The Imperial held shipyards of Kuat

The lines of hyperspace turned to stars and there in the distance were the three massive Imperial space stations. They were fully staffed and fortified and a large fleet of Star Destroyers defended them. However, they were dwarfed by the half constructed prototype of the Eclipse-Class Star Dreadnaught. From the bridge of the Executer, Galen Marek looked upon the defenses of the shipyard of Kuat. The Jedi Master formerly known as the Sith Lord Darth Starkiller gazed at them, assessing. Beside him, his former apprentice Luke Skywalker gave a low whistle. "That fleet is nearly as big as the one the Empire had at Endor. Any thoughts, Galen?"

The Jedi Master in the white Jedi armor nodded. "The fleet we have now will easily be able to handle it and even if not, you and I and Leia will rip their ships apart. However, I would like to refrain from that. My one-time Jedi Master Rahm Kota said that excessive use of the force was not the Jedi way."

Princess Leia Organa, a Jedi Knight in her own right, nodded. "Jedi Master Yoda said something very similar."

Reaching from her belt, she pulled a comlink. "What's the game, Admiral?"

From the other end came a guttural Mon Calamari voice. "Our fleet is now twice the size that it was at Endor. I never would have thought that so many Imperials were willing to defect."

He was right, too. After the Executer had surrendered to the Alliance, nearly twenty of the fleet there had done so as well. Admiral Piett had refused to defect but many of the captains, especially those who's worlds and families and people had suffered under the rein of the late Emperor Palpatine, defected immediately. Whole groups of them had their minds scanned for deception by the three Jedi. Those that were not sincere were transport by the starship load to the world of Taspir – a volcanic world with several abandoned Imperial posts and garrison buildings. The rest were interspersed throughout the Alliance fleet under guard, allowed to crew the ships. Even with the fleet that size, the Alliance was outgunned by the Star Dreadnaught and its defenses. Cutting into Galen's thoughts, the voice of Alliance General Han Solo came across the comms. "They're launching fighters and the Star Destroyers are moving to engage us. Awaiting orders."

There was a short pause, a breath before a plunge. Then, Admiral Ackbar gave the command. "All forces move in. Red Squadron, Blue Squadron, go for the stations. Green Squadron, Gray Squadron and Gold Squadron, take on those Star Destroyers. All cruisers and Star Destroyers engage your nearest targets but don't leave behind your escort ships. All remaining fighter squadrons keep our cruisers and Star Destroyers safe. General Marek, drive your Star Dreadnaught straight towards that Eclipse Dreadnaught."

With that, another massive, desperate battle began and the leadership of the Alliance hoped that it would be the last battle against an Imperial super weapon. Luke Skywalker wanted more than anything to jump into a fighter and join the fight but Galen had reminded him that they would be needed to use the force if things became desperate. Just before the first shots were fired, Leia Organa sat down and began to meditate. Master Yoda had taught her about the ancient Jedi art of Battle Meditation – an ability that raised moral and efficiency of the practitioner's allies and lowered them in the enemy. Immediately, it began to take effect. The enemy ships began to break formation and fighters even began to collide with one another. Luke smiled grimly. He was confident that, though long and terrible, this battle would be won.

The Executer drove straight into the fray and any enemy ship that came in range was pounded by its many guns. Its fighters, mainly made up of the TIE fighters and interceptors now emblazoned with the Rebel Alliance insignia, made sure that no enemy fighters were able to reach it. There were even a few TIE Defenders and Avengers, advanced TIE fighters made for the best fighter pilots and most important ships in the Empire, blazing their way in front of the Star Dreadnaught, clearing out enemy fighters and even smaller capital war ships. They had almost reached the prototype dreadnaught when a sizeable fleet dropped out of hyperspace. Over the comms, Han Solo's voice was heard. "What the hell?"

A smug, rich voice was heard after that. "Alliance Command, this is Tyber Zann. My, my you sure seem to be making a mess of things here. We are here to offer our assistance."

Solo snorted. "Yeah, right – and why would you be offering your assistance to us? You've been corrupting our people and destroying our bases and ships since before Yavin. There is no way we are going to trust you."

Tyber Zann replied, "If you don't trust us then you will be facing an enemy on two fronts. You may have been able to destroy one of us but you can't take us and the Empire. In short, you don't really have a choice now, do you?"

Galen took the commlink. "We do, actually. Tyber Zann, this is Alliance General Galen Marek. Leave now or we will shred your fleet. This is your only warning."

A bark of sneering laughter came from the other end of the comms. "Take your best shot, Jedi."

The former dark lord looked at his former apprentice. "Come with me to the aft observation deck, Luke. It seems we have run out of options. Tyber Zann is right. We can't beat both him and the Empire. So you and I will destroy his fleet if we can."

