
"Yes, thank you for noticing. Please, FN-2187, you must hide me. I'm giving you the choice, please take it."
"FN-2187!" yelled another trooper, this one much taller and in chrome armor. Her militant voice boomed from her helmet, alerting the rest of the landing party and the figure in the temple.
FN-2187 bristled and stood straighter. "Commander Phasma, sir!"
Phasma marched to him, followed by eight soldiers each armed with blaster rifles that clearly outmatched FN-2187. "I see you have captured a local. What is our policy regarding local…" She faced the woman, eyeing her up and down. "… Wildlife?"
The woman was dressed in a violet caped tunic beneath silver chest armor. Her black hair was tied back in a ponytail, with one lock hanging over the left side of her face. Black pants shrouded her legs, with gloves and boots to match her armor. Her skin was pale as moonlight, with dark lips, and darker circles around her blue eyes.
"Threats are to be eliminated," said FN-2187, his hands trembling harder. "This unidentified woman—"
"Baetana," said the woman.
"Thank you. Baetana has presented no threats thus far."
A harsh, angry laugh echoed around the area. "She is the greatest threat you face," said the woman in the temple. Her garb consisted of a faded blue vest over a black uniform and orange ascot. Her skin was also pale like Baetana but cracked and rippled with dark veins around her face. Her eyes burned red, and they seemed to shine when they rested on Baetana. She stepped out and raised her hands passively at the troopers aiming their rifles at her. "Now, now, let us not resort to violence so soon. Will you not hear the words of a Jedi?"
A woman stepped up to greet Bonbei, her own uniform relatively cleaner than the rest. "I am Captain Liril Abson. We have come here in search of a great power, and we do not intend to leave without it."
"Wonderful," drawled Bonbei. "I am that great power, the greatest in all the galaxy." She snapped her fingers, and the raging thunderstorm vanished. The revealed temple was emblazoned with demonic carvings and statues of ancient rulers past. The steps leading up to the temple curved to the left, off into the jungle of Dromund Kaas. "Shall we?"
Captain Abson narrowed her eyes. "Impressive but we intend to search this ruin for artifacts."
"You won't find any," said Baetana. "This temple was ransacked long before she and I took up residence. There's nothing in there but ghosts."
Bonbei nodded. "I'm afraid she speaks the truth." Her finger twitched.
"Well, I would rather not stay on this planet longer than I have to," said Captain Abson. "You say you are a Jedi? I suppose that puts us at odds, we are the Imperial Empire."
Bonbei shrugged as she headed for Baetana. "I wish to bring order to the galaxy, those who are willing may help me regardless of their personal allegiances." Her fingers twitched again, and two troopers grabbed Baetana by the arms. "Now, what to do with you…"
"Kill me," said Baetana.
"Killing you would be too easy… but I have learned from my mistakes." She snatched up Baetana's lightsaber and ran her through with it, its purple-black blade jutting out of her back. "Oh, I honestly did not think it still worked."
Baetana struggled to breath, her lung pierced by her own lightsaber. She whimpered and turned pleadingly to FN-2187, and then she went slack in the troopers' arms.
Bonbei kept the saber on for a few more moments, then sheathed it and snapped it in half. "Leave this soldier," she said, one hand gesturing to FN-2187. "He will only cause you trouble if you keep him."
"Consider it done," said Commander Phasma. "FN-2187, you are relieved from duty." She raised her rifle, as did the other troopers, and FN-2187 ran for it. His armor saved him from most of the more lethal shots fired, but one caught him in the leg. He stumbled over a fallen log and tumbled down a hill, over and over, and then finally rested at the very bottom. His armor lay in pieces around him, but they served their purpose well.
Nothing was broken, as far as he could tell, but he decided it was best to wait until the shuttle cleared the planet. Once the engine sounds quieted, he dared to sit up. Nothing was broken, but his body ached all the same. His armor was useless now, so he threw off his helmet and took a deep, shaky breath. "I'm okay," he said. "I'm okay, I'm abandoned on a planet with no one on it, I'm okay, I'm not okay, I'm not okay!"
He climbed to his feet, took a few steps forward, and spotted something further down the valley. "Another shuttle? Okay, good, a shuttle. That's good, right? Who am I talking to?"
FN-2187 made his way to the shuttle and waved at the viewport, but it seemed the pilot was nowhere in sight. "Hello? Anyone in there?" A growl echoed somewhere nearby, and Finn waved faster. "Hello? Can you let me in?!"
