Author's Note: This is a slightly AU fic, but I've tried to keep as much of it as cannon as possible. All you really need to know is that the Yuuzhan Vong war hasn't happened, Jaina and Jacen Solo are Knights, and the Jedi Academy is on Bespin instead of Yavin IV, while the Temple remains on Coruscant. Hope everyone enjoys! Please leave comments. lol. They feed my ego and my muse, and help me to update more.

Star Wars: Episode VII

Pyre of Souls

For Twenty Five years the

New Republic has reigned

In Peace.

Now though, Chancellor Leia Organa Solo

Must peacefully eliminate the ever

Growing threat of cecession by the CONFEDERATE

SYSTEMS OF THE GALAXY, led by

Korriban's Senator – A'Sharad Hett.

Meanwhile, the theft of the

KAIBURR CRYSTAL has left the

New Jedi Order wary of attack.

The Jedi council lives in fear because the shroud of the

Dark side is once again descending over the galaxy…

Inside the Senate Rotunda - Coruscant

Chancellor Leia Organa Solo sat in the Chancellors podium, eyes closed, as it rose from the floor to take its place in the middle of the Senate. She opened them once the podium had reached their desired height and surveyed the room around her. 'How did Mon manage to make this seem so effortless?' she wondered. Though democracy had reigned for 25 years, the past five had been perhaps the most frustrating for her. Discord had spread its seeds in the outer rim systems, which felt that they were not being given proper treatment by the senate. Of course, the fact that the senator from Korriban seemed to be leading all of the systems did not escape her.

Leia took a moment to gather the Force around her. The mood was tense, and thousands of the hover crafts emanated anger and rebellious thoughts, while others were worried, and some downright afraid. She also noted that there was an unusual amount of empty craft in the room. There was one however, that seemed oddly calm.

A'Sharad Hett, a former Jedi of the Old Republic, was oddly at ease with the situation. He opened his eyes and smirked at Leia before standing and pressing the red button on the control panel of his craft.

Leia's eyes narrowed, and she stood as well. "The Chair recognizes the representative from the Planet of Korriban," C3PO stated.

Hett's hovercraft moved towards the middle of the arena. Leia noted that there were multiple occupants in the craft. "Honorable representatives of the republic," Hett began, "I come to you today to address a growing threat within our galaxy. The Chancellor of the Republic and her supporters have been harassing the systems in the outer rim and are now beginning to follow suit with some of the mid rim systems and territories as well."

A murmur of discontent rose amongst the occupants of the senate, and Leia seethed in rage. Hett had been spewing his propaganda, claiming that, although relief had eventually been sent, the Senate had been neglecting his planet when an unnatural amount of natural disasters has struck various parts of his planet, including a series of earthquakes and a few tsunamis. These had hit various large shipping yards, communications centers, and wiped out most of the food plants. Leia, and many other Senators, had found it difficult to believe that the damage was as bad as Hett was claiming until holos of the damage and of rioting surfaced on the Holonet.

"I feel that it is high time that we correct these wrongs once and for all," said Hett. The other occupants of Hett's hovercraft rose. "I believe that the current body of government is corrupt and weak, and that eliminating it is the proper course of action. From its ashes, I will construct a new – more efficient system of ruling."

Shouts from the delegates now fill the arena – some angry, and some afraid – all ignoring C3PO's calls for order.

"I, A'Sharad hett, will be at its head," he finished. The occupants of Hett's hovercraft all ignited ruby red lightsabers before using Force assisted jumps to leap into various hovercrafts and killing the senators. Screams of horror, pain, and confusion echoed as the Senators got to their feet in the hovercrafts.

Leia recoiles in fright and from within her chancellor's robes pulls her own lightsaber. Panicked senators attempt to flee, but Hett motions with his hands, and all the doors leading out of the senate close – locked from the outside. As the senators fall, Hett's hovercraft moves towards the chancellor's podium.

Leia ignites her green lightsaber, silently attempting to contact her brother – Luke – through the Force. "You cannot win, Hett," she said, her voice sounding much calmer than she felt. "The Jedi Council will have felt the effects of your treacherous actions through the Force, and will be here shortly."

Hett threw his head back and laughed darkly. When he looked at her again, his eyes were yellow, flecked with bits of red. His hovercraft was now three feet away from the Chancellor's podium, and with a wave of his hand telekinetically sent the sputtering 3PO tumbling to the ground below. "Your Highness, it would be my honor to remove your head and place it next to that of your brother's and the rest of your family's." He then lept into the podium and began slashing with his lightsaber at Leia, who blocked the blows.

She knew that due to the lack of room, she would be quickly overpowered. She prayed to the Force that he had been lying about her family's fate. As he backed her into a corner, parrying and slashing, he hit the top portion of her lightsaber hilt, damaging it and rendering it completely useless. Raising his lightsaber, he brought it down on her.

500 Republica Apartments.

Leia shot up in bed, shaking, breathing heavily. Beside her, Han snored loudly before turning over on his side. She looked back at him, sighing. 'Was it just a nightmare? Or was it a Force Vision?' she wondered.

Over the years, 500 Republica still remained one of the most exclusive addresses on Coruscant. The occupants of the building included several politicians, celebrities, and media moguls. Although it was rumored that parts of the building were still blocked from access by anyone but a previous occupant, the late Emperor Palpatine, the occupants were quite content with their living quarters. Former Chancellor Mon Mothma occupied the penthouse suite, while Leia Organa-Solo and her family lived several floors below.