Leia snapped out of her meditation. "Will you two need help?"

Luke looked at Galen before saying, "Yes we will. Come on, let's go."

At a dead run, the three Jedi ran to an observation deck at the rear of the ship. They watched in shock as three MC80 Star Cruisers and an Imperial Star Destroyer were shredded by the massive guns of Tyber Zann's Aggressor-class Star Destroyers. Linking their minds, the three Jedi stretched out and seized the nearest enemy ship – the Merciless – Tyber Zann's own flagship, and slammed it into its neighbor with a massiver exertion of will. The two Aggressors were torn apart. One ship after another, the Jedi slammed into each other. Suddenly, and to their surprise, Tyber Zann's voice came across the comms. "You will pay for that, Jedi – all of you."

The voice of Wedge Antilles, one of the Alliance's best pilots, came over the comms. "He's making for the prototype and he's almost there!"

Leia snapped into the comms. "Destroy him, now!"

A dozen affirmatives came from the pilots and the three Jedi continued shredding the Zann Consortium fleet. It wasn't long before they all leapt to hyperspace, leaving Tyber Zann alone with whatever men her had going with him. "This is Red Leader – he made it to the prototype and… oh blast! This just keeps getting worse!"

The three Jedi ran to the bridge and froze. Almost directly in front of them, though slightly off to starboard, another Executer-Class Stardreadnaught dropped out of hyperspace. Galen Marek calmly said into the commlink, "Someone give me the call sign of that ship."

It was only a moment before one of the crewmen in the put identified it. "It's the Annihilator, General."

The three Jedi sized it up before looking at each other. "Can we move it?"

Leia said, "Master Yoda told me that size doesn't matter."

Even she looked skeptical, though. Galen sighed. "I doubt even the three of us are strong enough in the force for that."

Suddenly, a beam of energy came from the bow of the prototype, struck the Annihilator and in the blinding flash, it disintegrated into a massive chunks of shrapnel. The three Jedi stared, shocked at what they had just seen. Then the comms blew up with a thousand rebel voices. "By the force, did you see that?"

"That prototype ship just blasted that Super Star Destroyer to pieces!"

"We can't beat that!"

Admiral Ackbar's voice silenced them all. "Everyone must remain calm. We won at Endor. This will be no different. General Marek, what can you do about that prototype?"

Galen replied calmly, "I'm not sure, Admiral, but we'll do what we can."

He turned to the Skywalker twins and said, "Leia, resume your battle meditation. Luke, you and I will take chunks of that Super Star Destroyer and throw them at the main gun of the prototype."

Leia sat back down and began her Battle Meditation anew. Luke and Galen gripped one chunk after another and hurled them at the main gun with all the force they could muster. Fore the largest pieces, they joined their strength together and slammed them against the gun. Before they managed to disable it, however, in flashed two more times. The first destroyed the nearest Imperial Station and the second cut through two Imperial Star Destroyers, destroying them both. These two decisions unintentionally made a large opening for the Alliance cruisers. "There! All ships not otherwise engaged, destroy that prototype. General Solo, lead all fighters, ALL FIGHTERS, on a run against it."

Affirmatives flooded the comms again before a sneering laughter from Tyber Zann. "Destroy the ship if you want. I got what I came for."

Galen pointed it out first. "There, a shuttle – all fighters…"

But before he could finish, Luke stretched out and gripped the ship. To the shock of both Galen and Leia, he squeezed his right, prosthetic hand into a fist and the shuttle that Tyber Zann was on imploded.

The battle didn't last long after that. Again, Imperial ships, one after another, surrendered. Those that didn't either retreated or were destroyed. At the end of it all, Luke turned to Leia and Galen. "I'm done."

They both looked at him quizzically. "I don't want to fight anymore. I'm done. I'm going to find Salene on the Redemption and, if she still wants to, we're leaving. I'm tired of this war and after all our work, the New Republic will rise quickly."

Leia stepped towards him and took his hand. "No, Luke. We still need your help. You and I, we need to build a new Jedi Order."

To both their surprise, Galen said, "No. Luke has sacrificed enough. If he and Salene wish to go, they have earned that right, Leia. You and I will build the Jedi again. Go, Luke and may the force be with you."

Luke hugged Leia and shook Galen's hand. "May be the force be with you both – Leia, Master."

"Take the Rogue Shadow, Luke. It's yours, now. Go. Have the peace that I never had the option for."

When Luke arrived aboard the medical frigate Redemption, Salene was so happy to see him. She ran up to him and threw her arms about his neck, kissing him passionately. "I'm so glad you're okay, my love;" she whispered. Luke looked into her eyes and smiled. "I don't want to stay here, Salene. I want to go and live in peace – away from conflict and war."

