The galaxy is at war once again. After the unveiling of the rediscovered Star Forge, the New Order of Revan has begun open warfare against the Galactic Empire. Hatching a desperate plan to turn the tide, Emperor Palpatine dispatches his two most powerful agents: ruthless enforcer Darth Vader and brilliant strategist Grand Admiral Thrawn—on a mission to destroy it. In turn, they are relentlessly pursued by the avatar of the long dead Darth Revan, and his own enigmatic Grand Admiral. Sent off into the Unknown Regions, the Emperor gambles the Empire's continued existence on their success, but there is more to his royal command than anyone knows.
In what seems like a lifetime ago, during the blaze of another galactic war, General Anakin Skywalker of the Galactic Republic, along with fellow Jedi General Xur Eon, embarked on their own desperate personal quest into uncharted space. There they crossed paths with Chiss Commander Mitth'raw'nuruodo for the first time and discovered something none could possibly comprehend.
Once again, they are flung into action, and if the Empire is to survive, they must both look past their differences and return the incredible superweapon to its grave.
PROLOGUE
NOW
"We are at a crossroad, my friends."
Emperor Palpatine sat somewhat uncomfortably in his throne, elevated above his two most powerful agents. One, Darth Vader, ruthless in his use of the Force, and his Sith apprentice. The other, Grand Admiral Thrawn, brilliant strategist and his greatest fleet commander. They had both served him well in the past, driving Rebel cells back into the holes in which they had come, as well as flushing them out.
They weren't fighting Rebels anymore.
Vader's efforts to destroy Supreme Commander Xur Eon had come up short time and time again, thwarted by the apprentice of Anakin Skywalker. Thrawn's campaigns to retake Mandalore had seen initial success but were met with stalemates against the enigmatic and elusive Grand Admiral Reyna Vorchenko, whose brutal hit-and-run tactics were no longer necessary.
"Commander Eon has seized control of the Star Forge, a fabled weapon once used by Darth Revan in his assault against the Old Republic…and now used against our Empire," Palpatine continued.
"The Second Death Star will turn the tide," Vader promised, his voice rumbling across the room. "Eon is nothing more than a pretender."
Palpatine could sense the disapproval from Thrawn, who had been vocal in his motion for another solution other than the Death Star. "And yet," Palpatine retorted. "He lives, despite your many efforts to destroy him."
The subject greatly angered the dark lord, and Palpatine was aware Thrawn had taken note of it, but his deadlock against Vorchenko was allowing Revanite forces to reach as far as Anaxes. Neither of them was worthy of praise.
"But, fear not my friends, I have come up with my own solution," the Emperor continued. "The garrison at Coruscant will hold for now, and in that time, I will be dispatching you two on the most important mission of all."
Thrawn and Vader both waited patiently for his decree.
"Together, you will find the Star Forge, and destroy it."
Finally, the chiss moved to speak. "With all due respect, Your Majesty, I believe my talents are best used elsewhere. If I am removed from the fleet at Mandalore, Admiral Vorchenko will tear through our northern holdings."
Palpatine shifted, both servants trying to get an angle on his thoughts. "Perhaps," he admitted. "But Vorchenko will follow you, Grand Admiral, and with Lord Vader, Eon will follow. They will chase the both of you to the ends of the galaxy."
"We're bait?" Vader questioned.
"If you succeed, you will be the saviors of the Empire, if not, then more desperate tactics will have to be considered," Palpatine clarified. "I suggest you succeed. You, Thrawn, will command, and Vader will have a last chance to dispose of Eon when the time comes."
"Yes, Master," Vader accepted.
"Yes, Your Highness," Thrawn followed.
"Then go," Palpatine concluded.
The Countdown had begun.
THEN
"I'm not sure I want to know."
Anakin Skywalker had finally found time to spend with his wife, who he had not seen since he had been redeployed to Cato Neomoidia almost a month ago.
"It's not as far-off as you might think," Padme insisted, giving him her best smile to ease his concern. "Just entering Wild Space. The Republic had only discovered it in the past 50 years."
Anakin sat back in the sofa he occupied, the largest item in Padme's balcony of her Coruscant apartment. "If you're trying to make me feel better, it's not working."
"Oh, Anakin," she sighed, continuing to pack some belongings in a suitcase. "You know I can take care of myself."
He didn't deny that. Padme had a tendency for taking situations into her own hands, a trait he admired, but also feared. The safety of his wife wasn't something he took lightly, even with his Jedi responsibilities. Even so, the risk of expulsion had never been enough for him to abandon their marriage, and it never would.
An idea sparked in his mind. "I'll send Ahsoka with you."
Padme chuckled. "Isn't she a Jedi Knight now? You don't have jurisdiction over her anymore."
It was true, his Padawan had been made a Jedi Knight a few days ago after they returned, and he was still getting used to the fact that she was an adult now. A very young one, but an adult nonetheless. After the Temple Bombing mess, he was worried that she'd been unable to reacclimate to the Jedi fast enough, but she had proven him wrong. She was a Jedi Knight, and he couldn't be prouder of her.
"Yeah…but she'd go with you if I asked her to," Anakin said. "Besides, she's waiting for orders just like me. I'm sure she'd love to go with you."