The growling and murmuring grew louder, as if the creature was right behind him…
A hand grabbed his shoulder, and he screamed. He whirled around with fists raised, only to find Baetana. "What the…?! How are you…"
"If you don't mind," whispered Baetana, clutching her lightsaber wound, "I would like to leave this planet now…"
"The pilot's gone," said FN-2187. "I can't get inside."
Baetana waved her hand at the shuttle, and its boarding ramp lowered. "I believe that will help… Mind the bodies…"
FN-2187 helped Baetana into the shuttle, doing his best to ignore the crumpled piles of armor here and there. He sat her down in the co-pilot seat and wiped his dark brow. "Are you gonna kill me if I ask how you're alive?"
"No."
"Oh, good. How are you alive?"
Baetana managed a chuckle. "I said I wouldn't kill you, not that I'd answer."
"Is this… Okay, is it some kind of Force thing?"
"… Sure."
"Well, that's good enough for me." He plopped down in the pilot's seat and rested his head on his hand. "So, what do we do? Your lightsaber's gone, that Jedi is off with what's left of the Empire, you're critically injured, and I can't pilot this thing, and this is my first off-ship assignment, and…"
Baetana raised a hand and said, "If you'll allow me, I can help calm you down with the Force."
"What? No, I… Okay." A kind, friendly warmth enveloped him. His heart slowed, and his breathing steadied. "Whoa… that was nice, thanks."
"You're welcome." Baetana removed her hand from her chest, revealing her clothing had been restored as well. "Healing is one of my specialties. Now, I can pilot this but it won't be the most comfortable ride. This technology is very different from what I am used to."
FN-2187 shrugged as he and Baetana switched seats. "I don't mind, I'm glad to be off this planet."
"Despite the circumstances," said Baetana with a smile, "I am too." As promised, takeoff was very bumpy, as was the cruise up out of the atmosphere. Soon enough, however, the shuttle steadied in the vacuum of space. "Now, we need a destination. I need to find someone who can help me with Bonnie."
"I can help," said FN-2187. "I'm not sure how, but I can."
Baetana smiled at him, shaking her head. "I'm sorry but I need a Force user, someone very powerful. I don't plan on dumping you at the nearest spaceport, but I won't force you to stay with me."
"Hey, you're the nicest person I've ever met," said he. "And you didn't try to kill me even though I'm pretty sure you could have if you wanted."
"Very easily, yes." Baetana shrugged. "I'm happy to work with you, FN-2187… Do you mind if I just call you Finn?"
Finn blinked. "That's… is that a name? I've never had a name before, only FN-2187." He nodded, smiling. "Yeah, I like being called Finn."
Baetana extended her hand to him. "It's good to meet you, Finn. My name is Baetananothel, but I prefer Baetana."
"Good to meet you too," he said, shaking her hand. "Now, what's our plan? You said you needed a Force user, right? The only one I know is named Skywalker." He sighed. "We don't have much information on him. He's the enemy, or maybe the good guy while we were the enemy, but either way, we never knew his location even after the fall of the Empire."
"We can't just wander the galaxy hoping to come across someone named Skywalker," said Baetana. "He was against the Empire, you say? Then he was most likely allied with the Republic." She tapped the navicomputer and pulled up a planet that looked more like one whole city. "Coruscant may be the best start. It was the capital planet of the Republic and the Jedi Order." She chuckled and shook her head. "Nearly four thousand years later and the galaxy appears to have stayed the same."
Finn chuckled with her, and then his jaw dropped. "Four, did you say four thousand years?"
"Yes."
"… Well, you look great!"
"Thank you. To Coruscant?"
"To Coruscant!"
Author's Note: I have had this idea stuck in my head for years, and now that The Last Jedi has removed my interest in the Sequel Trilogy (ST), I have decided to act on it.
This features my OCs from Star Wars: The Old Republic in a new ST that features all the Star Wars characters you know and love doing things you know and love. No Grumpy Luke, Hobo Solo, Ma-Rey Sue, or Emo Ren. I kept Phasma and Finn because Phasma had great potential and Finn is my favorite character from the ST.
For those of you who like the current ST, you're not doing anything wrong. This is not an attack against you or your opinions. I personally do not like the current ST because it felt like they were too afraid to be actually hopeful and optimistic and give previously established characters a positive story arc.
So this is an amalgamation of Legends and the current ST, so expect discrepancies related to both. No more Snoke, no Starkiller Base, no Yuuzhan Vong, no Thrawn, and a bunch of other things that I can't say because there's so much to the EU that trying to write fanfiction in it is damned hard.