Chapter 1: Divinity

Eleven days. Timira City had been levelled eleven days prior. According to the BattleNet the massive attack that had taken place would cease the production of Stormtroopers. Of course, the BattleNet update had been recorded by a Rebel politician who was as far away from the bloodbath as he could possibly be. From Galen's point of view, the Empire's movements would only be stalled. In time it is likely they'd rebuild and continue the cloning process. Kota knew it and Marek knew it. The two only hoped that the devices used to clone were lost, that they could not be perfectly mimicked again.

Galen Marek had repaired his robes, the two lightsabers hung from his belt at either hip. They were lightly strapped on to allow for easy access. One swift move and two bright aqua lightsabers would be unclipped and ready for slicing up foes. After the battle of Timira City his robes needed major repairs, they still looked thin and lightweight but now his shoulders and chest were lined with a thin and light-weight armour plating. Eleven days later and he had already grown to hate these new robes. Yet now he could be seen wearing green Light Training Robes; it was a compromise between the Rebel Guerrilla colours and his robe colours.

The halls of the 'Divinity' were long and endless. They were dimly lit, a side effect or battle scar from Timira City. The repairs had not finished yet. Regardless, the 'Divinity' still joined the Rebel Mass Onslaught Fleet, as Kota had called it, above Felucia's orbit. The massive Rebel fleet had been twice the size of the force that had assaulted Kamino nearly two weeks prior. In saying this, the fleet that had assaulted Kamino had been brutally decimated.

The way it had been settled, one might say that the fleet looked somewhat like a blockade in orbit over Felucia.

Sometime earlier Galen Marek had visited Felucia-

'No!' Galen stopped his walk. He had to stop confusing himself.

No, sometime in the past the man named Starkiller had travelled to Felucia in search of a Jedi Master named Shaak Ti. He had hunted her on the planet until he found her by the Sarlaac Pit and killed her. She fell victim to another of Darth Vader's Jedi Hunters. Much later Starkiller, who had been betrayed and re-recruited returned to the world in order to set up a meeting on behalf of General Kota with the senator Bail Organa who had been kidnapped by Shaak Ti's now unrestrained and rogue apprentice Marris Brood. He fought Brood in an epic battle, but ultimately let her go. There was essence of the Light Side within him, yet also so much dark.

Galen, Starkiller's only successful clone, had assumed that this is what made him so much more powerful. Such skilful wielding of the Force hadn't been seen since the days of Darth Revan eras ago. The two were similar in that they were both one with the Dark and the Light side of the Force. They had become masters at wielding it for the gain of themselves or others. – this skill is what had killed Starkiller aboard the Death Star so long ago. It is probably what had allowed the Jedi to be cloned; a feat assumed impossible.

Felucia until recently had been under Imperial control. While the late Starkiller had made an effort in disbanding the powerful command structure present on the world, they were then scattered. The Empire since lost contact with Felucia and a small Civil War between Imperial based factions broke out. Primitive. It was a war that the Rebels would make no attempt in ending.

The real prize was Rhen Var.

The frozen wasteland of a planet was not far from Felucia. That was where the Alliance would strike next.

Galen Marek continued to walk down the hallway, before entering the elevator. He had been so deep in thought, so distracted that he had done all of this instinctively. Thinking about how he could be so easily distraction had then caused him to lose track of time and before he knew it he was at the doors to the Bridge.

The massive viewport revealed the world of Felucia, its rainbow beauty still astounded him. He'd never been to Felucia (though he felt like he had). In his very short lifespan he'd visited only a few planets, a very, very, small number of planets. He wanted to see it for himself but almost assumed he had already. He also had wished that the Divinity be facing the rest of the fleet. The scores and scores of massive carriers would be quite a spectacle. Galen had suggested in a conference with Leia Organa and Mon Mothma that over the course of the next few years they begin recruiting more factions in the Rebel Alliance.

The wookies of Kashyyyk would likely help rise against the Empire for their slavery. The Mon Calamari had a strong relationship with the Jedi Knights back during the Clone Wars, before Galen's return Juno had helped forge an alliance with them through Commander Ackbar. The Bothan's were quite shifty and many smugglers of their kind could be found on Nar Shadaa. There were several options, yet little time.

Galen stepped forward towards General Rahm Kota who had been looking out through the viewport at the rotating planet before him. As it had been long ago, Kota had his grey hair tied in a ponytail behind his head. There was no bandage to be seen over his sightless eyes.

'General Marek,' Kota spoke.

That was odd. Never in Galen's (very short) life had he heard the old man be so formal.

'General? I'm a General now?' Galen laughed, doubting the old man's words.

'Well maybe not officially, yet. But I sense that the Rebel leaders will change that once they hear of our victory on Rhen Var.'