There was silence between the two as Padme pondered the notion. Keeping Anakin's conscience at ease was always preferable, and as the Clone War had reached fever pitch with Operation Countdown, there was no shame in taking extra precautions.
"Alright," she surrendered. "I guess it would be nice to spend time with her." Appeasement was never a good negotiating strategy, but marriage was bigger game than peacekeeping. In this case, it was preferable…not that she didn't enjoy Ahsoka's company.
Anakin felt a rush of relief but was quickly ruined by the explanation he would have to give Xur later, as to why Ahsoka was being sent away when she was slated for his unit. There were other reasons for why he wouldn't be happy about it, but he elected to continue to believe it was just his imagination. He knew Xur and Ahsoka were close, just how close was a little less certain.
"Thank you," he said. "I try not to worry about you, but with the war…I just don't know where in the galaxy is safe anymore."
Padme finished her packing, closing her bag with the sound of a zipper sealing it shut. "It's a big galaxy, Anakin, not everyone out there wants to kill me."
Knowing her time to leave was coming soon, Anakin rose to his feet and took Padme into his arms, and they both relished the moment of peace. It wasn't enough, but it did its job.
"Come back in one piece, alright?" Anakin pleaded, giving her a quick kiss.
"Can do, General Skywalker," she bantered before they let each other go. "I'll be back before you know it."
Xur sighed, his hand cupped around his forehead as he sat over the bar, the club going through its quiet hours. In the barstool next to him sat Ahsoka Tano with much less dismay in her posture. In her cup was a non-alcoholic beverage, and his, the polar opposite.
"How long did he say?" Xur asked.
The togruta shrugged. "A few weeks…maybe a month. He doesn't know."
Xur grumbled, taking a sip from his drink, and was followed by his head shaking vigorously to fight down the taste of hard liquor. "That Skywalker's got one good sense of humor."
"Oh stop," she urged, nudging him on the shoulder. "I'm sure you'll manage without me."
Xur shook his head. "He must think this whole thing is a damn joke. We're about to engage in the largest offensive of this entire war, and he's sending you to…w-what was the planet he said?"
Ahsoka rolled her eyes. "Horizon 2579."
"You see, when a planet still has numbers, you know it's a death trap."
She scoffed. "You're tipsy…and paranoid."
"Oh," he exaggerated. "I'm so sorry I wanted to spend time with my friend who I just so happen to have a Force Bond with, and who just became a Jedi Knight, so I wanted to make sure she was happy and felt loved…and-,"
Ahsoka patted him on the back, letting her hand rest there afterwards. "And you've done a wonderful job," she assured him. "I've had a great couple of days with you, but the mission parameters changed…and it is what it is."
Xur adjusted his posture, sitting up straight and taking her outstretched hand into his own. "Alright, Princess, just don't make me have to rescue you again," he said with a sly grin.
Ahsoka grimaced, debating on taking her hand out of his grip. "I thought you were going to stop calling me that."
He shrugged. "Old habits die hard."
This time, she yanked her hand free. "You're a damn space pirate."
"Ah!" he raised his finger. "Something I've rescued you from!"
She laughed, and his heart leapt at its sound. "Alright, I'll give you that one," she smiled. He loved everything about her: personality, laugh, smile, looks, fighting ability, force wielding…everything. Her mere presence made the galaxy infinitely brighter, and she was someone he'd lay down his life for without a second thought. That being said, he knew there was nothing that could keep her from him…even if she was being sent to a planet with a four-digit number.
"I'm going to miss you, Tano," he admitted.
She nudged his shoulder. "You're the one going into battle, and if you get hurt I'm not going to be happy."
Xur gave her a stare and then scoffed before standing up from his stool. "Come here you insufferable beauty."
She laughed and accepted his offer, embracing him tightly, as he did for her. "Was that supposed to be flirting?"
"I know," he admitted, his voice projecting into her ear. "I'm not very good at it."
Goodbyes were also something he struggled with, especially with her.
Ahsoka and Padme left the next day, and that left Xur and Anakin back to the responsibilities of the war effort. Their next orders put them together, taking part in an Outer-Rim precious cargo snatch on the planet Eadu. Operation Countdown was in full swing, as many of the Council members were engaged in their own sieges of Separatist holdouts, but that didn't let them think anything less of the women they had sent off.
Each day they made contact, until they eventually stopped receiving as soon as they broke the Wild Space barrier past Zaddja. Accepting the fact that they were on mission, Anakin and Xur let them go for a week, but it didn't make it any easier.
Once the week had ended, Anakin discovered a Holo-Net report that Padme's ship had been abandoned on Horizon, left in a pirate's log.
Padme Amidala and Ahsoka Tano had vanished from the face of the galaxy.
If it wasn't obvious already, this story is inspired by Timothy Zahn's Thrawn: Alliances. It takes place between Eons Episodes I and II, as well as between chapters 6 and 7 of Episode IV, during the year-long time skip. This style gives me a chance to tell two stories at once, as well as introduce Thrawn into the storyline, which I wish I had been able to do when I wrote the episodes. Needless to say, I'm excited to begin!
Another note, I have overhauled the Episode I finale, so I recommend you read that if you haven't already, as I changed many aspects of it.
If you enjoyed, and are interested in coming along for this ride, please follow/fav and leave a review! Thanks for reading!
