A/N: This is a story that I have going at the TFN forums under the username NightSword. It takes place after Fury by Aaron Allston and follows the course of the war. Thanks to NYCityGurl over at TFN for betaing!
Dramatis Personae
Allana Djo; Hapan princess (female human)
Aulani Syani; commander, Twin Hearts Squadron (female human)
Ben Skywalker; Jedi Knight (male human)
Cem Fel; CEDF pilot (male human)
Chaf'ees'aklaio/Feesa; aide (female Chiss)
Chaf'orm'bintrano/Formbi; politician (male Chiss)
Corran Horn; Jedi Master/Council member (male human)
Danni Quee; scientist (female human)
Darth Caedus/Jacen Solo; Sith Lord (male human)
Darth Voldeur; Sith Lord (female Fosh)
Davin Fel; intelligence operative (male human)
Denjax Teppler; Minister of Intelligence, Corellia (male human)
Evlyn Tabory; Jedi (female human)
Fyor Rodan; Prime Minister of Commenor (male human)
Genna Delphin; Admiral, Corellian Defense Force (female human)
Gilad Pellaeon; Supreme Commander, Galactic Alliance Forces (male human)
Han Solo; captain, Millennium Falcon (male human)
Jagged Fel; pilot (male human)
Jaina Solo; Jedi Knight (female human)
Jysella Horn; Jedi Knight (female human)
Kenth Hamner; Jedi Master/Council member (male human)
Kyle Katarn; Jedi Master/Council member (male human)
Kyp Durron; Jedi Master/Council member (male human)
Leia Organa Solo; Jedi Knight (female human)
Lowbacca; Jedi Knight (male Wookiee)
Luke Skywalker; Jedi Grandmaster (male human)
Mirax Terrik Horn; smuggler (female human)
Mitth'ill'ayatako/Thillay; CEDF Intelligence Head (male Chiss)
Nas Choka; Warmaster (male Yuuzhan Vong)
Quill Car; Shamed One (male Yuuzhan Vong)
Saba Sebatyne; Jedi Master/Council member (female Barabel)
Sasuni Lraka; GAG commander, Unit 555 (male human)
Shawnk'yr'nuruodo/Shawnkyr; CEDF Major, Spike Squadron commander (female Chiss)
Soontir Fel; CEDF Assistant Syndic (male human)
Tahiri Veila; Jedi Knight (female human)
Tenel Ka Djo; Queen of Hapes, Jedi Knight (female human)
Thag'raff'nuruodo/Graff; Commander, Thrawn's rogue phalanx (male Chiss)
Tiraku Kiftu; Jedi padawan (male Rodian)
Turr Phennir; Supreme Commander of Confederation Forces (male human)
Valin Horn; Jedi Knight (male human)
Wedge Antilles; pilot (male human)
Wes Janson; pilot, Galactic Alliance (male human)
Yub Stimson; bounty hunter (male human)
Zekk; Jedi Knight (male human)
Trailer
[The music "Victory Celebration" begins to play.]
Announcer (voiceover): Ten years ago, after the defeat of the Yuuzhan Vong, the galaxy believed that they were finally at peace…
[The camera shows Zonoma Sekot entering hyperspace.]
Announcer (voiceover): …but time has shown over and over again that peace rarely lasts, and few of them realize that a new threat is already rising…
[The music transitions to "Anakin's Theme" as Wedge speaks.]
Wedge (voiceover): The pressures that have brought this war into being are unambiguous, easy to identify. But there's additional string-pulling going on that is harder to bring into focus. 3
Announcer (voiceover): …both in the Galactic Alliance…
[The scene fades to show Vergere standing next to another Fosh.]
Vergere: Sister, I leave the legacy to you. When I am gone, it will be yours to continue.
[The scene switches to a small room in Corellia. Delphin and Teppler sit in two chairs, slouching and staring fixedly at the floor.]
Delphin: And what else can we do with errant Jedi?
Teppler [sarcastically]: Assassinate them?
[The camera zooms in from behind to show Aulani swathed in a flowing blue dress, and standing in front of a hanger where twelve X-wings spiral down to land in a triangular formation. The pilot from lead ship hops out and walks towards her, saluting on the way.]
Pilot: You may not wish us in this battle, Your Highness, but Hearts Squadron is ready to serve our people. We are ready to fight.
Announcer (voiceover): …in the Imperial Remnant…
[The scene switches to the bridge of a different ship, with technicians and soldiers swarming all over. Gilad Pellaeon stands at the front, wearing his white uniform and gazing out the transparisteel. A young Lieutenant approaches him.]
Lieutenant: The Death Star is now operational, sir.
Pellaeon: Excellent.
Announcer (voiceover): …and in the Unknown Regions.
[The scene switches to show a clawcraft blowing up with a grey moon silhouetted in the background. After a moment, a scream is heard.]
Syal Fel: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO…
[The scene zooms in to show Syal's face, then switches to a view of Soontir in a formal garden, standing next to a uniformed Chiss.]
Thillay: Have you made a decision, then?
Soontir: We are ready, now. Commence operation Cem.
Thillay: I will let Graff known. The first attack will commence at 0200 hours.
[The camera view moves quickly over a lush planet covered with Vong, stopping outside a small hut with two Yuuzhan Vong standing outside.]
Nas Choka: We are ready to return to the known galaxy.
[The music switches to "Imperial March."]
Announcer (voiceover): A new war is already beginning…
[The scene shows Luke Skywalker looking at a holo of Formbi on the screen in front of him.]