'Is that so.' Galen laughed again.

'Don't forget, this whole attack is your idea.'

'Now, you're making me lose my confidence.'

'No. It wasn't a bad idea. You've planned out the attack and you'll be leading the offensive, and you were the one who captured Darth Vader! I don't see why you wouldn't be a General. The Rebellion has already made you a leader, now all you need to be is a Commander of men. Others will gladly follow you into battle even if death seems inevitable. You give the militia's hope.'

'I do? Or does Starkiller?' suddenly the mood darkened.

Rahm Kota turned from the massive glass screen and back towards the Jedi Warrior. He looked as though he was about to throw a punch.

'Boy, you know very well that you two are one in the same.'

'You keep saying that, but it doesn't make sense! I was born on Kamino! I grew up!'

'But you said it yourself that the memories of your childhood are gone and replaced entirely of your childhood on Kashyyyk. You are the very same man who fought Vader on the Death Star, the very same man who alone formed the Rebel Alliance and the very same man who CUT OUT MY EYES!'

Suddenly the room was filled with a deafening silence.

'…and still,' Kota continued in quietness. 'I would follow you into battle and protect you if you were in peril.'

There was no use arguing. Rahm was so sure of himself, so sure that Jedi could not be cloned. If the theory of the Midichlorians were true (which until recently had been undebated) then all living beings possess the Force but cannot necessarily access its perks. So cloning a Jedi should be real. Then again, no Jedi to date has ever been successfully cloned – other than Starkiller. Even then the only successful clone had been Galen, but he wasn't perfect. Perfect would have been a clone hell bent on crushing the 'Rebel scum'. As far as Galen was aware no clone was ever that successful. The hundreds of other clones had been so infused with combat skills or Force powers they were insane, minds long lost. They had all perished in the flames of Timira City.

'Are the ships in position?' Galen asked, now taking a strategic position.

'In position in accordance to your design. Garm Bel Iblis has also joined the fleet,' Kota assured him 'and he is leading a small portion of his own ships but his command will still be under you.'

It had been decided by Juno and Kota to keep Galen's return a secret. It had lasted a day and immediately the Rebel Leaders were informed. By whom, they were unaware. Leia and Bail Organa had been pleased with his return; Garm Bel just as much. Mon Mothma, on the other hand, had reacted just as Galen had feared. She saw the clone as a threat. After Starkiller's death PROXY had been repaired and delivered details of the Jedi Hunter's history to the Rebellion. Starkiller was a martyr no less.

Yet still Mon Mothma insisted on Galen kneeling to justice as a 'traitor'. Galen had naturally pleaded his case, that he was a clone and unlike his predecessor. Eventually Mon Mothma submitted and returned to being the kind and elderly lady she had been in the past. Still the Rebel Leaders insisted on calling Galen 'Starkiller', as the original was granted the birth name of Galen. It was complex reasoning, but the clone believed it best he call himself a name representative of the Light Side of the Force.

A flicker of violet light appeared in the corner of the room, and from the corner emerged the fully repaired PROXY.

'Master, incoming message from General Iblis.' He announced.

PROXY need not call Galen master. Starkiller was the droid's master, and in Starkiller's death Juno was to take ownership. Seconds after announcing Iblis' message PROXY flickered again and took the holographic appearance of the Rebel Leader.

'Starkiller, it is a pleasure to see you again.' General Iblis politely greeted. 'My men are ready and awaiting your commands.'

'Thank you,' he replied, ever so irritated he'd been called Starkiller. 'All my ships are on an automatic timer, once the countdown is depleted we'll make the jump to Hyperspace.'

'We will follow, Iblis out.' PROXY flickered again and Iblis disappeared.

The Bridge was empty apart from Rahm, Galen and PROXY. There were scores of consoles lining the Bridge walls yet they were unmanned. When the time came the Rebels would eagerly rush to their stations. In the centre of the room was a large circular Galaxy Map, its blue glow lit up the dark room. The planet Felucia had all but disappeared behind the hundreds of ships forming the Blockade. In the next system was Rhen Var.

The Hyperspace travel would not last long, though it mattered not. In a cruiser as large as the Divinity a shunt is all one would feel. Galen turned and looked past PROXY, a small blinking console revealed that the Divinity's hyperdrive was fully functional. The hyperdrive and reactor core on the Divinity weren't far apart in distance. If one malfunctioned then so would the other. If the hyperdrive was destroyed then chances were the ship would cease to move. If the reactor was destroyed then the whole ship would go up in flames.

A light rusty scraping sound could be heard towards the Bridge's entrance. Galen turned towards it, looking past PROXY and Kota who hadn't seemed to notice it. The door was slid open for just a few seconds as a figure wandered by, immediately the door closed again. Still Kota and PROXY didn't notice. But Galen knew immediately who it had been.