Salene looked uncertainly at him. Suddenly, Luke Skywalker dropped to one knee, his blue eyes bright as he asked, "Salene Dumare, my love and my joy, will you leave and marry me?"

The doctor clapped her hands over her mouth, her hazel eyes shining with a mixture of unshed tears and unbelievable joy. After a few moments of silence, she uncovered her mouth and whispered, "Yes."

Luke stood and she grasped his hands. "YES! I will marry you, Luke! I'll go wherever you go."

She grabbed his face and pulled him into a most passionate kiss. Luke wrapped one hand around her waist and ran the other through her short, brown hair, returning the kiss. All those around began to clap and cheer happily. Cat calls and whistles sounded and both were slapped on the back heartily.

The next day, Luke stood in his white Jedi robes and armor and Salene wore a simple white dress. Galen Marek officiated the wedding. It was short and, while the Alliance celebrated both the victory at Kuat and the wedding of Luke Skywalker and Salene Skywalker, the newlywed couple slipped away in the night.

Imperial Center – Once Known as Coruscant

Mara Jade strode purposefully into the main conference room of the Imperial Palace. Imperial Guards, Shadow guards and a quartet of the exceptionally powerful Dark Jedi Guardians all watched her carefully. The new leaders of the Empire, five powerful Dark Jedi, sat at the table. Grand Inquisitor and Warlord Jerec, Lord Shadowspawn – a little known yet feared dark side master, X1 – a unique clone from and Clone Wars and Dark Jedi Master, Executer Sedriss – one of the Emperor's Dark Side Elite and Hethrir – the Procurator of Justice looked at her expectantly. All of them knew who she was and her position. Jerec cleared his throat and said, "Welcome home, Emperor's Hand. Tell me, how can the High Council do for you?"

Jade bowed respectfully, know that she was about to ask quite a lot. "My Lords, I commend you for your ability to hold the Empire together and put aside your differences and rivalries. The Emperor would be both proud and pleased."

Sedriss nodded. "We are glad to have the approval of the one and only Emperor's Hand."

The slight sarcasm and scorn did not escape Jade but she ignored it. "My Lords, there is still a grave threat to the Empire. Skywalker and Starkiller are still out there. From what I understand, they have taken the ship yards of Kuat and destroyed two Star Dreadnaughts. We must eliminate them if the Empire is ever to recover its former power."

The five dark side masters looked at each other, nodding in agreement. "What do you suggest we do?" asked X1. Jade replied calmly, "There is only one way to kill them – one at a time and with a large force of our own acolytes and force adepts. I would like to requisition fifty Shadow and Saber Guards, a half dozen Dark Jedi Guardians and any others you think would be necessary to kill one of them. A battalion of Stormtroopers will also be needed and a company of special operators – Shadow Stormtroopers or Stormcommandos will work. If we can't spare them, Navy Commandos will do in a pinch."

The five dark siders looked incredulous until Jerec thought about it for a moment. Starkiller and Skywalker had killed the Emperor and many other powerful force users besides – Jedi Masters and elite dark siders not to mention a small armies worth of Shadow and Sabre Guards. "I think she is correct, my fellow councilors. If you will take my advice, we will give Mara Jade what she requests."

The others were shocked. Hethrir, a cultured near human of some kind, cleared his throat and said, "Lord Jerec, if I may, that is half our Dark Jedi there. Is it wise to expend so many on two individuals?"

Mara Jade spoke up. "My Lords, these two defeated our Emperor, the most powerful Sith Lord and force user to ever live and they killed him. Every life we have to give is worth it to gain vengeance and to secure a future for the Empire. If they live, there will be no future any of us."

To no one's surprise, the clone-centric warlord X1 lifted a hand. "I agree with Hand Jade. We cannot afford to let them live. If they rebuild the Jedi Order, we will have another Civil War on our hands."

One by one, they agreed. Jerec turned to Mara Jade and said, "We will give you the numbers you ask for. As for the special operators, Shadow Troopers would be best, I believe. If nothing else, they will take care of any who the Jedi bring with them. Your strike force will be summoned within a day and gathered at the hanger of this palace. You will be transported in an Acclamator-II Class Assault Ship to whatever planet we hear that the Jedi are spotted on."

"Thank you, my Lords. You are making the right choice;" said Mara Jade with a deep bow. With a wave of his hand, Jerec dismissed her. With a cold smile on her face, Mara Jade left the conference room, anticipating the mission to come.

I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of the my new story. It is the sequel to the Dark Side Unleashed. Please read and review.