Ever since the unrest in the outer rim began, she'd been riddled by multiple force visions – more than she'd ever had previously. All of them connected to A'Sharad Hett, and yet neither she nor her agents had been able to turn up anything on the man. He truly seemed to believe in his cause. However, as time had taught her, appearances could be deceiving.

She carefully extricated herself from Han's arm before putting on her robe and walking out into their living space. C3PO was resting in a corner, charging himself for the next day in Congress. Her youngest¸ Anakin, was sleeping in his bedroom on a temporary leave from the Academy after his latest mission, and the twins – Jaina and Jacen – would be returning tomorrow. While it warmed her heart to know that their family would be together again, she had little hope that her husband and eldest son would solve their differences.

Jacen took after his father in more ways than one. He was an excellent star pilot, and had a knack of befriending alien species. However, he also shared some of his less desirable traits, including being hardheaded, and associating with some people of… lesser desirability. The two most stubborn members of her family were constantly butting heads, and she often doubted if they would be able to peacefully be in one room together ever again after their last exchange.

For once in her life, she envied her brother. Luke's relationship with his son Ben was wonderful. Although he was constantly kept busy by his duties as Grand Master of the Jedi Order, Luke still found a way to spend time with his family, whereas Leia's senatorial duties had, at times, prevented her from being as involved as she would have liked. She pushed those thoughts aside, and drew on the Force to help her remove negative emotions.

At times like this, she wished she'd known her birth mother. Though Bail had told her very little about her, Leia knew two things – she was very beautiful and sad, and she was at one time a politician. This left her virtually no clues as to who her mother was. Her father, on the other hand, she'd had a bit more luck learning about. Although she was quite familiar with the atrocities that Darth Vader had committed, she lacked the knowledge of who he'd been before the mask. Anakin Skywalker was a celebrated Clone Wars hero and Jedi Knight who had at one time been dubbed 'The Hero With No Fear'. However, one thing she'd been shocked to learn was that Jedi Knights of the old order were not allowed to marry, or have relationships. Obviously a few had gone behind the council's backs, but it was enough to make her wonder. Were Luke and herself the results of an affair or perhaps something worse?

She walked out onto the veranda and looked at the lights of the Republic Capital. The constant hustle and bustle of the city, even at night, soothed her. For a brief moment, she felt that the galaxy was at peace, and that she was like everyone else – living her life as though nothing was wrong. Tomorrow, she decided, she would stop by the Jedi temple and speak with the council. Perhaps they could help her to unravel the dreams she'd been having.

Elsewhere on Coruscant…

Darth Krayt stood behind his apprentice, Darth Maladi, as she viewed the holovids of the Organa-Solo residence. Not for the first time, he cursed the name Skywalker. "It seems that once again, our plot has been foiled," he stated, fury barely restrained. "No doubt she will double security in the Senate for at least one month." He stood motionless before waving his hand and dialing out to a frequency on the dark planet of Byss. Moments later, a woman whose face was hidden by a cloak appeared on the screen.

"Yes Lord Krayt?" she inquired, sounding utterly bored.

"We will have to proceed with our second phase of the plan," Krayt growled.

"Oh? I take it that your plans to dispatch the Chancellor have once more been placed on hold?" she asked, sounding much more enthusiastic.

"Do not make assumptions," he sneered. "We simply need a better way to kill her. She is the daughter of Skywalker, and is very strong in the Force. It keeps warning her."

"That is because you scheme, and you plan," stated the dark lady as if lecturing a small child. "I have offered more than once to take care of your problem for you, and now I am considering journeying to Coruscant and finishing the job myself just so you will stop whining. The Spawn of Skywalker is granted precautionary visions through the Force when you take time to plan out something elaborate. Try introducing something chaotic – spur of the moment. Maybe then you'll find success."

If Krayt had been angry before, he was absolutely livid now. His apprentice, Darth Maladi, glanced warily at her master before returning her eyes to the screen. "The only success you need be concerned with, Lumiya, is that of your Alchemy. Remember that if you fail, I will do what I swore to do when I first learned of your existence."

Lady Lumiya threw her head back revealing her face, laughing darkly. Lumiya seemed to be more machine than woman. A mask covered her mouth and much of her skull, leaving only her eyes to be seen. "As if you could, you fool. Is the big bad Sith afraid of someone else with their own agendas?" she taunted. "If you recall correctly, the only reason you were able to get within ten meters of me is because I wanted you to…" She leaned in so that her face was enlarged. "Remember this, Krayt," she snarled, finally placing a seriously look on her face. "You may be powerful, but your plans could not come to fruition without my knowledge of the intricacies of the Dark Side of the Force."

The communication ended immediately after and Krayt snarled before unleashing a torrent of Force lightning on the communicator. "Damn her and her arrogance," he bellowed. "I swear it will be her undoing."

"Perhaps after we add to our collective Master, we will be able to eliminate her," Darth Maladi suggested.

"In due time, we shall," agreed Krayt. "In the meantime, we shall unleash our forces against the Republic and their foolish protectors. They shall be overwhelmed and underprepared for what we have planned for them. It is only a pity that this did not happen sooner. I will personally ensure that Skywalker fulfills his destiny to bring a balance to the Force… the Dark Side of the Force at least…" A dark chuckled escaped his lips. "The Empire will rise once again, and it shall be more glorious than before." He then turned and left the room.