He broke away from the Galaxy map and made his way towards the door. As soon as he stepped out into the hallway she grabbed hold of him and pulled him to the ground. He let his guard down. The blond haired Rebel Pilot Juno Eclipse tackled him, wrapping her arms around him and bringing him closer to her.

They had barely been apart since the Battle of Kamino, Galen's return had changed much.

She brought her lips closer to his, and he exchanged a kiss. Light, yet polite. He looked away, embarrassed. He felt like he didn't deserve her love, not because he'd left her but because he wasn't the man she'd fell in love with. Of course Juno felt differently, but Galen was a clone; not the real man.

'What's wrong?' Juno asked when she noticed Galen had been staring off in the distance.

'Uh, nothing.'

'You know, for a Jedi you're a pretty crummy liar.'

'It's just, the mission. I'm worried it's not going to work out.'

'When have you been one for lack of confidence?'

Galen looked at the ground, unsure of what to say. He was silent. There was no point in arguing, it seemed that no one had quite understood what was going on.

'Look,' Juno began 'I can see you're distracted. After you take Rhen Var for the Rebels come and find me. I will be down there, fighting but I'll be leading the fighter squadron.'

She hadn't been lying. In his absence Juno had been promoted to chief strategist for all fighter squadrons seeing as she had been part the reason the Rebel Alliance had managed to form; at least that's what Juno had said. She shook her head. Galen had known she wanted to 'rekindle' their relationship, but he'd turned her down each time. The clone was broken, and it would take time to repair.

As soon as it had begun it was over, and Juno had patted herself off and left down the hallway. Galen returned down the hallway and into the Bridge.

'Thirty seconds until departure, Master.' PROXY announced.

'Good.'

'I've sent the signal to Iblis and the other ship captains.' Kota revealed.

'Excellent. Are we prepared?' Galen asked.

He'd noticed that the Bridge, however small it was, was now filled with Rebel personnel. How? Galen had been in the hallway and not once had he seen a Rebel soldier enter. One Rebel Officer approached him,

'Are you feeling alright, General?' he asked him.

'I am, why? Don't I look alright?'

'You look fine. It's just we saw you in the hallway and…'

The lights in the Bridge suddenly activated and the ship began to roar, violent shaking began and ceased. The consoles flickered and a series of beeps signalled the beginning of the mission. The Officer, distracted was now forced to report to his station.

The view of Felucia had now disappeared, the light from the sun reflecting off the planet's atmosphere revealed it was right below them. The Divinity was now facing the rest of the Blockade ships. The stars in view began to shake. A second later the shot past the viewscreen and immediately the cruiser shunted forwards.

Seconds, that's all it would take.

'Everyone to battle stations.' Galen ordered, calm with his arms crossed and looking through the viewport.

'All personnel to battle stations!' one of the officers barked into the intercom.

The Galaxy Map flickered and suddenly the local system changed. They were nearing the Tobali System. This is where Rhen Var was. This is where the battle waited for them.

'Nearing the Tobali System.' One of the pilot's confirmed.

'All flight personnel have been checked off and assigned squadrons.' Reported a Rebel Engineer.

'Gunships are online and ready to deploy ground personnel.' Another revealed.

The shaking increased once more. It was beginning to make Galen's teeth rattle, but still he remained calm. Clearly the hyperdrive hadn't been completely repaired, if it had then their arrival would have been smoother.

Conversations had flooded the Bridge, all were anxious and some nervous. All were prepared for the battle at hand.

The stars reappeared as Galen lurched forwards. The Divinity came to a sudden halt and suddenly the white frozen world of Rhen Var centred itself distant in the viewport. There were only a few Imperial ships in view, they weren't prepared for this battle.

Galen scanned the view for an Orbital Cannon, none. A cannon of such size could easily punch a hole through the ship's deflector shields.

Around them other Rebel cruisers began to appear. Some in front but even more behind.

'Do not decelerate speed until we are within the atmosphere, we'll release the flight squadrons and ground troops once we've entered the atmosphere.' Galen ordered.

The message would be relayed to the other ship captains.

There were Imperial Star Destroyers, each likely to engage. Each would be mistaken. If all went to plan then the Rebel cruisers would ignore the destroyers and riskily enter the atmosphere to deploy troops. Rhen Var would fall and become controlled by the Rebel Alliance.

The Divinity slowly reduced its shaking again. This time speeding up as it headed on what would appear to be a collision course with the planet. Galen hoped that in this point the other ships would not completely copy.

The cruiser was now inbound with the approaching planet's atmosphere.

The Divinity began to descend more and more rapidly.

Flames engulfed the ship's Bridge.

Galen was burning up.

Officers panicked.

White.