Formbi: You will withdraw your Jedi from Akaith. Immediately.
[Jacen Solo stands dressed in a GAG uniform and a black cape on a stage. In front of him, a huge crown, all of whom are wearing black GAG uniforms save for the holoreporters, stands and applauds.]
Announcer (voiceover): …it has already been over three decades since a full Sith Lord has been given free reign over the galaxy…
[The screen turns black. There is a flash that shows a red lightsaber, and then two glowing eyes.]
Announcer (voiceover):…but three powerful forces are already battling amongst themselves for the position.
[The music switches to "Luke and Leia."]
Announcer (voiceover): This war will be a war between families…
Myri Antilles (voiceover): But if you look at family ties, one minute you all together, and then, boom, you were scattered across the galaxy.4
Announcer (voiceover): …every family in the galaxy will be torn apart… the Solos…
[Jaina and Jacen are facing each other in a dark room, their lightsabers crossed.]
Announcer (voiceover): …the Skywalkers…
[In Luke Skywalker's office, Ben Skywalker is standing, glaring at his father.]
Luke: I'm not asking you as the leader of the Jedi. I'm asking—as your father—for you to do it.
Ben: No. I'm sorry, but I can't.
Announcer (voiceover): …the Solo-Djos…
[The camera pans gradually through the royal palace, showing the bodies of guards and people alike thrown against the wall. It stops in the throne room where Tenel Ka, her arms around Allana, is facing off with Jacen.]
Tenel Ka: I won't let you take her.
Allana: Father…
Announcer (voiceover): …the Horns…
[Valin stands watching as his father and sister board a ship. The ship takes off, and Valin continues to watch it until it enters hyperspace.]
Valin [whispering]: Goodbye, father. Goodbye Jysella.
Announcer (voiceover): …and the Fels.
[The scene transitions into showing a formal ball, then zooms in on two dark-haired men, one with brown eyes and one with green. A hidden blaster materializes in one of their hands, and the sound of a single blaster shot echoes through the room as one of the two figures sinks to the ground.]
[The music switches to "Han Solo and the Princess."]
Announcer (voiceover): And as this war progresses, they will learn the meaning of love…
[The camera reveals a snubfight above the jungle planet of Tenupe, then zooms in to focus on Jaina in one of the X-wing cockpits.]
Jaina: Jagged, we—I—want you to know that I still love you. And I always will.5
Announcer (voiceover): …of betrayal…
[The scene shows Fyor Rodan pacing back and forth behind his desk and shouting at Aulani, who stands calmly on the other side.
Rodan [sputtering]: But…but…you promised to do what is best for the people!
Aulani: I promised to do what is best for my people, Councilor. Not what is best for yours.
Announcer (voiceover): …of sacrifice…
[The scene shows Kyp and a small group of Jedi huddling in the shadow underneath a cliff. The camera angle is wide enough to show a large battalion of soldiers camped out at the top of the overhang.]
Kyp: Go rescue her. I'll hold them off.
Announcer (voiceover): …of loyalty…
[The scene now shifts to the Jedi temple, where a group of padawans stand talking in a corner.]
Tiraku: This is our fight, now. Our duty is to peace.
[The music switches to "Yoda's Theme."]
Announcer (voiceover): …but nothing will be that simple, because there is one more legacy that has yet to be unleashed…
[The scene starts with an icy planet, but immediately begins to zoom in, stopping inside a dark room where four figures stand silently.]
Jag: I promise.
Shawnkyr: I promise.
Cherith: I promise.
Aulani: I promise.
Announcer (voiceover): …and, until the secret is finally revealed, its effects will be felt in many ways…
[Luke is standing in front of a holoprojection of Soontir Fel.]
Soontir: I'm rather surprised that my son hasn't already told you about it, Skywalker. The legacy of Akaith should be rather well known to him.
Announcer (voiceover): …from former loves…
[The scene fades to show Aulani and Kyp sitting side by side on a rooftop at night. Aulani gazes absently at her hand while speaking.]
Aulani: I suppose that I am engaged, if it's possible to be engaged to a ghost.
Announcer (voiceover): …to former flames…
[Flanked on both sides by armed guards, Danni Quee stands in front of Jacen, her wrists bound in stun cuffs.]
Danni: Jacen. It's been some time since we've seen each other.
Announcer (voiceover): …to former enemies…
[The scene fades, to show Aulani facing Luke Skywalker, fury in her eyes.]
Aulani: Both the Jedi and the Galactic Alliances made promises to the Caridan people a long time ago. And it is time that you started following them.
Announcer (voiceover): …and former hopes.
[The scene changes to show Zekk pacing furiously outside in a garden as it rains.]
Zekk: All I used to want was for her to finally love me back the way I loved her. Now that I finally have a chance, I won't let it go, no matter how much everyone tells me that it would be better if I did.
Announcer (voiceover): None of them can anticipate the events that are about to unfold…
[The scene changes to show Aulani stands in front of a communications unit, tears running down her face. Not bothering to wipe them away, she nods to the communications technician standing nearby, and the unit starts recording.]
Aulani: Greetings, people of Carida. I have come before you to ask yet another favor…
Announcer (voiceover): …so the only certainty they have left is death.
[The music switches to "Battle of the Heroes."]
[The screen fades to black, and words appear.]
Coming November 27th…
[The words fade, and new words replace them, this time in bright red lettering.]
The Face of a Warrior
By NightSword